California's Coastal Redwoods & Rails

DAY 1: WELCOME TO CALIFORNIA!

Arrive in San Francisco and travel to Sacramento before enjoying dinner with your fellow travelers. D

DAY 2: CALIFORNIA RAILROADS, OLIVE OIL TASTING

Begin your journey in Sacramento, California’s capital city, with a visit to the California State Railroad Museum. Tour the Smithsonian-affiliated museum, ride aboard the historic Sacramento Southern Railroad, and enjoy time along the Old Sacramento Waterfront. Then travel through the rolling farmland of Capay Valley to Seka Hills Olive Oil Mill for a guided tour and tasting. You’ll also learn about the agricultural traditions of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation. Later, settle into your hotel in Ukiah and enjoy dinner with your fellow travelers. B, D

DAY 3: SKUNK TRAIN, MENDOCINO COAST

Step back in time aboard the historic Skunk Train, traveling through the redwood forests of Mendocino County on a route that has operated since 1885. Stop at Glen Blair Junction, tucked among the towering trees, where you can take a short hike or simply relax beneath the shade of the ancient redwoods. Later, enjoy free time in the coastal town of Fort Bragg before taking in the rugged beauty of the Mendocino Coast. This afternoon, visit Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens, where colorful blooms and ocean views create a peaceful coastal setting. B, D

DAY 4: CHARLES M. SCHULZ MUSEUM, SONOMA WINE COUNTRY

Depart Mendocino and travel south to Santa Rosa for a visit to the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center. Discover the life and work of the artist behind the beloved Peanuts comic strip. Then continue into Sonoma wine country for a visit to Benziger Winery, where you’ll learn about Biodynamic farming during a private tram tour of the scenic property. Enjoy lunch and a tasting before continuing to San Francisco. Tonight, arrive at Hotel Zephyr on Fisherman’s Wharf, your home for the next three nights. B, L

DAY 5: SAN FRANCISCO, MUIR WOODS

This morning, explore San Francisco’s most famous sites and hidden gems with a local guide. Enjoy lunch at Fisherman’s Wharf and watch the playful sea lions along the waterfront before heading to Muir Woods National Monument. Walk beneath towering ancient redwoods and experience the quiet beauty of Cathedral Grove, home to some of the forest’s oldest and tallest trees. B, L

DAY 6: ROARING CAMP RR, FILOLI HISTORIC HOUSE

All aboard the Roaring Camp Railroad for a scenic ride through soaring redwood groves aboard a vintage Shay narrow-gauge steam locomotive. Travel over trestles and through towering forests before enjoying a barbecue lunch on site. Later, visit the historic Filoli estate, known for its Georgian Revival mansion and beautifully maintained formal gardens. This evening, gather with your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner celebrating your time together in Northern California. B, L, D

DAY 7: SAN FRANCISCO BAY CRUISE, FAREWELL

Your final day begins with a relaxing sightseeing cruise on San Francisco Bay. Take in views of Alcatraz Island, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the city skyline from the water. You may even spot whales swimming nearby before saying farewell to California with fond memories and new friendships. B

ACCOMODATIONS:
Night 1: Hilton Garden Inn, Sacramento
Night 2: Hampton Inn, Ukiah
Night 3: Holiday Inn Express, Fort Bragg
Nights 4-6: Hotel Zephyr, San Francisco

Departure Cities:

• St. Louis
• Kansas City
• Springfield, MO

Depart: June 11, 2027
Return: June 17, 2027

Price per person:

• DB $3,899
• TP/QD $3,799
• SG $4,699

Price per person includes roundtrip airfare from STL, MCI, SGF. Please call for other gateway cities.

Mobility Note
Guests should be comfortable walking and standing at museums, gardens, waterfront areas and redwood groves. The Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens has more than four miles of mostly hard-packed gravel trails, and the walk from the entrance to the ocean is approximately one mile round-trip. Guests may choose to explore a shorter portion of the gardens if preferred. Muir Woods is comparatively accessible, with nearly two miles of firm, mostly flat trails and frequent benches.

The Skunk Train and Roaring Camp Railroad both require boarding historic rail equipment, although accessibility assistance is available. Roaring Camp also has wheelchairs available for rent.

Average Temps
Sacramento and Ukiah: Daytime 80–88°F; Overnight 52–57°F
Fort Bragg and Mendocino Coast: Daytime 60–65°F; Overnight 48–52°F
San Francisco: Daytime 62–67°F; Overnight 50–54°F

Hotel Note
Hotel Zephyr provides a three-night stay in the heart of Fisherman’s Wharf, just steps from Pier 39, the waterfront and historic streetcar lines. Its playful maritime-inspired design reflects its waterfront setting, and many rooms offer views of San Francisco Bay or the Golden Gate Bridge. The hotel was named the #2 hotel in San Francisco in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2025 rankings and included in the 2025 Travel + Leisure 500.

