Groups taking Hawaiian holiday and plotting a quintessential Island itinerary will definitely want to book a catamaran cruise! These amazing, twin-hulled pleasure/adventure/transportation vessels provide guests the ultimate in a stable, comfortable ride. Whether you’re after a day, week or month of cruising and water activities or an exclusive overnight trip, a dolphin, turtle and whale watching ECO tour, a casual-to-elegant evening dinner cruise or Hawaiian sunset/cocktail sail, you will find a catamaran the perfect platform for a safe and enjoyable excursion! Choose from a selection of private luxury yacht charters tendering more personalized services, mega cats that cater to larger crowds and events and sporty sailing cats that get you out onto coastal waters – and back again, FAST- and an array of fabulous options to customize your perfect Hawaiian catamaran outing.

Your group has landed at their dream destination…a warm, tropical breeze kisses your face as you draw your first long breath of legendary Big Island essence. Friendly island greeters approach, welcoming you and your companions with a warm “aloha” and presenting you with a beautiful lei crafted of colorful, fresh and oh, so fragrant exotic blooms— a heartwarming traditional symbol of special welcome and love in Hawaii.

The original 1600 foot Southern California attraction was first completed in 1909- to hide a monstrous sewage pipeline. The Pier became an instant favorite with the local fishing community, men, women and children of all ages from all walks, who found plenty of elbow room and an ample catch; the local waters were full of giant Black Sea Bass and the stories flew. Eventually a small menagerie of amusements including a hand-carved 44 horse carousel found home on a second, wider pier, adjacent to Santa Monica; Looff Pleasure Pier was born, and soon became a top attraction to the area. In 1909, the original pier collapsed! The insidious culprit? Rust! Reconstruction, changes of hands…tides in, tides out-1924 saw the grand opening of the magnificent La Monica Ballroom, headlined as “A Castle Floating over the Ocean;” for a short while, it was the place to see and be seen-the hottest ticket in town. With the advent of the Great Depression, the ballroom saw its ultimate decline, and it, too, was repurposed several times-at one point used as a county jail! Today, Pacific Park amusements and Playland Arcade, hidden gem Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, fun, fresh seafood eateries, snack shacks and soda fountains like Bubba Gumps Shrimp Co., Ristorante el Mare, Soda Jerks and Pier Burger, and a boatload of wonderful shopping opportunities including a first-rate bait and tackle shop, make the Pier a top-notch attraction, affording locals and travelers alike a fine time at the Santa Monica shore. After sundown, slide by Rusty’s Surf Ranch for ocean-fresh crab cakes and calamari, all-American live rock, drink specials and dancing! Modern-day Santa Monica Pier, with its colorful history amidst constant change and the inevitable ravages of time and the elements stands revitalized and proud, a constant reminder of a resilient community spirit. The original carousel is back in action, and the fishing’s fine as it was in 1909!

Exploring America > U.S. Cities > Los Angeles Tours

This rocky little Shangri-la with a manifestly Mediterranean charm and star-studded past lies just off the sunny southern California Coast. Originally settled by indigenous peoples, across the years the island saw use as a smuggling center, a trading post, prime ranch land, gold mining destination and hunting ground before successful development into a popular tourist destination by chewing gum tycoon William Wrigley. Catalina’s population barely exceeds 4000, most of whom occupy the only incorporated city, Avalon, with the rest living in Two Harbors;  almost everyone tools around via golf cart as the use of motor vehicles is restricted. Conservation is a way of life here, and beautiful Catalina is home to dozens of protected endemic species; a small herd of American bison – descendants of a handful brought over from the mainland for film production – roams the island, mingling with the native wildlife. The deep, blue waters surrounding this tropical sanctuary are a fisherman’s dream; a thrilling diversity of watersports, outdoor activities and tours by land, sea and air keep guests jammin’ from dawn ‘til dusk. A range of fantastic accommodations – from beach-front hotels and charming huts to luxurious condos and a four-star country inn –  promise a comfortable stay year-round, and an excellent menu of dining options starring fresh, local seafood ensures something for every palate. By day, Catalina caters to even the wildest sense of adventure; come sundown, a vibrant nightlife beckons.  Come for the day, stay for a week; who knew paradise was so close to L.A.?

Exploring America > U.S. Cities > Los Angeles Tours

This historic seaside amusement park with a nostalgic beach boardwalk/midway vibe located in the Mission Bay area of sunny San Diego saw its debut in 1925; two of its original rides continue to operate: the Giant Dipper, a classic wooden roller coaster and “The Plunge,” Southern California’s largest indoor swimming pool that actually contained salt water back in the day! Modern attractions Flow Rider and Flow Barrel recreate totally awesome surfing conditions; Sky Climb, a 30 foot rock wall course encourages climbers of all abilities to stretch their limbs and test their skills. Take the Vertical Plunge, conquer the Control Freak and customize your own dizzying “spin” on Octotron; classic amusements like the Libery Carousel, Tilt-a-Whirl and Speedway Bumper Cars tickle your taste for retro fun! Tiki Town Adventure Golf invites the pros among you to hone their skills; Sky Ropes – a swinging obstacle course challenge through the tops of towering palm trees is definitely not for the shrinking violet. The better-than-ever arcade invites you to get your game on while familiar midway challenges with all the traditional trappings taunt you to step right up and test your skills. Plenty of good ol’ amusement park fare-fresh-squeezed lemonade and killer corndogs, the best funnel cakes around, hand-dipped caramel apples and homemade fudge, succulent rooftop sushi and quintessentially classic café and grill menus ensure your gregarious group on Southern California excursion a well-fueled Belmont Park playdate!

