16 Days West Coast Wonders: USA and Canada

About the destination: San Francisco is a major, lively and cosmopolitan city in California. In San Francisco, history and modernity combine to give visitors an unforgettable experience. From Mission Dolores, the city's first stone building or the city’s legendary cable cars to the high-tech Financial District. A trip to San Francisco is bound to leave you with incredible memories. A boat trip is a great way to explore the “City by the Bay.” Explore Fisherman's Wharf, full of shops, galleries and restaurant offering delicious seafood. Stroll down the Golden Gate and admire the views over the bay and the Pacific Ocean, visit the various maritime museums, and , of course, no visit to San Francisco is complete without an excursion to Alcatraz, the island prison that once held some of the country’s most notorious criminals, such as Al Capone. If it’s a more relaxed environment you’re after, pass through the stately architecture and flowing lagoon of the Palace of Fine Arts. The Transamerica Pyramid has become the city's most famous landmark. The 260 metre high pyramid structure is situated in the heart of the Financial District. Located between three hills, San Francisco's Chinatown is the largest Chinese settlement outside Asia with pagodas, colourful bunting, decorated balconies and Chinese characters combining with the sounds and exotic aromas of this fascinating area. The Painted Ladies are charming Victorian wooden houses situated on the fringe of Alamo Square and the Haas-Lilienthal House is a well-maintained jewel of a bygone era. San Francisco thrives on variety and has a contagious energy. This city is magical and everyone should come here at least once.

About the destination: Nicknamed the City of Angels, Los Angeles is a leading world centre of business, international trade, entertainment, culture, media, fashion, science, sports, technology, and education. Los Angeles is architecturally diverse and its attractions are spread over a large area. Downtown is a thriving urban centre, a business district and home to the Grand Avenue cultural corridor. Everyone knows about Hollywood and you have got to visit the Hollywood sign, when in Los Angeles, as well as the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where Hollywood celebrates its contribution to entertainment through these celebrity stars. Experience the colourful lifestyle of the West Coast on the Venice Beach Boardwalk. Here, you will find a festive atmosphere, eclectic entertainers and funky shops. By the scene at Santa Monica Beach, is the famous Pier with a perennial carnival like setting. Draws locals, as well as visitors from around the world. Located in Griffith Park on Mt. Hollywood is the Griffith Observatory. This great public observatory has state of the art facilities and excellent views of Los Angeles. If you are a shopping buff, you will love Rodeo Drive. A glamorous shopping District, Rodeo Drive is full of upscale and fashionable shops. Take a walk around Beverly Hills, you might even spot a celebrity in this neighbourhood. This city offers great weather, good shopping, lots of diversity, great cultural events, excellent dining, and friendly people. Los Angeles is cool, fake, stylized, vast and never boring.

About the destination: Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Vancouver is the eighth largest Canadian municipality and one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities in Canada. Explore the cobbled streets, shopping, dining and unique architecture of Gastown, a national historic site. Vancouver houses the second largest Chinatown in North America after San Francisco. It has many unique, as well as traditional shops. Granville Island is a popular peninsula connected to Vancouver. With its colourful market, it's a draw amongst locals and visitors alike. Vancouver wouldn't be the same without Stanley Park, one of the great urban parks. It's a perfect city escape. Overlooking Vancouver city, Grouse Mountain has winter skiing and even an excellent wildlife refuge. Vancouver has grown into a cosmopolitan city nestled in the great outdoors. Enjoy the snow-capped mountains, waterfront forests, cityside beaches, Olympic history and the world’s highest suspension bridge.

About the destination: Victoria is blessed with a pretty waterfront location at the southern tip of nature-endowed Vancouver Island. It has retained its Commonwealth roots perhaps more strongly than any place in Canada. Many consider it the most British city in North America. Founded in 1843 as a Hudson Bay Trading Post, its colonial past has been well-preserved and is in a state of constant loving restoration. But aside its glorious colonial past, Victoria is also proud of its ancient roots. Victoria is still today the home of the Lekwungen People who are also known as the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations. Their culture and history are still very much a part of the city. Victoria’s historic downtown is a model for maintaining architectural integrity while keeping everything squeaky clean. Add to this, numerous dining, nightlife, cultural, and shopping opportunities not to mention that it is the warmest place in all Canada, full of flowers almost all year round. That is the reason it is considered the jewel of Canada's west coast and dubbed the city of gardens. Victoria is a charming little city with a joyful and laid-back atmosphere surrounded by amazingly beautiful scenery. It is no wonder tourists flock to Victoria and generally rave about it.

About the destination: Calgary, Alberta's largest city, is a product of oil culture, and is situated where the prairies end and the foothills begin. Calgary is located about an hour’s drive east of the front ranges of the Rocky Mountains. And, despite the fact that Alberta is considered a prairie province, the city is moderately hilly. Boasting a modern skyline with diverse architecture, Calgary is a great urban city with opportunities for dining, shopping and entertainment. Considered to be a national historic site, the City Hall, a magnificent sandstone structure, was constructed in 1911, in place of an earlier wooden structure. Constructed in 1968, the iconic Calgary Tower is one of the tallest structures in Canada. At the top, you are treated to an excellent view of Calgary. Located outside of Calgary, Banff National Park is spread over a massive area, and offers spectacular mountain scenery. Friendly, relaxed, bustling and laid back, Calgary balances the modern and the traditional with pioneer charm.