Fly Drive California and Nevada

San Fransisco 

Outlandish Notions

Consider permission permanently granted to be outlandish: other towns may surprise you, but in San Francisco you will surprise yourself. Good times and social revolutions tend to start here, from manic gold rushes to blissful hippie 'be-ins'. If there's a skateboard move yet to be busted, a technology still unimagined, a poem left unspoken or a green scheme untested, chances are it's about to happen here. Yes, right now. This town has lost almost everything in earthquakes and dot-com gambles, but never its nerve.

Food & Drink

Every available Bay Area–invented technology is needed to make dinner decisions in this city, with the most restaurants and farmers markets per capita in North America – all supplied by pioneering local organic farms. San Francisco set the gold standard for Wild West saloons, until drinking was driven underground in the 1920s with Prohibition. Today San Francisco celebrates its historic saloons and speakeasies – and with Wine Country and local distillers providing a steady supply of America's finest hooch, the West still gets wild nightly.

Natural Highs

San Francisco is a 7-by-7-mile peninsula that looks like California's thumb, pointed optimistically upwards. Take this as a hint to look up: you'll notice San Francisco's crooked Victorian rooflines, wind-sculpted treetops, and fog tumbling over the Golden Gate Bridge.

Heads are perpetually in the clouds atop San Francisco's 48 hills. Cable cars provide easy access to Russian and Nob Hills, and splendid panoramas reward the slog up to Coit Tower. Earn exhilarating highs on Telegraph Hill's garden-lined stairway walks, and windswept hikes around Lands End. If there's another kind of high you're seeking in San Francisco, that can also be arranged: marijuana is legal here for adults 18 and over with ID, and dispensaries and delivery are at your service.

Neighborhood Microclimates

Microclimates add magic realism to San Francisco days: when it's drizzling in the outer reaches of Golden Gate Park, it might be sunny in the Mission. A difference of a few degrees between neighborhoods grants permission for salted-caramel ice cream in Dolores Park, or a hasty retreat to tropical heat inside the California Academy of Sciences' rainforest dome. This town will give you goose bumps one minute, and warm you to the core the next.

4* Hilton Union Square - Deluxe Double Room

This contemporary hotel is situated in the heart of the city, within walking distance to famous neighbourhoods like Chinatown and Nob Hill where you will find the iconic cable cars. It’s convenient for shopping and dining and offers a heated swimming pool, fitness centre and a great restaurant with panoramic views.

Being the largest hotel in the city, you will find a variety of rooms to suit all travellers. For stunning views of the city, book a Skyline room from the 20th floor upwards.

A stay at the Hilton Union Square wouldn’t be complete without dining at Cityscape Restaurant. With panoramic views of San Francisco, there’s no better place to unwind after a long day sightseeing. Enjoy a signature cocktail from one of the tallest buildings in the city, overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. 

Try Herb N’ Kitchen providing a casual, all-day service that puts you in charge of what, when and where you eat. Grab a morning coffee and pastry from the barista, share a just-made flatbread pizza or shop in the gourmet market for salads, sandwiches and treats for an in-room dinner. Herb N' Kitchen also offers room service for your convenience.

Yosemite National Park 

The jaw-dropping head-turner of America’s national parks, and a Unesco World Heritage site, Yosemite (yo-sem-it-ee) garners the devotion of all who enter. From the waterfall-striped granite walls buttressing emerald-green Yosemite Valley to the skyscraping giant sequoias catapulting into the air at Mariposa Grove, the place inspires a sense of awe and reverence – four million visitors wend their way to the country’s third-oldest national park annually. But lift your eyes above the crowds and you’ll feel your heart instantly moved by unrivaled splendors: the haughty profile of Half Dome, the hulking presence of El Capitan, the drenching mists of Yosemite Falls, the gemstone lakes of the high country’s subalpine wilderness and Hetch Hetchy’s pristine pathways.

4* Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite - Premium Room

Nestled in the mountains 2 miles away from Yosemite National Park, the Tenaya Lodge features personalised services, modern amenities, and a full-service spa.

Each air-conditioned room features a flat-screen TV with cable channels and a refrigerator. The en suite bathroom includes free toiletries, bathrobes, and a hairdryer.

