SLV_2013_JanFebNEWSLETTER_Web

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 .......................... 4Casino Trips and Baseball ................................. 5The Human Side .................................................. 6Day Trips ............................................................. 7-9New Vacations & Getaways .................... 10-12The Barber Pole..................................................13Tour Calendar .............................................. 14-19Coupons and Tour Updates ..........Back Cover

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

Spring Brings a Wide Variety of Close to Home GetawaysIt’s foggy, rainy and cold now, but the

blossoms of spring are just around the corner. When they arrive, and even before that, your Sports Leisure friends can offer you some wonderful opportunities to enjoy great destinations close to home, or even not so close.

Our schedule features destinations like Pismo Beach, Bodega Bay and a new tour to Hearst Castle at San Simeon, for those who like the ocean.

Looking for some warm weather? How about Palm Springs or a trip down the California portion of Route 66? If the mountains, giant redwood trees and magnificent granite canyons are your thing, let Ramona take you to Sequoia and Kings Canyon Nat’l Parks. Ramona worked there years ago and will show you the parks like no one else can.

Is history your thing? Chris has space on a tour from San Diego back to Sacramento which visits the California Missions. Clayton would love to take you to the Kentucky Derby in May, perhaps addressing one of the items on your wish list.

Mark’s featured trip is a journey down The Santa Fe Trail (see page 2). Scott has a trip featuring magnificent Monument Valley and a jet boat ride on the Colorado River. You can take Amtrak’s Empire Builder from Chicago to Seattle, or attend Spring Training in Arizona and watch the World Champion Giants and AL West Champion A’s prepare for next season.

If you’re an international traveler, we have a number of choices this year, starting in the spring with St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland. This tour will close out soon, so if you’d like to join Scott in Ireland for St. Paddy’s Day, call now.

There’s nothing like spring flowers to brighten a tour, and one getaway is all

about blooms. Lilacs, Tulips & Gourmet Eats takes you to the Portland/Vancouver (WA) area while those beautiful flowers are welcoming the change of seasons. Is there anything more pleasant to behold than a field of flowers?

Overnight trips are short, welcome getaways to those on a budget or with other issues which might restrict their travel. Foodie Fun is a repeat of Donnie’s popular trip to Sonoma, first offered last year. Scott continues his “Ritz Club” series with a visit to the Ritz Carlton at Lake Tahoe. Scheduled right around Memorial Day, it gives you the chance to enjoy luxurious accommodations at a reduced price.

Yes, the spring is a busy time here at Sports Leisure. Between all you see listed above and on these pages, there is a host of day trips to choose from. The new year has arrived in style at Sports Leisure Vacations!

JAN.-FEB., 2013VOL. 34, NO.4

8,973 Active Members • 45,319 Members Since 1979

Join Clayton at Churchill Downs for the most exciting two minutes in all of sports, The Kentucky Derby

2 Sports Leisure Vacations / January–February 2013

Just One Man’s OpinionAmerican History

RediscoveredOne of the things I enjoy most about my

job of 33+ years is the opportunity to learn about the world around us. Curiosity is the travelers divining rod. Most of us relish in the chance to learn about the world unknown. Certainly it’s why I’ve become more and more of an “off-the-beaten-track” traveler in the last 10-15 years. I want to discover something new, something that tantalizes my mind and makes me want to know more. It’s that “little boy curiosity” which has never gone away. Thank goodness for not growing up.

It was on a scouting trip recently that I discovered one of those “want to know more” destinations. I had heard of people’s interest in visiting the sites of Japanese Internment Camps from World War II, but I had never been to one myself. Many of our travelers had requested these visits, so tours to Mammoth Lakes/Death Valley (Manzanar), Laughlin (Poston) and Klamath Falls (Tule Lake) have included the opportunity to explore this piece of history.

I was not yet born in 1941, when Pearl Harbor was attacked. I wasn’t here in 1942, when President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066; which gave the United States the authority to round up 110,000 – 120,000

Japanese Americans (over 60% of whom were American citizens) who lived within 100 miles of the west coast and place them in remote areas of the country. It all seems very wrong to me, but I have the benefit of looking at the past. People then were living in the present.

The camps were not a place you wanted to be, the conditions were minimal, to say the least. By most reports, those sent to the camps made the best of the situation, which included living in remote Godforsaken places with no modern toilets, electricity, etc. These were people of great courage.

Some returned to their homes after the order was rescinded in late 1944. In 1971, Manzanar was declared a California Historic Site. In 1988, President Reagan formally apologized to those interned and to their families, offering a small monetary compensation for those still living. It’s all a part of history, history which impacted many of our friends and neighbors, even members of our travel family.

It was on a trip on the Santa Fe Trail last year that Chris and I came across Amache, the site of one of the internment camps in a remote area of southeast Colorado, near the town of Granada. We stopped, amazed at finding a random piece of American history where we didn’t expect it. As we walked

the dirt “streets” around the former community, even though the buildings are gone, we got a feeling for what life might have been like. It was cold and windy, and desolate. Yet those living there were able to create schools, some sense of community and even an upstart high school football team.

You are invited to come with us on this remarkable trip on The Santa Fe Trail with us to experience Amache. Hear the stories and feel the history in person. From an internment camp to tales of the people who crossed the plains in the early-to-mid 1800’s in covered wagons, the

pioneers created commerce back and forth across the prairies before the coming of the iron horse.

The fact the tour ends with two nights at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Santa Fe, two blocks from the famous plaza, is icing on the cake. The chance to be a part of American history is what drives me to create trips like this one. We are taking a maximum of 30 people and we have 9 openings as I write this. It’s not an itinerary we’ve done before and I’m not certain when it might be offered again. On The Santa Fe Trail you will meet living history characters who tell the stories. You’ll stay in historic Dodge City, which looks a bit different now than it did in the days of the wild west. Was Kansas the wild west, I’m not sure?

H H H H H H H H H H H

Appreciate you tuning in this month. Belated holiday best wishes to all who sent cards and dropped off goodies at the office. Our waistlines reflect your generosity. We sorta thank you. Shirley, your card was hysterical; and Matilda thanks for the goodies and the present. And so it goes. Those are just, of course, one man’s opinions…

Mark Hoffmann, CTP, Owner/Founder

Remembering Our Friends…

We take a minute in each newsletter to remember the friends we’ve lost in the past few months. When we are traveling, we are one big family. When we are not on the road, we dream of far away places and think of our traveling friends. Alas, when this journey is over, another awaits. Farewell, good friends. May we meet again someday.

Dr. Jeanne GoodSharon RatcliffJohn Nickerson

If you know of anyone who should be mentioned here, please drop us a note or give us a call. Thank you.

Still Going Strong at 102: Went visiting this holiday season, to Missouri, where the family matron, Aunt Annie Hoffmann (pictured here), resides. Thanks to John, my chauffeur; Susan, my concierge; and cousin Alicia, my nemesis; for all their help in making a great weekend. Special thanks to Annie, for being the best aunt ever. She’s been doing it a long time. Annie will celebrate her 103rd birthday in early March.

“Blueberry Found Some New Friends” submitted by David Wink is the latest winner of the Blueberry Photographic Society contest. Would you like to join? Write [email protected] for details!

Sports Leisure Vacations / January–February 2013 3

Clayton PlaceGreetings, friends!

Some things you just always remember. For example, I recall every detail of the first time I saw the movie “Somewhere in Time.” An internet search tells me it was released in the fall of 1980—my senior year in high school—but I don’t recall it coming to my home town. We had only one small theatre with a single screen. The local clientele preferred shoot-‘em-ups to love stories.

In the spring of 1981 “Toot” gifted me a dream-come-true: A trip to France. It was in Paris on the eve of Easter Sunday that a group of high school students from Georgia and New Jersey (that interesting combination and how we came together is another story for another time) found ourselves in a large cinema complex with a choice to make. Which movie would we see? “Look, that one has Superman in it, and I think it’s in English,” said one of my fellow explorers. (The male star, Christopher Reeve, was riding a wave of popularity thanks to his stint as the Man of Steel.) We all agreed and in we went.

I’m going to assume you’ve all seen this Hollywood classic. If not, go out and rent it NOW. Let’s just say it’s not your average “chick flick.” There’s suspense, tragedy and the supernatural element of time travel which is necessary to bring the star-crossed lovers together in the same time and place. And the movie is so very easy on the eyes. In addition to the above-mentioned male lead, his female interest is none other than the beautiful and immensely talented Jane Seymour.

Then there’s the filming location. I remember arguing with my friends to stay in the theatre through the credits. I had to know where it was made. The historic buildings and geography were most unlike anything I’d ever seen. At the very end, the producers wished to thank the people of

Mackinac Island for their assistance in making the film. Who, what and/or where is “Mackinac”? (Some of you know the answer to that question. If not, refer to page 53 in our 2013 Dream Book.)

Back home, my quest for knowledge began. I discovered the movie was based on the book Bid Time Return, and was set at another then-mystery location to me: The Hotel del Coronado near San Diego. When the screenplay was written in the late 70s, producers approached new Del owner Larry Lawrence (then our nation’s ambassador to Switzerland) about filming the movie, but he had just begun the massive renovation that would eventually give us the Del we all know and love. They could not make a deal. A giant, historic hotel was pivotal to the telling of the story. The producers launched an international search that eventually led them to the tiny island of Mackinac, just off the Michigan coast in Lake Huron, and the truly grand Grand Hotel built in 1887 just one year before the Del. As they say, the rest is movie history.

Sports Leisure has a long tradition of taking you to see the best of live theatre in our region, Chicago, New York and beyond. For the past decade, Broadway has increasingly looked to Hollywood for inspiration. Numerous popular shows over the past few years began as movies. I’ve often wondered why “Somewhere in Time” was overlooked for a stage adaptation. I need wonder no more.

In these pages, we announce our 34th Anniversary Tour. At first glance, seasoned travelers may think it’s a been there-done that. To be sure, we’ve offered the Portland Rose Festival regularly in the past. But the 2013 version is going to be different, and I for one can think of nowhere

I’d rather be in June. For it is there on the eve of the Grand Floral Parade that we’ll see the premier of the Broadway-bound musical, Somewhere in Time, and we’ve got the best seats in the house. Directed by Scott Schwartz (son of Stephen, composer of Wicked and numerous other musicals), it is being produced by Portland Center Stage.

Ever skeptical, before making these reservations and fully committing to a Rose Fest tour in 2013, I called my ticket broker, the lovely Jody Bell, in New York City. I wanted to know what kind of buzz the musical was getting in her discerning theatre city. Within a few days of my inquiry, she was able to attend a staged reading which included the presentation of a few of the songs. She called the show “gorgeous” and the music “stunning.” She’s not led me wrong in the past, so off we go to Portland this summer. Will you join Mark and me for this visually scrumptious festival along with a special anniversary celebration for your favorite tour company? I hope so!

