Slv newsletter novdec2013 web

Laughter and prizes were the order of the day at the Marriott Hotel Saturday, September 7th. Tickets were all spoken for weeks ahead of the event, and a crowd of nearly 700 filled the hotel for a total of the sessions.

Nationally-known local comedian Jack Gallagher brought the house down with his funny stuff on everything from getting out of bed in the morning to camping (“You mean pretending you don’t have a house.”) Jack was a joy to work with and a true gentleman. He will grace the Sports Leisure stage again soon.

Lucky contestants in the Sports Leisure Game Show won cash and prizes, and over $3,000 in admissions were donated in total to three charities, making the total charitable donations more than $25,000 in

recent years. The Mustard Seed School, the Chuck Evans Santa Claus Scholarship and the Wreath Project received the funds this year. Mustard Seed is the Loaves and Fishes School for homeless and transient kids. The Wreath Project puts Christmas Wreaths of Remembrance on all of the graves in our new Sacramento Valley National Cemetery. With your $5 admission, you help make that happen (100% of Preview Day admissions are donated to charity.)

Our staff, led by wardrobe director and brainstormer Donnie Anderson, dressed in a “bee” theme. The winner of this year’s $1,500 scholarship honoring our late friend Chuck

went to Natasha Cowan, granddaughter of a Travel Club Member (see page 4 for more from our winner and her grandma). Our new catalog, Discover, was available for the first time. If you weren’t able to join us this year, check inside these pages and mark your calendar now for next year’s event.

The staff were all “bees” for Preview Day. You know “worker bee,” “to bee or not to bee,” and of course the big cheese was the “Sacramento Bee”

Sports Leisure’s version of “The Price is Right” or “Let’s Make A Deal” meant cash and prizes for a dozen lucky contestants

Comedian Jack Gallagher had the audience in stitches, talking about getting older, going camping and a variety of other subjects. Jack will reprise his act at our 35th Anniversary Party, slated for Sat., May 17th at the Wells Fargo Pavilion (Music Circus tent) downtown.

9812 Old Winery Place, Suite 1 • Sacramento, CA 95827 • (916) 361-2051 • Toll-Free (800) 951-5556 • www. sportsleisure.com • CA Travel #2011549-40

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U EJust One Man’s Opinion .................................... 2Clayton Place ........................................................ 3The Customers Always Write .......................... 4The Human Side .................................................. 5Casino Trips and Baseball ................................. 6Day Trips ............................................................. 7-8Teasers .................................................................... 9New Vacations & Getaways .................... 10-12The Barber Pole..................................................13Tour Calendar .............................................. 14-22Coupons and Tour Updates ..........Back Cover

H H H H H H H H H H H H

Editor .......................................... Mark HoffmannExecutive Editor .........................Kevin MurphyStaff Writers .................. P. Hansen, R. Goodge,S. Angeletti & C. Whitehead, D. AndersonContributing Photographer ........C. Galloway

2013NOV./DEC.VOL. 35, NO. 3

9,076 Active Members • 46,080 Members Since 1979

2 Sports Leisure Vacations / November–December 2013

Just One Man’s OpinionPreview Day

Full of Laughs & CashSeptember 7th was our day to shine, as

sold-out audiences filled three sessions at our annual Tour Preview Day at the Marriott Hotel. Comedian Jack Gallagher was so well received, we have asked him to headline our 35th Anniversary Party, slated for next

May 17th (a Saturday). Our Sports Leisure Game Show made it’s debut and a dozen contestants walked away with over $1,500 in cash and prizes. Looks like an even bigger and better version of the game will be part of next year’s Preview Day.

I thank all those of you who came, contributed your admission fees to charity and picked up a first-day edition of our new catalog, Discover. Some of the folks who come out for Preview Day are no longer active travelers, some only day-trippers, and that’s all fine by me. It was nice to see old friends.

Which reminds me of an important point. You need to know at Sports Leisure we value every client. No matter how often or how far you travel, if we provide you with good service, you will tell your friends. That’s how we have thrived over the years,

by word of mouth. Chris told me the other day he remembers me relating to him, “Treat everyone special, because you don’t know how frequently that person is able to travel. Perhaps finances, health or other reasons only allow them one or two outings a year. So I make sure their trip is a great one, whether it’s a day at the theater, or a longer distance affair.”

Clayton’s Scotland trip was the first to sell out, followed by a new Mystery Tour “Thirteen Countries Without a Passport.” Numerous other trips sold the majority of their seats. With more and more tours limited to just 25-30 participants by smaller aircraft or other reasons, you are telling us you enjoy traveling in smaller groups. While a few of our longer tours still offer space for up to 40 travelers, a growing number are capped as a more intimate group.

H H H H H H H HLong-time Sports Leisure Traveler and

friend, Stanley Gordon, passed away November 1st. Stan was one of my favorite guys. We were both cut from the same cloth, and we played off each other like Frick-and-Frack.

Stan was part of the sports community in Sacramento, long before millionaire basketball players came on the scene. For many years, he was the timekeeper at all the boxing and wrestling matches in town. In fact, his nickname among some friends was “Two Minute Gordon,” a reference to a fight

held years ago, which was televised on ESPN. Somehow, Stan got confused and turned a standard 3 minute round into only 2 minutes. No one was really the wiser until after the fight, when everyone started comparing notes. That’s when the “Two Minute Gordon” moniker was born.

He was known for his incredible sense

106 january 2011 sacmag.com

SportS LeiSure VacationS9812 old Winery place, Sacramento, ca 95827(916) 361-2051www.sportsleisure.com • travelguysradio.com

After working in the Mission Oaks Recreation and Park District, Mark Hoffmann founded Sports Leisure Vacations out of his Fulton Avenue apartment in 1979. Though Mark admits to ‘just sort of happening into it”, he found his niche in the retail tour business, enabling folks to achieve their travel dreams. Given the fact that Mark and his staff strive to exceed customer wants, they’ve been most successful in serving a niche of mature travelers, often those who need a little extra consideration. Sports Leisure Vacations assembles and operates custom tours and vacations of one to fifteen days in length, and can accommodate a wide variety of travel interests. Check out the website to see an amazing array of travel options. The company culture has centered around refusing to put profits ahead of service, and a mantra: “We love our travelers and they love us back.” It’s working- not only is the company thriving in its 32nd year, but community support and acknowledgement have resulted, including a prestigious award for contribu-tions to the Arts from the Sacramento Arts and Business Council. For twenty years Sports Leisure has been an underwriter of KVIE Public Television. VP Clayton Whitehead has served on the KVIE Board and Mark was president of the National Tour Association in 2000. Mark and Tom Romano host the Travel Guys on KFBK, Sundays 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

SUCCESS STORIES—A SpECIAl AdvERTISIng SECTIOn

of fashion. Ok, so that’s a little tongue-in-cheek. Stan had no sense of fashion whatsoever. You’ll know Diana has donated his wardrobe to charity when you see a homeless guy in bright orange pants and a plaid blue-and-green shirt. Or some similar strange combination. Those were Stanley’s. Remember the late Erma Bombeck’s book, “When I Am An Old Woman, I Shall Wear Purple?” I’m pretty sure Stan had like ten copies of it. The man liked bright colors.

Stan loved to travel. I think truly, he loved to travel with his wife Diana. It wasn’t uncommon to see them holding hands, or see Stan helping her along, perhaps holding a door, like a gentleman should. For while he knew some shady characters from his years around the ring, there was nothing shady about his integrity. He was a good friend and there when you needed him.

I will miss Stan. I’ll miss trading jokes on the bus, trying to out “zing” each other. I will miss talking sports together. Sacramento sports. Because years ago this writer owned a semi-pro basketball team in this town, so He and I knew a lot of the same old timers. The stories would flow like fine wine when we got started.

There are a lot of awesome people who travel with our company. We are very blessed. Many of you have become personal friends. It is a wonderful way to make a living you know, seeing the world with your friends. Stan was my friend.

Farewell to you Stan. I’m going to miss our travels together. As our late friend Bill Conlin would have declared, “Stan Gordon, he was a better man than Gunga Din.” It was Bill’s way of calling you a prince of a man. It fits Stanley perfectly.And so it goes…

Mark Hoffmann, CTPOwner/Founder

Stan and Diana Gordon in trouble AGAIN, Stone County, Mississippi

Sports Leisure Vacations / November–December 2013 3

Clayton PlaceThough we travel the world over to find

the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

It would seem this famous poet discovered the grass isn’t greener on the other side of the fence after all. I have as well, but I must confess I keep looking. I think we all do. It’s human nature. And I’m glad we do, because for me it means job security! (Thanks to Susan on the Arkansas trip for a book of quotes that gave us that gem.)

This fall, finding the beautiful in one of our country’s most invaluable and beloved resources, our national parks and other federally-funded attractions, was hindered by sordid affairs I am too ignorant to understand in Washington, DC. Even our little Blueberry found the lights on, but nobody home when he tried to visit the Reagan Presidential Library last month. Thanks to all of you who suffered disappointment due to the government shutdowns this fall, but kept on traveling. I only hope we remember this on the next Election Day!

A conversation with a traveler a few weeks ago led to a question I am asked quite often: “What is your favorite destination?” That is So Very Difficult to answer. It depends upon my mood. Truly, I love the marshy coast of Georgia equal to the shining lights of Broadway, but the former will never suffice when I’m yearning for the passion of the Phantom’s unrequited love for Christine. Likewise, I can’t paddle my kayak through Times Square.

Among my all-time favorite tours and destinations is one I’ve sadly not visited in a few years. It’s not a single place, but a 2,000-mile-long long ribbon of communities, locks, vistas, bluffs,

historic riverside communities and effigy mounds thousands of years old. You’ll go down over 20 locks, then up in the St. Louis Gateway Arch for a bird’s eye view. And all from the comfort, convenience and elegance of the grandest paddlewheeler ever built. Despite the fact the cruise is still about a year away, cabin selection is already extremely limited. The boat will be sold out soon. Please call our travel agent, Michael Downer, for more information!

In closing, some find the beautiful not only in places, but in each other. Bill and Beverly have been doing that for 70 years and counting. For that milestone, I can only say WOW.

“Your Tour Guy,”

Clayton Whitehead, CTPVice President

bends and mud. Lots of mud. The Great River Road parallels the mighty Mississippi River from Louisiana to Minnesota. I suppose it’s been around nearly as long as the river itself and today enjoys official designation as a National Scenic Byway. Similar to Route 66 and some of our other great “road trips,” driving it would be a long adventure requiring a minimum three weeks of travel and numerous hotels in ten states. Isn’t there is a better way?

Actually, there is. Next October you’re invited on a cruise aboard the magnificent American Queen from St. Paul, Minnesota downriver to St. Louis, Missouri during what I hope will be the peak of the fall foliage season. This is without a doubt the most scenic portion of the river, though granted not the part Mark Twain wrote about. He focused on the southern portion of the river – a section steeped in history, but a part of the river that has trouble staying within its banks. For the cruiser, the scenery never changes. Just miles and miles of levees. (Sounds a bit like home, doesn’t it?) North of St. Louis, the topography of the land naturally keeps the river within her banks – most of the time. From the Queen’s decks, public spaces and quite possibly your stateroom, all you’ll see is beautiful, pristine scenery from rolling farmland and dramatic limestone bluffs to

Bill and Beverly Sjurson celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary at Torrey Pines Golf Course while enjoying our recent tour “Luxury in La Jolla.”

Molly Granrud brings us this month’s Blueberry Photographic Society winning photo

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The Customers Always WriteDear Sports Leisure Vacations,

My husband Jerry and I enjoyed the Preview Show on September 7th. It was exciting to learn about the trips-the hard part is narrowing it down to match our budget. We do want to be on the list for Key West for 2015 for sure.

Jack Gallagher was hilarious! The food was good and the presentations were great. The fact that you support Channel 6 along with other charities is admirable.

It was so very wonderful that you chose my granddaughter Natasha for your scholarship. She graduated from Del Oro High School with a 4.2 GPA, 6th highest in her class, but with no sports only got a $500 scholarship. We have all pitched in to help out and she is taking extra classes to finish pre-med in 3 years instead of 4.Margaret Atteberg

Ed. Note: Margaret is the proud grandmother of our Chuck Evans Santa Claus Scholarship for 2013, Natasha Cowen. Below is a note from the winner…

To Those at Sports Leisure Vacations,I cannot express how grateful and

relieved I am to have received the Chuck Evans Santa Claus scholarship. It truly was a blessing for me as my tuition was due on September 15th and I had only been able to come up with $3000 this quarter. I was planning on taking a loan out for the rest, but then I got the call telling me I would be receiving $1500 from your scholarship. This money allowed me to pay the rest of my tuition and remain loan-free this quarter. Thank you so much,Natasha Cowan

Ed. Note: If you have a college student in your family, we will solicit applicants for the 2014 scholarship in May of next year.