After a long day, guests at Tenaya can relax with a massage from the spa, enjoy a gourmet dinner at the on-site restaurant or arrange the next day's activities with help from the hotel's concierge staff. Guests can also take advantage of the fitness centre and retail stores. This pet-friendly accommodation also offers pet-sitting.

Only steps from the Tenaya Lodge's front doors are a variety of recreational activities and adventures. Enjoy downhill skiing, scenic hikes, and rock climbing. The hotel can also arrange bike rentals and naturalist tour guides to help guests discover the surrounding areas. Yosemite Ski and Snowboard Area is 1 hours' drive from the lodge.

Monterey

Life in still delightfully rough-around-the-edges Monterey revolves around the sea. The city's biggest draw is a world-class aquarium overlooking Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, which protects dense kelp forests and a sublime variety of marine life, including seals and sea lions, dolphins and whales. The aquarium sits on the edge of Cannery Row, which made Monterey the sardine capital of the world in the 1930s. Today it's an unabashedly touristic strip lined with souvenir shops and standard eateries in faux retro buildings. For more authenticity, take a stroll past downtown's cluster of restored buildings from the Spanish and Mexican periods.

 3* Best Western Park Crest Inn

Queen Room with 2 Queen Bed - Full Breakfast 

Best Western Park Crest Inn is 4 miles from the Pebble Beach Golf Courses and within 3 minutes' drive of downtown Monterey. The hotel offers an outdoor pool, a hot tub, and free WiFi. Free parking is available.

All rooms include a TV with satellite channels, a coffee machine, a microwave, and a refrigerator. The en suite bathrooms include ironing facilities and a hairdryer.

Best Western Park Crest Inn provides guests with a daily continental breakfast. Guests can relax in the hot tub and the outdoor pool, which is heated from the beginning of March until the end of October.

Best Western Park Crest Inn is 2 miles from the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The hotel is across from the State Historic Park.

Santa Barbara 

Frankly put, this area is damn pleasant to putter around. Low-slung between lofty mountains and the shimmering Pacific, chic Santa Barbara’s red-tiled roofs, white stucco buildings and Mediterranean vibe give credence to its claim of being the ‘American Riviera.’ It’s an enticing place to loll on the beach, eat and drink extraordinarily well, shop a bit and push all your cares off to another day. The city’s car-free campaign has brought electric shuttle buses, urban bike trails and earth-friendly wine tours. Mother Nature returns the love with hiking, biking, surfing, kayaking, scuba-diving and camping opportunities galore, from offshore Channel Islands National Park to arty Ojai, in neighboring Ventura County. Meanwhile, winemaking is booming in the bucolic Santa Ynez Mountains, west of Santa Barbara, where over a hundred wineries vie for your attention.

4* Hyatt Centric Santa Barbara  - Standard Double x2 Queen Beds

This Santa Barbara beachfront resort offers an outdoor pool with a poolside lounge. Sterns Wharf and State Street shops’ is 5 minutes’ drive away. Fresh bathrobes and free WiFi are offered in all rooms.

Select rooms’ feature an ocean view at Hyatt Centric Santa Barbara. A flat-screen TV, modern dark wood furnishings, white linens and red accents are featured in all rooms.

The onsite restaurant and lounge, Bistro 111 is offered to guests at Santa Barbara Hyatt Centric. Room service is offered.

Mar Vista, the property's poolside lounge, offers ocean views. A fitness centre, concierge services and valet parking is offered.

University of California, Santa Barbara is 12 miles away. Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is 5 miles away from Hyatt Centric Santa Barbara. 

East Beach is a great choice for travellers interested in beach walks, beachesand scenery.

San Diego

New York has its cabbie, Chicago its bluesman and Seattle its coffee-drinking boho. San Diego has its surfer dude, with tousled hair, a great tan and gentle enthusiasm; they look like they're on a perennial vacation, and when they wish you welcome, they really mean it.

San Diego calls itself ‘America’s Finest City’, and its breezy confidence and sunny countenance filter down to folks you encounter every day on the street. It feels like a collection of villages each with their own personality, but it’s the nation’s eighth-largest city and we’re hard-pressed to think of a more laid-back place.

