Get your New Year off to a grand start with colorful animated floats, teams of high-stepping equestrians and award-winning marching bands. This AAA EXCLUSIVE vacation is also a AAA Member favorite and includes grandstand seating at the parade and post-parade float viewing at the Showcase of Floats in Victory Park.
Highlights include:
• Partake in a festive New Year’s Eve dinner.
• Enjoy prime grandstand seating at the 125th Tournament of Roses Parade.
• Have lunch at the Ronald Reagan Library beneath a former Air Force One jet.
• Make the most of your getaway by adding a pre-tour package or tickets to the Rose Bowl Game.
Join us on an escorted vacation that has become an annual AAA Member favorite from AAA Sojourns. Revel in the colorful history and pageantry of one of the nation’s most beloved New Year’s celebrations, the Tournament of Roses. View floral creations at the 125th annual Rose Parade interpreting the 2014 theme, "Dreams Come True." Enjoy special grandstand seating as miles of rose-adorned floats, baton twirlers, spirited marching bands and high-stepping equestrians march down the boulevard.
After the parade, head to Victory Park to cheer on the winning floats at the post-parade Showcase of Floats. Get a closer look at your favorites and see animated floats in action. Plus, for an additional charge, you may also choose to attend the revered Rose Bowl Game** for an afternoon of college football.
To round out the holiday festivities, visit the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum featuring a full scale replica of the Oval Office. After the tour, you’ll be served lunch beneath a former Air Force One jet used by Reagan and six other presidents. And on December 31, get to know your fellow travelers at a special New Year’s Eve dinner. You may also add an extra night that includes a chance to view final float preparations at a pre-parade Float Barn Tour and a tour of Warner Bros. Studio.
Price includes:
• 3 nights at Westin Long Beach Hotel
• Daily breakfast, 2 lunches, Welcome Reception and a festive New Year’s Eve dinner
• Admission to the Ronald Reagan Library & Museum
• Grandstand seating at the Tournament of Roses Parade (seat location is corner of West Colorado and Orange Grove and within the blocks of 414-450; this is where the TV cameras are located and where the bands stop to perform)
• 2014 Rose Parade Program (1 per person)
• Admission to Showcase of Floats in Victory Park
• Round-trip airport/hotel transfers
**Rose Bowl Ticket includes transfers and box lunch: $350 per person. Tickets are located in the end zone and are subject to availability. Inquire at time of booking. Upgrade ticket from Goal Line to 15 Yard Line: $450 per person.
Special Pre-Tour Package from $199 per person*
Includes 1 night hotel accommodations, a tour of the Float Barns to see the final float preparation, a tour of Warner Bros. Studio and round-trip transfers. You will meet up with the rest of the group at the Welcome Reception mentioned in Day 1 of the itinerary.
Note: There is considerable walking on the sightseeing portion of the tour. Please plan accordingly. Children must be at least 8 years of age to participate in this tour. The pre-tour package can only be purchased in conjunction with the 4-day tour. Inquire at time of booking.
Day 1 - Arrive in Los Angeles
Transfer from the Los Angles International, Long Beach or Burbank Airports to the hotel. Please book flights to arrive by 2pm. Welcome Reception will follow at the hotel. Dinner is on your own.
Accommodation: Westin Long Beach Hotel - 3 nights
Day 2 - Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation / New Year’s Eve Dinner
After breakfast, depart for The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum, the largest of the twelve federally funded presidential libraries. The street address, 40 Presidential Drive, is numbered in honor of Reagan's place as the 40th President. The museum features continually changing temporary exhibits and a permanent exhibit covering President Reagan’s life. A full scale replica of the Oval Office – a feature of most presidential libraries – is a prominent feature of this museum as well. The hilltop grounds provide expansive views of the area, a re-creation of a portion of the White House Lawn, and, like many presidential libraries, a piece of the Berlin Wall. One of the highlights of the library is the 90,000-square-foot (8,400 m2) exhibit hangar that serves as the setting for the permanent display of the Boeing 707 aircraft utilized as Air Force One during Reagan's administration. The aircraft was also used by six other presidents in its active service life from 1973–2001. A lunch buffet will be served beneath Air Force One before heading back to the hotel to freshen up for your New Year’s Eve dinner.
Day 3 - Rose Parade
After breakfast, head to Pasadena early to get a good spot for the 125th annual Rose Parade. (We recommend bringing a jacket or blanket with you because it is early in the morning and it may be chilly.) Prepare to be dazzled by float artistry, equestrian excellence, the nation’s best marching bands and miles and miles of roses! After a sit-down lunch, head to Victory Park for the post-parade Showcase of Floats. Get a closer look at your favorites and see animated floats in action.
Please note: This is a long day with an early wake-up call, float viewing and walking. The Parade ends at 10am and the Showcase of Floats viewing area opens at 2pm. After the end of the Parade passes by our group seats, the group will board the motor coach and drive away from the area for lunch. This allows time for the Parade to finish, for participants to clear out of the area and time to assemble floats in the Showcase of Floats area. You will need to walk from where the motor coach can park to the entrance to the Showcase of Floats and throughout the Showcase area. Please be prepared with comfortable walking shoes.
Optional Rose Bowl Game Tickets: Head to the revered Rose Bowl Game for an afternoon of college football (available at additional cost). A box lunch is provided for those attending the game. You will miss the Showcase of Floats today but you can make your own arrangements to see the floats later as the Showcase of Floats is open until January 3. If you do wish to see the floats tomorrow, we highly recommend that you arrive early as you will need to park at one location and then be bussed to the float area. There are separate lines for purchasing tickets for the bus and for boarding the bus once you purchase tickets. If you arrive mid-morning you will likely have a long wait in both lines and there is no place to sit while waiting.
Day 4 - Depart Los Angeles
After breakfast, transfer from the hotel to Los Angeles International, Long Beach or Burbank Airport. Please arrange flights to depart after 10am.
*Prices are per person based on double occupancy, are subject to availability at time of booking, and may change without notice. Children less than 8 years of age are not permitted to participate in this tour; maximum of 2 adults and 2 children per room. Single supplement may apply. Except for packages including air transportation, unless stated otherwise, airfare, taxes and government fees are not included. Offers valid for new bookings only. Member Benefits are per person and apply to first and second traveler only. Member Benefits are available only with advertised fare and are subject to change without notice. Your travel arrangements may be modified or canceled subject to the travel providers’ policies. Blackout dates and other restrictions may apply. We make every effort for accuracy at time of printing but reserve the right to correct errors. AAA Travel strongly recommends the purchase of trip protection insurance. Except for packages including air transportation, fares may not reflect additional fuel supplement or port charges and vary by provider.
CST #1003968-80. Registration as seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California.
Links:
[1] http://calstate.aaa.com/travel/about-aaa-travel/aaa-sojourns