From the palm trees of sunny southern California to the dense forests of the northwestern United States, the West Coast of the United States offers a diverse geographic landscape – as well as a fascinating history and an assortment of cultures along a magnificent coastline. Whether you’ve traveled here previously or this is all new to you, here’s your chance to explore our country’s western shores and important sites on Fantasy’s Grand West Coast adventure!
Our tour begins in the small town of Kelso, located in southern Washington. We begin with the customary orientation and a Fantasy Welcome Party and Dinner, where we meet our fellow West Coast travelers. Southern Washington is a beautiful area to explore, and we have arranged the first of many bus tours — this one to the Mount St. Helens Volcanic Monument. On Sunday, May 18, 1980, following a major earthquake, the north face of this mountain collapsed, creating an avalanche of massive rocks and ice that roared down the Toutle River. Pressurized gases within the volcano were released by the avalanche and Mt. St. Helens erupted, covering 150-square miles of forest. The eruption lasted nine hours, and the mountain did not rest until 1986, when it finally created its own lava dome. Today, we are able to discover the power and drama of the volcano. We stop at the Fire Mountain Grill for a delicious lunch and to admire the spectacular views of the mountain and the surrounding forest. Johnston Ridge Observatory sits just 5-1/2 miles from the crater, offering grand views of Mount St. Helens and much of the 1980 blast zone.
Our tour is the ‘Grand West Coast’ tour, so we waste no time heading there, stopping in Warrenton, Oregon. It’s a small city that is home to Fort Stevens State Park and clean ocean beaches. It’s also the western end of the Lewis and Clark Trail. We visit Fort Stevens, a 4300-acre state park with hiking and biking trails as well as an important history. We visit the quaint town of Astoria, aka the ‘Little San Francisco of the Pacific Northwest,’ its architecture dominated by hundreds of Victorian era homes clinging to steep hillsides. We stop at the Astoria Column, which stands above the city with an unrivaled view of Young’s Bay, the Coast Range, the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean in the background. We learn more about the Pacific Northwest’s rich maritime history at the Columbia River Maritime Museum, where we can virtually experience piloting a tugboat, participate in a Coast Guard rescue and learn about the fishing life of Astoria.
Next, we take a brief detour inland to the town of McMinnville to visit the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum. Ever wonder what happened to Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose? It’s right here in Oregon. And that’s not all – we can immerse ourselves in World War II flying history through the various aircraft on display, including the Flying Fortress, a B17 bomber. We’ve plenty of time in this part of the country to take on some optional exploring ourselves and, for those wishing more aeronautical history, there’s the Tillamook Air Museum, originally a World War II military hangar for K-Class airships!
Returning to the beautiful Oregon coast, home is in picturesque Newport. There’s lots to do here, beginning with a visit to Heceta Head Lighthouse in a magnificent setting, said to be the most photographed lighthouse in the United States. It beams 21 miles out to sea, the brightest light on the Oregon coast. We stop at Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center, where the exhibits, programs and classes demonstrate how scientific research helps to interpret the natural patterns and forces of our world. There’s time to explore Newport’s beautiful harbor and the historic Nye Beach area, all culminating in dinner at a beach-side restaurant.
It’s a short drive to North Bend, where we visit a Myrtlewood factory. Due to the slow growth of Oregon’s myrtle trees, the wood is extremely dense and develops intricate burls that can be polished into exquisite bowls, trays and other items. We venture further south to our last stop in the Beaver State – beautiful Gold Beach. Here, we experience the beauty and wildlife of the Rogue River aboard an exciting jet boat. These boats function on a jet system without propellers, allowing them to swoop and skim over the water’s surface. After all the adrenaline and excitement, we stop for a riverside lunch.
The redwoods of northern California beckon as we cross the state line and stop in Klamath. We visit the magical Redwood National Park – home to the tallest trees on earth. The next day we visit the Trees of Mystery, located right in the center of the Park. While we are here, we stroll the interpretive trails and climb aboard the SkyTrail gondola to ride through the tree tops and see spectacular views of the redwoods and Pacific Ocean.
We continue exploring the Golden State with a stop in Garberville, camping in Benbow Valley. You may choose to stop at the Samoa Cookhouse, the last surviving cookhouse in the West for a lumber jack-style lunch. Our route departs the freeway to travel the scenic 31-mile Avenue of the Giants – with more than 50,000 acres of redwood groves. From Benbow Valley, you can return to Humboldt Redwoods State Park which boasts the largest remaining stand of virgin redwoods in the world. Meanwhile, back at the campground, there’s plenty to do. Benbow is a destination unto itself, located on the banks of the Eel River and attracting guests with a nine-hole golf course. The park is right next door to the historic Benbow Inn, which has hosted travelers since 1926, offering fine dining and a fun happy hour. Our Fantasy WagonMasters prepare a delicious campground cookout for us while we’re staying in this beautiful, historic part of the country.
