Upcoming Trips

Trains of the Colorado Rockies

Trains of the Colorado Rockies

August 03 - August 11, 2012

Highlights...
Denver • Rocky Mountain National Park • Georgetown Loop Railroad • Grand Junction • Colorado National Monument • Durango & Silverton Railroad • Durango • Mesa Verde National Park • Royal Gorge Railroad • Colorado Springs • Pike's Peak Cog Railway • Garden of the Gods •

9 Days • 12 Meals:
8 Breakfasts • 4 Dinners

Per Person Rates*:
Double $2519
Single $3119
Triple $2489

Day 1: Friday, August 03, 2012
Denver, Colorado Area - Tour Begins
Traverse the Colorado Rockies with Collette Vacations as you journey through the beauty of nature with Alpine lakes, towering peaks and rolling meadows at every turn.
Today Dinner is included.

Day 2: Saturday, August 04, 2012
Denver Area-Estes Park-Rocky Mountain National Park-Denver Area
Travel to the resort village of Estes Park, famous for its Stanley Hotel, the inspiration for Stephen King's novel,The Shining. Enjoy leisure time to meander among its unique shops and fine galleries. Next stop is Rocky Mountain National Park to discover the true meaning of “panoramic” as you experience incredible views. Then, travel across the famed Trail Ridge Road* which forms the highest continuous highway in America reaching heights of 12,183 feet. This celebrated “Roof of the Rockies” offers views of massive peaks and rugged canyons as you cross the continental divide.
Today Breakfast is included.

Day 3: Sunday, August 05, 2012
Denver Area - Georgetown - Grand Junction
Travel through the Rocky Mountains on a scenic and historic train ride aboard the Georgetown Loop Railroad. Completed in 1884 as a means to transport silver in and out of the region, this spectacular stretch of narrow gauge railroad is an engineering marvel and features several horseshoe curves and bridges including the Devil’s Gate High Bridge. A lunch stop is made at the picturesque Alpine village of Vail. Lined with chalets, outdoor cafes and intriguing shops and galleries, Vail is one the finest resort destinations in the world. Later, arrive in Grand Junction, your home for the next two evenings.
Today Breakfast is included.

Day 4: Monday, August 06, 2012
Grand Junction - Colorado National Monument - Grand Junction
Visit one of the grand landscapes of the American West - Colorado National Monument. Travel along the Rim Rock to see a colorful panorama of deep, sheer-sided canyons and high rock towers. Later, journey to Colorado’s wine country to learn about one of the region’s finest vineyards and sample the fruits of its labors. Tonight’s winemaker’s dinner at a lovely vineyard will be an exceptional experience where you can relax and enjoy the company of your fellow travelers.
Today Breakfast and Dinner are included.

Day 5: Tuesday, August 07, 2012
Grand Junction - Silverton - Durango
Drive south to the small mining town of Silverton, a national historic landmark. Hidden high in the San Juan Mountains, this town offers spectacular scenery, Victorian charm and historic architecture built between 1882 and 1910. Then it's “all aboard” the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. This 1881 coal-fired, steam-powered locomotive was built to haul silver and gold ore from the San Juan Mountains…but you will soon realize it is the view that is truly precious.
Today Breakfast is included.

Day 6: Wednesday, August 08, 2012
Durango - Mesa Verde National Park - Durango
An incredible day awaits at Mesa Verde National Park which preserves the one thousand year culture of the remarkable Anasazi Indians. Visit the fascinating Spruce Tree Cliff Dwellings to see two of the largest cliff dwellings built between AD 1211 and 1278 by ancestors of the Pueblos. This evening, enjoy an Old West adventure filled with traditional cowboy food and entertainment**.
Today Breakfast and Dinner are included.

Day 7: Thursday, August 09, 2012
Durango - Canon City - Colorado Springs
Travel east across southern Colorado to Canon City’s Royal Gorge Railroad. Board the train for a 24-mile ride beneath the highest suspension bridge in the world, the Royal Gorge Bridge, which spans the gorge 1,053 feet above the railroad tracks. This is some of the most spectacular scenery you will ever see.
Today Breakfast is included.

Day 8: Friday, August 10, 2012
Colorado Springs - Manitou Springs - Colorado Springs
Depart for Manitou Springs, home of Pike's Peak, the legendary symbol of the 1859 Gold Rush. Embark on Pike's Peak Cog Railway, the world's highest cog railroad, for an 8.9 mile journey to the top of Pike's Peak (approx. 14,110 ft.). During the journey you will see magnificent views and perhaps animals in their native habitat. Later, travel to the Garden of the Gods, on the National Register for Historic Places, to view the towering sandstone formations and a wonderful view of Pike's Peak. Tonight, join your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner to celebrate a trip filled with scenic delights and railway adventures.
Today Breakfast and Dinner are included.

