Heart of the West

Trip Itinerary

Day 1: Depart Chicago

Our Heart of the West tour members will meet the Tour Director in Chicago’s Union Station. The Willis Tower is close by. Other Chicago attractions are a brief cab ride away.

At 2:45 p.m. we’ll board the Southwest Chief prior to its 3:15 p.m. departure. Relax in your comfortable reclining coach seat with leg rest. Roomettes or Bedrooms are available at an additional cost. All dining car meals are included. Enjoy a full-course dinner in the dining car. You will want to spend time in the Sightseer Lounge where the glass windows rise from the floor level to the ceiling. It is a great place to view the passing scenery.

Meal(s):  D

Day 2: En Route / Flagstaff

During the night we traveled across the state of Kansas. We will be near the Colorado border when you awaken. Today you will experience the excitement of the Santa Fe Trail as we cross New Mexico and Arizona. You will have time for a train side walk when we arrive in Albuquerque at mid afternoon. Our arrival into Flagstaff, Arizona, is scheduled for 8:46 p.m. Upon arrival we’ll transfer the short distance to the Drury Inn (June) or Comfort Inn (September).

Meal(s):  B, L & D

Day 3: The Grand Canyon

After a Continental breakfast, we’ll travel by deluxe motorcoach to the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon of the Colorado River is one of the world’s outstanding specialties. In form, size, flowing color and geological significance, it is unsurpassed.
We will view the Canyon from several observation areas. Our first stop will be Watchtower where you will experience views of the River, the Canyon, the Painted Desert, and Kaibab National Forest. Late this afternoon we’ll continue Northeast 155 miles to Kayenta. We’ll spend the night at the Hampton Inn (June) or Kayenta Monument Valley Inn (September). Dinner tonight is included.

Meal(s):  CB & D

Day 4: Monument Valley

The highlight of the day will be our drive through nearby Monument Valley. The region provides perhaps the most enduring and definitive images of the American West. The isolated red mesas and buttes surrounded by empty, sandy desert have been filmed and photographed countless times over the years for movies, advertisements and holiday brochures. Because of this, the area may seem quite familiar, even on a first visit, but it is soon evident that the natural colors really are as bright and deep as those in all the pictures.

The area lies entirely within the Navajo Indian Reservation on the Utah/Arizona border. An “on-your-own” luncheon stop will be made. By late afternoon we will arrive in the charming city of Durango, commercial center for the ranching and mining enterprises of southwest Colorado and gateway to the picturesque San Juan Mountains. The city thrived as a railroad and mining center in the late 1800s. Much of the downtown area has been restored to its Victorian past. Either the Strater Hotel (June) or the Doubletree Hotel (September) is your home for the next two nights. Built in 1882, the Strater Hotel is immaculately restored with authentic Victorian antiques.

Meal(s):  B

Day 5: Mesa Verde

A Continental breakfast is included each morning at the hotel. This morning we’ll travel westward to Mesa Verde National Park, one of our Nation’s major archeological preserves. Many large canyons seam the Mesa Verde area. In the shelter of the hundreds of caves eroded in the cliffs are some of the world’s largest and best preserved cliff dwellings. The cave dwellings were occupied around 1200 A.D. Ruins Road covers 12 miles and provides a view of about 40 cliff dwellings from canyon rim lookout points. Our group can enter some of the outstanding ruins. We’ll return to our hotel at mid afternoon. Dinner is included this evening at our hotel.

Meal(s):  CB & D

Day 6: Durango & Silverton / Black Canyon

A high point of our tour will occur today when we ride on the famous Durango & Silverton Scenic Rail Road. The steam-powered, narrow-gauge train travels through the remote wilderness of the San Juan National Forest, following the winding Animas River through breathtaking mountain scenery. The 45-mile, three-and-a-half hour rail journey will end in Silverton, a typical wild-west mining community with a rather infamous past. There will be time to walk along Blair Street with its false-fronted buildings typical of the Old West and have an “on-your-own” lunch.

After lunch we’ll continue northward. At mid afternoon our travelers will arrive at the awesome Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. The Gunnison River gorge is one of the most amazing geological displays in the West. The Grand Vista Hotel in Grand Junction is our home for the night. Dinner is included at our hotel.

Meal(s):  CB & D

Day 7: Colorado Rockies

A full breakfast is included in our hotel this morning. We’ll transfer to the Amtrak train station in time for the 11:03 a.m. departure of the California Zephyr for Chicago. Relax in your reclining coach seat with leg rest. Sleeping accommodations are available at an additional cost. Enjoy the Sightseer Lounge and other amenities you experienced on your westbound journey.

You’ll want to take advantage of the fascinating Colorado Rockies scenery we’ll be experiencing throughout this afternoon. How about a card game or two with some of your new-found friends? Or reminisce with fellow tour members about all you saw and experienced the past seven days.

Meal(s):  B, L & D

Day 8: En Route to Chicago

Our train will roll across Iowa and Illinois before our mid-afternoon arrival in Chicago. Some tour members will change to trains bound for Midwest, Eastern and Southern home cities. Others may spend the night in Chicago and fly home tomorrow.

Meal(s):  B & L