A summer adventure you’ll remember forever.
Five weeks with fellow students who quickly become fast friends. Amazing National Parks. Iconic cities like San Francisco, Seattle, Las Vegas and New Orleans. Your ultimate road trip journey begins here.
Five weeks with fellow students who quickly become fast friends. Amazing National Parks. Iconic cities like San Francisco, Seattle, Las Vegas and New Orleans. Your ultimate road trip journey begins here.
The Grand Western Tour gave our daughter the opportunity to step outside of her comfort zone and meet a whole new group of friends. We have spent a lot of time traveling as a family, but seeing the United States, with your peers, through a bus window, is something special!
Our trip across America takes place on a deluxe motor coach piloted by a professional driver with an excellent safety record. The Prevost motor coaches are considered the most comfortable and safest on the road. Students are assigned different seats each day which fosters new friendships and gives them plenty of time to get to know everyone on board.
What don’t our students do? Along with exploring the rich history and iconic landmarks of the cities they visit, the adventure includes everything from whitewater rafting, a jeep ride in Arizona, a train ride in Colorado and a gondola ride in Wyoming, just to name a few. There’s never a dull moment!
Students experience a variety of lodging during the trip, from rustic cabins in Wyoming to the comfort and luxury of a resort & spa in Arizona. Most accommodations allow for four students per room. To encourage interaction between all students, roommate assignments are rotated at each hotel so everyone has the chance to get to know each other!
Students enjoy a variety of delicious meals, representative of various cultures and backgrounds, in restaurants throughout the country. Whether it’s eating fresh food at a family farm in Indiana, enjoying a cookout on the beach in La Jolla or eating at the famous Chinatown restaurant in San Francisco, the trip is full of culinary delights. From the legendary Varsity in Atlanta, to the world’s largest pizza parlor in Colorado, students get to experience a true taste of America. Most meals (about two-thirds) are included in the cost of the tour.
Students will have free time for shopping and other activities when time and schedule permit. During free time, students stay in small groups of three to five people, unaccompanied by a staff member. Students are not allowed to travel on their own at any time. When free time is available, students are given specific instructions on where they may go and when they must return so they are able to explore in a safe, structured environment.
Roommates and seatmates are assigned and changed for each stop.. Assignments are varied as much as possible to encourage making new friends. Our experience has proven that the fairest method is "the luck of the draw" to ensure that all students have the opportunity to get to know each other. We do not accept rooming or seat assignment requests from students or their parents.
Students experience a variety of lodging during the trip, from rustic cabins in Wyoming to the comfort and luxury of a resort & spa in Arizona. Most accommodations allow for four students per room. To encourage interaction between all students, roommate assignments are rotated at each hotel so everyone has the chance to get to know each other!
In some locations, students are allowed to go shopping and explore in groups of three or more. They will not always be accompanied by a staff member. In these situations, the students are given a limited amount of time and specific instructions on where they can go and when they must return.
We do allow students to bring their cell phones, but do limit their use during some meals and activities.
Once the first session and first session waitlist are filled, you must apply for the second session. If we receive insufficient interest to run a second session, you will receive a full refund of all amounts paid. You will be notified by January 10, 2022 if there is insufficient interest to run a second session.
When your student’s application is accepted and he or she is enrolled on the tour, a $1,000 non-refundable deposit and the premium for any travel insurance you have selected during enrollment is due. The balance of the trip cost is due January 10 of the year the tour departs.
Please contact us to discuss your child’s specific allergies and to make sure we can accommodate their needs during the trip.
If a student becomes ill and requires medical treatment, a member of the tour staff will stay behind and obtain the appropriate care and assistance. If the student is unable to return to the tour, the staff member will stay with them until a parent or guardian arrives. All medical expenses and the expenses of the staff member while with the student as well as any expenses incurred to rejoin the group, are the responsibility of the student’s parents. The tour is generally within 30 minutes from a medical facility, except for while at the ranch where the closest facility is an hour away.
Students are only allowed to leave the group to visit a friend or relative if their parents have provided written permission before the tour begins. A telephone call is not acceptable, it must be given in writing.
Get excited, the journey is about to begin! To kick off our upcoming adventure, students and their families are invited to a get-acquainted dinner to meet the other students and the Grand Western Tour team. Students will grab one last night with their parents before embarking on the road trip of a lifetime, so rest up!
