USA Road Trip

Welcome to the American road trip of your lifetime. Today you’ll meet your fellow roadies for a brief tour of our starting point – Miami – before we hit the coach and make way for our first destination: Orlando. Orlando, here we go. We'll hit the hay tonight, ready for a star-studded day tomorrow.

Today is your opportunity to visit the epic Universal Studios, where you can visit Diagon Alley, splash around in the vast water park or visit the islands of adventure. There's something for everyone in this dizzying spectacle of rides, film and entertainment.

You can leave your Mickey ears on, but we're on the move again today... Our stop-off for today is Savannah, known for its cathedrals and majestic water fountains. Keep your eyes peeled for horse-drawn carriages as we check out the pretty parks. Augusta is home to the world-famous Masters Golf Course. Later tonight, your Trip Manager will get you acquainted with the city with a brief orientation tour.

Today we'll head from the home of golf (and the boyhood home of former president Woodrow Wilson) to the home of country music. All in a day's work... Pull those boots out. Home to some of the musical greats, this city also played a crucial role in the civil rights movement. After a brief orientation tour from your Trip Manager, we'll head for dinner.

Today is yours to explore Nashville. Truly a musical paradise, a tour around the Country Music Hall of Fame will give us the lowdown on this city's musical past.

Sorry Nash, but we gotta dash. Next up, it's the home of the King himself... Welcome to Memphis. Here you'll have a free afternoon to explore, but we have plenty of optional activities for you to choose from. Memphis is the home of Elvis Presley, and you'll have the chance to visit Graceland (his former home) and Sun Studios (where he recorded many of his albums). Also in Memphis is the Civil Rights Museum, where you'll have the chance to pay tribute to Martin Luther King Jr, a vital force during the civil rights movement.

Speaking of 'a little more action', it's time for us to head to our next destination - New Orleans. The love-child of French & Caribbean culture, New Orleans will steal our hearts as soon as we arrive. We'll check out the French quarter and jam in Jackson Square before sampling beignets & marveling at elegant, pre-war mansions, all to the sweet sounds of Southern jazz, of course.

New Orleans, baby... You have the whole of today to soak up the sounds, smells and songs of a truly soulful city. How about an airboat swamp tour out on the Mississippi?

Bidding farewell to New Orleans, it's time to make our way to Texas' largest city, Houston. With huge belt buckles & portion sizes to match, Houston certainly lives up to its larger-than-life reputation. We can't leave Houston without visiting the NASA Space Centre, can we? So that's exactly what we'll do.

Houston, we have a... great day ahead of us today. We'll hit the road once again, this time with Dallas in our sights. Welcome to Dallas! We'll visit the historic stockyards, chill with the cattle and tuck into a BBQ dinner too. And of course, get a load of that sizzling sunset. Then it's back to our hotel in Fort Worth (right on the outskirts of Dallas).

Today you're mostly free to explore Dallas however you like, but first, your Trip Manager will take you on an orientation tour, which includes the Dealey Plaza, The Arts District and the Dallas Reunion Tower.

Rise and shine! Does anyone know the way to Amarillo? We do. In fact, we're headed to this larger-than-life city this morning. Here we are. In true Americana Style, we'll visit Cadillac Ranch – a unique art exhibit celebrating the golden age of Cadillacs. Next, we'll beef up our evening with a Texan steakhouse dinner (and all the trimmings too). But before we go any further, has anyone seen Sweet Marie?

Adios, Amarillo. Today we're making our way to New Mexico - next stop, Albuquerque. This afternoon we'll embark on a unique MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience to the Pueblo Cultural Centre - dedicated to preserving Pueblo Indian culture. Afterwards, you're free to explore the city however you like.

We'll make a flying start to the day today - literally. That's right, today you have the opportunity to take a scenic Hot Air Balloon ride with your crew. Cameras at the ready folks. Afterwards, we'll make our way to dreamy Denver. Here in Denver, you'll check out all the major sites with your Trip Manager and fellow travellers, including the 16th Street Mall, McGregor Square and Denver Milk Market.

