Chicago to San Francisco Road Trip Adventure Tour

Remember the country they sing about in "America the Beautiful"? The one with the spacious skies, gleaming alabaster cities, and majestic purple mountains? It's still out there. Come see it with us. Ideal for wildlife enthusiasts and outdoorsy folk who want to see the country by day and revel downtown by night, this tour takes you across the Great West, from the City of Big Shoulders through Yellowstone and Yosemite and past herds of grazing bison to the City by the Bay. In a word: Perfect.

Highlights

Camp along the Mississippi River, hike the Badlands, marvel at Yellowstone's geysers, chill out at Lake Tahoe, meet the wildlife of Grand Teton National Park, explore the streets of San Francisco

What's Included

Your Foodie Moment: Miller Brewery Tour and Tasting, Milwaukee Your Discover Moment: Yosemite National Park. Entrance fees to all national parks, state parks, and national monuments with hiking and walking excursions. Mall of America visit. Wall Drug visit. Deadwood visit. Tioga Pass (seasonal). Self
inflating mattresses and dome tents while camping. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.

Accommodation

Hotels/hostels (2 nts, some multi
share), participation camping (13 nts).

Meals Included

13 breakfasts, 11 lunches, 11 dinners

Transport

Air
conditioned private vehicle, walking.

About our Transportation

We use 25
passenger vehicles perfect for cross
country road trips on our 18
to
Thirtysomethings tours in the United States. Our new fleet of more cushy vehicles give travellers all the comfort of a big coach bus, but with a small
group experience. They put rider wellbeing first and foremost, with high
backed bucket seats and built
in headrests for all seats on board, huge 92cm
tall (36 in) windows that make every seat a window seat, an aisle way with enough headroom for most of stand upright, sliding seats that free up more shoulder room while on the road, A/C, charging stations, wi
fi, and loads of other features. We use a trailer to carry luggage and camping equipment. These are durable vehicles that allow us to drive on most types of roads in North America. This is not a physically demanding journey. However, please take note of the travel times and distances in the itinerary. Despite some of the long days, most clients feel that the diversity of the North American landscape, culture and wildlife are all well worth the experience! A typical day of driving will include about six hours driving by one of the CEOs and two to five hours of stops along the way. Keep in mind that North America is a really big place ' New York to New Orleans alone is the equivalent of driving across most of Europe, and we cover that much ground in a single week. Driving time is the perfect opportunity to catch up on sleep, relax, and swap stories with your fellow travellers. While we try to travel into and out of cities during non
rush hour times, heavy traffic is a reality of some of the places we visit. As a result, some drives may be a bit longer than listed in the day
to
day itineraries. Bring your patience and a smile, and we'll get through it!

Group Leader Description

This G Adventures group trip is accompanied by one of our group leaders, otherwise known as a Chief Experience Officer (CEO). The CEO will be the group manager, leader and sometimes the driver
this person is knowledgeable in the routes travelled and will organize and lead the meal preparations and has experience in cooking a variety of local and international dishes for large groups. As the group coordinator and manager, the aim of the CEO is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. They will also offer suggestions for things to do and to see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. If a group exceeds 16 travellers, there will be a second CEO/CEO Driver co
leading the group to allow for a better overall experience. While our CEOs are trained and have resources to assist them along the way, the United States is the fourth largest country on the planet, and it is impossible for them to know everything about this massive country. We recommend local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting
we think it's the best of both worlds. Please note that specific tour guide licenses are required to guide in certain cities and regions, and as such, our CEOs will oftentimes provide brief orientation walks or drives to point out useful places like supermarkets, main squares and ATMs but for more specific or in depth destination information, an official guided tour is recommended.

Emergency Fund

Please also make sure you have access to at least an additional USD $200 (or equivalent) as an 'emergency' fund, to be used when circumstances outside our control (ex. a natural disaster) require a change to our planned route. This is a rare occurrence!

Solo Travellers

We believe single travellers should not have to pay more to travel so our group trips are designed for shared accommodation and do not involve a single supplement. Single travellers joining group trips are paired in twin or multi
share accommodation with someone of the same sex for the duration of the trip. Some of our Independent trips are designed differently and single travellers on these itineraries must pay the single trip price.

Spending Money

Every traveller is different and therefore spending money requirements will vary. Some travellers may drink more than others while other travellers like to purchase more souvenirs than most. Please consider your own spending habits when it comes to allowing for drinks, shopping and tipping. Please also remember the following specific recommendations when planning your trip.

What to Take

You will be on the move a lot, so our advice is to pack as lightly as possible. For days in the outdoors, we recommend the use of lightweight, breathable, moisture
wicking fabrics made of wool or synthetic fibers. Cotton is not recommended for days spent hiking as it does not allow for heat or moisture to enter or escape, and it will not dry easily once wet. We recommend using a backpack for your convenience, or a medium
sized suitcase if you prefer. Heavy luggage is not recommended for the health of the CEO, who will take a lead in loading the storage trailer. Due to space in the trailer, we will not be able to accommodate more than one piece of main luggage per person. A good size day
pack (20
35L) is also essential to carry your personal gear for the day, as access to luggage between destinations will be limited. This daypack will be used to carry your personal gear for the day, your lunch and a water bottle. The American west is generally known for warm weather, but temperatures do vary significantly in the mountain and desert areas especially. The day time temperature could exceed 30 C, while the night time temperatures do regularly decrease to single digits, or even possible below freezing. It is therefore important to pack clothes for warm days and cool evenings
a light jacket is necessary. Seasonal temperature ranges: March
May ; September to December:
7 C to +30 C June ' August: 0 C to + 35 C Additionally, a set of smart casual clothes is also advisable.