Dear Sports Leisure Family,Now that a bit of time has gone by and we

can collect our thoughts, we would like to thank you for all your generosity and love of our father. We, as his children, realize that not only did we lose the patriarch of our family,

but you also lost a family member. We are grateful for the time he got to spend with all of you…for it surely kept him young and active. We are so sorry for the loss of a great man and a great friend and father. So to you, Daddy we raise a glass and toast you. Thank you, Richard Smith, for gracing us with your love, warmth, kindness, intelligence, charm, and “gift of gab”. You will forever be in our hearts.

Many, many thanks to you Mark, Bob, Michael, and the rest of the Sports Leisure family for the love you had for our father. Thank you also for your generosity at this time. With much love,The Smith kids, Rick, Linda, Margaret & Doug

Ed. Note: We lost our longtime book-keeper and friend, Richard, in late August. He worked until 5 days before he passed, at the age of 93. We join in that toast…

Clayton,In spite of the glitches in the return from

Michigan, the tour to Mackinac was great. The island did not disappoint and the “Clip” was a lovely hotel. The Gerald Ford and the Music Museum were very interesting, even the funky little bait shop café was fun! Frankenmuth & the Henry Ford Greenfield Village are treasures! The entire tour was a joy! Thank you,Barbara Kleespie

PS – For the staff who so diligently worked to get everyone home from the Mackinac Island Tour when the weather decided to play havoc with our return flights, your super efforts are greatly appreciated.

Ed. Note: A bad storm in Chicago caused a flight cancellation which resulted in it taking us an extra day to get everyone home from Michigan. It was complicated, and we had people scattered all over the country at one point, but we always had you in our sights and everyone got home by (very) late the following evening. My staff rose to the occasion, with as many as 8 employees working on getting flights, transportation and a hotel for the group. Thanks to the group members, who stayed confident

we would get them home safely. A good attitude is half the battle.

Dear Mark,I am writing for a couple of reasons. First –

thank you so much for including our garden on your recent tour. Scott was “great” to work with and your folks made a fun group – I enjoyed them very much.

Also, thank you for conducting the NTA Webinar coincidentally the same day Scott and his group were here. I could not view the webinar on-line, but it was helpful to listen in on the phone. I am new to the Oregon Garden Resort so I hope to meet you in at the annual convention in LA.Marney

To Mark Hoffmann!WOW! You made my day, Mark, when you

rewarded me $160 for playing the game. I had a delightful day at the Preview. Thanks!Helen Evensen

Ed. Note: The Sports Leisure Game Show made its debut at Preview Day and we had quite a few winners. It was so much fun, we plan on bringing it back next year!

Clayton,Thank you for a beautiful trip to

Switzerland. It was everything I wanted and more. You and Ingrid are a great team and made the trip a wonderful experience. Thank you so much! Sincerely,Candace Smallwood

If you have a comment, suggestion or tour idea, we invite you to drop us a line. Due to space limitations, not all letters can be printed (others may be edited). Mail to:

SportS LeiSure VacationSAttn: Mark/Clayton

9812 Old Winery Place, Suite 1 Sacramento, CA 95827

or e-mail Mark or clayton at: [email protected]

[email protected]


The Human Side Learn, Laugh, Reflect

WHY: Why do men’s clothes have buttons on the right, while women’s clothes have buttons on the left?

BECAUSE: When buttons were invented, they were very expensive and worn primarily by the rich. Since most people are right-handed, it is easier to push buttons on the right through holes on the left. Because wealthy women were dressed by maids, dressmakers put the buttons on the maid’s right!

WHY: Why do X’s at the end of a letter signify kisses?

BECAUSE: In the Middle Ages, when many people were unable to read or write, documents were often signed using an X. Kissing the X represented an oath to fulfill obligations specified in the document. The X and the kiss eventually became synonymous.

WHY: Why is shifting responsibility to someone else called “passing the buck?”

BECAUSE: In card games, it was once customary to pass an item, called a buck, from player to player to indicate whose turn it was to deal. If a player did not wish to deal the cards, he would “pass the buck” to the next player.

WHY: Why do people clink their glasses before drinking a toast?

BECAUSE: It used to be common for someone to try to kill an enemy by offering him a poisoned drink. To prove to a guest that a drink was safe, it became customary for a guest to pour a small amount of his drink into the glass of the host. Both men would drink it simultaneously. When a guest trusted his host, he would only touch or clink the host’s glass with his own.

WHY: Why is someone who is feeling great “on cloud nine?”

BECAUSE: Types of clouds are numbered according to the altitudes they attain, with nine being the highest cloud. If someone is said to be on cloud

nine, that person is floating well above worldly cares.

WHY: In golf, where did the term “caddie” come from?

BECAUSE: When Mary Queen of Scots went to France as a young girl, Louis, King of France, learned that she loved the Scots game “golf.” He had the first course outside of Scotland built for her enjoyment. To make sure she was properly chaperoned (and guarded) while she played, Louis hired cadets from a military school to accompany her. Mary liked this a lot and when returned to Scotland (not a very good idea in the long run), she took the practice with her. In French, the word cadet is pronounced “ca-day” and the Scots changed it into “caddie.”

WHY: Why are many coin collection jar banks shaped like pigs?

BECAUSE: Long ago, dishes and cookware in Europe were made of a dense orange clay called “pygg”. When people saved coins in jars made of this clay, the jars became known as “pygg banks.” When an English potter misunderstood the word, he made a container that resembled a pig.

I was just thinking…• I didn’t like my beard at first. Then it grew

on me.• Did you hear about the cross-eyed

teacher who lost her job because she couldn’t control her pupils?

• I tried to catch some fog, but I mist.• What do you call a dinosaur with an

extensive vocabulary? A thesaurus.• All the toilets in New York’s police

stations have been stolen. The police have nothing to go on.

• I got a job at a bakery because I kneaded dough.

• Velcro, what a rip off!• A cartoonist was found dead in his home.

Details are sketchy.• Venison for dinner again? Oh deer!

Old Testament computing... In ancient Israel, it came to pass that

a trader by the name of Abraham Com did take unto himself a young wife by the name of Dorothy. And Dot Com was a good woman, broad of shoulder and long of leg. Indeed, she was often called Amazon Dot Com.

And she said unto Abraham, her husband, “Why dost thou travel so far from town to town with thy goods when thou can trade without ever leaving thy tent?”

And Abraham did look at her as though she were several saddle bags short of a camel load, but simply said, “How, dear?”

And Dot replied, “I will place drums in all the towns and drums in between to send messages saying what you have for sale, and they will reply telling you who hath the best price. The sale can be made on the drums and delivery made by Uriah’s Pony Stable (UPS).”

Abraham thought long and decided he would let Dot have her way. The drums rang out and were an immediate success. Abraham sold all the goods he had at the top price, without ever having to move from his tent.

And Abraham looked out over the Bay of Ezekiel, or eBay as it came to be known.

He said, “We need a name that reflects what we are.”

And Dot replied, “Young Ambitious Hebrew Owner Operators.”

“YAHOO,” said Abraham. And because it was Dot’s idea, they

named it YAHOO Dot Com. It soon became known as God’s Own

Official Guide to Locating Everything (GOOGLE).

That is how it all began. And that’s the truth.

Proud members of the


The Champagne Express to TahoeMonday, March 10

Our monthly trips to Harvey’s Lake Tahoe Casino on the South Shore include a 6-hour stay with a slot credit of $20 and a free buffet or $7 food credit. You must belong to Harvey’s Total Rewards Program to receive the bonuses. $45

The Ballpark ExpressIt was another good year for baseball in the Bay Area. While

the San Francisco Giants struggled, the team finished the year strong and will look to next year for some rebuilding. The Oakland Athletics took the American League West for the second year in a row and plans to have its main core of players return next year. Even more exciting is the rumor that both teams might play in San Francisco next year at AT&T Park if talks between the A’s and the political powers in Oakland hit an impasse over a new lease for the Coliseum. There’s never a dull moment in baseball! Regardless of how everything pans out, our Ballpark Express trips will return next year and while preliminary game dates have been announced, exact times are still a few months away. We hope that seating prices and locations will remain the same for next year but be assured we will continue to maintain the relationships we have built over our long history with both ball clubs to assure you our daytrips to Oakland and San Francisco remain trips of value and convenience. Keep an eye out for our full schedule of games and prices in the January/February edition of The Traveler.

Casino Trips and Ballpark ExpressHello, Dolly!

Pioneer Center, Reno2 Days • February 23-24

Hello, Dolly! was first produced on Broadway in l964, winning ten Tony Awards including Best Musical. It has become one of the most enduring musical theatre hits, enjoying three Broadway revivals and international success. Jerry Herman’s score is filled with Broadway standards, not just the title song, but terrific songs like “Put on Your Sunday Clothes,” “It Only Takes a Moment,” and the show-stopping Act One curtain song, “Before the Parade Passes By.” Sally Struthers, known for her performances in the ground-breaking TV series “All in the Family,” stars in the show. Stay overnight in Reno at the Silver Legacy Hotel/Casino with bonuses of $5 in casino free play and a $3 food voucher (subject to change). Return to Sacramento on the second day after an optional visit to The Nugget Casino in nearby Sparks. 225/250 Gold Passport Points $219 p.p./dbl.occ., $239 single w/show, $169 p.p./dbl.occ., $189 single w/o show

Take the Snow Train to RenoAll aboard Amtrak’s California Zephyr for the Sierra Nevada

2 Days • February 11-12 or March 13-14Our winter train trips through the Sierras to Reno on board

Amtrak’s California Zephyr continue to be popular! Last year, four groups experienced a High Sierra winter wonderland as the train wound through the mountains, enjoying magnificent winter vistas. The train departs Sacramento at 11am and arrives in Reno around 4pm. Snow-capped mountains and gorgeous views of Donner Lake from high above its southern shore are memories you’ll retain always. The package includes rail passage on Amtrak’s California Zephyr to Reno, a boxed lunch, hotel accommodations at the Silver Legacy Casino/Resort, casino bonuses, and return transportation on board SuperCoach III. 250/275 Gold Passport Points. $245 p.p./dbl.occ., $265 single. Add door-to-door service for $80 p.p.

SAVE THESE IMPORTANT DATES!Sports Leisure Vacations is celebrating its 35th Anniversary in

style on Saturday, May 17. We’ll also be sharing our new holiday tours for 2014 and a few select 2015 trips on Friday, April 11 and Saturday, April 12. Our other big date for the year is our 2015 Tour Preview Day, which will be held on Saturday, September 6. Please make sure to “save the dates” for these important gatherings! More details for all of our events, and how you can join in the fun, will be announced in upcoming newsletters.

Will AT&T Ballpark in San Francisco be the home of the Giants AND the A’s next year???

office hours:8:00am – 4:30pm MON. thru FRI.