Day 9: Saturday, August 11, 2012
Colorado Springs - Tour Ends
Your tour ends in Colorado Springs.
Today Breakfast is included.

Portland Rose Festival and the Oregon Trail

Oregon Trails

featuring the Portland Rose Festival & Columbia Gorge Cruise

6 Days June 7, 2012

$1999 Per Person, Double Occupancy

$525 Single Supplement

Tour Highlights

•Portland Rose Festival

•Portland City Tour

•Mt. St. Helens Nat’l Monument

•Johnston Ridge Observatory

•Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler Cruise

•Bonneville Dam

•Oregon’s Pacific Coast

•Tillamook Cheese Factory

•Winery Visit & Tasting

•Pittock Mansion

•Washington Park

•International Rose Test Garden

•Astoria

•Fort Clatsop National Memorial

•Multnomah Falls

Tour Includes

•Roundtrip Airfare

•8 Meals:   5 - Breakfasts & 3 - Dinners

•Professional Tour Director

•Motorcoach Transportation

•Hotel Transfers

•Admissions per Itinerary

•Comprehensive Sightseeing

•Baggage Handling

Accommodations

•5 Nights First Class Hotel

Portland Marriott City Center    or  Hilton Portland & Executive Tower

Portland, Oregon

Day 1:          Flight to Portland

Fly to Portland, Oregon, “City of Roses”.  Today meet your Tour Director and transfer to your hotel for a leisurely five-night stay.  Portland features a collection of gardens, world class museums, historic districts along with acres of parks typical of the Pacific Northwest.  Tonight enjoy a Welcome Dinner to get acquainted with your fellow passengers.

Meal: (D)

Day 2:          Portland Sightseeing - Mt. St. Helens

After breakfast enjoy a Portland City Tour featuring Washington Park with its famous International Rose Test Garden and a visit to the Pittock Mansion, nestled high on a hill above the city skyline the historic mansion is a symbol of Portland from small lumber town to bustling city.  This afternoon visit Mt. St. Helens Volcanic National Monument. On May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted.  Shaken by an earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale, the north face of this tall symmetrical mountain collapsed in a massive rock debris avalanche.  Also visit the Johnston Ridge Observatory located within the blast site of the eruption offering spectacular views of the mountain.  The observatory features a film about the eruption, exhibits and an unobstructed viewing plaza.

Meals: (B,D)

Day 3:     Portland Rose Festival

Today experience the Portland Rose Festival, the second largest all-floral parade in North America and the single-largest spectator event in Oregon. This afternoon enjoy lunch on your own at the Saturday Market. The rest of the day is at your leisure: wander along the waterfront or through a park, visit a downtown museum or enjoy a book in a Portland coffee house.

Meal: (B)

Day 4:          Astoria - Oregon Coast

This morning travel to Astoria, the northernmost city in Oregon situated where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean.  The city features the famous 4.1 mile Astoria Bridge and many historic homes.  Visit Fort Clatsop National Memorial, commemorating the 1805-06 winter encampment of the 33-member Lewis and Clark Expedition. Then travel along Oregon’s scenic Pacific Coast through Rockaway & Cannon State Beaches.  Later visit the Tillamook Cheese Factory for a tasty tour.  Then return to your hotel in Portland.

Meal: (B)

Day 5:          Multnomah Falls  -  Columbia Gorge Cruise - Winery Visit

This morning travel east and stop at Multnomah Falls, the second highest year-round waterfall in the nation.  Then experience the history of the Columbia River Gorge and learn about the Lewis and Clark Expedition on a cruise aboard the Sternwheeler Columbia Gorge, an authentic triple-deck paddle wheeler, providing breathtaking vistas.  Also see the Bonneville Dam, part of a dam system which produces power and creates a 465-mile navigable waterway.  Later enjoy a Winery Visit & Tasting to sample a few of the varieties produced in this region. Return to Portland this afternoon.  This evening enjoy a Farewell Dinner at a popular local restaurant with your travelling companions. 

Meals: (B,D)

Day 6:          Portland - Return Home

Today transfer to the airport for your flight home filled with wonderful memories of your Oregon Trails Tour.

