Vintage Christmas at Hearst Castle

Come along on a special 3-day excursion to Hearst Castle and experience the magnificence of this legendary mansion, fully decorated as it would have been for the holidays in the Castle's heyday of the 1920s and '30s. Embark on a guided tour of the mansion and marvel at opulent surroundings, including the two 18-foot-tall Christmas trees in the Assembly Room and the massive Dining Room decked out in holiday splendor. You'll also have time to browse the Visitor Center and see the IMAX film Building the Dream. Spend two nights at the charming Apple Farm Inn in San Luis Obispo. Your excursion offers five meals including a welcome dinner at Olive Garden, as well as visits to Santa Barbara, the artisan village of Cambria, and the Danish village of Solvang, known for its unique Christmas shopping and traditional architecture.

 

Tour Fare:

$995 per person double occupancy

$1165 per person single occupancy

 

Cancellatin Protection:

$90 per person, double or triple occupancy

$105 per person, single occupancy

 

Deposit and Final Payment:

A deposit of $150 per person due at time of booking

Final Balance for Dec. 8 Departue due Oct. 24

Final Balance for Dec. 15 Departue due Oct. 30

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tour Manager:    12/8 - Bobbie Lona*  12/15 - Christina Koohmarey* 

 

Activity Level: High

Considerable walking is involved at most locations visited on this tour including some areas with uneven or unpaved surfaces and inclines. For more details on required phsyical activity, see the Hearst Castle tour below.

 

Holiday Tour Pysical Requirements:

The Holiday Twilight Tour** is 75 minutes in length and includes approximately 190 steps each way, up and down, and a 2/3-mile walk. An accessibly-designed Holiday Twilight Tour may be available for disabled guests who have difficulty climbing stairs or standing and walking for extended periods of time. The ADA tour has limited availability and must be selected during the booking process, when available.There are loaner wheelchairs available for this version of the tour if needed. (Waitlist for ADA tour is also available.) Single and multiple-pronged canes are allowed on all tours as long as they have rubber tips. Seat canes are not allowed. There are single canes available for guests to borrow.

** The Twilight Tour may be replaced with the daytime holiday tour. Holiday castle decorations and indoor holiday lights and trees are part of both evening and daytime tours, and both are complete Hearst Castle discovery tours.

 

Description of Holiday Twilight Tour

Discover why the holiday season was an exceptionally festive time for Mr. Hearst and his guests. Share in the splendor as you wind your way through the grounds, Casa del Sol-guest house, and the grand social rooms of Casa Grande. This special seasonal tour showcases abundant holiday decorations with numerous Christmas trees, including two towering trees. View Mr. Hearst’s celebrated art collection in the warm glow of thousands of holiday lights. Your knowledgeable guide will share stories of holiday festivities during the estate’s heyday.

 

What's Included in the Tour Fare

• Round-trip luxury motor coach transportation

• Professional Tour Manager throughout the trip

• Complimentary bottled water and snacks on the coach

• Visit Santa Barbara with a photo stop at Old Mission Santa Barbara

• Two-night accommodations at Apple Farm Inn in San Luis Obispo

• Welcome dinner at Olive Garden

• Time on own in Cambria

• Holiday walking tour of Hearst Castle

• Visit San Luis Obispo with photo stop at Bubblegum Alley

• Time for shopping and included lunch in Solvang

• 5 meals: 2 breakfasts, 1 lunch, and 2 dinners

 

Day 1 - Included Olive Garden Dinner Choices:

All entrees include unlimited breadsticks and famous house salad, as well as choice of fountain drinks, fresh brewed iced tea, hot coffee, or hot tea.

• Tour of Italy:

  Three Olive Garden classics all on one plate! Chicken Parmigiana, Lasagna Classico* and signature Fettuccine Alfredo – all with homemade sauces made fresh every morning.

• Shrimp Scampi:

  Shrimp sautéed in a garlic sauce, tossed with asparagus, tomatoes and angel hair Pasta.

• Eggplant Parmigiana:

  Hand-breaded eggplant, lightly fried and topped with marinara and melted mozzarella. Served with a side of spaghetti.

• Spaghetti & Meatballs:

  Spaghetti and meatballs with your choice of marinara or meat sauce.*

• Chicken Alfredo:

  Creamy alfredo sauce made from scratch with ingredients like parmesan, cream, garlic and butter, served with fettuccine pasta and topped with sliced grilled chicken.

• Dessert: 

  Sicilian Cheesecake with Strawberry Topping.

*Meat sauce is made with pan-seared beef and Italian sausage

 

Day 2 - Included San Simeon Beach Bar & Grill Dinner Choices

All entrees include a green salad, table bread, coffee, tea or soft drink

• Grilled Salmon:

       Topped with lemon dill butter. Served with rice and vegetables

• Mediterranean Chicken:

       Chicken breast marinated in herbs and lemon. Served with rice and vegetables

• Pasta Riviera (vegetarian option):

      Topped with tomato, basil, capers, mushrooms, garlic, olive oil, parmesan and herbs. Served with garlic cheese bread.

• Dessert: 

       vanilla ice cream with chocolate topping

 

What's Not Included in the Tour Fare

• Meals not listed in the itinerary

• Travel insurance

• Room incidentals

• Alcoholic beverages

• Gratuities for the Tour Manager & Driver

 

 

How to Book Your Reservation

Making your reservation is easy. Simply click the Book Now button above to select your date and confirm your space online, 24/7. You can also call the DayTripper Tours reservations department at (619) 334-3394 during business hours of M-F, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

 

Deposit and Final Payment

A deposit of $150 per person is required to secure your booking, with the final balance due 45 days prior to departure.

 

Smartphones

Although not necessary to fully enjoy your trip, a personal smartphone and personal headset can greatly enhance your tour experience. Take high-quality photos, share your experience on social media in real time, search for nearby restaurants and topics of interest, set reminders, and more.

 

45-Day Cancellation Deadline

• You may cancel your booking forty-five (45) or more days prior to the tour’s departure date to receive a refund, less a $100 per person cancellation fee. Alternatively, when you cancel your booking forty-five (45) or more days prior to the departure date, we can waive the cancellation fee and transfer the full amount to another tour or a non-refundable voucher, which can be applied to any future excursion booked within one year of the original tour date.

• Passenger name changes, deviations, or other changes made by the passenger after the final payment deadline has passed will be assessed a $50 per person change fee plus any fees incurred by the service providers. No refunds, transfers or credits can be issued for any reason on bookings canceled after the cancellation deadline. Travel insurance is available through Travelex during the booking process.

 

Protect Your Investment with Travel Insurance

At DayTripper Tours, we recommend you purchase insurance to help protect against unforeseen events such as flight delays, baggage loss, or even sudden sickness or injury, all of which could impact your excursion. In today’s ever-changing travel environment, you can relax and enjoy your trip with the security of knowing those unexpected circumstances are covered by a travel protection plan. You can purchase travel insurance from any company you choose; however, for your convenience we offer travel protection through Travelex Insurance Services (CA Agency License #0D10209). For more information and to receive a quote, click here. Please note: Your policy must be purchased on or before the date you submit your final payment for the tour in order to be eligible for the pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver.

 

*Tour Manager is subject to change without notice.

Danish Village of Solvang Hearst Castle Cambria Food & Drink Options Santa Barbara Apple Farm Inn hotel Visiting San Luis Obispo