Closed weekends & major holidaysCLOSED TUES. 12:00pm – 1:15pm


Handel’s MessiahDavies Symphony Hall, SFThursday, December 19

Celebrate the holidays with one of classical music’s most beloved traditions, as SF Symphony Chorus Director Ragnar Bohlin conducts Handel’s Messiah. Since its premiere in 1742, this splendid oratorio features some of the most popular refrains in Western music – from “Comfort ye, my people” to the famous “Hallelujah” chorus. Dinner included at The Franciscan Restaurant before the 8pm performance. $185

Riders in the Sky: Christmas the Cowboy Way!Gallo Center, ModestoSunday, December 22

Those wacky, four-part harmonizing cowboys will be sprucing up the bunkhouse and donning their sequined yuletide outfits! “Christmas the Cowboy Way” features their unique “brand” of cowboy humor sprinkled with original songs like “Riding Home on Christmas Eve” and “Deck the Bunkhouse Walls,” along with traditional holiday favorites! Champagne Brunch at Surla’s in Modesto precedes the 3pm afternoon show. $131

Beauty and the BeastCurran Theatre, SFThursday, January 2

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is the classic story of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped in a spell placed by an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed to his former self. The musical features wonderful songs such as “Be Our Guest,” and, of course, “Beauty and the Beast.” A light lunch is served on the motorcoach to San Francisco with a no-host stop for dinner after the show. $154

Something’s Afoot!Woodland Opera HouseSunday, February 2

A zany, entertaining musical that takes a satirical poke at Agatha Christie mysteries and musical styles of the English music hall of the ‘30s. Ten people are stranded in an isolated English country house during a raging thunderstorm. One by one they’re picked off by cleverly fiendish devices. As the bodies pile up in the library, the survivors frantically race to uncover the identity and motivation of the cunning culprit. Brunch is included at The Mustard Seed Restaurant in Davis prior to the 2pm matinee. $120

Celtic NightsGallo Center, ModestoWednesday, February 5

Celtic Nights is an all-new touring production that expertly weaves together the lilting melodies and plaintive lyrics of the rich Celtic heritage to tell the story of a people struggling to find their place in a changing world through traditional ballads and vivid choreography. Dinner at Canal Street Grille precedes the 7:30pm performance. $145

Mel TillisGallo Center, ModestoSunday, February 9

Country giant Mel Tillis has recorded more than 60 albums and scored 36 Top Ten singles – “Good Woman Blues,” “Coca Cola Cowboy,” and “Southern Rain” to mention a few. With more than 1,000 songs written to date, including chart toppers for Kenny Rogers, George Strait and Ricky Skaggs, Mr. Tillis is a hit machine. Champagne Brunch at Surla’s precedes the 2pm matinee. $155

Jim Stafford & Moe Bandy in ConcertCrest Theater, SacramentoFriday, February 14

Join us for an evening of fun, music and laughs as two of Branson’s favorite entertainers come to Sacramento! Jim

Stafford keeps crowds in stitches with his unique brand of “country comedy.” From his well-known songs like “Spiders & Snakes” and “My Girl Bill,” Jim will have you rolling in the aisles. Moe Bandy’s hits include “It Was Always So Easy,” “It’s a Cheating Situation,” and “You Haven’t Heard the Last of Me.” See both country legends at Sacramento’s own Crest Theatre with orchestra seating for the 7pm show. We’ll offer a full tour with motorcoach transportation and dinner at Mimi’s Cafe or you can buy tickets direct from us if you would like to see the show on your own. $155, including dinner/transportation or $60, tickets only

Take the Train with BrunchSunday, February 16

Travel to Berkeley on board SuperCoach III with mimosas served at your seat. A Buffet Brunch is served at Hs Lordship’s Restaurant on the bay at the Berkeley Marina featuring fresh seafood, cooked-to-order omelets and carved meats in addition to other hot entrees. Return to Sacramento aboard Amtrak’s Capitol Corridor. Leave Sacramento around 8:30am and be back around 3pm. A short day out but very tasty! $139

Tulipmania!Wednesday, February 19

Enjoy a day out in San Francisco with a guided tour of Pier 39’s annual Tulipmania display and lunch on the pier at Neptune’s on the Waterfront. Pause at Flora Grubb’s Nursery, also in San Francisco, to discover small-space gardening in the big city and maybe purchase a few items for your own garden. $109

The Ten TenorsGallo Center, ModestoThursday, February 20

What a night this will be as Australia’s hottest tenors perform a wonderful collection of Broadway’s greatest hits! The Ten Tenors have brought rock and classical music together creating a sound that is uniquely theirs. Expect them to bring the

Day Trips and Theatre Outings


same contract of raw power and soothing beauty to this special evening of the best of Broadway. Dinner is included at the Canal Street Grille before the 7:30pm performance. $163

In The MoodBob Hope Theater, StocktonFriday, February 21

Hop aboard the “Chattanooga Choo Choo” and you’ll soon be “In the Mood” to hear some great musicians “Sing, Sing, Sing.” Much more than just a concert, In the Mood is a fully-staged tribute to Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman and all the big band greats of the 1940s, complete with period costumes and choreography. Lunch precedes the 2pm matinee at Ciao Bella Italian Restaurant. $151

Chinese New Year’s in San FranciscoSaturday, February 22 or March 1

Our annual tour takes you to Buddha’s Universal Church in San Francisco in celebration of Chinese New Year and traditional Chinese theatre. Presented in both English and Cantonese, “A Tangled Web We Weave” continues the story of a devious mother and daughter concocting to ruin the wedding plans of the sweet and lovely heroine, White Peony. With music, song, dance, colorful costumes, and playful monkeys, the charming production and included family-style Chinese lunch at Cathay House Restaurant in Chinatown make for a delightful day in the city. $105

San Francisco’s Scenic SeagullTuesday, February 25

Follow the iconic blue seagull signs through the neighborhoods of San Francisco with our resident host and guide Craig Smith. These signs were originally designed to highlight the important sights for visitors to the 1939 Golden Gate Expo and Fair. Today you will enjoy a nostalgic spin about town and down along The Great Highway. Lunch is included at The Beach Chalet, located on the Great Highway, across from the ocean. $147

Georgia O’Keefe & Lake Georgede Young Museum, SFWednesday, February 26

Modern Nature: Georgia O’Keefe and Lake George is the first major exhibition of work created by this treasured American artist during one of her most productive and transformative periods. From 1918 to 1930, O’Keeffe lived part of each year on the shore of Lake George in the Adirondack Mountains. Without the distractions of New York City, she discovered new subjects that included flowers, fruit, trees, architecture, and landscapes. In the afternoon, an optional shuttle is available to the Legion of Honor for its permanent collection and the Matisse exhibit on loan from the SF Museum of Modern Art. Lunch is on your own at either of the museum cafes. $98

SF Symphony Plays BerliozDavies Symphony Hall, SFSunday, March 9

Praised for her “comprehensive musician-ship and instrumental mastery,” the fiery virtuoso Julia Fischer joins Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony in Prokofiev’s devilishly inventive First Violin Concerto. The Symphonie Fantastique, Hector Berlioz’s vividly programmatic “Episode in an Artist’s Life,” follows. It remains a trailblazing feat of orchestration – a dazzling opportunity to hear the symphony fire on all cylinders. Lunch precedes the 2pm matinee at No. 9 Fisherman’s Wharf. $168

Delightful Daffodils at IronstoneWednesday, March 12

Witness the most magnificent show of spring color in Northern California at Ironstone Vineyards, nestled in the charming gold rush town of Murphys. Each year over 48 tons of 120 different varieties of daffodil bulbs bloom amid the flowering azaleas, rhododendron and snowball bushes. Enjoy a three-course lunch with wine tasting and food pairing along with a private garden tour. $120

Second Best BedWoodland Opera HouseSunday, March 16

A neurotic and nerdy Midwestern grad student and her celebrity-obsessed buddy arrive at a remote English B&B seeking a long-lost Shakespeare play and the key to its whereabouts--the famous “second-best bed” the Bard left to his wife. Soon, a curmudgeonly professor, a glamorous has-been actress, and a busybody L.A. tourist join the hunt while trying to avoid the creepily mysterious innkeeper. A world premiere of a fresh and witty spin on the classic bedroom farce, written by Sacramento playwright Matthew Abergel. Sunday Dinner is included at Mimi’s Café in Natomas following the 2pm matinee. $116

An Evening with Liza Minnelli Davies Symphony Hall, SFFriday, March 28

Stage and screen legend Liza Minnelli will perform with her septet singing favorite American standards including two of her signature songs, “New York, New York” and “Cabaret.” Winner of four Tony Awards, an Oscar, a Grammy, two Golden Globe Awards, and an Emmy, Minnelli is one of the entertainment world’s consummate performers who will share music and stories during this rare live performance. Dinner precedes the show at No. 9 Fishermen’s Wharf. Center orchestra seating for the 8pm evening performance. $247

Mamma Mia!Orpheum Theater, SFWednesday, April 2

This musical tale unfolds on a Greek island paradise. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the identity of her father brings 3 men from her mother’s past back to the island they last visited 20 years before. The story-telling magic of ABBA’s timeless songs propels this enchanting tale of love, laughter and friendship, and every night everyone’s having the time of their lives! A light lunch is served en route to the 2pm matinee with a no-host stop for dinner after the show. $135


TeasersSports Leisure is a Travel Family; a family

whose members listen to each other. And we listen to you, our customers and friends. Here are several tour destinations and itineraries we are considering in 2014. Interested? Call and place your name on the Priority Notification List for each tour and you will be among the first we contact for reservations if we move forward.

Leavenworth: A Little Theatre in Little Bavaria…the hills are alive with the sound of music4 Days • Summer 2014

Each summer, theatre takes center stage in Leavenworth, Washington, a town at the base of the state’s Cascade Mountains, created in the image of an alpine village in Bavaria. The mountains provide a perfect backdrop for the town’s annual production of The Sound of Music. We’ll also see the hilarious musical comedy The Drowsy Chaperone. Spend three nights at the wonderful Bavarian Lodge, enjoy a traditional dinner, two live theatre performances, and explore this region of central Washington.

The Laguna Beach Pageant of the Masters…our country’s most unique celebration of art3 Days • August 2014

Our annual tour to the seaside community of Laguna Beach in Southern California sells out every year. Nowhere can you view painstaking recreations of famous art works on stage in 3 dimensions with actual human beings standing in for the subjects. The technical expertise and incredible facsimiles of works on stage by well-known artists become more and more impressive each year; you simply have to experience this unique celebration for yourself. Stay two nights in nearby Newport Beach, discover the adjacent Festival of Arts, and meet a representative of the Pageant of the Masters for an informative question and answer session.

Fall in the Berkshires…fall colors, culinary exploration, and artistic expression7 Days • Early October 2014

Each year we offer a fall color tour in the northeast. But for some reason, the Berkshires have been missing from previous itineraries. We’ll fix that with visits to Pittsfield, Stockbridge and even a bit of southern Vermont. Discover the Norman Rockwell Museum and enjoy some fabulous culinary experiences, not to mention those beautiful autumn leaves, which should be at or near their peak. Albany, NY, is our gateway.

Girl’s Get-Away: Seattle, Vancouver and a Pacific Coast Cruise to San Diego…aboard the ms Zaandam6 Days • October 4 -9, 2014

Get your girlfriends onboard for a getaway that includes all the things you love to do: world-class shopping, great dining and some pampering at sea! Fly to Seattle for some shopping at Nordstrom’s flagship store and an overnight stay. Next board Amtrak’s Cascade for Vancouver, BC and enjoy an afternoon in the city before boarding Holland America’s beautiful ms Zaandam for a 4-night cruise. Tour beautiful Victoria, visit Butchart Gardens, and relax while being pampered at sea in the ship’s world-class spa, lounges, and restaurants. Disembark in sunny San Diego with return air back to Sacramento.

A Grand Tour of Italy…the beauty of a Mediterranean country on time and on budget12 Days • Fall 2014

Explore beautiful Italy on a tour that is priced on the quality of the experience, but still includes excellent dining and comfortable lodgings. City visits include Florence (Academia Museum), Venice (walking tour of Piazza San Marco, Doge’s Palace, Bridge of Sighs), Siena (Piazza del Campo, San Domenico), the wine region of

San Gimignano, Assisi (St. Francis’ Cathedral), Rome (Colosseum, Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain), Vatican City (St. Peter’s Basilica, Sistine Chapel), Naples, Sorrento, Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast (Cathedral of St. Andrew), and the Isle of Capri. Airfare will be included as will breakfast and dinner each day.

Ghost Towns of Nevada…amazing history way off-the-beaten-track!4-5 Days • October 2014

Currently in development, this trip will visit a number of southern Nevada settlements. Some are clinging to life, others are completely abandoned. Each one has a story. Many of the sites are accessible by motorcoach and an easy walk to explore. If you are like us, you’ve read about these places and seen them on TV; now see them in person! Dates and prices should be available after January 1.

Fall in the Kentucky and Tennessee Hills…become immersed in the Ole South7 Days • Late October 2014

Clarksville, Tennessee and Paducah, Kentucky are quintessential small towns with big stories to tell. Explore Civil War battles, visit Antebellum homes, dance the Virginia Reel, learn all there is to know about quilting from a most unexpected expert, even discover how to cook the perfect Southern biscuit. Both communities have been featured in past mystery tours to rave reviews. Also enjoy the big city lights of the Capital of Country Music, Nashville. Attend a performance of the Grand Ole Opry, visit famed Studio B, tour the Country Music Hall of Fame and see the homes of the stars who call Nashville home. Two nights each in Clarksville, Paducah and Nashville, timed to catch each destination at its fall foliage best!

For more Teasers see pages 48-49 in our 2014 Dream Book, Discover!


Harmony & The SeaFeaturing a meander down Highway 333 Days • April 3-5

H Highlights H• Truly one of our most “off-the-beaten

track” excursions in our own backyard• Tour and browse all the goodies at

Stewart and Jasper’s Orchards• Quiz your friends when you get home

about one of California’s least-known state parks: where it is located and why it is so important

• Look for Tule Elk and other wildlife at the San Luis Nat’l Wildlife Refuge

• Visit Harmony’s wine-cask chapel; glassworks and pottery

• Stop at Camp Roberts for a peek into one of our most historic Army installations

• Overnight seaside in San Simeon; evening tour of Hearst’s “Enchanted Castle”

• 5 meals: 2 full breakfasts, 2 lunches, 1 dinner

• Travel aboard SuperCoach III• Door-to-door service• 1000/1150 Gold Passport Points

It all began one day while looking at the California map and wondering, “What is there between I-5 and Highway 99?” And there was Highway 33 beckoning on a beautiful spring morning… This journey

traverses our backyard, exploring places that we often drive by, but never seem to stop and visit. Like Crows Landing for example: Have you ever wondered why it was called that? Is it because that is where all the crows go in the afternoon? Join us for a little jaunt close to home, to some new places and some familiar, during one of the prettiest times of the year.