“Your Tour Guy,”

Clayton Whitehead, CTPVice President

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The Customers Always WriteDear Clayton,

I thank you for the wonderful recognition of both our hotel and our city with your 2012 Outstanding Visitor Experience Awards. Both Tourism Victoria and our hotel team are delighted to see this. I will miss you at NTA this year but wish you well and thank you for this wonderful recognition. Regards,Mark Paul, Director of Sales andMarketing, Chateau Victoria Hotel & Suites

Editor’s Note: Each year, we list the top destinations, attractions, hotels and restaurants in an advertisement which is published in a national travel magazine. If you’d like to see which of our travel partners were honored this year, go to www.sportsleisure.com and click on Visitor Experience Awards on the home page to see the entire list.

Dear RoseMarie:Thank you for adding to the enjoyment

of our mini vacation on Catalina Island by being there and taking care old us old codgers. You may not know it now but as you age your brain goes into some sort of suspended state where it often refuses to operate. Having a young bright mind with a sparkling smile available to take care of you during those times was great. I do have one complaint I want to air about the trip. It wasn’t long enough! I was just getting into enjoying all the TLC and it was over. Hopefully we will meet again.Don

Dear Mark & Chris,We loved the “customizable” Thanks-

giving in NYC tour. The scheduled activities highlighted the city, provided great meals, and gave us our choice of plays. In our free time we did lots of our own “things” – meals at Carnegie Deli and Russian Tea Room, shopping at Tender Buttons, walking on Brooklyn Bridge, visiting the lions at NYPL, watching the GMA broadcast in Times Square. Thanks for a great week in NYC.Lea and Nancy

Hi Mark,Went on the Holiday Sweets and Goodies

trip yesterday. As usual, came home with bags laden with yummy stuff. I don’t know if you personally have ever been to the Duarte Trees & Vines place but it is a wonderland of the most amazing pointsettia plants you have ever seen. That was a nice surprise when Patricia Hansen told us Sports Leisure was giving us one of the plants. I thank you so much. Sincerely,Ruth Werner

Dear Mark,This year’s Christmas trip to Monterey

was essentially one of nostalgia for me. I had travelled there often with my parents when I was very young. Love the whole area, and wish we had had time to take a side trip to Carmel by the Sea, just to walk those cobbled streets and shop the many boutiques and food emporiums. (I don’t think they allow tour buses, however.)

I loved being able to gaze along the shore line and admire the scenery. I sat out on the wharf for a time just enjoying the view. Very happy (serendipity for sure) that there was a Starbucks directly across the street, as I am addicted, and was able to quaff quite a few of my favorite pumpkin spice lattes in the a.m., just as you, Mark were happy about the Round Table Pizza just down the street!

Also wanted to add my sincere thanks to staff (and especially to Michael) for helping me out when I had to cancel my Yosemite trip in October. I had not invested in trip insurance and had to swallow the whole trip expense, as there was no waitlist and no one to fill my seat. Several weeks later, Michael called to tell me that the Park Service had refunded part of that cancellation and that I would get at least SOME money back. Needless to say, I was delighted. Now I’d say that is some super special service on your part, and I am impressed by the generosity and customer care.

Thanks, Mark, for being such a prince during those few (very few) snafus we encountered along the way in Monterey. I

so enjoyed your ridiculous sense of humor, (I love to laugh), and your stories about years of experience in the travel business. I enjoyed the buoyant company of the very efficient and cheerful Chris and think he makes a fine Santa’s Elf.

Can’t TELL you how much I’m looking forward to the Maui/Molokai trip in April.Lani B.

Ed. Note: Lani, you are most welcome. Glad you enjoyed the trip, and indeed, the city of Carmel does not allow buses on city streets. Also no street lamps for walking at night.

To: Mark Hoffman and Staff:This is a note of thanks for the following:

The very nice reply to my letter concerning the City Hotel from Kevin Murphy. The care and concern from Joey Querio who did her best to make me comfortable when I got deathly ill and in pain on the bus trip to Columbia to see “Cinderella”. I ended up in ER that night and have had surgery since. And lastly, for the very nice get well card signed by your staff. It made my day and made me feel like one of a “caring family” which Sports Leisure emulates. Sincerely,Pat Weeks

Dear Kevin:My wife and I usually really enjoy the trips

we go on with you. However we feel that this show was far below what we normally expect. The script, we feel, was terrible (although the cast did admirably considering

Continued on page 5

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]

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

2 Days • March 6-7 or 12-13Last year two sold-out groups experienced our Snow Train tour

to Reno on board Amtrak’s California Zephyr. Begin with a pickup from one of our four convenient locations. The train departs from Sacramento’s rail station at 11am. Once on board the train, enjoy relaxing views from your reserved seat or from the domed observation car. A box lunch is included for you to take on the train so you won’t miss a thing! The scenery should be beautiful with snow-capped mountains and gorgeous views of Donner Lake from high above its southern shore.

Arrive in Reno at 4pm and enjoy dinner at your leisure and gamble the night away. Your accommodations are at the Silver Legacy Hotel & Casino. An optional stop at The Nugget in Sparks on the second day will be offered or you can stay downtown – the choice is yours. Return to Sacramento on board SuperCoach III.

The package includes rail passage from Sacramento to Reno, a boxed lunch, hotel accommodations, casino bonuses (subject to change), and return transportation on board SuperCoach III. 250/300 Gold Passport Points $239 p.p./dbl.occ., $259 single


The Champagne Express to TahoeHarvey’s Casino

Monday, March 11 or Tuesday, April 16Our monthly trips to Harvey’s Lake Tahoe Casino on the South

Shore of Lake Tahoe includes 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. Join us to find the “Luck of the Irish” in March. March – $40; April – $45

The 2013 Ballpark ExpressFor nearly 34 years, the BEST way to get to the major league

ballparks in Oakland and San Francisco has been with Sports Leisure Vacations. Our original Ballpark Express allows you to travel to games in comfort without the traffic, tolls, gas, food stops, etc. Refreshments are served on board the motorcoach on your way to and from each game. You’ll enjoy Field Level seating for all A’s games and your choice of Field Level or View Level (3rd Deck) seating for all Giants games. Please request your seating area when making your reservations. Game times are subject to change.

World Champion San Francisco Giants

Sun., May 5 Giants vs. Dodgers 1:05pm $153/$150

Wed., May 22 Giants vs. Nationals 12:45pm $108/$98

Wed., June 19 Giants vs. Padres 12:45pm $108/$98

Wed., July 10 Giants vs. Mets 12:45pm $118/$106

Sun., July 21 Giants vs. D-backs* 1:05pm $133/$121

Sun., July 28 Giants vs. Cubs 1:05pm $121/$109

Sun., Aug. 11 Giants vs. Orioles 1:05pm $118/$106

Wed., Aug. 21 Giants vs. Red Sox 1:05pm $138/$127

Sun. Sept. 29(Fan Appreciation Day)

Giants vs. Padres 1:05pm $118/$106

*Includes one-way transportation to the ballpark on the Vallejo Ferry for the game, return by motorcoach.

Oakland Athletics

Sat., Mar. 30(Pre Season)

Athletics vs. Giants 1:05pm $96

Mon., May 27(Memorial Day)

Athletics vs. Giants 1:05pm $117

Thurs., June 13 Athletics vs. Yankees 12:35pm $105

Sun., July 14 Athletics vs. Red Sox 1:05pm $105

Sun., Aug. 4 Athletics vs. Rangers 1:05pm $99

Sun., Sept. 22(Fan Appreciation Day)

Athletics vs. Twins 1:05pm $99

Casino Trips and Ballpark Express

what they had to work with). Only about fifteen minutes of the play was good. That was the scenes spoofing the actual “Christmas Carol”.

They had several scenes with crude language that we did not appreciate. We’re not sure of course, but it seemed several of the audience got up and left during the play. Sincerely yours,Paul J. Darghty

ery once in a while, we find a “bomb” out there. It’s the danger of taking folks to a show without a “history.” But we’ve seen some pretty awesome entertainment over the years by taking a chance from time to time. Your understanding is appreciated.

Dear Mark,Enclosed is some information about John Sutter and his time

on the Santa Fe Trail. If you will recall, I mentioned that there is a Sacramento connection to the Santa Fe trade via John Sutter, as he made some trading trips on the Santa Fe Trail before coming to California. I’ve enclosed the first two chapters from a bio of Sutter

The Customers Always Write – Con’t from pg. 4

and hope it will be of interest to you and the travelers on the Santa Fe Trail trip next year.

Also we have photos of the quartet who sang for us in Leavenworth and of Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tinman and Lion at the Oz Museum. People who were with us on the trip, and would like to have copies, can send an email note to [email protected]. Thanks again for the Mystery Trip to Kansas,Sherry and Howard Hatch

Thank yous were received from The Children’s Receiving Home, the Wreath Project at www.RememberAVet.net, and the Lambda Awards.


The Human Side Learn, Laugh, Reflect

A Dinner Date with A Special LadyFor Those of You Taking Notes

on the Journey…• If walking is good for your health, the

postman would be immortal.• A whale swims all day, only eats fish,

drinks water, and is fat.• A rabbit runs and hops and only lives 15

years.• A tortoise doesn’t run and does nothing,

yet it lives for 450 years.And you tell me to exercise?? I don’t think

so. I’m retired. Go around me.God grant me the senility to forget the

people I never liked, the good fortune to run into the ones I do, and the eyesight to tell the difference.

Now that I’m older here’s what I’ve discovered:

• I started out with nothing, and I still have most of it.

• My wild oats have turned into prunes and all-bran.

• I finally got my head together, and now my body is falling apart.

• Funny, I don’t remember being absent-minded.


• If all is not lost, where is it?• Some days, you’re the dog; some days

you’re the hydrant.• Kids in the back seat cause accidents.• Accidents in the back seat cause kids.• The only time the world beats a path

to your door is when you’re in the bathroom.

• If God wanted me to touch my toes, he’d have put them on my knees.

• The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.

• These days, I spend a lot of time thinking about the hereafter . . .I go somewhere to get something, and then wonder what I’m hereafter.


Did I send these to you before????Forty Sports Leisure Travelers spent Christmas in Monterey and many attended Christmas Eve services at Mission Carmel

After 21 years of marriage, my wife told me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She said, “I love you, but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you.”

The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my MOTHER, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and three children made visiting difficult. That night I invited her to go out for dinner and a movie. “What’s wrong, are you well?” she asked.

My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news. “I thought that it would be pleasant to spend some time with you,” I responded. “Just the two of us.” She thought about it for a moment, and then said, “I would like that very much.”

That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary. She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel’s. “I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed,” she said, as she got into the car. “They can’t wait to hear about it.”

We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only read large print. Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips. “It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small,” she said. “Then it’s time that you relax and let me return the favor,” I responded. During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation – nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other’s life. We talked so much that we missed the movie. As we arrived at her house later, she said, “I’ll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you.” I agreed.

“How was your dinner date?” asked my wife when I got home. “Very nice. Much more so than I could have imagined,” I answered.

