Tuesday, 3/29/2011 - Julian, Anza-Borrego
On this tour, our expert guide, Dennis Napier, will be onboard to point out the many geologic and geographic phenomena that we will encounter along the way. Dennis is a former professor of geography at Long Beach City College and his extensive knowledge and diverse background will make your journey an enlightening one. After everyone has joined us from one of our departure points, we’ll enjoy a continental breakfast onboard as we set off on our journey to Julian to enjoy lunch at your leisure. This early 1900’s mining town is a mountain-high retreat(elevation 4,200 ft.), known for its clean air, quaint shopping and fresh apple pies. This afternoon, a guided tour of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The largest state park in California, it features 12 wilderness areas providing visitors with an unparalleled opportunity to experience the wonders of the California Desert. The park features washes, palm groves, cacti, sweeping vistas and, at this time of year, usually an abundance of wild vibrant wildflowers. Perhaps we’ll catch a glimpse of a roadrunner, golden eagle, kit fox, mule deer or bighorn sheep which all call Anza-Borrego home. This evening we arrive at Pala Resort Casino to take advantage of its 2,300 state-of-the-art slot machines, 87 Vegas-style table games and great restaurants and lounges.

Wednesday, 3/30/2011 - Temecula Valley
This morning, an included buffet breakfast at the hotel before we embark on a guided tour of the Temecula Valley area with our onboard expert guide. The Temecula wine region features 22 wineries producing award-winning premium wines made possible by a unique microclimate and great soils. Their 1,100-foot elevation makes for cool summer nights, and cooling breezes during the summer create perfect conditions for growing wine grapes. Your guide will educate you on the history of wine in this region and fundamentals of wine tasting, as we visit an up-and-coming winery. An included lunch at the winery as well as wine tasting. Following, time in Old Town Temecula to do some browsing in this quaint historic district. This afternoon we make our return to our drop off points with the memories of our fabulous desert and mountain getaway not soon forgotten.