CROSS COUNTRY BLT

Itinerary

Day 1-2, Los Angeles & San Diego

Head south from Los Angeles to San Diego on day one and check out SeaWorld or San Diego Zoo! Hold on, is that the beach calling? Sure is! Rent bicycles, rollerblades and surfboards at the beach and don your shades and soak up some rays. Accommodation: Budget lodging included

Day 3-4, Las Vegas

Las Vegas - the greatest show on earth! Cruise "The Strip" in a super-stretch limo, indulge in an all-you-can eat buffet, take in a show or just watch the amazing crowds, neon signs and attractions that many hotel casinos have to offer. And if that's not enough, take a helicopter flight down The Strip or just gamble the night away in one of the world class casinos. Accommodation: Budget lodging included

Day 5-6, Grand Canyon National Park &

Holy Cow! This is a dead cert on your list of top stops! Pack your boots and don't forget your camera for a sunrise/sunset hike along the rim. For the more ambitious take the long hike down Bright Angel Trail to Plateau Point or choose the "bird's eye" view on a scenic flight. Watching the sinking sun paint it amber, maroon and red, its breathtaking immensity will blow you away. Accommodation: Budget lodging included

Day 7-8, Monument Valley & Taos

We hit the iconic Monument Valley next, used in countless Hollywood scenes from Westerns to 2001: A Space Odyssey and everything in between. If you choose, you can board a jeep and let your Navajo guide show off the huge hunks of red rock and share the fables of the sacred lands. Tonight, experience a stunning sunset overlooking the valley. Venture further into the desert with a stop at Taos, where history and south-western spirit is available by the bucket load - it must be all those sandy Pueblo-style buildings that make up what is one of America's oldest towns. Accommodation: Budget lodging included

Day 9-10, Carlsbad Caverns National Park & Texas

Head on to New Mexico and Carlsbad Caverns National Park to explore one of the largest cave systems in the World. Gnarled limestone stalagmites like the Witch's Finger reach upwards, while stalactites in the Bell Cord Room hang from the cavern ceilings. Next, prepare for a big welcome as you enter the Lone Star State, otherwise known as the great state of Texas, the birthplace of Buddy Holly and the world's largest cotton growing region. Accommodation: Budget lodging included

Day 11-12, Austin, Texas & Louisiana

Austin is the "Live music capital of the world" and home of great BBQ. This city is packed with "Texas sized" excitement and is sure to impress. We then say goodbye to Texas and head into bayou country, Louisiana. Maybe an early night to prepare ourselves for the next destination? Accommodation: Budget lodging included

Day 13-14, New Orleans

Your soundtrack grows jazzier in the Big Easy. Spice up your trip with lipsmacking Cajun and Creole fare, ride a steamboat on the Mississippi River, relax to the sounds of a Jazz or Dixieland band in the French Quarter and join the ongoing party on Bourbon Street. New Orleans has more than just food, drink and music to offer. Join a swamp tour into the alligator habitat of southern Louisiana, to view all sorts of wildlife on the mysterious bayous of Cajun country. Accommodation: Budget lodging included

Day 15-16, Memphis

Memphis, the Birthplace of the Blues is our next "jazzy" destination. Strolling along Beale Street must be on your checklist to see the influences that Blues and Jazz music has had on America. But top billing goes to Graceland, former home of the King himself, Elvis Presley. Accommodation: Budget lodging included

Day 17-18, Nashville & Virginia

Off to the centre of American music in Nashville, Tennessee - the shining star of the country music scene. Hit The District - centre of city nightlife - laze in the parks, trawl the malls or learn to line dance; cowboy boots or sequinned denim anyone? Next, touch down in Virginia, home of the Appalachian Mountain Range. Accommodation: Budget lodging included

Day 19-20, Washington DC

Travel to the Nation's Capital, Washington DC, the centre for cultural and political history of the United States. Want to know a secret? Go undercover at the International Spy Museum. Timetable a stop at Union Station, make tracks to the zoo, then see where big-hitting political animals shape the nation on an included monument tour. Accommodation: Budget lodging included

Day 21, New York Area

Leaving the capital behind we head north through Pennsylvania to the New York Area and the end of our cross country adventure. This tour is not scheduled to spend any time in New York City so make sure you book extra hotel nights and explore the sights and sounds of the Big Apple on your own. Splurge along Fifth Ave, hit the top of the Empire State Building, or soak up the trendy, laidback vibe of Greenwich Village before heading home. Tour ends at approx 17:00 hrs in New York Area on day 21.