1. Depart Sacramento and begin a leisurely drive through the western side of the Central Valley on Highway 33. Pass through those little towns that are usually just names on road signs, like Patterson and Crows Landing, arriving at Stewart and Jasper’s Orchards in time for a tour before lunch. In the company store you will find almonds, apricots and other fine goodies fresh from the neighboring orchards. Continuing on through the valley, drive through Great Valley Grasslands State Park (who knew!) reaching the visitors center for the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge in late afternoon. A ranger will join us as we head out into the refuge looking for Tule Elk, Bald Eagles and other wildlife. Your rooms and dinner await at the Harris Ranch Inn. (L,D)

2. Leaving the Central Valley journey over the coastal mountains as make your way towards the coast. In the town of Harmony visit the quaint little chapel with its wine

cask front, the glassblower and the pottery shop, or just walk around and enjoy the little community of 16 residents! In the afternoon, check in to the hotel in time to enjoy the ocean view from the bluffs or maybe even walk down along the shore. This evening it’s time for Hearst Castle’s popular evening tour, featuring docents dressed in period costumes to make you feel like you are experiencing life at the castle as William Randolph Heart’s own guests may have in the 1930’s. While the evening tour requires walking up and down over 300 steps throughout the tour, it’s an awesome experience you won’t soon forget. (If you would like you can enjoy a quiet evening at the hotel by opting out of the castle tour. Let us know when you make your reservations and receive a credit of $25) Best Western Cavalier (FB,L)

3. Camp Roberts is another of those places that it seems our groups are always driving by… so this time we are stopping for a visit. The historical museum features exhibits ranging from the early ranches of Salinas Valley through the military history of WWII and present-day mobilizations. Returning to Sacramento, we make one last stop near Santa Nella to answer that question, “Did President Kennedy really visit here?” as we explore some of these roads less traveled. Arrive home in the late afternoon. (FB,L)

$970 p.p./dbl.occ., $1110 single$ave $20 until December 10

A Window in Time Mystery OvernighterApril 6-7

Stay close to home, yet travel a world away. Awaken your senses with mysterious sights and sounds, marvelous food, and sensational scents. Whether traveling by land or by sea, we will encounter something old, something small, something big, and something tall. This quick, overnight trip is the perfect warm up for anyone considering one of our longer mystery tours!

The package includes deluxe motorcoach transportation, overnight accommodations

New Vacations and Getaways

Will you join us to find Harmony in California?


at a great hotel, three included meals (BR,L,D), several attractions that we just can’t reveal (it is a mystery tour, remember?), and the services of a mysterious host or hostess, otherwise known as a Sports Leisure Vacations Tour Director. 600/650 Gold Passport Points

$565 p.p./dbl.occ., $640 singleAdd door-to-door service for $80 p.p.

$ave $10 until December 10

Back to Bodega Bay2 Days • April 27-28

1. Travel through Sonoma County to Santa Rosa for one of our favorite brunches at the Flamingo Hotel. After brunch, travel to Bodega Head to catch sight of the Pacific Ocean. Your hotel this evening is one of the finest lodges in Northern California, the four-diamond Bodega Lodge and Spa, overlooking Dorian Beach. (BR)

2. Enjoy a later than usual departure from the hotel before driving along the Sonoma Coast. In Armstrong Woods, take a docent-led stroll through the ancient redwood giants before heading to Occidental, a gem of a community tucked into the redwoods, for a traditional Italian lunch served family-style at the 1879 Union Inn Hotel. William Florian, formerly of the New Christy Minstrels, joins us after lunch to perform an upbeat musical journey through the 60’s. He includes favorites from Peter, Paul and Mary, John Denver, plus a few of his own original tunes. Return to Sacramento in the late afternoon. (FB,L)

The tour includes deluxe transportation, accommodations, 3 meals (brunch, a full breakfast and lunch), all tours and attractions listed, and the services of a Sports Leisure Vacations Tour Director. 550/650 Gold Passport Points.

$540 p.p./dbl.occ., $610 singleAdd door-to-door service for $80 p.p.

$ave $10 until December 10

Mexico’s Copper CanyonA Mountain Fantasy… ancient traditions, indigenous cultures and majestic beauty9 Days • October 28 – November 5

The Copper Canyon is one of the biggest and most impressive canyon systems in the entire world. It showcases vertical rock walls thousands of feet high, waterfalls that drop dramatically from the rim, canyons that are wider and deeper than the Grand Canyon in Colorado, and it’s filled with trees and vegetation. It is in this majestic yet difficult landscape that the Tarahumara people have lived for centuries… and it is here that today travelers pass through 86 tunnels and over 38 bridges while riding aboard the legendary El Chepe Railroad.

1. Your journey begins with convenient airport transfers from your home. Join the rest of your group as you embark on our trip spanning the border, cultures and traditions. Dinner and accommodations the first evening are in El Paso. Holiday Inn Express Suites (D)

2. Cross the Rio Grande by private motorcoach this morning entering Mexico at Juarez, a bustling border town alive with the sights and sounds of two nations. See the expansive pristine Samalayuca Sand Dunes. Continue through huge expanses of rangeland and occasional pecan tree orchards. After lunch, discover the hard-working Mennonites who have transformed this vast desert into fertile farmland. Next, pass by abundant apple orchards en route to Creel located at 7,700 feet, the highest overnight on the tour. Best Western Creel (L,D)

3. Late morning, it’s “All Aboard” for your Copper Canyon train trip, considered one of

the top scenic rail journeys in the world. Shortly after boarding in Creel, the train circles back over itself in a complete loop known as El Lazo. Enjoy lunch in the dining car. Make a brief stop in Divisadero for the canyon overlook and visit the open market. As you descend from the top of the Sierra Madre, you see cascading waterfalls and sheer canyon walls give way to rolling hills and tropical farmlands. See palm, banana, papaya and mango trees. Copper Canyon sunsets are a delight. Dinner is in the dining car before arriving in the picturesque colonial town of El Fuerte for a relaxing two-night stay. Hotel La Choza – 2 nights (B,L,D)

4. On your El Fuerte River float trip this morning, you may see parrots,

Ride the rails in comfort to Copper Canyon

One of your hotels, with a spectacular view

Proud members of the


woodpeckers, kiskadees, kingfishers, and other birds in their natural habitat (river conditions permitting). Otherwise a visit to an Indian village will be substituted. Next, a brief walking tour to visit the 17th-century cathedral and government palace. After lunch, the afternoon is at your leisure to stroll the cobblestone streets and the charming plaza of El Fuerte. Before dinner, enjoy a colorful and festive Mexican Ballet Folklórico. (B,L,D)

5. Reboard the train for another thrilling ride through the canyon. Start at sea level and climb to 8,000 feet. The entire railroad passes through 86 tunnels and 38 bridges in the 25,000 square mile canyons of the Sierra Madre. The five major canyons are collectively known as the Copper Canyon, which is four times the size of the U.S.’s Grand Canyon. The Tarahumara Indians live in the canyon. Stop this morning in Temoris where you can see three ascending levels of the railroad. Arrive at your hotel on the rim

of Copper Canyon. See sweeping views from your room directly overlooking the canyon. Hotel Divisadero (B,L,D)

6. The morning is at leisure to enjoy the spectacular views. Walk to see the Tarahumara Indians who live in the canyon caves below or mingle with the Tarahumara artisan vendors who gather in front of the hotel. After lunch, drive by the old Bocoyna mission, built by the Jesuits in 1692. Continue to Chihuahua and enjoy a traditional Mexican dinner. The Encore Hotel (B,L,D)

7. Enjoy a full sightseeing drive of beautiful Chihuahua. Visit the government palace, home to a series of magnificent murals depicting Mexican history. Visit the Baroque cathedral, the 18th-century aqueduct and drive by beautifully restored colonial homes. Visit the Museum of the Revolution, former home of Pancho Villa, hero of the revolution to learn the story of Mexico’s fight for freedom. In the afternoon

visit the ancient city of Casas Grande and the Museum of Paquime. Hotel Hacienda (B,L,D)

8. After breakfast, cross the border and then continue on into New Mexico; passing through pecan orchards along the Rio Grande. Tonight visit the charming historic town of Mesilla. Hotel Las Cruces (B,D)

9. This morning take one last look at the area’s history as you learn just a little more about the Santa Fe Trail before your return flight to Sacramento from El Paso. ¡Muchas Gracias for traveling with us! (B)

The tour includes door-to-door transportation from your home, airfare, ground transportation, accommodations, 21 meals (7 Breakfasts, 6 lunches, 8 dinners), all tours and attractions listed, and the services of both a local guide and a Sports Leisure Vacations Tour Director. 3100/3400 Gold Passport Points.

$3100 p.p./dbl.occ., $3355 single$ave $125 until December 10

Scenes from several of our fall tours including Canada Coast to Coast by Rail, Fall Foliage in Pennsylvania, and Rails Around California


Is it ok to take “to go” items from the hotel Breakfast Buffet?By Carolyn Costello, www.smartertravel.com

The complimentary hotel breakfast buffet: It’s a refuge of no-cost sustenance for travelers beset by marked-up menus, $3 bottled water and $6 lattes. It’s not always good. Sometimes the food seems better suited for consumption in a prison cafeteria than for paying guests who have (mostly) not violated federal and state laws. But we nonetheless line up near the juice carafes and fill our mouths with dry bagel because we are desperate. And it’s totally free, so one might as well choke down some carbs before the day’s activities.

Whether the buffet was an assortment of watery fruit or a cinnamon-glazed feast, I have, in the past, gone ahead and put a banana or a pastry on my plate with the intention to eat it later; I don’t consider this, in any rational sense, to be stealing.

In 10 Ways to Eat for (Mostly) Free on the Road, I suggested that travelers leverage the free hotel breakfast by squirreling away an item or two for post-breakfast consumption. Stockpile your snacks within reason, of course. I’m talking about taking an orange or a croissant to fend off an

The Barber Pole, or Once Over LightlyThe Bus Stops Here

Construction is over at the Challenge Way stop, but already the new tenants are complaining about people parking in their lot. We are looking into alternatives, with the realization that the days of free parking are probably coming to an end. If we can find the right place, we may all have to be willing to part with a few dollars to park our cars for the day. Our Madison & I-80 stop is also under fire. The problem isn’t our travelers, it’s the other bus groups who see us there and decide to use that location for their group. Often times those folks aren’t as courteous about where they park, and take spaces needed by the merchant(s). So what do we do? Here are a couple of suggestions:

Be sure to park in the designated area. If you can’t figure that out, park as far from a store entrance as you reasonably can. At Challenge Way, park in the row of spots closest to Challenge Way. At I-80, the bus will no longer pull into the lot, you must board on Date Ave. If you see one of our travelers parking in the wrong area, kindly mention it to them or point it out to the Tour Director.

Do not suggest our parking locations to your friends or other travel groups. This is really important. Guard these locations like you would a valued treasure. If your group or a friend asks about ideas of where to park for a trip, suggest anything except our stops. Your fellow Travel Club Members will appreciate you for it.

Need Your Help with Getting Tour Payments in on Time

One of our staff members spends a considerable amount of her time each week calling folks who haven’t sent their payments in on time. In talking with Merrill about those calls, she mentioned that often it is the same group of people she is calling, time after time. It really has become a cost to us, spending time collecting late payments.

So reluctantly, effective January 1, if your tour payment is past due, and we contact you to collect payment, we will add a $10 late fee to the amount due for the tour. The other alternative is to raise day trips across the board by a dollar to cover this cost. But why should those who pay on time have to subsidize those who don’t? So prices remain the same and the late fee of $10 will be charged starting the first of the year. Hopefully that will provide the incentive our procrastinating travelers need. If not, we’ll have to charge those who pay late for the extra service. As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome.

afternoon sugar crash, not surreptitiously scooping servings of potatoes and eggs into Tupperware like a kid at fat camp. Still, a number of readers called me out for being rude.

For example, Kerry K. said, “’Leverage’ your free breakfast? Yes, I have heard of MANY hotels objecting to this, and in fact posting polite signs to the effect of please don’t make a sandwich for lunch to carry out of the breakfast room. Eat a big breakfast, but don’t steal food for later. It’s really rude.”