Meal: (B)

Yosemite and the California Coast by Train

Yosemite & California Coast by Train

featuring Private Rail Car, Kings Canyon & Sequoia National Parks

8 Days 2012

$2299 Per Person, Double Occupancy

$650 Single Supplement

Tour Highlights

•Rail Experience - California Coast Railcar

•Monterey

•Carmel

•Monterey Bay Aquarium

•Cannery Row

•Scenic 17-Mile Drive

•National Steinbeck Center

•Yosemite National Park

•Kings Canyon National Park

•Sequoia National Park

•Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

Tour Includes

•Roundtrip Airfare

•Professional Tour Director

•12 Meals:

7 - Breakfasts, 1 - Lunch & 4 - Dinners

•Deluxe Motorcoach

•Sightseeing per Itinerary

•Hotel Transfers

•Baggage Handling

Accommodations

•7 Nights Hotel Accommodations

1 - Millenium Biltmore, Los Angeles

2 - Marriott Hotel, Monterey

2 - Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino, Coarsegold/Yosemite Area

1 - Marriott, Visalia

1 - Hilton or Radisson, Los Angeles

Day 1:  Arrive LAX

Today board your flight bound for Los Angeles to begin your Yosemite & California Coast by Train experience.  Upon arrival meet your Tour Director and transfer to your downtown Los Angeles hotel.  Enjoy a Welcome Dinner this evening with your fellow travelers.

Meal - (D)     Overnight: Downtown Los Angeles

Day 2:  LA – California Coast Railcar – Monterey

Today transfer to Los Angeles’ Union Station to board the California Coast Railcar, a private deluxe dome train car.  Ride in style along the California Coast and interior farmlands to the Monterey/Carmel area.  Lunch, dinner, cocktails & snacks are included onboard during this unique and scenic full-day rail experience.  Disembark early evening in Salinas where a short transfer brings you to your Monterey hotel to check-in for a two-night stay.

Meals - (B,L,D)       Overnight: Monterey

Day 3:  Monterey/Carmel

This morning visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium, one of the world’s best and home to 35,000 plants & animals representing 623 species of marine life.  Spend time at the famous 1/3 million gallon tank highlighting California coastal sea life.  Later wander, shop or dine in Monterey’s historic Cannery Row area.  This afternoon travel along Scenic 17-Mile Drive through Pacific Grove.  Much of the drive hugs the Pacific Coast and passes Pebble Beach and Lone Cypress Point.  Later visit the quaint town of Carmel for bit of leisure time to shop & explore the art galleries.

Meal - (B)                  Overnight: Monterey

Day 4:   Monterey – Salinas – Yosemite Park Area

Travel to historic Old Town Salinas, the childhood home of author John Steinbeck and visit the National Steinbeck Center.  Founded in 1977, the center houses the largest collection of Steinbeck archives in the United States.  Later journey inland through the fertile San Joaquin Valley, known as the breadbasket of California & stop at a FruitStand in the fertile Central Valley.  Later climb the scenic foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains & arrive in Coarsegold nearby Yosemite.  Check into the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino for a 2-night stay.  Enjoy dinner this evening at the resort.

Meals-(B,D)      Overnight: Coarsegold/Yosemite  Area

Day 5: Yosemite National Park

Spend the day touring & visiting Yosemite National Park, one of the America’s greatest natural wonders.  Enter the spectacular Yosemite Valley to view the giant iconic formations of El Capitan & Half Dome and breathtaking Yosemite Falls, the highest in North America.  Enjoy free time to take in the immense beauty of this spectacular and historic national park.

Meal - (B)                     Overnight: Coarsegold/Yosemite Park

Day 6: Kings Canyon & Sequoia National Parks

Today travel south along scenic General’s Highway, named in 1875 by conservationist John Muir.  Visit Kings Canyon National Park, a testament to nature’s size, beauty and diversity - huge mountains, rugged foothills, deep canyons & vast caverns.  Later visit Sequoia National Park to see the world’s largest trees including a sequoia tree which is 275-feet high & 36-feet in diameter.  Later arrive in Visalia for a one-night stay.

Meal - (B)                            Overnight: Visalia

Day 7:  Visalia – Reagan Library & Museum – LA

This morning travel back to Los Angeles.  Enroute stop in Simi Valley to visit the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum.  The state-of-the-art museum takes you from Reagan’s early years to his time spent as a world leader.  The library also features the Air Force One used by President Reagan. Later check into your Los Angeles Airport area hotel.  Tonight enjoy a Farewell Dinner at a popular LA restaurant.

Meals - (B,D)     Overnight: Los Angeles

Day  8:  LAX - Home

Today fly home with wonderful memories of your Yosemite & California Coast by Train Tour.