A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn’t have a chance to do anything for her. Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place mother and I had dined. An attached note said: “I paid this bill in advance. I wasn’t sure that I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid

for two plates – one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you, son.”

At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: “I LOVE YOU” and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off ‘til “some other time.”


Swagger & Swing in San FranciscoRrazz Room, San FranciscoThursday, February 14

Spend Valentines Day in The City with this excellent tribute show. Though Frank Sinatra and Bobby Darin never shared a stage, veteran singer Jonathan Poretz brings these two musical giants together in concert in a true Clash of the Titans. Mr. Poretz, sings everyone’s favorites including “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” “Beyond The Sea,” “Mack The Knife,” “Fly Me To The Moon,” and many more. Lunch is included at popular Buca Di Beppo’s prior to the 2pm matinee. $142

Yesterday Once More – A Carpenters TributeGallo Center for the Arts, ModestoSaturday, February 16

Showcasing the songs that began their life with Karen and Richard Carpenter, Yesterday Once More takes audiences back in time, recapturing the music an entire generation fell in love with, and fell in love to. The show is enhanced with behind-the-scenes stories and anecdotes of the pop culture of the 70’s, along with lush arrangements of songs like “We’ve Only Just Begun” and ”Close To You!” Dinner is included at the Canal Street Grill prior to the 8pm show. $140

The Russian National Ballet’s CinderellaMarin Civic Center, San RafaelSunday, February 17

In Cinderella, the magical tale of the wistful young woman tending the hearth skips along to Tchaikovsky’s spritely score. Despite the scorn of her wickedly jealous stepsisters, Cinderella radiates jubilance after her Fairy Godmother descends and sends her off in style to the Prince’s ball. With pluck and wonder, she takes the love of the Prince and yet keeps true to her own warm heart. Lunch included at Chalet Basque Restaurant prior to the 2pm matinee. $143

Cash & ClineWoodland Opera HouseSaturday, February 23

Johnny and Dee Price, along with their band the Rhythm Riders, present their tribute to Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline in a concert at the Woodland Opera House. With Johnny portraying the “Man in Black,” you’ll here all of Johnny Cash’s signature hits including “Ring of Fire,” and “Walk the Line.” Dee shares many Patsy Cline favorites including “Walking After Midnight” and “Crazy.” Dinner is included at Kitchen 428, prior to the 7:30pm show. $135

Snow White and Scoma’s in San FranciscoCelebrating 75 years of Disney magicMonday, March 4

The Walt Disney Family Museum has created a special exhibition, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, in honor of the 75th anniversary of Walt Disney’s first feature-length animated film. This exhibition is showcased in a separate building and features more than 200 works of art as well as conceptual drawings, story sketches and never-before-seen works. Lunch is included at Scoma’s. In the afternoon, choose to return to the museum for a closer look at the Disney story or have free time on Fisherman’s Wharf. $125

“Girl with a Pearl Earring”de Young Museum, San FranciscoThursday, March 14

One of the most famous and recognizable paintings throughout the world, Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer, comes to the de Young Museum. From the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis in The Hague, the piece, accompanied by a prestigious collection representing the Golden Age of 17th-Century Dutch Masters, has not been lent out in 30 years. Also at the de Young is Rembrandt’s Century, an exhibit which explores the artist and his influence on other 17th-century artists, which includes etchings, drawings, watercolors, and prints.

An audio guide is included and lunch is at your leisure in the museum café. $98

André Rieu in ConcertSleep Train Arena (formerly Arco Arena)Friday, March 15

Violin master André Rieu returns to Sacramento with a brand new show! Rieu’s international “And The Waltz Goes On Tour” is an ode to the waltz and named after his successful album. But if you think waltzes are all André and his orchestra play, you’re wrong! From famous Viennese operettas to film scores, spirituals to musicals, and from folk songs to marches, André’s concerts are a perfect mix of thrilling, romantic, and festive melodies combined with lots of surprises and, of course, Andre’s great sense of humor! Seating is in the upper few rows of the lower bowl of the arena to minimize stairs. Dinner will precede the 8pm performance at Johnny Carino’s Italian Restaurant. $171

Chinese New Year in SFSaturday, March 16

Our always popular tour visits Buddha’s Universal Church in San Francisco in celebration of the Chinese New Year with traditional Chinese theatre. Presented in both English and Cantonese, this year’s production of Turmoils at Professor Ming’s Mansion continues the story of Golden Pearl and her devious mother who scheme and plot to ruin White Peony, the close friend of Professor Ming’s son. With music, song and dance, and colorful costumes this day out in the city sells out quickly. A Chinese lunch is included at the historic Cathay House Restaurant in Chinatown. $102

Kenny RogersGallo Center for the ArtsWednesday, March 20

Known for his instantly identifiable, sweetly raspy vocals and an extraordinary ability to vividly inhabit each song he performs, Kenny Rogers has sold more than 120 million records worldwide. His long list of timeless classics includes “The Gambler,”

Day Trips and Theatre Outings


“Lady,” “Lucille,” “She Believes in Me,” “Islands in the Stream,” and “We’ve Got Tonight.” Dinner is included prior to the 7pm evening show. Limited space! $179

In the MoodMarin Center, San RafaelThursday, March 21

In the Mood is the 1940’s Big Band Theatrical Swing Dance Revue that celebrates America’s greatest generation through the music of Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, and other greats of the 1940’s. Featuring a company of 19 on stage, including the In the Mood Singers and Dancers with the sensational String of Pearls Big Band Orchestra, the show’s costumes and choreography are as authentic as they get. Lunch is served at La Toscana in San Rafael prior to the 3pm matinee. $145

Here To Stay: The Gershwin ExperienceGallo Center, ModestoSaturday, March 23

Here to Stay is the multimedia concert event celebrating the greatest team of collaborators in the history of American music, George and Ira Gershwin. Family photos, rare video clips, and elegant, state-of-the-art visuals provide a distinctive, unforgettable evening. Here to Stay features pianist Kevin Cole, the leading Gershwin interpreter; the Grammy award-winning Soprano Sylvia McNair; and tap dancing sensation Ryan VanDenBoom. Performances include “Rhapsody in Blue,” “I Got Rhythm, Strike Up the Band,” “The Man I Love,” “‘S Wonderful” and many more classic Gershwin tunes. Dinner precedes the 8pm show. $140

The San Francisco Flower & Garden ShowSan Mateo Event CenterSunday, March 24

Usher in Spring by joining us on our annual trek to The San Francisco Flower & Garden Show. This year’s spectacular new show features 18 unique display gardens by top West Coast garden designers. “Gardens Make The World Go Round” will be the

international theme and features the world’s largest succulent globe with over 30,000 plants depicting the seas and continents. Whether you’re looking for your garden make-over inspiration, shopping for a gift or just want to enjoy walking through the amazing gardens, it’s a wonderful way to kick off Spring! Lunch is on your own at the event center. $111

49-Mile Scenic Seagull TourTuesday, March 26

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

China’s Terracotta WarriorsAsian Art Museum, San FranciscoThursday, March 28 or May 2

Described as the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” the Asian Art Museum presents artifacts from this exciting discovery from the burial site of the First Emperor of China. This exhibition includes ten of the finest figures from the site, the most allowed outside China at any one time. With museum docents as your guides, learn the story and history of the First Emperor and his quest for power and immortality. Enjoy time after the private tour to explore other exhibits and enjoy lunch on your own in the museum café. $97

Tony Orlando in ConcertGallo Center for the Arts, ModestoFriday, March 29

Perhaps no entertainer can move and excite an audience quite like Tony Orlando. Tony recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of his recording of “Tie A Yellow Ribbon ‘Round The Ole Oak Tree.” He brings to the stage a warmth and exhilarating energy that electrifies an audience. From million selling records (five #1 hits), a

popular television variety series, to movies and Broadway (Barnum and Smokey Joe’s Cafe), Tony Orlando has conquered every facet of show business. Dinner is included at the Canal Street Grill prior to the 8pm show. $153

Easter Brunch at IronstoneSunday, March 31

Return to the Sierra Foothills with our festive daytrip to enjoy an Easter brunch buffet at the beautiful Ironstone Winery, just outside Murphys, overlooking its green vineyards and orchards. Stroll through the blooming gardens, visit the history museum and, of course, sample some of the winery’s award-winning wines and maybe bring home a few bottles! You may also catch the area’s children in a spirited Easter egg hunt on the lawns of the estate. Spring is the perfect time to enjoy the drive through the foothills and quaint gold rush towns. $124

Menopause the MusicalGallo Center for the Arts, ModestoTuesday, April 2

It’s the hilarious celebration of women and “The Change!” Four women meet at a lingerie sale and discover they have much in common including a black lace bra, memory loss, hot flashes, night sweats, not enough sex, too much sex and more! This hilarious musical parody set to classic tunes from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s will have you cheering and dancing in the aisles! Dinner is included prior to the 8pm evening performance. $156

Jersey BoysCurran Theatre, San FranciscoWed., April 3 or 10, or Sat., April 20

Jersey Boys is the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning Best Musical about Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. This is the story of how four blue-collar kids became one of the greatest successes in pop music history. The show features their hit songs “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Rag Doll,” “Oh What a Night” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” to name a few. The trips on Wednesday include a box lunch served en route to San Francisco with


a stop for dinner on your own at Fisherman’s Wharf/Pier 39 after the show. Our Saturday departure includes lunch on your own at Union Square preceding the show. Wednesday – $142, Saturday – $175

Buddy: The Buddy Holly StoryEast Sonora Theatre, SonoraSaturday, April 6

The man. The legend. The music. BUDDY tells the story of how the gifted singer Buddy Holly became the world’s top recording artist with a show that also features the music of Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper, plus more than twenty of Holly’s greatest hits including “Peggy Sue,” “That’ll be the Day,” “Oh Boy,” and “Maybe Baby.” Now the world’s most successful Rock & Roll musical is ready to explode on Sierra Repertory’s East Sonora stage in a toe-tapping, hand-clapping extravaganza. Lunch precedes the 2pm matinee at Christopher’s Ristorante Italiano in Sonora. $126

Brunch with SnoopyFeaturing the Charles Schultz MuseumSunday, April 7

Spend a Spring Sunday with one of Santa Rosa’s most famous residents: Snoopy! Created by Charles Schultz, who worked from his home in Santa Rosa, you’ll discover how one man’s love for his dog turned into Peanuts, the most popular international cartoon strip. A fabulous Sunday Brunch buffet precedes your visit to the museum at the Flamingo Resort. $127

Roses & WildflowersMonday, April 15

There is a springtime explosion of flowers in the little valley that is the 1895 homestead of Eleven Roses Ranch near Clear Lake. You will be greeted by Anne who will share some stories about her heritage and her connection to the ranch. Enjoy a wagon ride out through the valley and a chuck wagon BBQ. There is time to explore and take photos of the flowers and animals or just sit and enjoy the beautiful setting, visiting with friends. Stop briefly at Granzella’s in Williams to buy some local goodies. $121

took his infectious energy to the airwaves by creating two of his own nationally syndicated television programs, Jack Hanna’s Animal Adventures and most recently Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild. Jungle Jack’s live show features many of his favorite animal friends, as well as fascinating and humorous stories and footage from his adventures around the world. Everyone from the youngest child to the oldest adult is entertained and inspired! Dinner is included prior to the 7pm evening show. $150