Today you can choose to join an optional trip to the iconic Red Rocks (Colorado). Otherwise, the day is yours to explore Denver however you like. Don't miss the botanical gardens, the Art Museum and the Science & Nature museum - plus the astonishing sunset from City Park.

Today we'll leave Denver in our rearview. But before that, you have the chance to take part in ziplining! Then, with Moab firmly in our sights - here, we, go! Well hello there, Moab - home to rock art, dinosaur bones and plenty of national parks (which you'll get to know pretty well with Contiki.) Tonight we'll grab a bite to eat and then hit the hay - a big day awaits us tomorrow.

Our mission for the next few days is a simple (but very epic) one: tick the Big 5 national parks of Utah off our bucket list, starting with Canyonlands. Desert landscapes, with an almost perfect 8-shaped river running through it - Canyonlands is sure to stay with you for a while. Home to over 2,000 sandstone arches and sublime views, you'll be posing for selfies left, right and centre here at the Arches. Back in Moab, with a head full of beautiful scenery and a camera-reel full of awesome content, we'll hit the hay tonight, ready for more of the same in the morning!

Wakey wakey, roadies. Today we'll make our way to the next national park on our hitlist: Capitol Reef. Here in red rock country, your jaw will drop at the size, scale and utter beauty of Capitol Reef's cliffs and canyons. Enjoy yourself on one of the USA's very best hikes. And if you thought THAT was amazing, you’ll have the chance to go horse riding in Bryce Canyon National Park.

This morning we'll have a change of scenery and head to Zion National Park for the day. Journeying into the Zion Canyon, our jaws will drop at the towering white, pink and red Navajo sandstone cliffs, surrounded by hanging gardens, soaring peaks, wildlife and birdsong. We'll spend most of today here, so pack some snacks and wear your best boots to get the most out of the day as there's no shortage of trails for all different levels. Back in Bryce, you'll have the chance to kick back with your crew and chat about what an amazing day it's been.

Today we'll journey from one canyon to the next. We'll finish up today at the big one, the Grand Canyon, but we have a few saucy stop-offs along the way. A meander of the colorado river, which just so happens to be shaped like a horseshoe - Mother Nature, you've outdone yourself with this one! This reservoir is visited by over 2 million people every year, and once you catch it IRL you'll understand exactly why. And now for the one you've been dreaming about (even more than the rest). The star of your USA itinerary. Yup, it's the Grand Canyon. It's about to get extra special too, because tonight we'll be marvelling at the sunset from the South Rim. Charge your phone, clear space on your camera, and prepare to weep.

You will be contemplating life, existence, and the immense size of the Grand Canyon with a free day to spend in Grand Canyon National Park. You can spend your day feeling a part of the wilderness as you go hiking through the exposed rock, but by far the most spine tingling experience at this natural wonder is one of our optional chopper rides above the UNESCO World Heritage site. Indulgent sure, but one of those life moments you deserve to treat yourself to.

With the timeless beauty of the Grand Canyon imprinted in our brains forever, we'll swap hiking boots for dancing shoes as we pull up in Sin City via the historic Route 66. We've reached the one and only Sin City. Upon arrival we'll cruise the iconic strip & check out the Vegas sign. Feeling romantic? Stop by and see one of the many Elvis impersonators for a shotgun wedding ceremony, and maybe even get hitched yourself...(joking).Tonight, choose to hang out around Fremont Street or opt for a VIP nightclub experience for the kind of glitzy night out that only Vegas can provide.

After partying it up in Las Vegas, we'll take the scenic route through the Mojave Desert. And there you have it, folks. We may have run out of road on our USA road trip but things could be worse - you're in the City of Angels after all! There are plenty of activities here to keep the stars in your eyes, and if you're strapped for ideas, you could always set about planning the next adventure with your new Contiki family (just a thought).