TourTheSouthwest.com LLC
         Your Source for "Custom Designed Private Tours" of the West & Southwest USA
Yosemite National Park photo with reflections in the Merced River
Yosemite National Park

Custom Designed Private California Tours

We offer custom designed escorted small group tours throughout California, up-and-down the legendary Pacific Coast Highway, throughout the expansive monoliths of the Sierra Nevada mountains, to any of the magnificant National Parks and Monuments, through the lush wine countrysides, to historic sites and fabulous missions, and to some of California's impressive and memorable cities.

Your private group will be lead by a professional tour guide to some sites less visited, more secluded, and extra-ordinary. We will make all arrangements for you including your vehicle of choice and select accommodations. We will design an Itinerary to meet your personal needs and interests.

California Tour Attractions

The following are some of the major attractions that you can visit in California. There are many others sites available, but this list gives you an idea as to how many places you can visit in California depending on your interests. The available attraction options may depend on your final “Tour Itinerary”.

San Francisco Tours

View the sights of San Francisco aboard an open-top double-decker bus! This tour operates as a hop-on/hop-off tour that encompasses many stops throughout San Francisco. Enjoy the luxury and comfort of these new buses with the added benefit of a two-day, unlimited use ticket! Also included is a 30-minute bus tour of the picturesque waterfront community of Sausalito.

San Francisco is a large hilly city with a population over 800,000. There are over 7.4 million in the surrounding Bay area. The Spanish founded San Francisco in the 1770s and a mission followed shortly after. Today it supports many service industries and is a popular tourist area. The near-by and well-known Silicon Valley is a leader in the IT industry.

The most popular attractions include the Golden Gate Bridge & Park, Fisherman’s Wharf & Pier 39, Nob Hill, Coit Tower, Cable Cars, Alcatraz Island, Telegraph Hill, Chinatown, Union Square, Mission District, Haight-Ashbury, Alamo Square, Japantown, and the Japanese Tea Garden, among others

Alcatraz & San Francisco Tours

View the sights of San Francisco aboard a new open-top double decker bus & Cruise on San Francisco Bay to Alcatraz Island and the infamous and notorious former federal prison. The bus tour covers all the major sights of San Francisco while the Alcatraz tour delves deep into the history of the island, the prison and some of it's most famous inhabitants. The bus tour includes a 30-minute bus tour of the picturesque waterfront community of Sausalito.

Muir Woods Giant Redwoods Tour

After crossing the impressive Golden Gate Bridge, you'll stop for a view of San Francisco from Vista Point before driving through the coastal mountains to Muir Woods (admission included). This national monument is the site of a virgin forest of California Coast redwood trees, among the oldest and tallest on earth. Take the opportunity to roam through an ancient forest of giant redwood trees on your 75-minute visit of Muir Woods.

In California, there are two different species of redwood. The coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) is what you will find in Muir Woods. Though most of old-growth coast redwoods have been logged, some are protected. You will find these protected redwoods in Redwood National and State Parks throughout Oregon and California. The forest at Muir Woods was spared because it was hard to get to. The redwoods reach for all the sun they can get, and the forest floor tends to be cool and damp.

The other species of redwood is the giant sequoia. These type grow larger in diameter, but is less tall than the coast redwood. Giant sequoias can be seen in Yosemite and Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks.

Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Big Basin Redwoods State Park is California's oldest State Park, established in 1902. Home to the largest continuous stand of ancient coast redwoods south of San Francisco, the park consists of over 18,000 acres of old growth and recovering redwood forest, with mixed conifer, oaks, chaparral, and riparian habitats. Elevations in the park vary from sea level to over 2,000 feet. The climate ranges from foggy and damp near the ocean to sunny, warm ridge tops. The park has a surprising number of waterfalls and a wide variety of environments from lush canyon bottoms to sparse chaparral-covered slopes. Many animals call the Big Basin their home, including deer, raccoon, coyote, fox, an occasional bobcat, mountain lion, and many bird species including California quail, egret, heron, hawk, owl, woodpecker, and the endangered marbled murrelet.

Yosemite National Park

Sit back and enjoy the journey as you head north to Yosemite through miles of scenic vineyards, orchards, and fertile farmlands. Arrive at Yosemite National Park to view the El Capitan, a magnificent and gigantic granite monolith which one of the most popular attractions in the park. Surround yourself in the natural beauty of Yosemite as you experience the beautiful lakes, giant pine trees, captivating waterfalls and massive rock cliffs.