Here’s the thing: I don’t eat a big breakfast. And I don’t subscribe to the concept of throwing rational thinking in the bin and rigidly following an ethical framework created by a capitalist entity when it leaves some travelers at a disadvantage. I’m a vegetarian, so I forfeit my dibs on the meat, which is often the most expensive item in the buffet. (This means more bacon for everyone else. You’re welcome.)

Give me some fruit and something from the grain group and that’s breakfast. Am I being so rude by grabbing an apple to go?

While speaking as National Tour Association Chairman in Topeka, Kansas, Mark was surprised when Sports Leisure Vacations was presented with the first-ever Kansas Tour Operator of the Year Award. The award is named after Pete Anderson and the late Ruth McKinney. Pete is an NTA Past President and Ruth was also a volunteer NTA leader for many years. Kelli Hilliard from Kansas Tourism and Ruth’s son Charles, helped present the award.


The Tour Calendar (Previously Announced Tours)

3 Days Dec. 6-8 A Central Valley Small Town Christmas

If you enjoy wonderful dining and nostalgic Christmas experiences then this is the trip for you! Discover the lights of Christmas Tree Lane (Fresno) at night, an old fashioned community parade where everyone comes out to watch and small towns that have Main Streets decorated for Santa (Visalia, Kingsburg, Exeter, Reedley). There’s even a performance of Annie! at the Reedley Opera House. Traditional, fun, inexpensive and lots of gift shopping opportunities!

The tour includes transportation aboard SuperCoach III, hotel, 6 meals (2FB,3L,1D), all tours and attractions listed, and the services of a Sports Leisure Tour Director. 950/1050 Gold Passport Points. $910 p.p./dbl.occ., $1020 single7 Days Dec. 8-14 12th Annual Christmas MysteryThree seats are available on our annual holiday excursion into the unknown. The itinerary for this year’s adventure has come together particularly well. It focuses on a small town, a monument you will experience with a wonderful touch of elegance (accommodations, dining, touring). Finally, a holiday appropriate salute to a famous American. A classic trip and there’s still time to join us if you act soon.

Here are a few clues as to the destination: America’s Hometown is part of the itinerary, and when you get there, we know you’ll agree. Part of the trip moves really fast, or at least it seems like it should. Three famous Americans are featured, a TV star, a wealthy financier and a preacher. The initials GVG are important, although not necessarily in that order. You might want to reverse them. 12 meals, a three-night stay in a very luxurious resort, airfare and door-to-door service all included. Call today and we’ll get you on the trip. 3200/3550 Gold Passport Points. $3165 p.p./dbl.occ., $3510 single

3 Days Dec. 31 – Jan. 2

A Salute to Vienna in San Diego

Don your finest apparel and slip away to sunny Southern California to ring in the New Year aboard the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier at its annual gala. Enjoy a premium open bar followed by dinner and swing the night away to big band music provided by a live orchestra! After a leisurely New Year’s Day morning, brunch is served at the Hotel del Coronado before attending a delightfully extravagant matinee performance of A Salute to Vienna, a Bavarian-style experience filled with waltzes and soaring vocal performances.

Visit Old Town, Balboa Park and easily walk to Seaport Village, which is located just across the street from your hotel for two nights, The Embassy Suites. Don’t forget about the made-to-order breakfast and complimentary manager’s reception each night! 6 meals: 2FB,1BR,2L,1D, roundtrip air. 1500/1600 Gold Passport Points. $1455 p.p./dbl.occ., $1595 single

2 Days Dec. 31 – Jan. 1

New Year’s Eve at Harris Ranch

Back by popular demand! Located in the heart of the Central Valley, the Harris Ranch Inn is famous for its warm hospitality. Each year the inn hosts a wonderful dinner party to ring in the New Year and this year, you’re invited! Ask the folks who went last year, this is an “over-the-top” evening. A five-course feast awaits with music and dancing and fun for all. The party starts just after you arrive!

The tour includes transportation aboard SuperCoach III, accommodations, 4 meals (1FB,2L1D), all tours and attractions listed. 700/800 Gold Passport Points. $679 p.p./dbl.occ., $799 single, add door-to-door service for $80 p.p.10 Days Jan. 6-15 Cuba: The Culture and The PeopleTravel to the mystical island of Cuba on a people-to-people travel program that ensures an authentic connection between you and the island’s lifelong residents. Experience the excitement of the country’s rapid transformation as it begins to gradually open itself to the outside world. Optimize your time “doing” and not just sitting on a bus “seeing” the country. Spend two nights (the first and last days of the tour) in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area, five nights in Havana and two nights in Cienfuegos. See, hear, taste and feel the heart and soul of Cuba! This is your final opportunity to be a part of this epic adventure. Three seats available at press time. Call Chris Galloway at the office with any questions you might have.

2 nights Miami/Ft. Lauderdale with Everglades airboat tour, 7 nights on the not-so-forbidden (any longer) island of Cuba with people-to-people interactions: meet artists, farmers, and other real people of Cuba, quality hotels and restaurants throughout your tour including Havana & Cienfuegos, 24 meals: 9 full breakfasts, 8 lunches, 7 dinners, roundtrip domestic airfare, door-to-door airport service, services of a Sports Leisure Tour Director and a local professional bilingual Tour Guide, 6000/6550 Gold Passport Points. This vacation requires a valid passport! $5975 p.p./dbl.occ., $6540 single*,

*Roundtrip airfare from Sacramento to Fort Lauderdale IS included in the price of the tour. The roundtrip charter flight from Miami to Havana will be scheduled by our Cuban host company 15-45 days before departure and is NOT included in the above price. You will be billed separately for this. Currently, the average total cost of these flights is $450-$500 (but could be as high as $600) and covers the cost of the visa required to visit Cuba and ALL required administration fees.




2 Days Feb. 9-10 Winter at the AhwahneeFeaturing an overnight stay in Yosemite National Park, this trip is a Sports Leisure favorite! And the focus is all about the Ahwahnee Hotel: Enjoy the elegant brunch in the grand dining room, experience a docent-guided historic tour of the public areas, and spend the night in what is considered the Grand Dame of National Park hotels. There’s even a guided tour of Yosemite Valley on this quick, wintertime overnighter.

This package includes motorcoach transportation, accommo-dations, one brunch, all tours and attractions, 650/750 Gold Passport Points. $645 p.p./dbl.occ., $730 single, add door-to-door service for $80 p.p.2 Days Feb. 11-12

or Mar. 13-14

Take the Snow Train to Reno

All aboard Amtrak’s California Zephyr for the Sierra Nevada. Our winter train trips through the Sierras to Reno on board Amtrak’s California Zephyr continue to be popular! Last year, four groups experienced a High Sierra winter wonderland as the train wound through the mountains, enjoying magnificent winter vistas. The train departs Sacramento at 11am and arrives in Reno around 4pm. Spend the night at the newly remodeled Silver Legacy Hotel/Casino and return by coach the following afternoon (optional morning visit to The Nugget in Sparks).

The package includes rail passage on Amtrak’s California Zephyr to Reno, a boxed lunch, hotel accommodations, casino bonuses, and return transportation on board SuperCoach III. 250/275 Gold Passport Points, $245 p.p./dbl.occ., $265 single, add door-to-door service for $80 p.p.7 Days Mar. 2-8 Death Valley and Palm SpringsVisit Manzanar Nat’l Historic Site and Joshua Tree Nat’l Park; tour Scotty’s Castle, with visits to Ubehebe Crater, Zabriske’s Point, and Badwater Salt Flats; enjoy a luncheon at the historic Furnace Creek Inn; attend one of the final performances of the Fabulous Palm Spring Follies, featuring Maureen McGovern; 12 Meals: 1 breakfast, 3 full breakfasts, 6 lunches, 2 dinners; door-to-door service, roundtrip travel on SuperCoach III, 2200/2550 Gold Passport Points.

This year we have combined two very different desert experiences into one trip… Death Valley… its name alone conjures up all sorts of images of: lonely prospectors, teams of mules with boxes of borax, and early television westerns. You are sure to be surprised by the beauty, intrigued by the stories, and awed by the splendor that is Death Valley Nat’l Park and the Eastern Sierra Nevada. And then there is Palm Springs, a land of opulence: boutique shops, fine dining, rich green golf courses, and the long-legged lovelies of the Palm Springs Follies. This, its 23rd year, is the Follies’ last hurrah!, as the curtain is coming down after this season. So join us for this ride through spectacular scenery, awesome beauty, relive a bit of history and make some new friends as you traverse the deserts of California. $2160 p.p./dbl.occ., $2505 single

Yosemite AnniversariesThe year was 1864 and the country was in the midst of one

of the darkest times, the American Civil War. In the west, gold fever prompted men (and women) to scour the mountains;

towns booming and busting overnight. Meanwhile, in California two prominent men, Galen Clark and Senator John Conness, were concerned about what was happening high in the Sierra Nevada. These two men along with a few other concerned citizens advocated for the protection for what is now known as Mariposa Grove and Yosemite Valley. The Yosemite Grant Act was signed by President Abraham

Lincoln on June 30, 1864. The Act set aside the two tracts of land as a natural land trust for the state of California. The Act was the first case in which wilderness lands were set aside specifically for preservation and public use by the action of the U.S. federal government. The Yosemite Grant set the precedent for the 1872 establishment of Yellowstone as our nation’s first national park.

Throughout 2014 and into 2016 Yosemite National Park will be celebrating the following anniversaries of significant Acts resulting in the creation and preservation of our beautiful wilderness areas.• June 30, 2014 – 150th Anniversary – Yosemite Grant• Sept. 3, 2014 – 50th Anniversary – Wilderness Act• Oct. 1, 2015 – 125th Anniversary – Yosemite National Park• Aug. 25, 2016 – 100th Anniversary – Organic Act & National

Park Service For more information visit Yosemite National Park’s site at:

http://www.nps.gov/featurecontent/yose/anniversary/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Yosemite-Anniversary-Overview.pdf

Ramona’s always looking for an excuse to celebrate our National Parks

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3 Days Mar. 6-8 Off to the Races at Santa AnitaA brand new tour featuring a tour of the rarely available Tournament of Roses House. Spend a day at the races – breakfast, admission, program, Turf Club seating and lunch, all included (you have to pick your own winners) 2 nights at the Courtyard by Marriott in downtown Pasadena, the historic Graber Olive House in Ontario, tour the Tournament House & Wrigley Gardens, guided tour of the Rose Bowl (never before available), V.I.P. Tour of Warner Bros. Studios, lunch at the famous Tam O’Shanter. 4 meals: 3 lunches, 1 dinner; airfare Ontario/Burbank, home pick-up, 1200/1300 Gold Passport Points. $1155 p.p./dbl.occ., $1260 single, $20 EPD*3 Days Mar. 7-9 Oregon Chocolate FestivalThe Ashland Springs Hotel hosts the 10th annual Chocolate Festival in March. Once again, you are invited to join us on this pilgrimage to indulge in everything chocolate. You will have not one, but TWO days to enjoy the sweet festivities! Stay two nights at the Plaza Inn in Ashland (the best accommodations in town). 900/1050 Gold Passport Points. $895 p.p./dbl.occ., $1040 single, $20 EPD*7 Days Mar. 9-15 New Orleans and NatchezNew Orleans, known as “NOLA” to locals, welcomes you with open arms! Your hotel is on the edge of the French Quarter – close enough to enjoy all the fun this unique district has to offer. This city is known for her food and drink, and you’ll taste a hearty sampling of both at the Court of Two Sisters, Pat O’Brien’s, Dickie Brennan’s Restaurant and the famed Café du Monde. You’ll even attend a dinner class at the New Orleans School of Cooking to learn how to recreate the flavors back home. Two nights each in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Natchez and Lafayette; guided scenic tours highlighting the best of each destination; attend the Natchez Spring Pilgrimage; visit Houmas House, Evangeline State Historic Site and Avery Island; 14 fabulous meals: Daily breakfast, 4 lunches, 4 dinners; roundtrip air to/from New Orleans; door-to-door airport service; 2950/3300 Gold Passport Points. $2935 p.p./dbl.occ., $3295 single

5 Days Mar. 14-18 21st Annual Spring Trainingin Arizona

Join us as we head once again to Arizona for baseball in the springtime. Cactus League games every day (generally sitting in the shade – which is surprisingly important), some great grub and the chance to talk baseball with former players and in 2014, a former Major League Umpire, Al Clark.

