Delightfully Different Vacations
5 Days/4 Nights
2009 Rose Parade Holiday
Dec. 29, 2009 – Jan. 2, 2010
Make this New Year’s celebration a rosy one! Experience the exciting pageantry of the world-famous Tournament of Roses Parade. See too, the fabulous Glory of Christmas at the Crystal Cathedral…plus feel like royalty at the 4-Diamond Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort, where every room has a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean. Come and smell the roses!
OPTIONAL PRE/POST EXTENSIONS AVAILABLE —
New! Pre-Tour: 2 Days/2 Nights - Birds & Blooms Float Decorating Experience
Arrive early and spend a full day working with Petal Pushers ®, a volunteer organization of flower lovers, assisting with the near finishing touches on parade floats.
Post-Tour: 2 Days/1 Night - Catalina Island Excursion
Stay after the tour and take a memorable visit to historic and idyllic Catalina Island.
Tour Highlights
- Thrill to magnificent floral floats and spirited marching bands at the 121st Tournament of Roses Parade.
- Enjoy the casual elegance and amenities of the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort where luxury abounds in every way.
- Marvel at the stunning Glory of Christmas stage production at the beautiful Crystal Cathedral.
- Meet Dr. Tommy Cairns, an internationally renowned rose expert and exhibitor, and EXCLUSIVE Guest Speaker for World Wide Country Tours.
- Add to your Rose Parade experience by reserving our Pre-Tour Extension or/and Post-Tour Extension option.
2009 Dates and Pricing
- December 29, 2009 – January 2, 2010
- Price Per Person:
- Double: $1,397
- Single: $1,795
- Double: $2,072
- Single: $3,145
Standard Room:
Executive Suite:
Guests at Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort will enjoy an assortment of luxurious amenities when upgrading to the Executive Suite. In addition to all of the amenities in the standard rooms, each of the suites also includes a wet bar, two televisions, and a DVD player. The Executive Suite has a king size bed tucked away from the parlor area with plenty of room for privacy, and a sitting room with a full size pullout sleeper sofa. The room also has a small two-person dining table and two large balconies looking out over the ocean and the southern coastline with a sunrise view.
- Meals Included: 8
- Depart & Return: Huntington Beach, California
- Pre/Post-Tour Hotel:
- Standard Room: $208/night
- Executive Suite: $339/night
Start Your Holiday Vacation with this Optional Extension
Float Decorating Experience
December 27—Huntington Beach: Your exciting Rose Parade Holiday begins the moment you arrive at the elegant Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort in beautiful Huntington Beach, California. After you settle into your ocean-view room, you’ll meet your Tour Director at our evening get-together where you’ll relax and get to know your new traveling friends and prepare for your volunteer activities tomorrow. Welcome Reception.
December 28—Pasadena: Volunteer Float Decorating Day— This morning we head out to Pasadena and roll up our sleeves to help decorate the authentic Tournament of Roses Parade floats with Petal Pushers ® (a group of more than 4,000 volunteers who decorate the Lutheran Hour Float and other floats in the Tournament of Roses Parade). You’ll spend a full day working side by side with other flower lovers from all over assisting with the near finishing touches on a number of these soon-to-be-televised Rose Parade Floats. Watch the magic come to life as you see your efforts bring these parade’s fantastic floral floats closer to completion. What an once-in-a-lifetime event!
Afterwards we’ll return to our ocean-front resort where you can relax, have dinner on you own and talk about your experiences today with your traveling companions. Meals included: B, L.
Here’s what our past travelers had to say about volunteering…
“What made this trip special was the opportunity to work behind the scenes prior to viewing the parade. Great trip!” D.R., Wake Forest, NC
“Definitely a once in a lifetime experience.” R.D., Franklin, WI
“It was everything I thought it would be. Can’t believe I actually put some flowers on a float—a dream of a life time.” J.G., St. Louis, MO
“The opportunity to actually work on Rose Parade floats was special. Enjoyed seeing the floats being worked on, and then seeing the finished product in the parade.” J.L., Shawano, WI
December 29—Huntington Beach: Enjoy your morning on your own before we meet again as the tour kickoffs this afternoon at lunch. Take a walk on the beach or stroll to Main Street in Huntington Beach where they is an array of boutiques, quaint restaurants and unique southern California shops. Meals Included: B.