Neil Berg’s 103 Years of BroadwayMarin Center, San RafaelSunday, April 28

Neil Berg’s 103 Years of Broadway, the nation’s number one Broadway touring revue in America, entertains audiences with some of the world’s most beloved music from Broadway in a sensational, dazzling musical revue. The show recreates the greatest moments from the finest shows of the century featuring the actual stars of shows such as The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, and Jekyll & Hyde. These amazing performers light up the stage with songs from the hit shows in which they starred along with your favorite Broadway showstoppers. Lunch is included at Hilltop 1892 in Novato prior to the 3pm matinee. $139

Mary PoppinsOrpheum Theatre, San FranciscoThursday, May 9

Mary Poppins returns to San Francisco for a very limited engagement. Join in the fun as the magical nanny shares her world of fantasy with the children of the Banks Family in turn-of-the-century London. Featuring such memorable songs as “Spoonful of Sugar,” “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” and “Chim Chim Cheree” you’ll leave the theater with a spring in your step and a song in your heart. The trip features a boxed lunch served en route to the 2pm matinee performance with orchestra seating. A stop at Pier 39/Fisherman’s Wharf for dinner on your own follows the show. $145

A Day at the RacesThursday, April 18

Our always popular Day at the Races includes a buffet lunch and seating in the enclosed Turf Club at Golden Gate Fields by beautiful San Francisco Bay in Berkeley. Enjoy the races from a comfortable table with betting windows conveniently nearby and television monitors throughout the dining room. We’ll arrive to get settled before post time and the first race. $103

You Have A Date for Lunch in VolcanoMonday, April 22

Join us for lunch in the small Sierra foothills community of Volcano at the historic Union Inn. Built in 1880 by four itinerate French Canadians, the inn was first a boarding house for miners. Learn more about the history of the inn and Volcano while dining on fresh, flavorful and seasonable entrees prepared with all local ingredients. (If you have dined with us at Taste in Plymouth, this is its sister restaurant). A brief visit to the Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park is planned to view its incredible collection of Miwok baskets. $116

Sandi Patty in ConcertGallo Center for the Arts, ModestoFriday, April 26

As one of the most highly acclaimed performers of our time with five Grammy Awards, Sandi Patty is simply known as “The Voice.” In fact, she is the most awarded female vocalist in contemporary Christian music history. Sandi was introduced to the world with her rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner “during the rededication of the Statue of Liberty in 1986. Sandi will perform several of her well-known pieces. Dinner is included at the Canal Street Grill prior to the 8pm evening show. $150

An Evening with Jack HannaGallo Center for the Arts, ModestoSaturday, April 27

Recognized around the country as America’s favorite zookeeper from many television appearances, Jungle Jack Hanna


The Castle, the Ocean and the InnFeaturing Hearst Castle & the Apple Farm Inn 4 Days • June 3-6

1. Travel over Pacheco Pass to Salinas for lunch and visit Vision Quest Ranch, a home for exotic animals. Continue to San Luis Obispo and one of the most delightful inns you have ever experienced. Apple Farm Inn – 2 nights (L)

2. Visit the Morro Bay Natural History Museum and dine on the hill overlooking the famous bay. A wine and cheese reception waits for you at the inn. This evening, the cast of “The Altos” joins you for some dinner theatre fun! (L,D)

3. A visit to Hearst Castle is a journey back in time. The daytime tour of the home of larger-than-life publisher William Randolph Hearst includes the main guest house, the dining room and grounds. The 45-minute tour includes 106 stairs and a walk of two-thirds mile. Wander at your leisure through the gardens and pool areas. Lunch is included in nearby Cambria before checking into your lodgings for the evening, situated on the bluffs above the Pacific in San Simeon. (If you have visited Hearst Castle previously and would like to spend the morning browsing the shops of Cambria, receive a credit of $25.) Best Western Cavalier (L)

4. Leave the Central Coast and discover the beauty and bounty of the region of Paso Robles. Lunch precedes your journey home through the Salinas Valley with a stop at Casa de Fruita. Arrive in Sacramento in the early evening. (L)

The tour includes door-to-door transportation, deluxe motorcoach service, accommodations, 5 meals (4L,1D), all tours and attractions listed, and the services of a Sports Leisure Vacations Tour Director. 1200/1400 Gold Passport Points

$1170 p.p./dbl.occ., $1370 single$ave $40 until January 29

Somewhere in Time at the Portland Rose FestivalCelebrate Sports Leisure’s 34th anniversary with Mark, Clayton and a whole lotta flowers!3 Days • June 7-9

1. This all-Portland tour moves at a leisurely pace, flies at “human” hours (your neighbors might just be awake to see the limo in your driveway!), includes all the most popular Rose Festival activities and stays at a quiet, suburban hotel. A mid-morning flight to Portland is followed by free time for lunch, tax-free shopping and a chance to witness the beauty on display at the 125th Annual Spring Rose Show. An early dinner is followed by a performance of the new Broadway-bound production of Somewhere in Time. Based on the movie by the same name, the musical retells one of the greatest love stories ever written. Country Inn & Suites – 2 nights (D)

2. The Portland Rose Festival’s signature event is the Grand Floral Parade, preceded by the coronation of the Festival Queen. Due to Portland’s unpredictable weather, the parade is routed through Memorial Coliseum. That’s where your seats are – always warm and dry, with concessions, restrooms and other “creature comforts” nearby. Following, you’re off to the riverfront to explore the exhibits and attractions along the Festival Midway. Our Anniversary Dinner will include memories and reflections on over three decades of service to you – our treasured members. (FB,D)

3. Travel north of the mighty Columbia River to Portland’s sister city of Vancouver, Washington. Its annual Sunday Farmer’s Market is a treat for all the senses. Lunch, a visit to the International Rose Test Garden, and a mid-afternoon return flight will bring your adventure to a close. (FB,L)

Includes door-to-door service, roundtrip air, deluxe motorcoach transportation, all tours and attractions listed, 5 meals (2FB,1L,2D) and a Sports Leisure Tour Director. 1100/1200 Gold Passport Points


Spacing Out or Horsing Around? A Mystery Tour2 Days • June 10-11 or June 12-13

Scott has decided he likes Mystery Tours. Here is a short regional trip that might just get you interested in mysteries too! How about some clues? Sonny won’t steer you wrong. Visit the “peoples place.” What is a “hyperbolic parabaloid” structure? Want to visit one? The package includes hotel accommodations, motorcoach transpor-tation, 2 lunches and lots of surprises along the way. Won’t you join Scott in June? 400 Gold Passport Points. Add door-to-door service for $80 per person.


Ships & SpaceSee the Space Shuttle Endeavour & USS Iowa3 Days • June 22-24

There’s always A LOT going on in Southern California! When NASA recently retired its fleet of Space Shuttles, the California Science Center in Los Angeles became the new home of the Endeavour. When Northern California lost its bid to hold on to the Battleship USS Iowa, formally a long-time resident of the “mothball fleet” near Benicia, it was San Pedro that became its new home. Visit these historic ships on a NEW itinerary to Southern California.

1. Fly to LA this morning and head directly to the California Science Center, home of the Space Shuttle Endeavour. The center, similar to the Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, showcases the Endeavour and has four other centers that focus on life sciences, ecosystems, and special exhibits. Explore the center and enjoy lunch at your leisure. Check into your hotel in the late afternoon, just in time for the nightly Manager’s Reception. Embassy Suites, LAX South – 2 nights

2. A full cooked-to-order breakfast is included each morning at the hotel. Following breakfast, journey to San Pedro and the historic Pt. Fermin Lighthouse, the restored Victorian-style lighthouse was the first that protected the waters of San Pedro

New Vacations and Getaways

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Bay. A late Sunday Brunch is served in style aboard the Queen Mary, moored in nearby Long Beach. After brunch, see the ship and countless others on a bay cruise. This working harbor is one of the busiest ports in the world. (FB,BR)

3. The USS Iowa was “adopted” from the mothball fleet of Northern California just last year. A guided tour will showcase several areas of the ship including the Ward Room, Captain’s Cabin, FDR’s Private Cabin with the only warship bathtub at sea, Gun Turret #1, and the Crew’s Mess. An informative museum with several short films on the history of the ship are also included. Fly home from Long Beach but not before a private tour of the art, architecture and history of Long Beach Airport. Arrive in Sacramento in the early evening. (FB,L)

The tour includes roundtrip air, accommo-dations, 4 meals (2FB,1BR,1L), all tours and attractions listed, and the services of a Sports Leisure Vacations Tour Director. 1200/1300 Gold Passport Points


Lassen National Park & Burney FallsFeaturing the natutal beauty of the Feather River Canyon3 Days • June 23-25

1. Travel north on board SuperCoach III to Chico for lunch. In Redding explore Turtle Bay Museum and walk across the Sundial Bridge, designed by Santiago Calatrava, before checking into your hotel for the evening. Red Lion Inn (L)

2. Head east into the mountains with your first stop at McArthur-Burney Falls State Park. While there is a view of the falls from the parking lot, you may want to go down the trail to catch some the spray and fully experience the grandeur before you! Meander south through Lassen Volcanic National Park, visiting the Loomis Museum and stopping for a picnic lunch. See steaming fumaroles and other features of this active volcanic park en route to the main visitors center and the town of Chester. Best Western Rose Quartz Inn (B,L,D)

3. The Plumas County Museum and

Courthouse in Quincy are unique finds. Lunch is included in town before your journey along the Feather River Scenic Byway to Oroville. A brief visit to the beautiful Chinese Temple in Oroville reminds of you of the history and contributions of the Chinese in Californian history. Arrive in Sacramento in the late afternoon. (B,L)

The tour includes deluxe transportation, accommodations, 6 meals (2B,3L,1D), all tours and attractions listed, and the services of a Sports Leisure Vacations Tour Director. 850/950 Gold Passport Points


Oktoberfest in OregonFeaturing a three-night stay at the Oregon Gardens Resort4 days • September 10-13

H Highlights H• Three nights at the Oregon Gardens

resort – Unpack Once!• Experience Oktoberfest in Mt. Angel• Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum,

home of the Spruce Goose• Guided tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s

Gordon House• 8 Meals; 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners• Roundtrip air Sacramento/Portland• Door-to-door transportation• 1500/1700 Gold Passport Points

1. Fly to Portland and travel south to your hotel for three nights at the Oregon Gardens Resort, adjacent to 20 themed gardens across 80 acres. Enjoy a guided tour of world-renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s only building in Oregon, the Gordon House. Oregon Gardens Resort – 3 nights (L,D)