Meal - (B)

Splendors of Croatia

Splendors of Croatia

11 Days 2012

$3299 Per Person, Double Occupancy

$600 Single Supplement

Tour Highlights

• Three UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Old Dubrovnik

Diocletian’s Palace

Plitvice Lakes Nat’l Park

• Zagreb City Tour

• 2 Nights Zadar

• Zadar City Tour

• Trogir Walking Tour

• 2 Nights in Dubrovnik

• Dubrovnik City Tour

• Dalmatian Coast

• 2 Nights in Split

• Split City Tour

• Plitvice Boat Excursion

• Rastoke

Tour Includes

•Roundtrip Airfare

•16 Meals: 9 - Breakfasts & 7 - Dinners

•Professional Tour Director

•Motorcoach Transportation

•Hotel Transfers

•Admissions per Itinerary

•Comprehensive Sightseeing

•Baggage Handling

Accommodations

• 9 Nights First Class Hotels

1 Night - Westin Hotel, Zagreb

2 Nights - Hotel Kolovare, Zadar

2 Nights - Grand Hotel Park, Dubrovnik

2 Nights - Atrium Hotel, Split

1 Night - Hotel Jezero, Plitvice

1 Night - Westin Hotel, Zagreb

Day 1: Overnight Flight

Board your overnight flight to Europe.

Day 2: Arrive Zagreb, Croatia

Welcome to Croatia!  Arrive in Zagreb, meet your Tour Director and transfer to your hotel.  This evening join your fellow travelers for a Welcome Dinner.

Meal - D                               Overnight: Zagreb

Day 3: Zagreb -Zadar

This morning enjoy a Zagreb City Tour to explore the highlights of this gracious city. Visit the Upper Old Town and see St. Stephen’s Cathedral and St. Marks Church. You will also visit the colorful Jelacic Square before proceeding to the historic Mirogoj Park Cemetery, known for its opulent sculptures and arcades. Then travel to Zadar for a two night stay.  Zadar, situated on a long peninsula, is the oldest Slavic town on the Adriatic Sea and once was a famed cultural center. This evening enjoy dinner at your hotel.

Meals - B, D        Overnight: Zadar

Day 4: Zadar Sightseeing

This morning on your Zadar City Tour see the Roman Forum archeological site and the People’s Square.  Also visit St. Donat, a 9th century pre-Romanesque basilica and also one of the largest examples of Byzantine  architecture in Dalmatia.  Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure.

Meals - B, D        Overnight: Zadar

Day 5: Zadar-Trogir-Dubrovnik

Today drive along the spectacular coast before stopping in Trogir, boasting 2300 years of history. Trogirs’s rich culture has been influenced by the Greeks, Romans and Venetians. Enjoy a Trogir Walking Tour to see some of the palaces, churches and towers of this enchanting city. Continue to Dubrovnik for a two night stay. This evening join your fellow travelers for dinner.

Meals - B, D        Overnight: Dubrovnik

Day 6: Dubrovnik Sightseeing

Dubrovnik is certain to enchant any visitor! Thick age-old walls surround this ancient port town. The winding cobblestone streets are filled with old red-tiled roofed houses and distinctive medieval buildings. Enjoy a Dubrovnik City Tour featuring the harbor area, the Franciscan Monastery and the stately Baroque Cathedral. Later visit Old Dubrovnik which has been designated as a UNESCO World HeritageSite. The rest of the day is at leisure to discover the treasures of the historic city on your own.

Meal -  B                             Overnight: Dubrovnik

Day 7: Dubrovnik-Split

This morning, delight in a breathtaking drive along the spectacular Dalmatian Coast, dotted with palm trees, olive groves and idyllic fishing villages enroute to Split. Located in the center of the Dalmatian Coast and nestled between the mountains and sea, Split is a picturesque ancient town built by the Roman Emperor Diocletian.  On arrival check into your hotel for a two night stay. This evening enjoy dinner at your hotel.

Meals - B, D        Overnight: Split

Day 8: Split Sightseeing

On your Split City Tour visit the impressive Diocletian’s Palace built in the 3rd century, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Highlights of the Palace include the Peristyle, the palace’s main open space and Jupiter’s Temple. Also visit the Cathedral which was once the Emperor’s Mausoleum. The remainder of the day and evening are at leisure to explore Split.

Meal - B                               Overnight: Split

Day 9: Split-Plitvice National Park

Today prepare your cameras for Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Plitvice Lakes National Park is a scenic wonderland of 16 interconnecting lakes flanked by waterfalls and primeval forest.  Visit Korana Canyon to see the 230 feet high falls and Tomicevo Pogledalo for panoramic views.  Also embark on a scenic Plitvice Boat Excursion to better view the natural phenomenons of the park. Later arrive at your hotel for an overnight stay and enjoy dinner.

Meals - B, D        Overnight: Plitvice

Day 10: Plitvice-Rastoke-Zagreb

After breakfast travel to Rastoke, considered one of the most picturesque places in Croatia. Later arrive in Zagreb for your final evening.  Tonight enjoy a special Farewell Dinner at local restaurant.

Meals - B, D        Overnight: Zagreb

Day 11: Zagreb - Return to USA

Transfer to the airport with wonderful memories of your Splendors of Croatia Tour.

Meal - B