Centrally located accommodations at the new Marriott Hotel (with a full buffet breakfast daily) and a tour of the historic Wrigley Mansion with lunch are featured in the package. The schedule of games is not announced until Dec. 15. Tickets to 5 ballgames – all games generally feature the Giants, A’s or both; lunch in a suite in Scottsdale, with premium stadium seating; Baseball Banquet, featuring retired Major League Umpire Al Clark, and a second baseball speaker one morning; dinner at Rustler’s Roost, Sunday Brunch at the Scottsdale Conference Resort, both Spring Training traditions, full buffet breakfast each morning, lunch at the Wrigley Mansion, total of 7 meals. Airfare, door-to-door airport service, 2100/2400 Gold Passport Points, Tour Directors Mark and Chris. $2095 p.p./dbl.occ., $2365 single11 Days Mar. 20-30 Route 66 – Oklahoma City

to Santa MonicaThe ultimate off-the-beaten track journey, a trip down part of Route 66. Meet Route 66 legends like Harley & Annabelle, “The Mediocre Music Makers,” and Angel Delgadillo, “The Barber of Seligman;” dine at the legendary Big Texan, in the Turquoise Room at La Posada, and at The Lobster on Santa Monica Pier, three classic dining experiences – 20 meals included: 2 breakfasts, 4 full buffet breakfasts, 8 lunches and 6 dinners. Stay in first-class and “roadie” hotels and motels along the way; sleep in a tee-pee. Visit the Painted Desert, Petrified Forest Nat’l Park and Pecos Nat’l Monument.

Tour the Acoma Sky Pueblo and meet the people along the old highway. More than anything, this is a “meet the people” tour. Roundtrip airfare, the services of a Sports Leisure Tour Director, door-to-door airport service and 3500/4000 Gold Passport Points.

This marks the conclusion of our 11th journey across one of America’s most legendary highways, Route 66. The second half of our trip takes you through the Southwest, and touches five Route 66 states (OK, TX, NM, AZ and CA; plus a bit of NV off the highway). Come meet the people, see the sights and discover The Main Street of America. $3470 p.p./dbl.occ., $3965 single, $100 EPD*

Visit us anytime on the web at:www.sportsleisure.comStanton Hall, the grandest of all Natchez mansions, is your host for a tour and

lunch in the Carriage House on New Orleans and Natchez


3 Days Mar. 23-25 Wild About Monterey and Half Moon Bay

Featuring deluxe accommodations at the Clement Monterey Intercontinental Hotel right on Cannery Row. Guided tour of famous 17-Mile Drive, lunch and optional wine tasting in the beautiful Carmel Valley.

Explore Monterey Bay Aquarium and discover Wild Things Animal Ranch. Door-to-door service to and from the Sports Leisure office, 3 lunches, 1000/1150 Gold Passport Points. $965 p.p./dbl.occ., $1135 single, $10 EPD*5 Days Mar. 30 –

Apr. 3Tubac and Tucson: History, Art and Nature

Full of unique attractions, mouthwatering meals and wonderful accommodations. Brunch at the Scottsdale Conference Resort (the best), 2 nights at the historic Tubac Resort, 2 nights at the stunning Westin La Paloma. Visits to Tubac Presidio State Park, the Titan Missile Museum, the Sonora Desert Museum and Mission San Xavier del Bac. See the unique Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures. 8 meals: 4 full breakfasts, 1 brunch, 3 lunches; roundtrip airfare, door-to-door airport service, 2000/2200 Gold Passport Points. $1955 p.p./dbl.occ., $2170 single, $25 EPD*

8 Days Apr. 2-9 The REAL Hawaii – Maui and Molokai are Calling

Seats are going quickly on this masterpiece of a travel experience. Sure, you’ve been to Hawaii lots of times. But you’ve never seen and done most of this, including a day trip to Molokai. Enjoy non-stop Alaska Airlines flights to/from Maui; 7 nights accommodations at the Royal Lahaina, a classic hotel that has returned to its place as an icon on the Kaanapali coast – guaranteed upgraded oceanview rooms with balconies for all. 14 meals, including gourmet dining and a full buffet breakfast every morning – 7 full breakfasts, 3 lunches, 4 dinners.

Enjoy unique cultural adventures on the island – the Surfing Goat Dairy Farm, the Maui Ocean Center & Aquarium, Hawaiian plant and medicinals talk in Old Lahaina, a farm-to-fork lunch in the high country, ancient Chinese Temples. There’s a day trip to Molokai by ferry, with a return by private plane – incl. a guided tour of the island, the Father Damien story and lunch. Entertainment includes a traditional luau at the Royal Lahaina, Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar show and U’lalena, a look at Hawaiian history in song and dance. There’s a free day to add optional tours (price of tours additional) as you wish – take the famous trip to Hana or go to the crater at Haleakala for sunrise, sunset or just a day time view. 3850/4600 Gold Passport Points.

Our return to Maui last spring after a ten year absence was a tremendous success. So we fine-tuned the itinerary and have brought it back for an encore. Tell us if you don’t see things you’ve never seen before. The Surfing Goat Dairy Farm? What’s a Slack Key Guitar? Unpack only once, enjoy a leisurely itinerary at a small resort, where you’ll feel comfortable. $3825 p.p./dbl.occ., $4595 single, $75 EPD*3 Days Apr. 8-10 A Big Mystery TourHere is a short, close to home Mystery Tour, two nights in the same hotel in a slightly off-the-beaten-track destination that is close to everything. It has a nice balance of attractions, all your meals are included, the scenery is spectacular, and Mystery Tours always bring out the best travelers.

A few clues: This tour is volatile; it’s black and blue, there is no if’s, and’s or but’s about it (that is a crazy clue). A dramatic time is in store as you cruise, then rock and roll along at a nice pace. You may feel like a Mississippi Princess one evening and miraculously transported to a beautiful Mediterranean village the next day. The quiet small town atmosphere is very appealing and you won’t mind the history or scenery along the way either. The package includes door-to-door service, airfare, two nights accommodations, 7 meals (2B,3L,2D) and 1300/1400 Gold Passport Points. $1295 p.p./dbl.occ., $1370 single

For the complete day-by-day itinerary of any extended tour, go to www.sportsleisure.com.

So you’re into this whole Facebook thing?We’ve been getting several emails lately about how to connect

with Sports Leisure Vacations on Facebook, as well as why one would want to do such a thing. Firstly, for those of you who have no interest in Facebook, don’t know what it is or frankly just don’t care – don’t worry, you can continue to enjoy Sports Leisure just like before. For those of you who enjoy the social networking scene, want to check out awesome photos from the road and stay abreast of the latest and greatest we have to offer, then this one’s for you.

To find us on Facebook, the easiest way is to simply head on over to www.facebook.com/sportsleisure. Already browsing your Facebook feed? Easy, just click on the facebook search bar and enter “Sports Leisure Vacations.” We should pop right up. Once you’re there, just hit the “Like” button to stay up to date on our Facebook adventures.

Having trouble? Or have another tech related question? Shoot me an email at [email protected] and we’ll see what we can do!

SLV’s Director of All Things Tech, Ryan Quinn



For the complete day-by-day itinerary of any extended tour, go to

www.sportsleisure.com.


12 Days Apr. 16-27 Easter Holiday in SpainOnly limited space remains on our first-ever trip to Spain. Spend 2 nights each in the culturally rich cities of Madrid, Almagro, Seville, Granada, and Barcelona. Visit the sophisticated cities of Toledo and Córdoba and the cliff-perched town of Ronda. Experience the pageantry of a traditional Spanish Easter while staying in a 15th-century monastery. Travel with Sports Leisure TD Patti Thayer, assisted daily by local, Spanish-speaking guides.

Tour a winery and have a tasting at a bodega in the renowned wine region of Valdepeñas, view masterpieces of the greatest Spanish artists and the architectural genius of Gaudí, enjoy flamenco music and dance at its finest in Seville and learn about the history of Spanish bullfighting at Spain’s first professional bullring, now a museum.

Stay in 4-star (European-rated), modern hotels near the city centers with daily breakfast, 5 lunches, 2 dinners – with wine included at lunch and dinner. Roundtrip airfare Sacramento to Madrid, Barcelona to Sacramento, door-to-door airport service, and 6600/7500 Gold Passport Points.

Spend the Easter holiday season in elegant Spain, where the sun will be shining and the flowers will be blooming. View the incredible spectacle of Easter pageantry in all its glory. See the complete day-by-day itinerary on our website at www.sportsleisure.com. $6595 p.p./dbl.occ., $7485 single, this vacation requires a valid passport! Prices based on estimated airfare of $1262 p.p. The cost of tour may adjust after airfare, fuel surcharges and exchange rates are confirmed. $50 EPD*

4 Days May 5-8 On the (Pismo) BeachEnjoy oceanview accommodations at the Sea Crest Resort, attend the Great American Melodrama in Oceano, take part in a private trolley ride and tour of the Point San Luis Lighthouse and the Morro Bay Natural History Museum. Visit the Central Coast Lavender Farm. 8 meals: 3 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 1 dinner; door-to-door service, transportation on SuperCoach III, 1200/1400 Gold Passport Points. $1195 p.p./dbl.occ., $1390 single, $20 EPD*6 Days May 7-12 New York City: Broadway,

Brooklyn and The BronxFeaturing a symphony concert at Carnegie Hall. 5 nights at the Millennium Times Square, a spectacular location convenient to theaters and attractions. Brooklyn’s “Sounds, Sights and Slices” – Tony takes you on a tour from Coney Island to the bridge (yeah, dat bridge) stopping for pizza and dessert. The Bronx – Colman (your guide) is a real New Yorker and he’ll take you on a trip to the real Little Italy, with lunch, dessert and pasta shopping; optional Bronx Botanical Gardens or Zoo, optional tour of the new Yankee Stadium (admissions included, but your option to attend). The new 9/11 Memorial – You’re guided by a first-responder, who will show you this solemn site in a way others cannot. Tickets to a symphony concert at Carnegie Hall and a Broadway show. 6 meals: 3 lunches, 3 dinners.

Experienced Tour Directors from a staff that has been taking people to New York for a quarter century. Roundtrip airfare, door-to-door airport service, 3200/3700 Gold Passport Points.

Special note: While we welcome all travelers, realistically, this trip requires some walking in the neighborhoods. If you cannot easily walk 3-4 city blocks without difficulty, we would not recommend this itinerary for you. $3185 p.p./dbl.occ., $3695 single, $75 EPD*7 Days May 8-14 Springtime in Washington, DC

and WilliamsburgFrom the capital to the countryside! 4 nights in our Nation’s Capital, 2 nights in Williamsburg. Tour Washington, DC by day and night; visit Arlington National Cemetery, the U.S. Capitol and the National Cathedral; explore the Smithsonian Institution and National Museums on the Mall. See National Monuments including Lincoln, Jefferson, FDR, MLK, WWII, Vietnam, Korea and more.

Tour Colonial Williamsburg and Jamestown, visit Richmond and the Virginia Statehouse. 12 meals: daily full breakfast, 3 lunches, 3 dinners. Roundtrip airfare to Washington/from Norfolk, door-to-door airport service, 2900/3250 Gold Passport Points. $2885 p.p./dbl.occ., $3220 single, $40 EPD*

Explore Spain from the majestic Alhambra to the secluded corners of its small towns


3 Days May 18-20 Yosemite and The Mother LodeFeaturing Yosemite Nat’l Park, Tenaya Lodge and Mariposa. A slightly different Yosemite itinerary, which stays at a modern lodge just outside the park and goes into the park for sightseeing. Trade being in the park for better accommodations and amenities.

Experience the splendor of Yosemite during the day; relax in the four-diamond comfort of the Tenaya Lodge in the evening.

Discover the Old West at the Mariposa Museum and History Center, named by the Smithsonian Institute as one of the best small museums in America. Learn about the history, geology and people of Yosemite National Park during a guided two hour Valley Floor Tour. 3 lunches, deluxe motorcoach transportation, door-to-door service, 1150/1350 Gold Passport Points. $1125 p.p./dbl.occ., $1325 single, $20 EPD*3 Days May 21-23 Off on Another Mission (or two)!Off last year’s successful tour of Southern California missions, we offer a shorter, Northern California version. It’s been popular and space is going quickly. Discover six of California’s historic missions (San Francisco de Solano in Sonoma, San Rafael Arcangel, San Antonio de Padua, Soledad, Santa Cruz and San Juan Bautista). Enjoy 2 nights accommodations at The Dream Inn Santa Cruz, right on the beach. Dinner at Sports Leisure favorite Shadowbrook Restaurant, lunch at the secluded and peaceful Mission San Antonio (4 meals: 3 lunches, 1 dinner), travel aboard SuperCoach III, door-to-door service, 1050/1200 Gold Passport Points. $1010 p.p./dbl.occ., $1160 single5 Days May 26-30 Thirteen Countries without a

PassportThis tour sold out in a record two days. We fully expect it to be offered as a “non-mystery” tour in 2015. Stay tuned for details next year.