- Pre-Tour Extension Date:
- December 27-28, 2009
- Price Per Person:
- Double: $497
- Single: $595
- Double: $836
- Single: $1,270
Standard Room:
Executive Suite:
- Meals Included: 3
- Depart & Return: Huntington Beach, California
- Accommodations:
- December 27-28: Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort, Huntington Beach
Itinerary
December 29—Huntington Beach: Travelers not reserved on the Pre-Tour Optional Extension will be arriving today to join in on the Rose Parade Holiday Tour. You’ll meet your Tour Director as we all join together for a delicious lunch in the beautiful Pacific Ballroom at the elegant Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort. Then we’ll head to the gleaming Crystal Cathedral in nearby Garden Grove for a thrilling and inspiring afternoon presentation of the Glory of Christmas, featuring amazing special effects…including flying angels! Meals included: L.
December 30—Pasadena: Today we’ll go to Pasadena for a “preview” of the splendor you’ll see at Friday’s Tournament of Roses Parade.
In the morning you’ll “march to the drumbeat” of the Rose Parade Bands, at the highly entertaining Bandfest. Here’s your opportunity to hear the music of the parade bands and watch them perform their routines at the Pasadena City College Stadium.
Lunch today will be held at the Pasadena Masonic Temple—reminiscent of a Greek Temple—it exemplifies classic elegance. A hearty homemade meal will be prepared especially for you.
Country Tours Exclusive
Come meet Dr. Tommy Cairns, a long time Tournament of Roses Parade Judge and past President of the American Rose Society. Dr. Cairns, whose latest work, The Ultimate Rose Book, published in October 2007, has agreed to join our group and 
share his experiences with judging the Tournament of Roses Parade floats and what he looks for when he’s appointed to this task for this world famous event. Watch a presentation of past award winning floats and be amused and impressed by the wonders of this most decorated rosarian in the world.
This afternoon we’ll watch the magic come to life as we get an up-close view of the parade’s fantastic floral floats. Watch as countless roses are combined with other gorgeous flowers to bring each float to life in vibrant colors. After this pre-parade fun we’ll return to our resort hotel, so you can relax and enjoy your evening. Meals Included: B, L.
December 31—Activities & Optional Excursions: Today you can relax and enjoy your hotel’s amenities and perhaps pay a visit to Huntington Beach’s Main Street, home to some delightful restaurants and fun shopping opportunities. You can also talk to the concierge about renting a wagon filled with hot dogs, firewood, matches, marshmallows and then enjoy your own private party on the beach! Meals Included: B.
Or join in on your choice of three optional daytime excursions:
Optional Excursion 1—LA, Hollywood and Kodak Theatre Red Carpet Tour: Experience all the renowned elegance and celebrity glamour that the Kodak Theatre, Home of the Academy Awards ® has to offer! Take a guided tour of this crown jewel located in the heart of historic Hollywood and set your eyes on the glamorous 3,332 seat theatre, visit the George Eastman VIP Room and other exclusive celebrity hot spots and find out where your favorite celebrities sat during this year’s ceremony. Wait…there’s more! You’ll make a brief stop in Beverly Hills…glimpse the lavish homes of Hollywood stars…visit Grauman’s Chinese Theatre…and stroll along Hollywood’s famous Walk of Fame. Enjoy lunch on your own at the Farmers Market—one of the most popular sights in Los Angeles and a historical landmark drawing over three million visitors a year. Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Price: $98 per person.
Optional Excursion 2—Warner Bros. Studio Tour: A “Behind the Scenes” tram tour gives you, as a guest, a rare look into the world of entertainment. Walk onto a set of a hit television show, hear as Foley artists create sound effects for movies, see how sets are constructed, walk through rows and rows of costumes, watch a special effects demonstration, and the list goes on and on. Nearby the Tour Center is the Studio Plaza Café where you can enjoy a casual lunch on your own among studio personnel. Be a kid at heart and enjoy the fun! Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Price: $55 per person.
Optional Excursion 3—Huntington Library & Botanical Gardens, San Marino: Delight in the beauty of the Huntington’s 120 breathtaking acres of gardens, three art galleries and a library. Highlights include a Gutenberg Bible (c. 1455), Thomas Gainsborough’s masterpiece, “The Blue Boy” (c. 1770), Thomas Lawrence’s “Pinkie” (c. 1794), the spectacular 12-acre Desert Garden, the serenely beautiful Japanese garden, the camellia gardens and the newly opened Chinese Garden—the Garden of Flowing Fragrance. On your own, if you like, you can enjoy English tea in the Rose Garden Tea Room. Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Price: $35 per person.