2. The small Bavarian town of Mt. Angel has an Old World flavor, heightened by the many Bavarian style storefronts. Its beautiful Benedictine abbey is set high above town on a 300 foot bluff. A guided tour of the abbey is scheduled right after lunch at the Glockenspiel Restaurant and Pub, set in the middle of town and named for the glockenspiel tower it sits beneath. (B,L)

3. Spend the day at Oregon’s oldest and best-loved Oktoberfest. It is also Oregon’s largest folk festival and includes continuous

live music at four venues, Alpine food booths, arts and crafts, and a traditional Weingarten and Biergarten. (B,D)

4. The Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum features 80 aircraft, including the “Spruce Goose,” and depicts the history of space from Sputnik to modern space stations. Don’t miss the Titan II Missile, standing upright and ready to launch! Return home in the early evening. (B,L)


On the Road with the World Champion Giants!Featuring an optional visit to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown4 or 6 Days • September 16 or 18-21

H Highlights H• See the Giants play the Mets and Yankees

in New York City • Optional visit to Cooperstown – Visit the

National Baseball Hall of Fame, overnight at the beautiful Otesaga Resort

• Tour Lower Manhattan with a real NYC Police Officer and hear the story of 9/11

• Experience a tour of Brooklyn – by Pizza!• Tour Yankee Stadium and the Mets’ Citi

Field (depending on availability)• Discover New York City’s Sports Museum

& poignant 9/11 Memorial• Roundtrip air to Albany or NYC, return air

to Sacramento• Door-to-door transportation• 6 Meals: 1 Full Breakfast 3 lunches,

2 dinners1. Fly to Albany. Enjoy an included dinner

before turning in for the evening. Hotel: TBA (D)

2. A short drive delivers you to Cooperstown, home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Explore the museum on your own, checking out the permanent exhibits and, of course, the famous Plaque Gallery where you can locate the likeness and stats of your favorite Hall of Famer. Your evening is spent in historic luxury at the finest address in town. Otesaga Resort (D)

3. Make your way to New York City, stopping en route for lunch. Both the 4-Day and 6-Day groups will arrive in the city in the late afternoon. After a brief amount of


time to change into your Giants gear, your first game follows at Citi Field, home of the New York Mets, as they take on the World Champion Giants. (FB,L – 6-Day trip only)

4. Travel to The Bronx today for a tour of Yankee Stadium. Your second ballgame is a day game back at Citi Field. Tonight, a free evening for dinner or possibly a Broadway show (additional cost) is available or choose to relax back at your hotel. Available shows will be announced closer to the tour dates.

5. Explore Downtown Manhattan this morning with Coleman O’Reilly, an NYC Police Officer, who can give you unique insights into not only the Big Apple, but the events of 9/11. Tonight, journey to The Bronx to see the Giants play the Yankees. (L)

6. Return to Citi Field this morning for a tour of the Mets’ new ballpark, which opened the same year as new Yankee Stadium. Later this morning tour Brooklyn – by pizza! Our guide will show us everything Brooklyn is known for, from Coney Island to the Brooklyn Bridge. How do you measure distance in Brooklyn? By the pizza places, of course! Enjoy several stops for pizza along the way before heading for the airport and your late afternoon flight back to Sacramento. (L)

Prices available after Tuesday, Feb. 5Call to place your name on the

Priority Notification List!

Taos and the Albuquerque Balloon FiestaFeaturing the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad 7 Days • October 1-7

H Highlights H• Stay two nights at the beautiful Buffalo

Thunder Resort• Tour Puye Cliffs with its original Harvey

House• Guided tour of Taos Pueblo • Visit the Abruzzo International Balloon

Museum• Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta: Balloon

Glow and Mass Ascensions with upgraded seating

• Sandia Tram with lunch at High Finance Restaurant

• Roundtrip air to/from Albuquerque• Door-to-door transportation

• 14 Meals: 6 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 2 dinners

• 2600/2950 Gold Passport Points1. Fly to Albuquerque and enjoy a hosted

lunch before checking into your hotel, just north of Santa Fe in the picturesque Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder Resort – 2 nights (L)

2. Experience the Puye Cliff Dwellings, home to the ancestors of today’s Santa Clara Pueblo people. Discover an original Harvey House, the only one built on an Indian reservation, and visit El Santuario de Chimayo, the site of “el pocito,” the small pit of holy dirt which many people attribute as possessing curative powers. (B,L)

3. As you travel to Taos in northern New Mexico the scenery will dispel any thought of this being strictly a desert state. Autumn brings bursts of color that can take your breath away. Learn about the history and culture of the Taos Pueblo during a tour with a member of the Pueblo. Kachina Lodge – 2 nights (B,D)

4. Crossing back and forth across the Colorado and the New Mexico border, the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Narrow Gauge Railroad is truly memorable. Sense the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains as you travel through tunnels, above deep gorges and over Cumbres Pass. The first 20 people to sign up for our tour will be rewarded with seating in the first class parlor car. (B,L)

5. Return to Albuquerque this morning for its International Balloon Fiesta. With over 600 balloons, it is both the largest ballooning event and the most photographed event on earth. Tonight view “Twilight Twinkle Glow,” a static display of balloons after dark. Your upgraded views will be from the Chase Lounge, with private outdoor seating. Hilton Garden Inn – 2 nights (B,L,D)

6. An early morning introduces you to the Mass Ascensions. These launches of all the participating balloons have been a feature of Balloon Fiesta since its earliest days. (Weather permitting, high winds could possibly cancel any events). Travel the famous Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway and enjoy the view and lunch on top of the peak at High Finance. (B,L)

7. Before returning home visit the Abruzzo International Balloon Museum and the Turquoise Museum, which houses the world’s largest collection of the blue-green mineral. An afternoon flight returns you to Sacramento. (B,L)


Fall in YosemiteFeaturing the Mariposa Grove & Glacier Point3 Days • October 20-22

1. Travel in comfort to Yosemite National Park where you will enjoy Sunday Brunch in the Ahwahnee Dining Room with its 34 foot high ceilings and floor to ceiling windows looking out on the valley. After brunch, a guided historic tour of the public areas deepens your appreciation for the architecture and interior design of this grand structure. Tonight on your own, take in a ranger talk or walk to nearby Yosemite Falls. Your accommodations are in individual lodge buildings. Dining options include a food court and the Mountain Room Restaurant. If you are unable to ascend a single flight of stairs, please request a room on the ground floor as there are no elevators. Yosemite Lodge - 2 nights (BR)

2. A guided grand tour of Yosemite Valley highlights the history and geology of the park with stops along the way for you to take photos of Half Dome, Bridal Veil Falls and El Capitan. This all-day tour includes Glacier Point and the Mariposa Grove (weather permitting). At the Mariposa Grove, ride a tram through the ancient Sequoia trees. Lunch is included at the Victorian-era Wawona Hotel. (L)

3. Depart the valley along the historic Big Oak Flat route (Rt. 120) arriving in Groveland in time for lunch. Continue through the foothills this afternoon towards Sacramento, arriving in the early evening. (L)

The tour includes roundtrip transportation aboard SuperCoach III, accommodations, 3 meals (1BR,2L), all tours and attractions listed, and the services of a Sports Leisure Vacations Tour Director. 1150/1400 Gold Passport Points



The Barber Pole, or Once Over LightlyGetting Picked Up At HomeFor nearly 20 years, this has been a

signature of Sports Leisure’s service. Along with our partners at Carey Transportation, who plot, dispatch and oversee a herd of cars and vans throughout Sacramento on our departure mornings; we have been able to expand this service to motorcoach tours departing from our office. When the service was expanded, it included two-day tours. After one year, we felt the added cost on a very short trip was serving as a detriment to potential travelers, because it was adding a lot (percentage-wise) to the price of the trip.

On a recent tour, a traveler commented that they would love to take some of the two-day sightseeing tours, but couldn’t because she didn’t drive after dark and didn’t have transportation. When informed she could easily add the Carey service for two-day trips, she was thrilled.

By request, we are now offering some of our two-day excursions with or without home pick-up. See the individual tour descriptions for details.

Two’s Company, Three’s a Crowd

Back in the day, most hotels and motels had what were called “rollaway beds.” They would add one of these beds to a room on request when there were three people staying in a two-bedded room. The extra charge was usually modest.

Fast forward to present times. Few hotels even offer rollaway beds anymore. Those who do have a very limited number and don’t “guarantee” you will get one on arrival. For that reason, and the fact that over the years we have had more than a few negative comments from three ladies sharing a room on the road, we have strongly discouraged triple occupancy reservations, or three people sharing the same room. It’s fine when you are traveling with a small child, but not as easy with three adults.

On a recent tour, three ladies arrived at their Marriott Hotel surprised to find only two beds. While there is some question as

to whether or not the information above was shared with them when they registered, the Tour Director was able to work out the problem, thanks to a flexible hotel staff.

So we would like to take this opportunity to reiterate our policy regarding triple occupancy in hotel rooms (or cruise ship staterooms) while on tour. We strongly discourage three adults from sharing a room. Please be advised the hotels we use do not, by and large, offer additional beds in a room. Past comments tell us this is not the best way to travel, except when special personal circumstances dictate it as the only option.

If three of you are traveling together, why not get a single and a double room, ask to have them close to each other in the hotel for convenience (a request, not a certainty) and take turns enjoying the “private” room on the trip? That way, you’d split the extra single cost three ways and have a lot more comfort.

Where Did They Go…At last year’s Tour Preview Day, a client

asked if I would share the destinations of the Mystery Tours, once they had returned to Sacramento. Seemed like an interesting idea, so here goes.

Spring 2012 – Clayton escorted a trip to Paducah, KY, and thereabouts.

Summer 2012 – Scott took a group to the northeastern Oregon communities of Enterprise and Joseph.

Summer 2012 – Day tripper went on a mystery excursion to see a musical theatre re-creation of “Clue” (Remember the old board game?) in Chico.

Fall 2012 – Mark and Ryan went to Kansas with 37 folks on Living, History, Nuts.

Fall 2012 – Standin’ on a Corner, Another day-tripper mystery, in and around Fairfield.

Winter 2012 – Our 10th annual Christmas Mystery went to western Florida, including Naples, Ft. Myers and Captiva Island (the crab races will live on in infamy forever).

Scott put together a wonderful itinerary in Alaska for this summer, but the price tag was

a little high for a mystery tour (at least that’s our guess) and it didn’t make its minimum number.

Scott is also escorting the upcoming spring mystery tour, Look to the Sky, which is currently sold out. On these pages, you will find a new Summer Mystery Tour, one that’s only two days in length. (Here’s your opportunity to try a Mystery Tour without spending a large amount of money. If you like the shorter one, take the plunge.)

We will offer at least one more Mystery Tour this year, our 11th Annual Christmas Mystery. Details on that package will be available at our Spring Preview Day in April. Those on the tour last year will receive automatic notification.

SF Lion King Sets a RecordThe North American Tour of Disney’s The

Lion King, which was attended by nearly 200 Sports Leisure Travelers, broke a weekly box office record at the Orpheum Theatre twice during it’s 10 week run.