Notes on Highlights
Coast redwoods are the tallest living trees on Earth, with the tallest known examples exceeding 350 feet. Their remarkable height is possible partly because Northern California’s summer fog provides moisture during the region’s otherwise dry season.

The Avenue of the Giants winds directly through towering redwood groves, allowing guests to experience the scale of the forest without requiring a strenuous hike. The region’s mild coastal climate means redwoods thrive in conditions that remain relatively cool and moist throughout the year.

The Skunk Train route dates to 1885, when it was built to move redwood logs from remote forests to mills along the Mendocino Coast. Its unusual nickname came later, when gasoline-powered railcars combined engine fumes with smoke from onboard stoves, creating an odor people claimed they could smell before the train arrived.

Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens is unusual because its 47 acres extend all the way from Highway 1 to the Pacific Ocean. Guests can experience cultivated gardens, native coastal vegetation and dramatic ocean scenery within the same property.

Muir Woods protects one of the Bay Area’s remaining old-growth coast redwood forests. Its relatively flat main trail means guests can walk among ancient trees without undertaking the steep hiking often associated with Northern California’s redwood parks.

Hotel Zephyr’s Fisherman’s Wharf location also gives guests a particularly convenient base for the three-night San Francisco stay, with Pier 39, restaurants, waterfront attractions and transportation options within an easy walk.

Other General Information
Tour Communications: You will receive three key communications leading up to your tour:

• Get Ready: Your email confirmation and initial tour information, sent after you register.
• Get Set: An email with additional tour details, sent approximately two months before departure.
• Go: Your final trip documents, mailed via USPS approximately three to four weeks before departure. This packet will include your daily itinerary, luggage tags, and final departure information.

Travel Protection: Travel Protection is optional but highly recommended and may be purchased until the day before departure. Sunrise Tours offers plans through battleface. Additional information will be included with your Get Ready email and can also be found HERE.

Inclusions: Unless otherwise noted, your Sunrise Tour includes:

• A professional Sunrise Tour Director
• Meals as indicated in the itinerary
• Local step-on guides, including gratuities
• International tour guide gratuities when specified for the individual tour
• Deluxe motorcoach transportation with an onboard restroom
• Admission to activities and events as indicated
• Airfare from designated airports
• Transportation to and from designated airports from our convenient local pickup points*
• Luggage handling at hotels when available

Gratuities: We believe tipping is a personal and discretionary interaction between our guests and staff. A typical gratuity for your Sunrise Tour Director and motorcoach driver is $6 to $10 per person, per day of the tour. Sunrise Shuttle drivers also appreciate gratuities for excellent service, with a suggested amount of $5 per person. Our staff will not solicit gratuities or distribute gratuity envelopes.

Refreshments: We are happy to provide refreshments on most motorcoach travel days. We also recommend bringing a refillable water bottle to help you stay hydrated throughout your tour.

Pickup Points: If fewer than four travelers request a particular pickup point, we may ask those guests to select another available pickup location. Travelers are also welcome to join a tour from a city that is not listed as a departure point. Please contact our friendly reservations team to discuss available arrangements. For departure cities not listed, airfare is typically $100 more than the published fare for domestic tours and $200 more for international tours.

TSA PreCheck and Airline Rewards Numbers: TSA PreCheck, Known Traveler Numbers, and airline rewards numbers must be provided to our reservations team at least 60 days before departure. Numbers received after this deadline may not be applied to your reservation.

Airline Seating: Preferred seating may not be available with group airfare. In some cases, seats are not assigned until travelers arrive at the airport. Your tour fare includes an economy-class seat but does not include advance seat selection. Seat upgrades may be available for an additional cost.

Motorcoach Capacity and Seating: To provide one of the most comfortable motorcoach experiences in the industry, Sunrise Tours generally limits motorcoaches to 80% capacity. This allows for a maximum of 44 passengers on a motorcoach designed to accommodate 55. Sunrise Tours reserves the right to amend this practice. Your Tour Director will rotate motorcoach seating each day of the tour. Payment of a single-occupancy fare does not guarantee two motorcoach seats, and you may be seated beside another friendly Sunrise Tours guest.

Terms and Conditions
Please refer to our policies HERE for more information on our terms and conditions.