And we’re off! First stop–a visit to the most famous and iconic racetrack in America! Our trip to Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby Museum typically includes the exciting spectacle of watching a horse race in action. The trip continues on to a family farm in Indiana for a delicious, home-cooked dinner.
Our next stop is St. Louis, one of the oldest settlements in the Mississippi Valley. After viewing a movie chronicling the construction of the Gateway Arch, we’ll tour the famous archway and soak in the amazing views from the top. No trip to the ‘Mighty Mississippi’ is complete without a cruise down the river, so we’ll hop aboard the “Tom Sawyer” for an incredible steamboat tour.
Welcome to the geographical center of the continental United States. Salina is in the heart of the Kansas wheat belt and one of the leading flour-producing cities in the country. It’s the perfect place for us to catch our breath after an eventful start to the trip. The evening includes a romp at Sky Trampoline Park and a pizza dinner.
We continue on to Colorado Springs, a resort city at the base of the Rocky Mountains known for its magnificent views and geological marvels. These two action-packed days include a tour of the U.S. Air Force Academy, a trip to the National Olympic Training Center, a visit to the Garden of the Gods, and a trip to the top of Pikes Peak, 14,110 feet above sea level.
Explore Silverton, an historic mining boomtown, before boarding the train for a scenic, open-air ride to Durango. This is one of the last narrow-gauge railroads still in operation in the United States, traveling through the picturesque San Juan Mountains. Next, enjoy a tour of Mesa Verde National Park and the preserved cliff dwellings of the Pueblo Indians who lived here for over 700 years.
The trip to Salt Lake City takes you by Canyonlands National Park and includes a visit to Arches National Park. In Salt Lake City, view the famous Great Salt Lake and Temple Square, the center of Mormon activities and Utah's most celebrated historical spot. Students will also have the opportunity to hear the famous Tabernacle Choir.
This colorful resort town serves as the southern entrance to the Grand Teton National Park. No trip to Jackson Hole is complete without a hike (or chairlift ride) to the top of Snow King Mountain where you can enjoy panoramic views of the Grand Tetons. Students will have free time to explore this quaint town – a perfect spot for souvenir and t-shirt shopping — before enjoying a lively reenactment of frontier justice on the Jackson Town Square in what is the longest, continuously running shootout in the country! The trip includes dinner and a renowned western themed musical at the historic Jackson Hole Playhouse.
Enjoy an all-day excursion through Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park, traveling along the Snake River at the base of the majestic Grand Teton Mountains. Explore legendary Yellowstone, where you can view the lakes, the volcanic pools, and the geysers, including Old Faithful, of course. Be prepared to see buffalo, elk, wolves and bears, if we’re lucky!
We’ll then spend three nights at the Granite Creek Ranch. Each day is packed with fun things to do, and highlights include an excursion to a near by hot springs; a variety of outdoor activities, including a picturesque hike and our annual costumed volleyball tournament.
Get pumped for a thrilling white-water rafting trip along the Flathead River, which traverses the picturesque Flathead Indian Reservation. We’ll spend the night at the Kwataqnuk Resort overlooking the beautiful Flathead Lake, the largest freshwater lake between the Mississippi River and the Pacific Ocean.
A drive through Montana, Idaho, and Washington leads us to bustling Seattle. The stop includes a visit to The Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), the famous Pike Place Marketplace and the Space Needle. A tour of the city takes you to unique sites of Seattle, followed by dinner at Ivar's Salmon House, a beautiful cedar replica of the Northwest Indian Longhouse filled with native artifacts and historical photographs.
Enjoy the phenomenal views as we travel down the quintessential highway along the Pacific coastline of Oregon to Gold Beach. We’ll spend the evening enjoying a barbeque, karaoke, and dancing on a beautiful outside area overlooking the Rogue River and the Pacific Ocean. At the stop, we’ll also celebrate those students who have birthdays during our trip with an epic party.
The drive to San Fran includes a trip through the California Redwoods and a visit to the Grieg-French-Bell Grove. We’ll walk this scenic trail and take in the remarkable landscape that is often featured in movies and TV commercials before continuing through the wine valleys of Northern California and on to San Francisco. In San Francisco, we’ll spend three nights in the Fisherman's Wharf area. A tour of the city will include a walk across the Golden Gate Bridge and a visit to the artists’ colony of Sausalito, where students will have time to visit unique shops in this eclectic and Insta-worthy community. Other highlights include a Major League Baseball game featuring the San Francisco Giants and a visit to Alcatraz Island, once America's premier maximum-security prison.