Hearst Castle is featured on our Castle, Ocean and Inn tour this June

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

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


3 Days Feb. 11-13 The Route 66 California Dreamin’ Tour

See roadside oddities like The Bottle Farm, the Wigwam Hotel and Barney’s Beanery. Discover highway history at the Route 66 Museum in Victorville. Dine at Route 66 landmarks, including The Sycamore Inn, The Summit Inn, The Golden Spur and The Lobster (on the Santa Monica Pier) – 6 meals included. Sleep in a tee-pee – a limited number of single bedded rooms are available at The Wigwam (or you might prefer the Comfort Inn nearby). Visit olive and candy stores, tour historic Pasadena, lunch at Santa Anita Park. Live the route of the old road, from San Bernardino to Santa Monica. Airfare, home pick-up, Tour Directors: Mark and Chris, 1050/1200 Gold Passport Points for frequent travelers. $1035 p.p./dbl.occ., $1165 single

4 Days Feb. 14-17 Winter Wings Festival

Discover the raptors and waterfowl of Klamath Falls. All 3 nights at the Shilo Inn – Klamath Falls, tour the Lower Klamath Refuge, private hosted reception in Bear Valley. Visit Crater Lake National Park, spectacular in winter, 10 meals: 3B,4L,3D, 1200/1350 Gold Passport Points. Tour Director: Scott Angeletti. $1170 p.p./dbl.occ., $1315 single

6 Days Feb. 18-23 Death Valley and the Eastern Sierra Nevada

Featuring Manzanar National Historic Site, Scotty’s Castle and Mono Lake. Spend 2 days touring Death Valley National Park, visiting Scotty’s Castle, Ubehebe Crater, Zabriske’s Point, and Badwater Salt Flats. Enjoy a luncheon at the elegant Furnace Creek Inn. 12 meals: 1B,3FB,6L,2D. 1700/2000 Gold Passport Points. Tour Director: Ramona Goodge. $1690 p.p./dbl.occ., $1995 single

2 Days Feb. 24-25 Winter at Ahwahnee

Limited Space Available. Includes transportation on SuperCoach III, accommodations, brunch, all tours and attractions as listed above. Tour Director: Ramona Goodge. 700/800 Gold Passport Points. $655 p.p./dbl.occ., $765 single, same price as 2012!

3 Days Mar. 1-3 Oregon Chocolate Festival

Unpack once for a two-night stay in Ashland and enjoy two days indulging in your every chocolate fantasy. Our hotel for two nights is the Plaza Inn, The finest accommodations in Ashland, in the heart of downtown. The first event of our chocolate weekend is the elegant Chocolate Maker’s Dinner. Enjoy breakfast at the hotel on day two before attending the Chocolate Festival Vendor Showcase at the Ashland Springs Hotel. Chocolatiers from all over Oregon showcase their chocolate specialties. This package includes: accommodations, 6 meals: 2B,2L,2D, all attractions as listed above, Tour Director: Donnie Anderson. 950/1050 Gold Passport Points. $925 p.p./dbl.occ., $1040 single

2 Days Mar. 13-14 Take the Snow Train to Reno

Join our Snow Train tour to Reno on board Amtrak’s California Zephyr. The train departs Sacramento at 11am and arrives in Reno around 4pm. Stay at the Silver Legacy. The package includes rail passage to Reno, a gourmet boxed lunch, hotel accommodations, casino bonuses, and return transportation on board SuperCoach III. 250/300 Gold Passport Points. $239 p.p./dbl.occ., $259 single

11 Days Mar. 15-25 St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland

Very limited space available. Call or go online for the complete itinerary. 4450/4950 Gold Passport Points. $4415 p.p./dbl.occ., $4945 single, this vacation requires a valid passport.

5 Days Mar. 16-20 Spring Training in Arizona with the Giants and A’s

Four nights at the Phoenix Crowne Plaza, 8 meals: Daily breakfast buffet, Sunday Brunch at the Scottsdale Conference Resort, lunch in a suite at Scottsdale Stadium, 3 dinners. Tickets to 5 ball games, featuring the Giants and A’s. Cruise on Canyon Lake, “Baseball Today” roundtable with Lou Klimchock, former major leaguer who will share his observations on the year ahead and what he sees in Spring Training. Two additional guest speakers, one former player and one broadcaster (announced when they are confirmed, two weeks prior to the trip), lots of baseball talk. Roundtrip airfare, 2000/2200 Gold Passport Points. Tour Directors: Mark and Chris. $2065 p.p./dbl.occ., $2260 single

3 Days Mar. 20-22 Palm Springs Getaway

Laugh and sing along with this year’s Fabulous Palm Springs Follies performers and headliner, Lesley Gore. Experience the West Coast’s only institution dedicated to Abraham Lincoln near Riverside, meet the animals at the Living Desert, ascend Mt. San Jacinto aboard the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and enjoy lunch atop the mountain. 6 meals: 2FB, 3L (including lunch at the top of the tram), 1D, roundtrip airfare. 1300/1400 Gold Passport Points. $1255 p.p./dbl.occ., $1385 single

The Tour Calendar (Previously Announced Tours)

Find us on Facebookt:www.facebook.com/sportsleisure The guys and gals of The Fabulous Palm Springs pull out all the stops


2 Days Apr. 4-5 Foodie Fun In Santa Rosa

It’s all about the food! “Lunch and Learn” live cooking demon-stration, dinner at Johnny Garlic’s in Santa Rosa (proprietor Guy Fieri of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives), overnight at the Hampton Inn. Sonoma’s Farmer’s Market is a Sunday morning stop, with lunch at the Oxbow Market in Napa. The encore is a break at Kara’s Cupcakes, from the TV show Cupcake Wars. Accommodations, 3 meals, Tour Director: Donnie Anderson, 500/550 Gold Passport Points. Add door-to-door service for $80 per person. $499 p.p./dbl.occ., $549 single, $10 EPD**

6 Days Apr. 9-14 California’s Marvelous Missions

Visit 11 of California’s Missions and the Father Junípero Serra Museum in Carmel. Travel Southern California’s scenic coast aboard Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner, enjoy lunch on the Ventura Pier. Two nights in the Danish-inspired community of Solvang, tour the Santa Inés Valley with a local guide, overnight at the luxurious Fairmont Hotel in San Jose. 9 meals: 1B,1FB,3L,3D and a champagne brunch at the Dolce Hayes Mansion, short one-way flight to San Diego, travel aboard SuperCoach III, 2050/2350 Gold Passport Points. Tour Director: Chris Galloway. $2050 p.p./dbl.occ., $2310 single

The Great American Melodrama – part of our Pismo Beach tour this spring

4 Days Apr. 23-26 On the (Pismo) Beach

If you are looking for a tour that stays by the ocean for a reasonable price, you have found it. 3 nights beachfront accommodations, attend the Great American Melodrama in Oceano, off road tour on the Oceano Dunes, culinary walking tour in San Luis Obispo. 5 meals: 4L,1D; transportation on SuperCoach III. 1250/1400 Gold Passport Points. $1205 p.p./dbl.occ., $1385 single, $20 EPD**

2 Days Apr. 29-30 “Those Were The Days” in Bodega Bay

Featuring a private concert with William Florian. Travel to Occidental for an Italian lunch served family-style. After lunch, travel to Bodega Head to catch sight of the Pacific Ocean. Your hotel is the four-diamond Bodega Lodge and Spa. Enjoy a docent-led stroll through the ancient giants of Armstrong Woods. Join William Florian for lunch at a lodge nestled in the redwoods along the river, an upbeat musical journey of America’s great songs of the 1960’s.

The tour includes roundtrip transportation aboard SuperCoach III, 2 lunches, Tour Director: Ramona Goodge, 500/600 Gold Passport Points. Add door-to-door service for $80 per person. $490 p.p./dbl.occ., $565 single

There are so many great scenic places to check out along the central and south coast, one wouldn’t expect a melodrama to have developed into one of the area’s premier attractions. But that is exactly what has happened with the Great American Melodrama in Oceano.

But don’t go beating yourself up if you never been. It’s not like Oceano is a mecca of entertainment hot spots. But it is home to one of the best bangs for your entertainment buck around.

The minute you walk in the door, you walk into a different world. The old-time piano playing, the actors in costume showing you to your seats and the saloon-type feel of the place. The spirit of celebration that seems to thrive here is contagious. If it doesn’t hit you immediately, it will by the time the sing along starts.

The folks at the Great American Melodrama put on more than stage productions. They provide an experience. The place has been around since 1975. It was John and Lynne Schlenker who came up with the idea of turning the old Rexall drug store into a melodrama.

You’ll likely hear some booing and hissing if you go. “They (the shows) were based around American folklore, around happenings in the Old West, in streets of New York, and that sort of thing.” explains John. “And because they were about political issues, people would stand up and yell things, and say things or try to correct things, and they got a little bit rowdy.”

Shows were often performed in bars, or saloons… and the atmosphere of the theatre in Oceano reflects that heritage. And peppered within each performance are references to central coast history, places and personalities.

A cast of 6 to 8 performers does it all: provides the music, seats the guests, writes a lot of the shows, and works the snack bar during breaks. And the performers are entertaining the entire time. The melodrama has survived and thrived in its unlikely location because rarely do people come here just once.

Join Sports Leisure “On the (Pismo) Beach” April 23-26. Ever watched the performance of “Les Miserables?” Whether you have seen the musical or the movie, or neither one, you’re going to love the Great American Melodrama’s twist on this classic. They have added way more comedy, plus a vaudeville revue too! With song parodies and tons of laughs you’re bound to leave the theatre with a whole new take on this classic. See it this April with Sports Leisure!

Cheer the hero, boo the villan at The Great American Melodrama


3 Days Apr. 27-29 Lilacs, Tulips & Gourmet Eats

Spring flowers and fun foods everywhere in Vancouver, Washington. Visit the Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens, home of beautiful hybrid lilacs; tour the Holland America (no relation to the cruise line) Tulip Farm. At the Wildlife Botanical Garden, learn how to create a backyard garden that will attract birds and friendly critters. Visit the Fort Vancouver Nat’l Historic Site – hear the history of gardens in the area and see the oldest apple tree in the state. Discover how to blend your own gourmet wine at East Fork Cellars Winery and taste gourmet chocolates and roll your own tuffles, plus visit a local chocolate shop. 2 nights at Heathman Lodge, one of the Northwest’s finest, in Vancouver just across the river from Portland. 4 meals: 3L,1D, roundtrip air, 1050/1150 Gold Passport Points. $1045 p.p./dbl.occ., $1150 single, $10 EPD**

9 Days Apr. 30 – May 8

Exploring the Santa Fe Trail

America’s commerce road in the early 1800’s moved people and goods west. Now you travel in the footsteps of the pioneers. An American history lesson, from Jesse James to Buffalo Bill – see the landmarks, even the wagon ruts of the early explorers. Leisurely itinerary – two night stays in Independence and Santa Fe. See the remains of the internment camp of Amache, near Granada, CO, and hear the story of how Japanese Americans dealt with being uprooted from their homes and businesses at a time of war.

