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BYWAYS OF CALIFORNIA & OREGON JUNE 6-9

June 4-9, 2013

This trip will GO!


We will run a unique tour aboard a special train of vintage private cars that will appeal to all rail-oriented travelers. This trip will be limited to a maximum of 45 guests, all of whom will have deluxe overnight accommodations aboard our special train.

There are no ups or extras here. We’ll provide it all from the moment you board the train in Emeryville until we return 6 days later. Nightly lodging will be aboard the train, so there’s no packing and unpacking along the way.

Itinerary:

June 4: We’ll depart Emeryville at approximately 8:00 AM. Stops as may be required at Martinez and Sacramento to board additional guests. From Sacramento we’ll proceed on the former Western Pacific to Keddie. At Keddie, we’ll take the left leg of the wye and head north to Westwood, where we’ll tie up for the night. (B,L,D)

June 5: After breakfast, a motorcoach will take you to Lassen Volcanic National Park for a tour of its unique thermal features. Once back on the train, a late lunch will be served and we’ll depart for Klamath Falls. (B, L, D)

June 6: Today we proceed to Chemult, then on to Bend. The afternoon is yours to explore Bend. (B, L, D)

June 7: We’ll depart Bend approximately 8:00 AM and head up the Deschutes River canyon to its confluence with the Columbia. We’ll turn west and head to Portland via the Union Pacific tracks on the south bank of the river. We’ll tie up for the night at Portland Union Station. (B, L, D)

June 8: We depart Portland 7:00 AM, and proceed via the regular Amtrak route to Klamath Falls, arriving approximately 2:30 PM. We’ll then take a motorcoach to Crater Lake Lodge where we’ll enjoy farewell dinner and sunset over one of the world’s deepest and clearest lakes far below us. After dinner our motorcoach returns us to the train. (B, L, D)

June 9: Our 7:00 AM departure will provide us with spectacular views of Mt Shasta, Castle Crags, and the pristine Sacramento River Canyon, as well as the Sacramento Valley agricultural powerhouse. All too soon we arrive Emeryville, and our adventure comes to an end. (B, L)

Pricing:

Roomettes: $5,199/person.

Bedrooms (sleep 2) $5,199/person, double occupancy.

Drawing Rooms $6,199/person, double occupancy. Third person occupying the same room travels at a 30% discount. Only one drawing room left!

Owner’s Stateroom: $6,399/person, double occupancy. Sold!

California Zephyr Railcar Charters, 1146 CharlestonSt., Costa Mesa, CA 92626, (714) 751-2032, www.CalZephyrRailcar.com

________________________________________________________

OCTOBER 2013

Dinner at HearstCastle,
National Parks of the West
and
Byways of
California and Oregon

Dinner at Hearst Castle, Two Days, October 3-4 2013 

Experience what it was like to be an honored guest of William Randolph Hearst! These exclusive overnight getaways includes travel from Los Angeles to the region in vintage private railcar COLONIAL CRAFTS, a private catered dinner at Hearst Castle and special behind the

scenes tours personally conducted by the Museum Director. Also included is lodging in a deluxe ocean-front hotel in San Simeon, and a short wine-tasting tour prior to reboarding COLONIAL CRAFTS in Paso Robles. Aboard COLONIAL CRAFTS you'll be pampered by our professional staff who will provide luncheon, hors d'Oeurves and dinner prepared for you fresh in our kitchen, as well as our complimentary bar.

***This tour is limited to 20 guests***

Itinerary

Thursday, October 3: Our steward will meet us in the main waiting room of Los Angeles Union Station and conduct us to private railcar Colonial Crafts waiting for us on the rear of the Amtrak's Coast Starlight departing at 10:25 AM. As the train leaves the depot, we enjoy a champagne toast to begin our journey to San Luis Obispo. Luncheon will be served around Noon following the sound of the dinner chimes.

As we sit down, the ongoing views of the Pacific shoreline provide a continually changing scene for our meal. The tables are set with crisp starched linens, fine china and glassware in the railroad tradition. Our meals are prepared fresh on board by our chef. Enjoy throughout the trip our complimentary bar including premium labels of beer, wines from the
CentralCoast and spirits.

After enjoying some mid-afternoon hors d'Oeuvres, we arrive in
San Luis Obispo where we transfer to our waiting coach from HearstCastle. Our coach brings us directly to the front door of the castle where we will be greeted by the Museum Director, and treated to a rare behind-the-scenes tour. As we tour the Castle, we notice that our group are the only guests. At the conclusion of the tour, we will sit down to a four-course dinner under the collonade of the Neptune
pool with the surrounding mountains and the ocean far below.

We get a taste of what it must have been like as one of Mr. Hearst's guests as the Castle has been reserved for our exclusive use. The Hearst family is still involved with the CentralCoast. Our meal features beef grown here on the Hearst Ranch and wines from grapes grown in the Hearst Vineyards.

After dinner, the Castle motorcoach will take us to our overnight accommodations at the Cavalier Ocean Front Resort.

2nd Day October 4 2013: After breakfast, we board our trolley coach for a trip over the CoastRange and down into the Paso Robles wine region. We will enjoy a tour and tasting at two wineries with a light lunch before we reboard Colonial Crafts at 1:38 PM. Heading south, we enjoy a glass of CentralCoast wine as we head up and over CuestaPass. Hor d'Oeurves followed by dinner are served as we observe the golden sunset over the beach as we glide back to Los Angeles and a 9:00 PM arrival.