7 Days June 7-13 The Ferries, Islands and Towns of Old Cape Cod

Visit Martha’s Vineyard, plus two nights in both Provincetown and on Nantucket Island. Our favorite time to visit Cape Cod is late spring, before the summer crowds and the humidity that comes with them. Fewer people, early in the season = a better experience. Ferry rides from Boston to Provincetown, Hyannis to Martha’s Vineyard, then on to Nantucket, Nantucket to Hyannis. Overnight Boston, 2 nights Provincetown on the Cape, overnight Hyannis, 2 nights Nantucket. Guided tours in Provincetown (Cape Cod National Seashore), on Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard.

Visit Chatham, home of many a sea captain – see the John F. Kennedy Museum and the Cape Cod Baseball League Hall of Fame in Hyannis. Free time to browse shops and galleries. 12 meals: breakfast each morning, 1 lunch, 5 dinners, including a lobster feast. Door-to-door airport service, airfare, 3400/3800 Gold Passport Points. $3390 p.p./dbl.occ., $3795 single, $50 EPD*

15 Days June 12-26 Scandinavia and St. Petersburg aboard Holland America’s ms Eurodam

Cruising really is a perfect way to travel the world. No other vacation experience offers you the all-inclusive convenience and pleasure of multiple destinations, beautiful scenic cruising, wonderful shore excursions, and a wide array of onboard activities.

Explore the capital cities of the Baltic Sea with a visit to historic St. Petersburg, Russia. (Remember how you said you wee going to Russia someday?) 12 days of cruising aboard Holland America’s ms Eurodam, 2 nights pre-cruise stay in Copenhagen with city tour and time to explore.

Overnight stays on board ship in St. Petersburg & Stockholm: two days to uncover the treasurers of each. Explore the cities of Tallinn, Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Berlin and Hamburg. Deluxe accommodations on board ship with entertainment and all meals included. Optional shore excursions (extra cost) arranged for you by Sports Leisure Staff. Roundtrip airfare to/from Copenhagen, door-to-door airport service, Gold Passport Points dependent on cabin pricing. Prices based on cabin category, starting at $5550 p.p./dbl.occ. (inside), $6030 p.p./dbl.occ. (outside). Single prices upon request. This vacation requires a valid passport!

Prices also based on estimated airfare of $1585 p.p. The cost of tour may adjust after airfare, fuel surcharges and exchange rates are confirmed. $100 EPD*

Things to Know Before You Go:Airfare: On all trips where air travel is indicated, airfares are included in the listed prices.

Home Pick-up: Our exclusive home pick-up is included on all trips listed here of three days or longer. Carey Limousines and their partners provide transportation to/from the airport, Sacramento’s Amtrak station or the Sports Leisure Vacations office.

Meals: Please refer to the day-by-day itinerary for a break down of the included breakfasts, brunches, lunches and dinners.

*Early Registration/Payment Discounts: Trips with a note like this after the price “$40 EPD*,” indicates there is a discount available for Early Registration and Payment. Please refer to the back page of the newsletter for more details on Early Registration/Payment Discounts.

The Fine Print: Our Special Tour & Vacation Notes brochure contains the answers to many often-asked questions. A copy is sent with your reservations.

Sports Leisure online: You are invited to visit our website at www.sportsleisure.com for more information on any tour listed here, or call our office and we will be happy to send you a detailed itinerary.

For the complete day-by-day itinerary of any extended tour, go to

www.sportsleisure.com.


6 Days June 17-22 U.S. 50 and 93 – America’s Loneliest Highways

Journey across Nevada by train; then by coach along two very quiet and scenic legendary highways. Ride through the Sierra from Sacramento to Winnemucca. Authentic Basque-style lunch in Elko; see the original airfield of the Enola Gay, the WWII atomic bomber, in Wendover. Visit McGill Drugs, frozen in time from 40 years ago, ride the Ghost Train of Old Ely, visit a bordello and meet the girls… optional, of course. Tour Eureka & Austin, tiny historical outposts on the highway. Brunch at the Forest Buffet at Harrah’s Tahoe, 14 included meals. Door-to-door service, 1550/1750 Gold Passport Points. $1505 p.p./dbl.occ., $1750 single, $35 EPD*9 Days June 18-26 The Black Hills, Cody and

Yellowstone National ParkFeaturing Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial and Custer State Park, along with Yellowstone, this really is one of our premier National Park tours. Experience the beauty of South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana, three western treasures, a combination of mountains, plains, unique cultures and history. Two days of sightseeing in the Black Hills including both day and night visits to the patriotic Mt. Rushmore; ride a jeep through Custer State Park, where the deer, antelope, bison and other wildlife play. Stand on top of the fingertip of Crazy Horse Memorial (a memorable opportunity, to be taken to the top of Crazy Horse, no other company offers this exclusive).

From the base of Devils Tower, behold the magnificence of this awesome monolith; visit the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody. Take a boat ride through the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, 2 days of sightseeing in Yellowstone National Park featuring time at Old Faithful Geyser, Hayden Valley, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and Mammoth Hot Springs. 14 meals: 2 breakfasts, 5 full breakfasts, 6 lunches, 1 dinner; roundtrip airfare to Rapid City/from Billings, door-to-door airport service, 4150/4750 Gold Passport Points. $4130 p.p./dbl.occ., $4740 single, $100 EPD*5 Days July 3-7 Crater Lake and the Umpqua

National Scenic BywayFeaturing natural scenic wonder and your opportunity to see a play at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Guided rim tour of Crater Lake National Park with lunch at Crater Lake Lodge. Travel the Umpqua Scenic Byway; up close animal encounters at Wildlife Safari; Hellgate Jet Boat tour. Optional (extra cost) show at Ashland’s Oregon Shakespeare Festival. 9 meals: 3 breakfasts, 1 brunch, 3 lunches, 2 dinners. Travel in comfort on SuperCoach III, door-to-door service, 1500/1650 Gold Passport Points. $1490 p.p./dbl.occ., $1645 single, $20 EPD*

11 Days July 11-21 Maine and The MaritimesA magnificent, small group journey to some of North America’s most incredible scenic places in three Canadian provinces (New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia). Explore the history of Maine and Atlantic Canada with tours of Bar Harbor, Saint John, Prince Edward Island, and Halifax. Discover the natural beauty of Acadia National Park, Fundy National Park, Reversing Falls, the Cabot Trail, and the Cape Breton Highlands.

Enjoy tea at Campobello, summer home of Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt. Learn about Alexander Graham Bell at his historic site in the Cape Breton Highlands. Two-night stays in Bar Harbor, Baddeck, Charlottetown, and Halifax, overnights in Manchester and Saint John. 17 meals: 3 breakfasts, 7 full breakfasts, 1 box lunch, 1 lunch, 5 dinners; roundtrip airfare to Manchester, NH/from Halifax, NS; door-to-door airport service, 5850/6850 Gold Passport Points. Not cheap, but worth every penny. $5850 p.p./dbl.occ., $6850 single This vacation requires a valid passport! $125 EPD*5 Days July 14-18 Oregon – Covered Bridges

and The CoastDine on a covered bridge, ride a dune buggy, enjoy the views from your oceanfront room on the coast. Two nights Cottage Grove at the Village Green Resort – 25 miles south of Eugene, on 14 acres of themed gardens; 2 nights Elizabeth Street Inn, Newport. Dine on a covered bridge – lunch on a landmark; ride a carousel in Salem and visit a Carousel Museum in Albany.

Lots of “foodie fun” – Chocolate Decadence, a pizza party, dinner in the Oregon Aquarium, a cooking demo that becomes lunch in Lincoln City. Ride a dune buggy on the coast – choice of scenic or adventurous route; explore old towns in Florence & Newport; cocktail cruise on Newport Harbor. New! Visit Toledo, an artist-community just inland from Newport, railroad museum, farmer’s market, BBQ lunch. 11 meals, airfare, door-to-door airport service, 1700/1900 Gold Passport Points. $1685 p.p./dbl.occ., $1895 single, $20 EPD*6 Days July 17-22 Glacier and Waterton Lakes

National ParksThis has become one of Scott’s trademark tours. Travel famous Going-To-The-Sun Road through Glacier National Park, then cross into Canada to Waterton Lakes International Peace Park. This tour always sells out early because it only accommodates 25, and already, space is limited. Three scenic lake cruises, absolutely some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. Overnight at the Prince of Wales Hotel in Canada, 2 nights at St. Mary’s Bear Lodge at Glacier Park, 2 nights at Grouse Mountain Lodge near Kalispell. 8 meals: 3 full breakfasts, 4 lunches,1 dinner; roundtrip airfare, door-to-door airport service, 3250/3800 Gold Passport Points. This vacation requires a valid passport! $3205 p.p./dbl.occ., $3755 single


11 Days July 25 – Aug. 4

Bonnie Scotland

This tour also sold out within a few days of its release. Clayton is considering a repeat in 2015.

6 Days July 29 – Aug. 3

Planes, Trains and Fireworks!

Explore the best of the Pacific Northwest by rail from Portland to Vancouver, BC. Travel twice on Amtrak’s Cascade between Portland and Tacoma and Everett and Vancouver, BC. Wind through beautiful mountains between Whistler and Vancouver on board the Whistler Mountaineer. Choose your option in Tacoma: Museum of Glass or the new LeMay Auto Museum. Discover the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie, explore Stanley Park with a tour and lunch at the Fish House. Overnight in Tacoma, 2 nights each in Everett and Vancouver, BC. 8 meals: 2 full breakfasts, 5 lunches, 1 dinner; Roundtrip airfare to Portland, return Seattle; Door-to-door airport service. 2750/3050 Gold Passport Points. This vacation requires a valid passport! $2735 p.p./dbl.occ., $3045 single, $40 EPD*7 Days Aug. 9-15 Off the Beaten Track in Oregon

and IdahoLifeseeing in Baker City, Joseph, McCall and Hells Canyon. Stay 2 nights at the historic Geiser Grand Hotel, tour a bronze foundry, experience a gondola ride and a jet boat on the Snake River, enjoy a cruise on Payette Lake. 14 meals: 6 full breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners; roundtrip airfare to/from Boise; door-to-door airport service, 2500/2800 Gold Passport Points. $2490 p.p./dbl.occ., $2790 single, $40 EPD*7 Days Sept. 8-14 The International Selkirk LoopThe Selkirk Loop is a 280-mile international scenic drive encircling the Selkirk Mountains of eastern Washington, northern Idaho and southeastern British Columbia. The entire loop nearly follows alongside a river or lakeshore, with vast views of the valleys and mountains one minute, intimate water scenes or dense forest the next.

Many of the communities featured on this very unique tour have populations of fewer than 500 inhabitants. Multiple-night stays in waterview rooms: two nights in Bonners Ferry, ID and three nights in Nelson, BC. Walk through history aboard the SS Moyie, a restored sternwheeler nestled along the banks of Kootenay Lake. Learn about the culture of the Doukhobors at Castlegar; visit the small communities of Crawford Bay, Rossland and Ymir with their fascinating places in Selkirk history. Enjoy a night of contemporary luxury at the Davenport Towers, and the elegant Sunday Brunch at the Davenport Hotel. Door-to-door airport service; roundtrip airfare to/from Spokane, WA; 12 meals: 5 full breakfasts, 1 brunch, 6 lunches; 2950/3400 Gold Passport Points. This vacation requires a valid passport! $2950 p.p./dbl.occ., $3390 single, $50 EPD*

6 Days Sept. 10-15 Ferries and Towns of Puget Sound5 different rides on Washington’s Marine Highway, the ferry system of Puget Sound, featuring a trip through (and visit to) the San Juan Islands. Visit the villages and towns of Bainbridge, Poulsbo, Port Townsend, Coupeville, Friday Harbor, and Langley as you make your way around the sound. Guided sightseeing on Whidbey Island, including the Naval Air Station. Guided tour of San Juan Island with lunch at Roche Harbor. 11 meals: 2 full breakfast, 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners; roundtrip airfare; seaplane flight to or from Seattle/Rosario; door-to-door airport service, 3000/3250 Gold Passport Points. $2990 p.p./dbl.occ., $3240 single, $50 EPD*8 Days Sept. 19-26 Rails Around Colorado Three scenic trains rides: The Rio Grande Scenic Railroad, the Cumbres & Toltec Railroad and the Durango & Silverton Railroad. Great Sand Dunes National Park, curator reception at the Durango Train Museum, 2 nights at the luxurious Zermatt Resort, lunch at the Robert Redford’s Sundance Resort. 14 meals: 7 full breakfasts, 6 lunches, 1 dinner; roundtrip airfare to Albuquerque, from Salt Lake City; door-to-door airport service; 3400/3800 Gold Passport Points. $3400 p.p./dbl.occ., $3800 single, $40 EPD*4 Days Sept. 24-27 Riding on the City of New OrleansEnjoy private train accommodations from The Crescent City to Chicago. The Pullman Car Company pioneered luxury rail travel by creating the first sleeping cars which could truly be called “first-class.”