Dine in historic landmarks like the St. James Hotel in Cimarron, NM and the Hays House, circa 1858, in Council Grove, KS; “Welcome Pioneers” Luncheon at the National Frontiers Trails Center in Independence, MO. History comes to life in Pioneer Bluffs, where you’ll meet “The Schoolteacher and The Scout,” a true piece of living history, and Dodge City where “Doc” Holliday is waiting for you. Visit Pecos National Historical Park, where the ruins of a pueblo stand. 16 meals, airfare, Tour Directors: Mark and Chris, 2800/3050 Gold Passport Points. $2780 p.p./dbl.occ., $3050 single

4 Days May 13-16 Take the Empire Builder

Take an air/rail journey along one of one of Amtrak’s most scenic routes, through the northwest. Explore the rail history of Chicago with a visit to the historic company town of Pullman, home of the Pullman Car Company. Then enjoy deluxe sleeper accommodations on board Amtrak’s Empire Builder for your 44-hour journey from Chicago to Seattle. Considered by many to be one of the most beautiful of Amtrak’s routes, perhaps second only to the Coast Starlight, the Empire Builder traverses a portion of the country visited by precious few and passes within a glimpse of Glacier National Park.

A day in Seattle, featuring lunch at Cutter’s Crabhouse & Pike Place Market. Begin with a flight to Chicago, then a pre-train overnight downtown at the historic Hilton Palmer House. 8 meals included (2FB,4L,2D), fly to Chicago/return flight from Seattle, 2350/3000 Gold Passport Points. $2335 p.p./dbl.occ., $2995 single, $35 EPD**

6 Days May 1-6 The Kentucky Derby

See “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports” in person. Stay 5 nights at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Lexington, where the majority of Derby winners are born and bred. Attend the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby. Horse around in Lexington, the Bluegrass Country, Frankfort and Louisville. Visit Undulata, Keeneland and Kentucky’s Derby Museum and Horse Park. Reserved seating for the nighttime Pegasus Parade, tour the Louisville Slugger Plant & Museum and Buffalo Trace Distillery. 11 meals: daily breakfast, 2L, 4D and a popular nightly Manager’s Reception. Roundtrip airfare to Cincinnati/from Louisville, Tour Director: Clayton, 3300/3800 Gold Passport Points. $3265 p.p./dbl.occ., $3755 single

8 Days May 15-22 Lake Powell, Monument Valley & Moab: Canyonlands of Utah & Arizona

See the eastern side of the Canyonlands. Enjoy lakeview rooms at the Lake Powell Resort, walk through spectacular Antelope Canyon. Experience a boat tour on Lake Powell and an “off-road” tour in Monument Valley. Stay two nights at Red Cliffs Resort on the banks of the Colorado River in Moab. Tour Arches National Park, take a jet boat tour on the Colorado River. Witness the spectacular view of Canyonlands Nat’l Park from Dead Horse State Park. Guided tour of the Thanksgiving Point Gardens. 13 meals: 5FB,8L; 2850/3250 Gold Passport Points. Tour Director: Scott Angeletti. $2840 p.p./dbl.occ., $3210 single, $25 EPD**

7 Days May 23-29 Memorial Day in Washington, DC & Gettysburg

2 seats available at press time. 4 nights (Hyatt Arlington) in our Capital City, 2 nights in Gettysburg. Tour Washington, DC, by day and night. Visit Arlington National Cemetery, the US Capitol and the National Cathedral. Explore the Smithsonian Institution and National Museums on the Mall. See National Monuments including Lincoln, Jefferson, WWII, Vietnam, Korea and more. Gettysburg’s Memorial Day Parade, battlefield tour and Cyclorama. 150th Anniversary of the Civil War in Gettysburg. 12 meals: 6FB, 2L (one served on a Potomac River cruise), 4D. Roundtrip airfare to Washington/from Baltimore, Tour Director: Clayton. 2750/3000 Gold Passport Points. $2735 p.p./dbl.occ., $2965 single

Put yourself into the scenery of the greatest Western films in Monument Valley


3 Days May 28-30 Sequoia and Kings Canyon Nat’l Parks

Featuring the ancient giants, alpine meadows, and the Canyon of Kings. 2 nights at the Wuksachi Lodge, within Sequoia National Park. Sightseeing including the General Grant Tree, General Sherman Tree, Kings Canyon National Park, & Zumwalt Meadow. 6 meals: 2B,3L,1D; roundtrip on SuperCoach III, Tour Director: Ramona Goodge, a former Sequoia Park General Manager, 1050/1250 Gold Passport Points. $1030 p.p./dbl.occ., $1220 single, $20 EPD**

2 Days May 28-29 The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe

Join the Ritz Club! SuperCoach III meets you at one of our convenient pickup locations before heading east into the High Sierras. Pause in Truckee for a hosted lunch and free time to browse the shops before arriving at your mountain retreat. The Ritz-Carlton Resort is situated mid-mountain at the Northstar Resort. Experience luxury rarely found at any other mountain retreat. Your accommodations include in-room fireplaces, floor-to-ceiling windows and private walk-out balconies with extraordinary views of the mountains and Martis Valley.

A late checkout allows you to further enjoy the resort with a free morning. Travel along the north and west shores of Lake Tahoe to Homewood and the Lake Tahoe Maritime Museum. Lunch is hosted on the water in Tahoe City. The tour includes transportation on SuperCoach III, accommodations, 2 lunches and the services of a Sports Leisure Tour Director. 450/550 Gold Passport Points. Add door-to-door service for $80 per person. $430 p.p./dbl.occ., $525 single, $10 EPD**

The Ritz Carlton, Lake Tahoe: Take a Rare Opportunity to Treat Yourself to a Piece of Heaven

5 Days July 3-7 Crater Lake & the Umpqua National Scenic Byway

Featuring natural scenic wonders and 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 and an excursion on the scenic Rogue River a jet boat tour. Optional (extra cost) show at Ashland’s Oregon Shakespeare Festival. 9 meals: 3B,1BR,3L,2D. Travel in comfort on SuperCoach III, 1500/1700 Gold Passport Points. $1490 p.p./dbl.occ., $1675 single

5 Days July 8-12 By The Seaside, On The Long Beach

A summer visit to the Oregon-Washington Coast. 2 nights in Seaside, OR, oceanview at the Shilo Inn; 2 nights in Long Beach, WA, oceanview at the new Adrift Inn. Walk the famous oceanfront promenade in Seaside – it and the ocean are right at the property’s edge. Browse the quaint shops in both Seaside and Long Beach. Admission to the Seaside Aquarium, Lewis & Clark history – optional (included) visit to Fort Clatsop near Seaside, and a stop at Cape Disappointment in Washington. Tour historic Oysterville and see the Cranberry and World Kite Museums in Long Beach. Great food – from a roadside seafood stop to fine dining restaurants, this package has it all. 10 meals, roundtrip airfare to/from Portland, services of a Sports Leisure Tour Director and 1400/1700 Gold Passport Points. $1365 p.p./dbl.occ., $1640 single

Our tour departs in May. This is not your normal Tahoe overnighter and it doesn’t have a normal price. But it is a special opportunity to enjoy a stay at the Ritz at a very reduced rate. See you there…

The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe is a contemporary legacy of the great mountain lodges built at the turn of the 20th century, hoping to replicate the feeling of luxury found at iconic mountain lodges such as the Ahwahnee, the Timberline Lodge, and Tahoe Tavern. Guests will first experience the hotel by entering the multi-story, octagonal “Head House” with its 55-foot high weathered granite fireplace column, and 25-foot high windows that provide views of the surrounding forest.

Few hotels can offer their guests a tour of a private art collection. After your arrival, during an optional art and architecture tour, you will learn about the unique architectural and design elements and highlights of the more distinctive works of art throughout the resort.

The majestic natural setting, of which the hotel is a part, inspired the art collection. Guests will encounter representations of the Lake Tahoe area in most all of the works of art in the collection. Native flora and fauna abound in several pieces. These complement the sweeping views of the Martis Valley and Sierra Nevada Mountains that are enjoyed throughout the hotel. Art and architecture co-exist in harmony at the Ritz Carlton, Lake Tahoe

Visit us on the web at: www.sportsleisure.com


6 Days July 11-16 Glacier and Waterton National Parks

Featuring wonderful national park lodges in the mountains. Travel Going-To-The-Sun Road through Glacier National Park. Overnight at the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton, Alberta, three scenic boat cruises, 2 nights at St. Mary’s Bear Lodge, 2 nights at Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish, 8 meals: 3FB,4L,1D. Roundtrip airfare to/from Kalispell. 2850/3300 Gold Passport Points. Tour Director: Scott Angeletti. $2870 p.p./dbl.occ., $3330 single, this vacation requires a passport! $35 EPD**

6 Days July 30 – Aug. 4

Flowers & Fireworks in Victoria & Vancouver

Featuring the best of Victoria and the 23rd Annual Festival of Light fireworks. 3 nights at the Chateau Victoria, a terrific location in the heart of Victoria Harbor, tour Victoria by double-decker bus, have high tea with the “Queen” at the Empress Hotel. Enjoy an elegant luncheon at Butchart Gardens, 2 nights in Vancouver with a city tour and visits to Stanley Park & Granville Island. Dinner Cruise during the Festival of Light, Vancouver’s Annual Fireworks Spectacular. 6 meals: 1HT,4L,1D, roundtrip air, Tour Director: Chris Galloway, 2550/2850 Gold Passport Points. $2515 p.p./dbl.occ., $2825 single, this vacation requires a valid passport!

5 Days Aug. 8-12 Leavenworth and the Cascades

Combine outdoor summer theatre and the beauty of North Cascades National Park. Enjoy the old world charm of Bavaria, with Washington hospitality in Leavenworth. Enjoy a performance at the Leavenworth Summer Theater Festival. Drive through scenic North Cascades National Park. Overnight at the luxurious Sun Mountain Lodge. Visit the Japanese Botanical Gardens of “U.W.,” Liberty Orchards “Home to Applets & Cotlets,” and stop to shop in historic Winthrop. 7 meals: 3B,3L,1D, roundtrip airfare to/from Seattle. 2200/2550 Gold Passport Points. $2180 p.p./dbl.occ., $2505 single, $35 EPD**

12 Days Aug. 10-21 Backroads of the Alps

A unique itinerary which travels by plane, railroad, gondola, cog train, cable car, postal transport, ferry steamer, funicular and motorcoach. 4-night stay in the car-less village of Wengen; 2-night stays in Rothenburg and St. Moritz; overnights in Oberammergau and Zurich. History and breathtaking scenic beauty at literally every turn. 20 meals include daily breakfast and dinner, roundtrip air from San Francisco to Frankfurt/from Zurich. Home pickup and SuperCoach III to San Francisco. Tour Director Clayton Whitehead, 6600/7200 Gold Passport Points. $6640 p.p./dbl.occ., $7235 single, this vacation requires a valid passport!