Special New Year’s Eve Celebration Option: Join us for dinner and dancing in the hotel ballroom this evening to celebrate the New Year. After you savor a delicious sit-down dinner, you may dance to the music, or sit and relax, and enjoy songs from artists like: Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, George Gershwin, and many more. Hours: 6:30 p.m. to 12:00 p.m. Price: $75 per person.
January 1—Happy New Year! Tournament of Roses Parade: This morning we’ll make our way to the parade route and the premium grandstand seats we’ve reserved for you, for a grand view of the 121st Tournament of Roses Parade. Over the next several hours, you’ll delight in the tradition and pageantry of one of the world’s most unique events. Meals Included: B, L, D.
After the parade, you may choose one of the following afternoon activities:
We’ll treat you to lunch at the legendary Queen Mary Hotel in Long Beach—this grand ocean liner is considered the crown jewel of Southern California. Afterwards, tour this magnificent ship at your leisure before heading back to Huntington Beach. You’ll have time to take a walk on the beach, or perhaps relax in the hot tub, or simply enjoy the sunset from your room balcony, before tonight’s farewell dinner.
Or, stay in Pasadena and see the Showcase of Parade Floats! This is an option for those that want an opportunity to view the completely finished floats after the Rose Parade. Travelers are able to walk almost within arm’s reach of the floats and see in close detail the uniqueness and creativity in the dimensions and design of the flowers that make up these impressive floats. This is a great opportunity to get close-up pictures of the selected floats on display at this event. Viewing all the floats will require walking a distance of approximately 2.5 miles and will take at least two hours. Before we encounter the crowd of float viewers, we’ll stop, relax and enjoy a tasty lunch in a well-known historic Pasadena restaurant. We’ll return to Huntington Beach in time for you to freshen up for tonight’s farewell dinner. COST FOR THIS OPTION IS $20.00 PER PERSON AND ON A LIMITED BASIS ONLY.
January 2—Home: Our New Year’s getaway comes to a close after a hot breakfast. It’s been a wonderful getaway with great memories…filled with roses. Meals Included: B.
Optional Extension
Extend Your Holiday Vacation to Catalina Island
January 2—Catalina Island: Stay another day and enjoy a very special treat. We’re going to Catalina Island.
Or as the Four Preps’ once harmonized—“26 miles across the sea, Santa Catalina is a-waitin’ for me!”
We’ll board the Catalina Express , the high-speed luxury catamaran that will transport us from Long Beach to Avalon at Catalina Island…California’s only island resort city. We have a long fun-filled day in store for you, so plan on wearing your most comfortable walking shoes—you won’t want to miss out on any of it!
The sparkling blue waters surrounding this enchanting island give it a majestic quality and you’ll be thrilled by it’s dazzling picture postcard views. William Wrigley, the chewing gum tycoon, was so taken by this lovely island paradise, he built his famous Wrigley Mansion atop the hills of Avalon.
Browse through a wide variety of charming shops and art galleries as you take a leisurely stroll along Avalon’s picturesque Crescent Avenue.
Choose from a variety of restaurants and cafes to have a leisure lunch on your own. Together, we’ll discover the enchantment of Avalon on a private tour along the beachfront, up the hillsides and through the heart of this friendly and historic town. Then, step back to the heyday of swing as you visit the renowned Mecca of Big Band music—the famous Avalon Ballroom.
We’ll treat you to a delicious dinner in one of the quaint seaside restaurants followed by a catamaran ride back to the mainland and to the elegant Huntington Beach for the evening. Meals Included: D.
January 3—Huntington Beach: You can depart at your leisure today. The hotel’s complimentary shuttle will take you to John Wayne Orange County Airport. Enjoy breakfast on us before you leave. Meals Included: Continental Breakfast.
- Extension Date:
- January 2-3, 2010
- Price Per Person:
- Double: $397
- Single: $505
- Double: $566
- Single: $844
Standard Room:
Executive Suite:
- Meals Included: 2
- Depart & Return: Huntington Beach, California
- Accommodations:
- January 2: Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort, Huntington Beach
Accommodations
- Days 1-5: Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort, Huntington Beach
- Beautiful! Every room has a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean.
Average temperatures: high 68°/low 44°.
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World Wide Country Tours
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