While your adult group is in Los Angeles, you should check out the world-renowned Warner Bros. Studio. Visitors can take a tour of the location as part of the experience. You can also see fascinating exhibits on display. The company is a global leader in the creation, production, distribution, licensing and marketing of all forms of creative content. You and your group mates can enjoy the Deluxe Tour which is popular and entertaining. In the course of the tour, visitors will check out the museum which has Batman’s original costume, as well as props and artwork. You will also have the opportunity to venture into the craft shops which is where artisans design sets, props, and costumes. Guests will visit real working productions where you can talk to individuals in the crew and get an up close and personal look at how movies are made. The tour is five hours long. The Deluxe Tour also includes a lunch in the Studio Commissary with some of the stars. The Studio History Tour is informative and a fun experience for the adult group to enjoy. Group members will learn about some of the memorable moments that have happened in Warner Bros. history. You will have the chance to see various areas of the studio which include the Warner Bros. lot, stage 16, and the Warner Bros. Studio facilities. Stage 16 is known to be the tallest stage in the world. The studio has the largest collection of period and contemporary costumes. The lot is 110 acres and it has been transformed into a jungle or a bustling metropolitan area.

When your adult group takes a trip to Los Angeles, you should consider visiting the Paley Center for Media which was formerly known as the Museum of Television and Radio. Group members will see a fascinating collection of artifacts related to television and other media. They also offer educational programs for the team to experience. Visitors of all ages will enjoy visiting this popular attraction. There are several exhibits at the Paley Center for Media for the group to examine. You will find exhibitions which include Television Out of the Box, JFK Assassination and TV: Lesser-Known Facts and Thoughts, The 9/11 Special Collection, The Live Coverage of the March on Washington, and Nick ‘90s: All That, and More, for the Children of the Nineties. The 9/11 Special Collection contains 1000 hours of coverage from broadcasters all over the world. There are 50 countries represented by this collection which includes locations such as Cuba, China, Iran, Australia and the only HD report of the event that was captured on Japanese Television. Television Out of the Box is an entertaining multi-media exhibit at the museum. At the exhibit, group members can check out highlights from various shows such as the Bugs Bunny Show, The Big Bang Theory, The Closer, and the Mentalist. Guests will find costumes, props, photos, set pieces, and video clips that are part of the exhibition. The museum has a research room where your group can listen to television and radio shows for research and entertainment. There are staff members available to assist the adult group as needed. Group members will also have access to the museum’s extensive library database.

Situated within what was once the Mexican Land Grant of Rancho La Brea, and now part of Urban Los Angeles in the Miracle Mile District, the La Brea Tar Pits and C. George Page Museum in Hancock Park are a fascinating detour from the standard tourist fare and fascinating attractions that should find their way to every closet Paleontologist’s must-see agenda. Surely you’ve heard of them somewhere in your studies, years ago perhaps…3rd grade, maybe? In all likelihood you’ve stepped in viscous, hot tar on a scorching Summer’s day and been frustrated by its persistence on your shoe. Imagine, if you will, a hungry pack of fearless Dire Wolves tearing through the grasslands, hot on the trail of a single, startled young deer…racing to flank their intended prey, a favorite feast on the night’s menu. Now…they pull up short, when the Alpha male nearly vanishes from view; a second wolf stumbles face first into the muck and flailing, starts to sink; fierce growls and blood-chilling howls turned to panicked staccato barks and a few terrified screams as the wolves struggle and slip rather quickly beneath the surface of the stick and leaf covered dark pool. The intended prey escapes; the rest of the pack backs slowly away from the bubbling pit ahead but quickly meet the same demise a few yards away from the mysterious blackness that devoured the first two hunters. And so it went. Today, as the ever-changing La Brea Tar Pits are excavated, similar stories are imagined in the minds of Paleontologists and their fervent volunteers mining the asphalt pits of their victims, and retold time and again through careful reconstructions of these fine specimens displayed at Page Museum.

Exploring America > U.S. Cities > Los Angeles Tours

Site of one of the most complete coastal defense batteries in the U.S.

While your adult group is in Los Angeles, you should spend some time at the California Science Center. The team can see interesting exhibits, participate in educational programs, and watch a film in the IMAX Theater. The location is a fun attraction for you to learn about science. The exhibitions at the California Science Center are informative and interactive. You will have hands-on experiences at the different galleries. Participants will find galleries such as the Ecosystems Gallery, the Creative World Gallery, the World of Life Gallery, and Air and Space Exhibits. The Ecosystems Gallery consists of eight zones that represent different environments. Guests will find zones such as the Extreme Exhibits Zone, the Forest Zone, the River Zone, and the Island Zone. In the Forest Zone, group members can explore the kelp forest and also learn about the various life forms in an ecosystem. In the World of Life Gallery, members of the group will have the opportunity to examine how people, plants, animals, and the tiniest cells all perform the same processes in order to survive. The group can enjoy live shows and presentations as part of the experience. There is a series of shows known as Science Spectacular. The presentations are 15-20 minutes long. They cover various scientific topics. Visitors will learn about topics such as chemical reactions, kelp forest biology, and nanoscience. There are programs and activities that can be customized to fit your group’s specific scientific desire. Visitors of all ages will enjoy this fun scientific museum.