Yosemite National Park area attractions include Tioga Pass, Tuolumne Meadows, Glacier Point, the Sequoia Mariposa Grove, Mono Lake, Mammoth Lakes and Mammoth Mountain, and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Experience the grandeur and incredible tranquility of the high Sierra Nevada Mountains in Yosemite National Park, one of the USA’s first wilderness parks.  It is legendary for its spectacular granite cliffs, shimmering glacial streams, incredible waterfalls, and ancient giant sequoias.

Death Valley National Park

Aptly named by unfortunate prospectors seeking California gold in 1849, Death Valley lives up to its ominous name by being the lowest, hottest, and driest place in North America. Containing such place names as Hell’s Gate, Dante’s View, Furnace Creek, and Last Chance Mountain, it may come as a surprise that Death Valley National Park is also a refreshingly temperate destination from November through March and contains a wide variety of plant and animal life.

The Badwater Basin area contains the lowest dry place in North America, but few are aware that Death Valley National Park rises to over 11,000 ft. (3350 m) at Telescope Mountain along its western border. Only 84 miles (135 km) separate Badwater Basin from the highest peak in the continental USA, Mt Whitney. Though not recommended for most runners, the adventurous marathoner could endure the 120-degree July heat to run the annual Badwater Ultra-marathon between the Badwater Basin and the top of Mt Whitney.

Monterey Bay and Aquarium

Monterey Bay, on the Pacific Ocean along the central coast of California, is home to many species of sea otters, harbor seals, and bottlenose dolphins. It is also on the migratory path of Gray and Humpback Whales as well as Killer whales who hunt the Grays and Humpbacks. It is also home to many species of fish, sharks, mollusks, squid and sea turtles. Several types of kelp grow in the bay, forming kelp forests of plants as tall as trees.

Join us in front of one of the world's largest windows as we feed tuna, turtles, sharks, sardines and others in our spectacular Open Sea exhibit. See who's hungry and learn about the important roles these animals play to keep their habitats in balance. You can even watch the action behind the scenes on our large-screen monitors.

17-Mile Drive

The 17-Mile Drive is widely recognized as one of the most scenic drives in the world. The famous coastal landmark runs through Pacific Grove to Pebble Beach, from the dramatic Pacific coastline to the majestic Del Monte Forest. The awe-inspiring vistas and legendary sites can easily fill an entire day with exploration and discovery, although visitors with less time should not miss the opportunity to experience this wondrous journey as well.

Marvel at some of nature’s treasures found along 17-Mile Drive including The Lone Cypress – one of California’s best-known landmarks – Spanish Bay, Cypress Point Lookout and Carmel Bay. You can also see the emerald fairways of The Links at Spanish Bay, Spyglass Hill and the world-renowned Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Channel Islands National Park

Channel Islands National Park encompasses five remarkable islands and their ocean environment, preserving and protecting a wealth of natural and cultural resources. Isolation over thousands of years has created unique animals, plants, and archeological resources found nowhere else on Earth and helped preserve a place where visitors can experience coastal southern California as it once was.

Disneyland Park plus Disney Adventure Park

Disneyland, created by the late Walt Disney, the king of animated films, was merely a small orchard overgrown with orange and walnut trees in 1954. Disneyland has been called the "Happiest Place on Earth" especially because of its performances like "Walt Disney's Parade of Dreams," "Toy Story 2", and "Tarzan”. There are eight major theme areas. Adventure land features primeval forests and swamps; the "Indiana Jones Adventure" train is a favorite with visitors.

At Disney Adventure Park explore 8 exciting lands that bring to life Disney and Pixar stories and characters through amazing attractions, entertainment and dining! The 2 most recent additions—Buena Vista Street and the awe-inspiring Cars Land—join the themed lands of Condor Flats, Grizzly Peak, Paradise Pier, Pacific Wharf, "a bug's land" and Hollywood Land. With so much to do day and night, Disney California Adventure Park has something for every member of your family.