Part of the proceeds from this tour will be used to benefit Hearst CastleTours of HearstCastle include climbing stairs. There are no elevators or ramps

For additional information and pricing
Download a Brochure

Contact Us Contact COLONIAL CRAFTS for availablity and booking information of private railcar charters and stationary parties.

Email Address

ColonialCrafts@earthlink.net

Telephone (Toll Free)

(877)224-1150

___________________________________________________________

 

ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours
Offers Difficulty Ratings on International Tours
To Help Families Decide Where to Go

ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours, in 1972 became the first North American tour company to offer bike tours in Europe (http://www.experienceplus.com/), over the years has devised an ease-of-tour rating system from 101 to 501 that families can tap into when they’re planning a multi-generational bicycle trip over international waters.

“Daily mileage and terrain difficulty are often the factors, after a destination choice, that affect a decision on where to go,” says company co-owner/director Maria Elena Price, adding that her company offers a 20 percent discount for ages 11 and under and a 15 percent discount for ages 12 to 16 on its 101-level guided tours. The daily mileage on 101-rated tours is between 30 and 35 miles on flat to gently rolling terrain. While the mileage may not increase significantly on higher-level tours, the amount of climbing does. Tours in Slovenia, Italy and France are among the 101-rated trips.

Price underscores that on these and other tours “there’s no rush. With our chalk dust arrow navigation system, everyone can go at his/her own pace. If you want the whole family to come along and not everyone can do the day’s route in full, the van can shuttle those who don’t want to ride all day long.”

This company is geared up year-round from Europe to South America to accommodate vacationers who want to slow down their worlds by biking through new experiences. School breaks and holidays are prime time to take advantage of family cycling adventure opportunities.

“This is when kids can travel with their parents. And the parents ‘get’ that this kind of family-fun time is fleeting,” Price says, adding that a family may expect, on average, to spend $400-$500 per day, per person on an international cycling vacation, exclusive of air and personal purchases/activities.

About ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours
No North American company has been running European cycling tours longer than ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours (http://www.experienceplus.com/). Launched in Italy in 1972 the Colorado-based company now offers global cycling tours immersed in local character to 31 countries on five continents. Throughout the years as the business and industry have evolved, ExperiencePlus!’ roots as a family business have remained strong. Authentic, experienced, self-paced and engaging were the ethos of parents Rick and Paola Malpezzi Price which have now been passed down to their daughters and current directors Monica Price and Maria Elena Price.

ExperiencePlus! cultural cycling programs engage tour leaders who are expert cyclists and trained cultural interpreters, guiding travelers on innovative routes and immersing them in off-the-beaten-path experiences. Tours in 2013 go to Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, India, Italy, New Zealand, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, USA and Vietnam among others.

ExperiencePlus! is a 2011 and a 2010 recipient of National Geographic Traveler magazine’s 50 Tours of a Lifetime. The 2011 issue also featured Maria Elena Price and Monica Price, co-owners, among its World’s Top 10 Tour Guides.

For a 2013 catalog and/or more information visit: http://www.experienceplus.com/ or call 1.800.685.4565.

______________________________________________________________

RAIL EUROPE ANNOUNCES REVOLUTIONARY OFFER:
20% OFF FIRST CLASS FRANCE RAIL PASS

For the first time ever,Rail Europe Inc., the largest distributor of European rail products in North America, issues a Revolutionary Offer: 20% Off All First Class France Rail Passes Promotion for travelers who book between April 9 through April 30, 2013*.

With this first-of its-kind offer, travelers who purchase a First Class France Rail Pass will receive 20% off extensive travel on the national rail network of France. The pass offers the flexibility of between three and nine days of consecutive or non-consecutive travel to be used within a one-month period*. Travelers can enjoy the luxury of First Class as they sail through fields of sunflowers or traverse the French Alps, all while having the savings to afford it.

For travelers seeking a day trip, 20% off a First Class France Day Pass is also available. The France Day Pass provides extensive travel for one day during a one-month period on the national rail network of France including some of the region’s most welcoming cities, such as Lyon, Avignon, Marseille, Lille, Bordeaux, Nantes, Dijon and Reims.

Prices begin at $226USD** for the First Class France Rail Pass and at $122USD** for the First Class France Day Pass. Bookings can be made by visiting Rail Europe’s website at raileurope.com or by calling Rail Europe’s contact center.

*Offer is subject to change or extension without notice. No other discounts (other than qualified free shipping) can be combined. Valid for bookings made between April 9, 2013 and on or before 5:00 pm ET on April 30, 2013.

**Prices are subject to availability

About Rail Europe Inc.

Rail Europe represents more than 50 European train companies and is a one-stop shop for European rail travel planning and booking. Rail Europe Inc. is the largest distributor of European rail products in North America, offering a wide range of passes and train tickets to North American travelers. An essential part of the vacation planning process, the company’s Web site offers a user-friendly booking engine, knowledgeable experts, online rail pass finder, virtual tours, interactive maps and much more. Rail Europe provides a worry-free, cost and time-effective and seamless travel experience by enabling customers to purchase tickets and plan travel details in advance. Customers can also book new trips and access their travel information on the go with the company’s mobile site(http://m.raileurope.com) and Rail Europe App for the iPhone and iPod touch.


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