What’s not to love? San Diego bursts with world-famous attractions for the entire family, including the zoo, the museums of Balboa Park, plus a bubbling Downtown, beautiful hikes for all, more than 60 beaches and America’s most perfect weather.

3.5* Double Tree by Hilton San Diego- Double Room x2 Queen Beds

Located just 17 miles north of San Diego International Airport (SAN) and 6 miles from UCSD, the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel San Diego - Del Mar is conveniently located close to numerous championship golf courses and popular attractions. All guest rooms and suites at this contemporary Del Mar hotel are beautifully decorated with crisp, modern furnishings that reflect the style of the city. Stay connected with high-speed internet access, a work desk, and a 32-inch TV. Hold a stylish outdoor event in the hotel's 3,500 sq. ft. pool area, accommodating up to 285 guests in exotic surroundings. Stay on top of work in the business center with internet, printing and photocopying services.

Las Vegas & the Grand Canyon 

Entertainment

There are few places outside London, Tokyo and New York where you're this spoiled for choice when it comes to A-list entertainers and big-budget stage shows. Seasonal casino residencies by the megastars of the music world range from next-gen pop divas Lady Gaga, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani and Cardi B, to dad rockers Journey and Aerosmith, to the superstar DJs of the dance music universe, Calvin Harris, Steve Aoki and Tiësto. Top that with seven enthralling Cirque du Soleil shows, the mesmerizing Blue Man Group and magicians Penn & Teller, and you've got a pretty full schedule.

Dining

The volume and concentration of the Strip's celebrity chefs, lauded fine-dining restaurants and America's favorite food franchises is hard to fathom: it's impossible to sample them all, in terms of time taken to savor the spectrum of flavors and the depth of the average visitor's wallet. If you're a foodie on a pilgrimage, we suggest you do your research and narrow your selection before you arrive, lest you be overwhelmed by the scope of what's on offer, or unable to secure a reservation in the short duration of your stay. You'll definitely want to save room for dessert.

Nature Almighty

In this 24/7 city where it's possible to spend your entire visit in labyrinthine indoor worlds where artificial lighting mimics day passing into night, many visitors won't wander far from their expensive accommodations, lavish pool bar, mesmerizing casino floor, or even pulsing dance floor. The wise and well-informed, however, (that's you!) will venture off the Strip to experience the spectacular scenic beauty surrounding Las Vegas (after all, vega is 'meadow' in Spanish). Forged by tectonics, carved by the wind and baked by the desert sun, vast canyons and plains, epic mountains and alpine forests beckon you to trade humanity's distractions for nature's warm embrace.

Grand Canyon 

We’ve all seen images of the canyon in print and on-screen, but there is nothing like arriving at the edge and taking it all in – the immensity, the depth, the light. Descend into the canyon depths, amble along the rim or simply relax at an outcrop – you'll find your own favorite Grand Canyon vista. Though views from both rims are equally stunning, the South Rim boasts many more official and dramatic overlooks. One of the most beautiful in its simplicity, however, is the view that whispers from the Grand Canyon Lodge's patio on the canyon's quieter north side.

4* MGM Grand - Grand Two Queen Strip View  A huge property, with a large casino, offering great value for money for such a well-equipped hotel. It’s also home to the biggest sports and music events in Las Vegas.

MGM Grand Hotel and Casino is made up of two towers, the West Wing and the Grand Towers. The towers are linked to both each other and the casino, which does mean that the rooms can be quite a long walk from the lobby, due to the size of the hotel. All rooms are tastefully decorated throughout, with luxurious furniture and comfortable beds. The King room is great value for money, but could be considered a little small by Vegas standards.

Entertainment is high on the agenda at MGM Grand, with comedy, music, Cirque du Soleil, and the ‘greatest illusionist of our time’ David Copperfield, you are guaranteed to be fully amused during your stay. Add to this a plethora of boxing and UFC bouts throughout the year, and other sporting highlights and the choice seems endless. There is also the famous Hakkansan nightclub, which brings the most popular DJs in the world to its dancefloor. 

The MGM Grand does not disappoint when it comes to cuisine, with an incredible array of 16 restaurants, cafés, buffets and even a food court to excite your taste buds. Highly recommended is the Craftsteak steak house and the award-winning L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, where every meal is prepared right before your eyes in the chef’s unmistakably French style.