Students will have free time to go shopping or sightseeing in specified areas, where they can ride cable cars, stroll down the world’s crookedest street (Lombard Street), or visit China Town, Fisherman's Wharf, or Ghirardelli Square.
After a scenic drive to Anaheim, you will have free time to enjoy the fabulous Downtown Disney District. The next day includes a trip to Disneyland, of course! Get your cameras ready because we’ll also enjoy a guided tour of Hollywood, and who knows what celebrities you might spot. Next, we’ll head to Laguna Beach for an afternoon of swimming and beachcombing. This seaside resort is relatively isolated thanks to the surrounding hills, limited highway access and a dedicated greenbelt.
Our trip to San Diego includes a visit to the San Diego Zoo, one of the largest and most well-renowned zoological parks in the world,. We’ll enjoy dinner on a beautiful beach in La Jolla and watch the sunset over the Pacific Ocean.
Viva Las Vegas! Enjoy a popular variety show that has Las Vegas written all over it — from acrobats to comedians to magicians, there is something in the show to excite anyone. After the show, we’ll drive down the strip and enjoy the city’s spectacular lights and sights from the fountains of the Bellagio to the Eiffel Tour at the Paris Hotel.
One of the highlights of the tour is our visit to the Grand Canyon, one of the world's most remarkable, awe-inspiring spectacles. The canyon, more than one mile deep in certain spots, stretches from 4 to 14 miles from rim to rim, and is definitely something everyone should experience.After spending the day exploring the Grand Canyon, we’ll head to Sedona, Arizona, a charming resort town nestled among towering red rock monoliths that have served as the backdrop for many western movies. In Sedona, a stunning hike along Marg's Draw Trail ends on large slabs of red rock in a bowl surrounded by magnificent mountains. Have a blast riding in the jeeps on the Pink Jeep Scenic Rim Tour, a 90-minute tour of Arizona’s diverse landscape. The trip takes you 1,500 feet above Sedona along the Mogollon Rim, where majestic red rock formations blaze the trail for scenic beauty and rugged exploration.
After Sedona, it’s off to a beautiful resort/spa for a little R&R in Tucson to enjoy some swimming, tennis, hiking, the fitness center, or simply gazing at the desert night stars.
EI Paso is the cultural center of the Southwest, enriched for more than four centuries by contributions from Native Americans and Spanish, Europeans and Asian settlers. The city's international flavor is apparent in the variety of cultural facilities and events, 18 museums, more than 35 art galleries, and 28 artists of national acclaim. An exceptional dinner of local heritage will be enjoyed at the famous Carlos & Mickey's Casa Souza.
Located on a working ranch just outside of Sonora, Texas, the Caverns of Sonora is a National Natural Landmark, recognized as one of the most beautiful caves in the world. In our guided tour, we will experience some of the most stunning and rare formations in an incredible, unique 100-million-year-old cave setting that is still actively evolving.
After our visit to San Antonio, you will surely remember The Alamo! An IMAX movie about the historical impact of The Alamo, will set the stage for our visit to this notable site, and a tour of the city will follow. Students will have free time to explore the historical spots of San Antonio and discover unique shops specializing in southwestern themes. Late afternoon, we'll discover more about Texas' most walkable city in a 2-hour scavenger hunt! We'll make a loop around the city in search of storied buildings, great green spaces and cultural institutions.
Laissez les bon temps rouler! Our last stop is definitely a memorable one. Our visit to New Orleans includes a visit to the famous French Quarter to explore the city’s rich history and exquisite architecture. Dinner at Coterie Restaurant serves as the perfect ending to our trip to reminisce and laugh about all the amazing experiences we shared over the past several weeks.
Our trip home includes a detour for lunch at one of Atlanta’s most iconic restaurants, The Varsity, which opened in 1912 and is known as the world’s largest drive-in restaurants (be sure and try the famous ‘Frosted Orange’). After an unforgettable 33 days of action-packed excitement, the bus is expected to arrive in Greensboro between 8:00-8:30pm.
GWT was a summer that my daughter, Laura (2012), and I will never forget! The tradition of the tour for us was so special in that friendships were cultivated that transcend generations. Rarely do we travel anywhere together that one of us doesn’t make a connection leading back to the summers on the bus!