7 Days Sept. 13-19 Michigan & Mackinac

A signature vacation featuring North America’s favorite island. Only Sports Leisure stays three nights on Mackinac Island. Lunch at Mackinac’s famous Grand Hotel, tours by horse and carriage. Overnight stays in Grand Rapids, Traverse City and the Bavarian village of Frankenmuth. Visit the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum; tour the Music House, filled with one-of-a-kind musical instruments; history abounds at The Henry Ford Museum’s Greenfield Village. 14 meals: Daily breakfast, 4L, 4D roundtrip airfare to Grand Rapids/from Detroit, Tour Director: Clayton Whitehead, 2750/3100 Gold Passport Points. $2735 p.p./dbl.occ., $3065 single, $40 EPD**

6 Days Sept. 15-20 The NEW Ferries & Towns of Puget Sound

Just announced in November, but only 5 seats remain. Featuring 2 nights Rosario Resort in the San Juan Islands, 6 ferry rides, seaplane flight out to Rosario from Seattle, Whidby Island, Port Townsend. 11 meals, 2950/3000 Gold Passport Points. $2910 p.p./dbl.occ., $3260 single

8 Days Sept. 19-27 Tracing Sherman’s March

Attend the 150th anniversary reenactment of the Battle of Chickamauga! Who better to re-write… we mean share… Civil War history than Clayton? What a trip! 2 nights each in Chattanooga, Marietta & Savannah, 1 night in the land of Tara and GWTW-themed dinner, Chickamauga, Kennesaw and Ft. Pulaski National Parks, Atlanta’s Cyclorama and the Margaret Mitchell Museum. Travel Jonesboro’s Road to the Tara Museum. Visit Milledgeville, Georgia’s Antebellum capital; and Savannah, President Lincoln’s Christmas present in 1864. 15 meals: Daily breakfast, 3L, 5D; roundtrip airfare to Chattanooga/from Savannah, 3000/3400 Gold Passport Points. $2960 p.p./dbl.occ., $3370 single, $40 EPD**

4 Days Sept. 25-28 The Great Custer Buffalo Roundup

Featuring Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Memorial and Mt. Rushmore. Exclusive viewing of the Buffalo Roundup. 3 nights lodging in one of Rapid City’s newest hotels, 5 meals: 3B,1L,1D; roundtrip airfare, 1650/1800 Gold Passport Points. Feel the thunder and the heart pounding excitement at the 48th Annual Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup as over 1,000 American Bison travel by your viewing area. A short, compact visit to the Black Hills. $1615 p.p./dbl.occ., $1765 single, $35 EPD**

The charming Bavarian village of Leavenworth is a unique place to discover


7 Days Oct. 2-8 Fall Foliage with the Famous in Pennsylvania

Visit the hometowns of Jimmy Stewart, Arnold Palmer and Stan Musial. 3 nights at the renowned Seven Springs Resort in the scenic and fall foliage covered (especially at this time of year) Laurel Highlands, 2 nights in Indiana, hometown of Jimmy Stewart, a reunion from our 2011 Christmas Mystery Tour – tour the museum named for the town’s favorite son. See the new Flight 93 Memorial, honoring the heroes of 9/11. Lunch at the Latrobe Country Club, home of Arnold Palmer. Visit the Amish village of Smicksburg for an Amish Wedding Feast, meet Punxsutawney Phil of Groundhog Day fame. Photograph a covered bridge, see the autumn leaves and learn about the Whiskey Rebellion. Includes airfare, 15 meals, the services of a Sports Leisure Tour Director, 2550/2800 Gold Passport Points. $2530 p.p./dbl.occ., $2795 single, $60 EPD**

11 Days Oct. 11-21 Route 66, The Main Street of America – Chicago to Oklahoma City

The repeat of a classic Sports Leisure adventure – our 8th journey down the classic highway. Two-night stays in Springfield, IL, and Miami, OK; and for the first time staying in the old highway towns of Pontiac, IL, and Miami, OK (pronounced mi-am-ah). Meet the people of Route 66 – special guides, speakers and guests. Includes airfare Sacramento/Chicago and Oklahoma City/Sacramento, a Sports Leisure Tour Director and 26 meals.

A journey down Route 66 is like cutting yourself a slice of All-American Pie. You’ll discover people and places you didn’t know existed – like the murals that line the walls of Pontiac, IL and Cuba, MO; Ted Drewes Frozen Custard in St. Louis and the magnificent new Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum in Springfield, IL. Meet published Route 66 authors and experts, roadies and characters like the “Four Ladies on the Road” in Galena, KS. If you love “off-the-beaten-track,” you’ve found your trip! 3400/3950 Gold Passport Points. $3370 p.p./dbl.occ., $3935 single, $75 EPD**

6 Days Oct. 13-18 Arkansas & Art at Crystal Bridges

Come to Arkansas to see the newest and grandest art museum in the country. 2 each nights in Little Rock and Bentonville; overnight in Fort Smith, home of Miss Laura’s Social Club (scandalous to say the least). A full day to explore the new Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville. Tour the Clinton Presidential Library, Heifer International and Sam Walton’s original Five and Dime. Visit Hot Springs National Park and Will Roger’s Claremore, Oklahoma. 11 meals: Daily breakfast, 2L, 3D; roundtrip air to Little Rock/from Tulsa. 2250/2550 Gold Passport Points. $2250 p.p./dbl.occ., $2550 single, $50 EPD**

11 Days Oct. 16-26 Canada Coast to Coast by Rail

First-class train accommodations aboard VIA Rail as you travel across the continent (3 trains), Halifax: 2 nights at the Delta Barrington Hotel, city sightseeing including Citadel Hill; Montréal: Overnight at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel, visit Vieux Montréal (Old Montréal) and the Basilica of Notre Dame. Niagara Falls: 2 nights at the Embassy Suites, Maid of the Mist Cruise, Toronto: Dinner at the CN Tower, high atop the city. Visit picturesque Peggy’s Cove & quaint Niagara-on-the-Lake. 19 meals: 6FB,8L,5D; roundtrip airfare to Halifax/from Seattle, 5700/6150 Gold Passport Points. This vacation requires a valid passport! $5690 p.p./dbl.occ., $6140 single, $75 EPD**

11 Days Oct. 17-27 Exploring the Seine from Paris to Normandy

Explore the Seine River from aboard the exceptional m/v AmaLegro. 7 nights cruising the Seine between The City of Light and the beaches of the Normandy Coast; 2 nights at the Hotel Pullman Montparnasse, 4-star accommodations in Paris, with a city tour and visit to the d’Orsay Museum. Explore the towns and villages of the Seine River including Vernon, Giverny, Rouen, Conflans, Les Andelys, and a choice of historic Caen or the beaches of Normandy and the poignant cemetery at St. Laurent. Deluxe accommodations on board the AmaLegro, all meals included on board ship. Gold Passport Points dependent on cabin category. Prices start at $5650 p.p./dbl.occ., $6985 single

7 Days Jan. 18-24 & Feb. 1-7, 2014

Key West, Key Largo, Miami and the Everglades

Very limited space on the first departure, new second date added. Rapidly becoming one of our most popular tours, featuring four nights in beautiful Key West. During your visit, see the Hemingway Home, the nation’s very first public aquarium, Truman’s Little White House, & Mel Fisher’s Treasure Museum. The dinner and drag show at La Te Da, an authentic clipper ship cruise (optional, included) and the small but amazing Butterfly & Nature Conservancy; plus Mark promises a surprise new attraction this time around. Before you get to the Keys, overnight in Miami with an air boat ride in the Everglades and overnight in Key Largo with a glass-bottom boat ride. Miami city tour including Coral Gables and South Beach. Roundtrip air, 13 meals, door-to-door service, Tour Director: Mark Hoffmann or Chris Galloway. For the 2014 tour, call now to reserve your seat with a $100 fully refundable (until May 1, 2013) deposit. $3435 p.p./dbl.occ., $3985 single, please note this is 2014, our 2013 trip is sold out!

Save the Date(s)Spring Entertainment & Tour Day

Friday, April 26Annual Tour Preview Day

Saturday, September 7

Selling a Coin Collection and/or gold and silver coins?

Our expert will appraise your collection and, if you wish, make an offer to purchase your coins. Call the Sports Leisure office and ask for Bob to set up an appointment.

9812 Old Winery Place, Suite 1Sacramento, CA 95827

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

PRST STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDSacramento, CAPERMIT NO. 517

$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.

VALUABLE COUPON

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)Key West, Miami & The Everglades (Jan. 2013)

Return to the Panama CanalWinter in Yellowstone

Steamboatin’ on the Mighty Mississippi The Colorful Carolina Coast

San Antonio: Deep the HeartThe REAL Hawaii

New York City: Broadway, Brooklyn, The BronxChicago & St. Louis: My Kind of Towns

Look to the Sky MysteryThe International Selkirk Loop

Limited Space (10 or fewer seats)Winter at the Ahwahnee (2)

St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland (2)Spring Training in Arizona (6)

Exploring the Santa Fe Trail (6)The Kentucky Derby (6)

Take the Empire Builder (8)Washington DC & Gettysburg (4)

Ferries & Towns of Puget Sound (5)Tracing Sherman’s March (10)

Key West, Miami & The Everglades (Jan. 2014) (2)

LLC

Early Registration/Payment Di$counts listed here expire on January 29, 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.

Apr. – Foodie Fun in Santa Rosa – $ave $10Apr. – Lilacs, Tulips & Gourmet Eats – $ave $10

Apr. – On the (Pismo) Beach – $ave $20May – Lake Powell, Monument Valley & Moab – $ave $25

May – The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe – $ave $10May – Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks – $ave $20

May – Take the Empire Builder: Chicago to Seattle – $ave $35Jun. – Castle, Ocean & Inn – $ave $40

Jun. – Spacing Out or Horsing Around Mystery Tour – $ave $10Jun. – Portland Rose Festival/SLV Anniversary Tour – $ave $35

Jun. – Ships & Space, See the Shuttle & The Iowa – $ave $30Jun. – Lassen & Burney Falls – $ave $25

Jul. – Glacier & Waterton National Parks – $ave $35Aug. – Leavenworth & The Cascades – $ave $35

Sept. – The Great Custer Buffalo Round-Up – $ave $35Sept. – Oktoberfest in Oregon – $ave $40Sept. – Michigan & Mackinac – $ave $40

Sept. – Tracing Sherman’s March – $ave $40Oct. – Taos & the Albuquerque Balloon Festival – $ave $75

Oct. – Fall in Yosemite – $ave $35Oct. – Arkansas & Art at Crystal Bridges – $ave $50

Oct. – Canada Coast to Coast by Rail – $ave $75Oct. – Route 66, The Main Street of America – $ave $75

Oct. – Fall Foliage with the Famous in Pennsylvania – $ave $60

EARLY PAYMENT DI$COUNT COUPON

Documents

SLV_2013_JanFebNEWSLETTER_Web