Universal Studios, Los Angeles and Hollywood Tour

The Universal Studios is located in Hollywood, capital of the American film industry, occupies an entire hill and covers 525 acres, 485 of which are in actual use for cinema and TV production. It comprises of 48 film studios, of which 32 are devoted to shooting films. Universal Studio City is the biggest film and TV producer in the world. The tours it provides take visitors through thrilling cinematic spectacles, such as bridge-crushing snow avalanches, exploding mountain torrents, giant white sharks, a roaring effigy of King Kong, and so forth. Virtual reality mock-ups from the films "Back to the Future,", "Jurassic Park", and "Aliens" are quite life-like. And awe-inspiring are the nerve-shattering special effects in "Water World" and "Wild West" and in the stereoscopic films "Terminator 2 3D"and "4D." We will tour the city of Los Angeles, CA. Stops on our tour include Hollywood Boulevard, the Walk of Fame, and the Chinese Theatre.

San Diego Old Town Trolley Tour

Guests may hop on and off the trolleys and spend as much time at each attraction as they please over a 24-hour period. Alternatively, passengers can ride the trolley from one end of its line to the other and enjoy a two-hour completely guided and narrated tour of the city of San Diego! Sights on the tour include Old Town State Park, Seaport Village, Horton Plaza, Coronado Island, Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego Zoo, Gas-lamp Quarter, San Diego Museum of Art, Natural History Museum, Aerospace Museum, Lindbergh Field, Naval Station San Diego, Balboa Park, and so much more. With 20+ stops at more than 100 points of interest, this highly customizable tour is great for exploring the city.

Ticket is food for the entire day. It takes a minimum of two hours to just ride the Trolley. You have “on and off” privileges at all of the conveniently located stops.

San Diego Museums & Zoo

The San Diego Museum & Zoo Pass gets you admission to three of best attractions in Balboa Park for one low price including:
• San Diego Zoo
• Fleet Science Center
• Museum of Natural History
Sea World, San Diego Zoo, Safari Park ~ $143 Sea World only: $79
San Diego's massive SeaWorld park is home first and foremost to the world-famous Shamu killer whale show. There are ten killer whales at the park, in addition to three pilot whales. There are also a number of dolphins located in Dolphin Cove, where guests can interact with the animals at any time. There are also shows featuring sea lions and pets-- dogs, cats, pigs, and birds.

Las Vegas & Hoover Dam Tours

• Visitor Center Presentations and Exhibits - Theater Level
• Theater Level Displays: After you purchase your ticket, you'll find yourself in the lobby of the Visitor Center's Theater Level. Displays, maps, photos and other displays provide an introduction to Hoover Dam.
• Theater: The Visitor Center Theater is also on this level. A 10-minute film describes the contributions of Hoover Dam to the developing West, and the massive construction effort behind the engineering marvel.
Inside the Powerplant:
• After exiting the Theater, you can take an elevator from this same level to enter the Hoover Dam Powerplant. From here, a 70-second elevator ride takes you 530 feet down through the rock wall of Black Canyon to begin a one-hour guided tour. You'll exit the elevator into a tunnel drilled in the 1930s for construction, and take a short walk to the Penstock Viewing Platform.
• Penstock Viewing: This location is atop one (of four) of the huge 30-foot-diameter pipes that can transport nearly 90,000 gallons of water each second from Lake Mead to the dam's hydroelectric generators. An animated display helps describe the complexities of the construction of the dam, and how it presently operates.
• Powerplant Generators: A quick elevator ride up to the Nevada powerplant balcony takes you to a panoramic view of the 650-foot-long Nevada wing of the powerplant and eight of the dam's 17 huge generators. Also, don't miss the beautiful and intricate terrazzo floor designs under your feet. A great spot for pictures!
• Inspection Galleries: Navigate through these tunnels to explore rarely seen areas of the dam itself. View some of the inspection markings written on the walls from decades past. Then peek out of air vents opening to the downstream face of the dam while feeling the breezes rising from the river below. Explore further to see a fascinating set of stairs reaching into the dark depths of the dam's mass of concrete, and other tunnels that wind their way throughout the structure.

Amusement and Theme Parks List

Adventure City
Balboa Fun Zone
Belmont Park
Boomers/Camelot/Family Fun Centers
Castle Amusement Park
Children's Fairyland
Disneyland/Disney's California Adventure
Fairytale Town
Funderland
Gilroy Gardens Theme Park
Great America
Knott's Berry Farm
Legoland
Mountasia Family Fun Center
Nut Tree Family Park
Pacific Park
Pharaohs Lost Kingdom
Pier 39
Pixie Woods
Pixieland Amusement Park
Rotary Storyland & Playland
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Scandia Amusement Park
SeaWorld
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Sonoma Traintown
Studio Park Hollywood
Trees of Mystery
Universal Studios Hollywood