California dreamin’ – Virgin Holidays launches group tours called the Showcase Collection

Virgin Holidays

Spectacular: The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is a highlight

Another first for Virgin Holidays – they have launched three group tours of California. The one-off highly personalised tours are themed around family adventure, Napa Valley and a luxurious journey down the coast.

Billed as “The Showcase Collection” the first three tours will test the appeal for greater escorted itineraries, with the tour operator prepared to roll out more Showcase tours across the USA and Canada over the next 18 months.

Each tour is a one-off, unique itinerary, exploring the breadth and diversity of the Californian state and targeted at three distinct travellers – families, empty nesters and the luxury market. All three tours will host between 20 and 40 guests and will run in June, August and September next year.

Angus Bond, Head of USA & Canada at Virgin Holidays, said:  “We’re seeing increasing demand from customers for highly personalised, show-stopping, curated tours and the launch of our Showcase Collection delivers this in bucket-loads.

“We’re confident that by bringing British holidaymakers out of the usual Californian comfort-zone, they’ll have memories of a lifetime and spread the word about the breadth and beauty of America’s West Coast.”

Virgin Holidays

Wine-Tasting: One of the Virgin Holidays tours will travel to Napa Valley

The tours are not cheap but promise luxury along the way and extra special excursions and treats. Here is how Virgin Holidays describes the Showcase Collection:

CALIFORNIAN FAMILY ADVENTURE – 14-day tour, mixed board, from £4,769pp excluding flights

If California is America’s amusement park, consider this your AAA, jump-the-queues ticket to an unforgettable family adventure – with visits to Anaheim, Palm Springs, Los Angeles and Huntington Beach. Featuring 14 days that blend fun, exclusive thrills, memorable meals, profound relaxation and spectacular sights into a limited-edition plus-plus-plus holiday you’ll talk about for years to come.

VIRGIN VINES – 9-day tour, mixed board, from £2,686pp excluding flights

Aaaah, the Napa Valley… it’s like California raising a toast to itself. Stretching away into rolling hills north of San Francisco, it’s this sophisticated city’s connoisseur backyard – with hundreds of hillside vineyards commanding breath-taking views and producing exemplary wines by the dozen. Exclusive to Virgin Holidays, the single-departure tour of California’s Wine Country makes this extraordinary region your playground with eight days of private wine tastings, gourmet food and time to relax among vibrant vineyards and Giant Redwoods. Best of all, the tour has been designed in partnership with Virgin Wines – meaning there will be ‘Virgin’ touches from beginning to end.

CALIFORNIA DREAMING – 10-day tour, mixed board, from £5,049pp excluding flights

Golden Gate to the City of Angels – 500 miles of pure Pacific-washed adventure!  No coastline on Earth packs in more glamour, history and A-list excitement per square mile, so why not sit back on our exclusive ten-day California Dreaming tour from San Francisco to Los Angeles and let us bring the very best of the West Coast to you.  With high-end wine tastings, Hollywood high-life and Instagrammable San Fran scenery this one-of-a-kind tour will make the holiday of a lifetime feel effortless.

The launch of these three new tours will support the two key West Coast services to Los Angeles and San Fransisco and are launched to encourage more British holidaymakers to venture outside of key cities.

See here for more details.

Virgin Holidays

Adventures: Big Sur on the coast from San Fransisco to Los Angeles