We continue south to California’s most famous wine country, spending multiple nights in Napa. Naturally, the fun begins with a wine tour and tasting at one of the famous estate wineries that this magnificent valley has to offer. Next, we relax and enjoy more tastings with exquisite views of endless vineyard-covered hills. But that’s not all – we have reserved your space aboard the famous Napa Valley Wine Train, a three-hour journey through the spectacular scenery of some of the most expensive agricultural real estate in the world. Here, we have a gourmet lunch in a 1952 Pullman domed rail car – dining in elevated splendor while we watch the vineyards roll by.
Following the fantastic fun of Napa Valley, we tour the Golden City — San Francisco. Naturally, we visit the iconic Golden Gate Bridge and her amazing views of the city and bay. We stop at Lombard Street, the famously crooked street with the sharp switchback curves we’ve seen on television or at the movies. We tour Chinatown, one of the oldest and largest Chinatowns in the United States. We explore historic Fisherman’s Wharf and head down for chocolate at Ghiradelli Square. At Pier 39, it’s polite to say, ‘hello’ to the resident sea lions and enjoy a delicious fresh-caught seafood meal. We board a ferry boat and cruise out to the most infamous island prison of all time, Alcatraz, once home to many bad guys, including Al Capone and The Birdman. We step behind the bars to see where prisoners ate, slept and exercised while doing their time on ‘The Rock.’
After a breakfast at the Warm Puppy Café in Santa Rosa the following morning, we enjoy a guided tour of the Charles M. Schulz Museum, displaying the largest collection of his artwork in the world. Here, we’re reminded of the simple joys proclaimed by his beloved Peanuts characters.
The scenery changes dramatically the next morning when we turn inland for camping in Yosemite. We’re introduced to the spectacular views and attractions of the park on our guided bus tour to Glacier Point, towering 3,200 feet above the Yosemite Valley floor. Along the way, we’ll encounter some of the park’s most beloved sights – Half Dome, El Capitan and Bridal Veil Falls. Our schedule leaves us plenty of free time to explore and experience the beauty of the park, and we also enjoy another campground cookout courtesy of our Fantasy WagonMaster team as well as a trip to the village of Coarsegold to try our luck panning for gold.
Our next destination is Marina, located on one of California’s most iconic areas, Monterey Bay. We have a few nights here, which begins with a guided area tour, visiting the charming town of Carmel and riding through the famous 17 Mile Drive, opened in the 1880s as a carriage road to a local hotel. We see several famous golf courses, Pebble Beach and the Lone Cypress, a 250-year-old Monterey cypress tree perched on a granite hillside. We stop to shop at Cannery Row, named to honor John Steinbeck, consisting of shops, galleries and restaurants, all housed in updated shiny versions of turn-of-the-century canneries.
We have some time to spend at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, located at the ocean’s edge on Cannery Row, to view penguins, sea otters, jellies, sharks and more, while we learn about the important steps this organization takes toward preserving our oceans.
We depart the Monterey peninsula and continue our journey south, stopping in Paso Robles. The next morning, we drive to the famous Highway 1 and its magnificent vistas, heading for our guided tour of Hearst Castle. This incredible complex of ornate towers and buildings is now a California State Park, but it was the original vacation residence of publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst. The castle has two pools – the outdoor Neptune Pool with marble statues of Neptune and Nereid guarding over it and the indoor Roman Pool with intricate mosaics depicting a star-filled night sky and surrounded by marble sculptures of Greek and Roman gods and heroes.
Our next stop, Castaic/Los Angeles, treats us to an LA guided bus tour and free day to explore this city on our own.
We continue to our final destination, but we’re not done yet! We spend few nights in Newport Beach, where the best activities are found in and along the water. On our first day here, we board the Catalina ferry and cruise to nearby Catalina Island, where we enjoy a tour of the amazing ecosystem of natural wonders to be found both on land and in the sea.
The following day we drive along the beautiful California coast to Long Beach, retirement port to the Queen Mary. Royally launched in 1936 by King George V, she boasted five dining areas, two cocktail bars, swimming pools, a grand ballroom, a squash court and a small hospital, setting a new benchmark in transatlantic travel between Southampton, England and New York. She set a new speed record, and the rich and famous considered this as the only civilized way to travel. However, once World War II started, she was transformed into a troopship, painted a camouflaged grey and stripped of the luxurious amenities. Known as the ‘grey ghost,’ she was the largest and fastest troopship in the ocean, capable of carrying up to 16,000 troops and traveling at 30 knots. After the war, she was restored to her original glory and resumed her role as a luxury passenger liner until 1965. We relive her colorful history with a tour and elegant lunch on board.
We’ve got another day to explore Newport’s piers, the Balboa Fun Zone, the shops and the beaches, or we can just hang out at the campground to soak up the sun and watch the boats go by. That evening, we enjoy a traditional, Fantasy Farewell Dinner with fellow travelers and marvel at the sights we’ve shared along this fabulous west coast.