Today, Pullman Rail Journeys revives the iconic spirit of American rail travel with its carefully restored Pullman Rail Cars. In an effort to be as historically accurate as possible, each classic Pullman Car has undergone a painstakingly detailed restoration and upholds the Pullman tradition of style, ambience and craftsmanship. With your private cars attached to Amtrak’s City of New Orleans, you’ll travel overnight in comfort.

Accommodations on the train are in cars generally set for double occupancy with upper and lower berths. All cars operated by the Pullman Company are unique and exact cabin assignments and layouts will not be available until two weeks prior to departure. All cars have windows, electrical outlets, individual lighting controls and Wi-Fi is available depending on the location of the train.

Overnight rail accommodations on board private restored Pullman Cars from New Orleans to Chicago. Overnight in the French Quarter of New Orleans and one night in Chicago. City Tours of New Orleans & Chicago. Discover the historic community/company town of Pullman, IL. 6 meals: 3 full breakfasts, 1 lunch, 2 dinners; roundtrip airfare to New Orleans, from Chicago; door-to-door airport service; 2600/3100 Gold Passport Points. $2579 p.p./dbl.occ., $3070 single, $50 EPD*

For the complete day-by-day itinerary of any extended tour, go to www.sportsleisure.com.


7 Days Sept. 28 – Oct. 4

La Belle Québec

Québec’s geography, history and its culture have shaped its bold and unique identity. The pedestrian village of Mont-Tremblant, nestled in the middle of the Laurentian Mountains, is the perfect combination of European ambiance and Québécois hospitality. The beauty continues as you spend two nights in the Walled City of Québec City. Then it’s on to Tadoussac for whale watching and a night in the Charlevoix Region. Spend the final night in vibrant Montréal, a world-class city unlike any other in North America.

Explore both cosmopolitan and old Montréal by guided tour; spend 2 nights within the walls of Old Québec City; minke whale watching and fjord cruise. Six nights deluxe accommodations; lunch at the Château Frontenac, dinner at the Canadian Sugar Shack; 12 meals: 6 full breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners. Door-to-door airport service; roundtrip airfare, Sacramento/Montréal; services of a Sports Leisure Tour Director and a local bilingual Tour Guide; 3800/4300 Gold Passport Points. This vacation requires a valid passport! $3785 p.p./dbl.occ., $4290 single, $75 EPD*9 Days Oct. 3-11 Steamboatin’ on the Upper

MississippiIt’s a new day for the majestic American Queen as evidenced by all the inclusions. Non-alcoholic beverages are available and complimentary all day long. Beer and wine is included with dinner, and multiple dining choices are now offered from full-service to buffet.

Onboard, an all-American staff assures no language barriers. Portside, “steamcoaches” follow the Queen down the river to facilitate your complimentary shore excursions. (Learn more at www.ShoreExcursionsOfAmerica.com, then follow the Upper Mississippi link.) Upgraded, small-group excursions are available at most ports for an enhanced experience. (Optional, additional cost.) Your onboard Riverlorian will have all the details during daily talks introducing each port of call.

7-night cruise aboard the American Queen with ports of call in Red Wing, La Crosse, Dubuque, Davenport, Burlington and Hannibal. All basic shore excursions included; showboat-style entertainment and dancing nightly; daily talks by Riverlorian. Pre-cruise overnight in St. Paul; 21 meals: 8 full breakfasts, 6 lunches, 7 dinners (beer and wine included with onboard dinners; complimentary bottled water, sodas and special coffees). Door-to-door airport service, roundtrip airfare to Minneapolis/from St. Louis, Gold Passport Points based on cabin category. Prices based on cabin category, starting at $4230 p.p./dbl.occ. (inside), $4980 p.p./dbl.occ. (outside). Single prices upon request. Recommended onboard gratuity is $16.50 p.p./day. $75 EPD*

14 Days Nov. 8-21 The Magic of Israel and JordanDiscover a land of contrasts: modern cities, sunny beaches, colorful deserts and lush oases. Home to the earliest settlements of human history. A land of Biblical tales, Islamic conquests, remarkable architecture and archaeological treasures.

Spend 4 nights in the 6,000 year-old city of Jerusalem, 2 nights in the modern Mediterranean city of Tel Aviv, 3 nights in the Galilee, 2 nights on the shores of the Dead Sea, and 1 night in Aqaba.

Descend to the lowest point on earth; float in the mineral rich, buoyant waters of the Dead Sea. Ascend by cable car to walk the ruins of Masada, King Herod’s fortress palace. Wander the artist’s colony town of Safed (Tsfat), named by CNN as one of the “Ten Most Beautiful Cities of the World.”

Explore the Golan Heights by jeep, Israel’s most beautiful region, discover the pink sandstone city of Petra, one of the new Wonders of the World; stay in 4 and 5-star modern hotels with daily full breakfast and dinner.

Roundtrip airfare from San Francisco to Tel Aviv, door-to-door service, airport transfers, deluxe air-conditioned motorcoach, services of a Sports Leisure Tour Director and local, English-speaking tour guides throughout the tour, 6150/7300 Gold Passport Points. This vacation requires a valid passport! $6150 p.p./dbl.occ., $7290 single, prices based on estimated airfare of $1400 p.p. The cost of tour may adjust after airfare, fuel surcharges and exchange rates are confirmed. $125 EPD*

Join Merrill and Blueberry on a trek through Israel and Jordan


For more than a genera-tion, every itinerary a travel planner builds to Palm Springs, California, always starts with figuring out where the Palm Springs Follies fit in. It is an institution. But even institutions have their opening and closing nights. For The Follies, that day is just around the corner. After 23 years, partners Mary Jardin and Riff Markowitz have decided to bring down the final curtain next May.

Many will tell you The Follies saved downtown Palm Springs. They certainly have a point. More than 170,000 people a year attend the show. Two decades ago, the core of Palm Springs was in decline. Today, it plays host to a street market every Thursday night, and the downtown is teeming with activity. The Follies and the Plaza Theatre are at the heart of it all. The show is unique in that it features only performers 55 and older, and the cast regularly includes those in their 80s.

When the lights go out at The Plaza for the last time in May, the old movie theater will go dark. There are currently no plans for another show in the venue. Replacing The Follies will be tough. The show not only featured great guest stars like Donald O’Connor, Peter Marshall and John Davidson; the audience from time to time included the likes of Bob Hope and Lucille Ball. Mary remembers the night Mr. Hope asked if he could have a few moments on stage. Upon receiving permission, he got up and did a little soft shoe for the admiring crowd.

My best Follies memory took place just a few years ago. I was with my group, and as is Tour Director custom, left the theater a few minutes before the end of the show to check on the motorcoach parking location. I found myself outside the theater, waiting for the doors to open. A tall, handsome gentleman walked over to me and asked if I’d seen the

show and what I thought. Without paying him much attention, I responded that I did enjoy the performance, finally glancing up to realize I was speaking to John Davidson, who had finished on stage and come outside to greet the theater-goers. We had a nice conversation for a minute, and then the doors flew open and Mr. Davidson was way more popular than I was!

Mary knew tour groups would be a huge part of their market from the beginning, but ironically, her first marketing hire told her she didn’t need to belong to organizations like NTA. Turned out the reason she discouraged Mary from joining was she was afraid to fly and knew she’d have to attend trade shows. The Follies has been a regular NTA Convention fixture since Mary figured out the “scam.” Her daughter Terry has taken hundreds of NTA appointments through the years.

I asked Mary what it will feel like—that final matinee on May 18. “I really don’t know,” she reflected. “You think things go on forever, but they don’t. My friendship with Riff goes back 33 years. We have had some tough times recently, battling a recession with 120 employees. It’s a lot of responsibility. Plus Riff and I aren’t getting any younger.” Besides, Mary said, with a hint of pride in her voice, “We decided, like the

famous tramway that climbs the mountain down the street, that we’d like to go out on top. Over the years, I see people getting out of their car or off the bus, and they go into the theater and their whole attitude, even their posture changes. I feel like I’ve made a small difference in their lives.”

Indeed, Mary, you have. I must share that after speaking with Mary for this interview, I went online and scooped up two of the few remaining tickets to that last performance in May. I want to share in a piece of history. Finally, here’s hoping Palm Springs finds two more people with the passion and fortitude of Riff Markowitz and Mary Jardin. So many of us have been touched by their efforts

Reprinted from Courier, the magazine of the National Tour Association.

We encourage you to find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sportsleisure. We’ve been posting pictures of recent trips and sometimes even trips that are currently on the road… so you may see a fellow Sports Leisure traveler while they are actually on vacation. How awesome is that?

Look What We’re Doing…

The Follies receive an award at the annual tourism luncheon in Palm Springs

9812 Old Winery Place, Suite 1Sacramento, CA 95827

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$ave $10–$40 per person on Cancellation ProtectionValid only when used with the adjacent coupon on the tours

listed. Your savings depend on the price of your tour. $ave $10 on tours priced from $451-$800, $ave $20 on tours priced from$801-$2250, $ave $30 on tours priced from $2251-$3500, $ave $40 on tours priced at $3501 or more. The regular cost of this protection is $15-$295, depending on the tour price. To receive the above discounts, you must pay in full within ten days of registration and purchase the protection at the time you pay for your tour. Within 60/75 days of departure (see adjoining coupon), coverage is limited to verified medical emergencies. Please refer to the Special Vacation Notes & Information brochure for details, or call our office.

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TOUR UPDATE…A brief list of tours which are sold out, or have only a limited amount of space (10 or fewer seats, number in parenthesis) remaining. Day trips are not listed.

Sold-Out Tours (waiting list available)Christmas in Victoria

Christmas in Coos BayTake the Train (or Plane) to the Rose Parade

Key West, Key Largo & The Everglades (2014)Winter in Yellowstone

The Colorful Carolina Coast13 Countries Without a Passport Mystery

San Antonio: Deep in the HeartBonnie Scotland

Limited Space (10 or fewer seats)Christmas Lights Mystery Tour (8)

New Year’s Eve at Harris Ranch (10)Take the Snow Train to Reno – Feb. (9)

Spring Training in Arizona (4)The Real Hawaii (9)

A Big Mystery Tour (5)Easter Holiday in Spain (6)

Washington DC & Williamsburg (3)Ferries & Towns of Old Cape Cod (5)

Glacier & Waterton National Parks (7)

LLC

Early Registration/Payment Di$counts listed here expire on December 10, 2013; or may be withdrawn when 50% of the available space has been reserved. To receive the discount, you must pay in full within ten days of registration. If you accept this option, the monies paid, including the cost of Cancellation Protection, are returned to you in full if you cancel more than 60 days prior to departure for US and Canadian tours or 75 days prior for International tours, regardless of the reason for cancellation. Within the time limits noted above, restrictions on refunds apply. See the Special Vacation Notes & Information brochure for complete details.

Mar. – Off to the Races at Santa Anita – $ave $20Mar. – Oregon Chocolate Festival – $ave $20

Mar. – Tubac & Tucson – $ave $25Mar. – Wild About Monterey & Half Moon Bay – $ave $10

Mar. – Route 66-Oklahoma City to Santa Monica – $ave $100Apr. – Harmony & The Sea – $ave $20

Apr. – A Window in Time Mystery Overnighter– $ave $10Apr. – Back to Bodega Bay– $ave $10

Apr. – Easter Holiday in Spain – $ave $50Apr. – The REAL Hawaii-Maui & Molokai – $ave $75

May – Yosemite & The Mother Lode – $ave $20May – Washington DC & Williamsburg – $ave $40

May – NYC: Broadway, Brooklyn & The Bronx – $ave $75May – On the (Pismo) Beach – $ave $20

Jun. – Scandinavia & St. Petersburg HAL Cruise – $ave $100Jun. – The Black Hills, Cody, & Yellowstone – $ave $100

Jun. – U.S. 50 & 93-America’s Loneliest Highways – $ave $35Jun. – Ferries, Islands & Towns of Old Cape Cod – $ave $50Jul. – Crater Lake & the Umpqua Scenic Byway – $ave $20

Jul. – Oregon-Covered Bridges & The Coast – $ave $20Jul. – Maine & The Maritimes – $ave $125

Jul. – Planes, Trains & Fireworks – $ave $40Aug. – Off the Beaten Track in Oregon & Idaho – $ave $40

Sep. – The International Selkirk Loop – $ave $50Sep. – Ferries & Towns of Puget Sound – $ave $50

Sep. – La Belle Quebec – $ave $75Sep. – Rails Around Colorado – $ave $40

Sep. – Riding on the City of New Orleans – $ave $50Oct. – Mexico’s Copper Canyon– $ave $125

Oct. – Steamboatin’ on the Upper Mississippi – $ave $75Oct. – The Magic of Israel & Jordan – $ave $125

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