Luxury California Holidays

Overview

Travel Gems

Travel Planning
To experience the best of this state's diversity, we highly recommend you hire a car and tour the state at your leisure - if you know exactly what you want - beaches, wine, nature or cities - you've plenty of options to select from. Alternatively, if you  wish to extend your holiday, Las Vegas or Arizona, team up well with California. Whichever way you choose to 'do' California, our Travel Consultants are on hand, happy to advise and recommend.

Universal Studios VIP Experience
Universal Studios is the ultimate way to live Hollywood movie magic for yourself, with thrilling rides and shows, and tours of working film and television studios. With the Universal Studios VIP Experience, you will receive exclusive access to some of the industry’s busiest studio backlots, allowing you to explore areas unopened to the general public, including blockbuster soundstages and filming sets. In addition, you will receive escorted priority access to all rides and attractions in the park, including the much anticipated Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, and your guide will find you the best seats possible at all shows. Your day will start with a light breakfast in the VIP Lounge, and later, you will sit down for gourmet lunch in the VIP dining room. With valet parking and easy entry and exit, your visit is guaranteed to be stress free.

Climate

California is one of North America’s sunniest states and enjoys a Mediterranean-style climate. Generally, Californian summers are warm and dry, while winters are reasonably mild and moderately wet.

Northern California, including San Francisco:
The northern coast is generally cooler and wetter than coastal areas further south. Along the coast, sea fog occurs and this reduces the amount of sunshine hours in both summer and winter compared to further inland. The city of San Francisco has cool to mild summers, which is caused by the sea fog which regularly washes over San Francisco Bay and can be chilly and/or foggy at any time of year. However, frost and snow are not common on the coast, and winters in much of California are fairly mild and moderately wet. However, more mountainous parts – such as Sierra Nevada, experience more rainfall and at greater heights this falls as snow, offering the opportunity for winter activities.

Central and Southern California, including Los Angeles:
In central and southern California summers tend to be very dry. There may be short-lived spells of cold weather in wintertime. Los Angeles suffers a city smog – a mixture of pollution and fog – which is at its worst from July to September. The smog lingers because the light winds are not strong enough to blow it past the surrounding hills.

Flight Information

Flight Information
British Airways direct from London Heathrow to Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego. Virgin Atlantic and United Airlines direct from London Heathrow to Los Angeles and San Francisco. Air New Zealand direct from London Heathrow to Los Angeles.

Flight Time
From London Heathrow to Los Angeles: 11 hours. London Heathrow to San Francisco: 10 hours, 50 minutes. London Heathrow to San Diego: 11 hours, 10 minutes.

Documentation

Travelling With Children or Without an Adult

Children travelling without both parents should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country. Please contact the relevant Embassy for the county you are travelling to for further information.

Visa and Advance Passenger Information

All passengers must ensure they have a valid, acceptable passport, any required visa and any other documentation for both the final destination and any stop-off points en route. Please make sure that Advance Passenger Information is submitted in advance to travel for all destinations. Failure to hold correct documentation or submitting incorrect details with Advance Passenger Information or Visa applications may result in refusal of carriage or entry into a country. Please check with the relevant Embassy regarding visa requirements well in advance of your travel date. Charges may apply for some visas.

Health

Health facilities, hygiene and disease risks vary worldwide and you should take health advice about your specific needs from your general practitioner or a specialist clinic as early as possible before travel. Those planning to become pregnant should discuss their travel plans with their healthcare provider to assess their risk of infection with Zika. For information about Zika, other mosquito-borne diseases (such as Dengue fever and Chikungunya), Lyme Disease (caused by tick bites), and to receive advice on mosquito bite avoidance measures, please visit Insect and tick bite avoidance. In addition, we highly recommend that you seek specialist advice from your doctor and, where recommended, obtain vaccinations or tablets for protection against, for example: Malaria, Hepatitis A, Polio and Typhoid. In some cases, treatments for Malaria should begin well in advance of travel. Travellers may also be required to show Yellow Fever Certificates on arrival in certain destinations i.e, some African countries. Please note that you are strongly advised against scuba-diving for 24 hours before travelling by air. We would also like to draw your attention to the risk of DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) and recommend that you consult with your doctor before travelling. Visit the FCDO website and select your destination country for the very latest travel advice: Foreign Travel Advice. Additional sources of information include: Public Health England, The National Travel Health And Network Centre, Foreign And Commonwealth Office and your General Practitioner or a specialised clinic.