Compare Arizona by Senior Discovery Tours vs Hawaii: Ocean and Islands Adventure by Discover Corps
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| Trip |
4 | Great
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 9 days | 7 days |
| Price From | $ 5,397 | $ 4,595 |
| Price Per Day | $ 600 | $ 656 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Group tour | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Premium | Standard |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | Airfare included | Ground transport included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included |
Full Breakfast daily, 5 Dinners and 3 Lunches |
6 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches and 3 Dinners |
| Description |
For 2017 we offer a choice of 2 hotels, a First Class hotel in Phoenix and a moderate hotel in nearby Mesa (Arizona’s 3rd largest city). Both hotels are located within a half hour drive of Old Town Scottsdale. The Arizona Golf Resort in Mesa is so named because it is located beside a tranquil man-made lake and a championship Golf Course (although the hotel itself is much more than a golf resort). There are two types of accommodation (all at ground level) at this moderate hotel. For the January 5 and February 28 tours we will stay in Casitas – small bungalows with a separate living room, private bedroom, walkout patio and a full kitchen. For the February 20 tour we will stay in Studios with kitchenettes. There are a number of onsite restaurants, a seasonal Day Spa, pools, whirlpools, musical entertainment twice weekly and free Wi-Fi. The resort is within walking distance of the Superstition Springs Mall which boasts great shopping and dining, and there is a strip mall directly across the street. A courtesy van will be available for transfers within the local area. |
From towering volcanoes to some of the world’s best beaches, Hawaii is defined by its stunning natural beauty. On these islands, everything is more extreme - the ocean is bluer, the rainforests are greener and the warmth of the locals is exemplified by the Aloha state of mind. But if you dig deeper below the surface, you’ll quickly see that the ancient Hawaiian people have left a legacy of indigenous wisdom and sustainability that can serve as a model for many of today’s pressing issues. From tackling climate change to protecting biodiversity, innovative practices are being pioneered on these remote Pacific Islands. |
Day 1:
An orientation tour of Phoenix and Scottsdale. Admire the natural beauty of the desert with its mountain formations playfully called Camelback, Lookout and Echo (to name a few) while we discover the local history and architecture - including the beautiful campus of Arizona State University. We finish with a walking tour of Old Town Scottsdale with its pedestrian streets, art galleries, boutiques and cafes, as well as original buildings like the Little Red Schoolhouse, Blacksmith Shop and Saloon.
Day 2:
A guided “Desert Discovery Tour” of the Desert Botanical Gardens. We explore the great diversity of form, texture and colour found in the wondrous array of the Sonora Desert’s 400 plants. Includes lunch at a local restaurant.
Day 3:
A day of spectacular scenery as we drive along the Apache Trail into the Superstition Mountains for an old-fashioned boat ride on Canyon Lake. View the interesting rock formations resembling people and animals, and listen to the salty riverboat captain's fascinating yarns of the area and its legends. Dinner is at the Mining Camp Restaurant.
Day 4:
A visit to the Musical Instrument Museum (the world’s only global musical instrument museum) allows you (with state-of-the-art technology) to hear and feel the sounds of more than 10,000 instruments from all over the world. Lunch follows.
Day 5:
A visit to one of the largest Flea Markets in the Southwest, followed by a stroll through Mesa’s sculpture-laden town centre.
Day 6:
A visit to the internationally acclaimed Heard Museum of the rich Native heritage of the Southwest Lunch is included at the famous “Organ Grinder”, with its mighty Wurlitzer!
Day 7:
A dinner and show at the Arizona Opry Dinner Theatre.
Day 8:
An evening at the Arizona Broadway Theatre, including dinner and a top Broadway show (tentatively scheduled for the winter - “Camelot” or “Menopause - The Musical”).
Day 9:
A barbecue feast at Rustler’s Rooste with live country and western music.
Day 1: Arrive in Honolulu and Meet the Group
Meals: Dinner
Upon arrival in Hawaii’s capital, Honolulu, you’ll be be met at the airport and taken to your hotel just steps from the world famous Waikiki beaches. After a relaxing welcome dinner together, we’ll get to know one another and discuss the schedule for the week ahead.
Day 2: Journey to Oahu’s North Shore & Experience the Aloha Spirit
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
After breakfast, we’ll set out for Hawaii’s iconic North Shore, famous for its big waves and stunning landscapes. Spend the morning in the historic Waimea Valley with a local organization helping to preserve the valley’s cultural heritage and rainforests. Assist with a reforestation initiative, swim in waterfalls, and see why the ancient Hawaiians deemed the valley sacred centuries ago. In the afternoon, we’ll continue to Na Mea Kupono, an eco-farm that is home to Hawaii’s staple crop, taro. We’ll be hosted by this local family for a Hawaiin-style paina, or gathering, for our dinner as we learn more about their role in farming on the island.
Day 3: Climb Diamond Head & Sail out to Sea on a Catamaran
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Hawaii’s South Shore is crowned by the now extinct Diamond Head volcano. We’ll take a hike this morning to the top of the rim to get a panoramic view of Waikiki from above. For those who opt not to hike, we’ll have the option to visit the Bishop Museum, home of the royal Kamehameha family and now housing an array of artifacts covering Hawaii’s vast Polynesian heritage. After lunch in Waikiki, we’ll hit the sea on a catamaran ride over the turquoise Pacific waters.
Day 4: Fly to Maui & Explore the Tropical‘Iao Valley State Park
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Enjoy a free morning to explore Waikiki. Head to the beach for a surf lesson with the Waikiki beach boys, check out the area’s cafes and shops or simply relax on white sand beaches only steps from your hotel. We’ll take a short mid-day flight across the Hawaiian archipelago to the Valley Isle of Maui. After landing, we’ll head over to the towering emerald peaks of the ‘Iao Valley on Central Maui for a guided hike of the state park. A location revered by the ancient Hawaiians, the valley also served as the site of one of Hawaii’s most important battles as King Kamehameha I tried to unite the islands in the 1700’s. Later in the evening, unwind at our Kaanapali beachfront hotel.
Day 5: Snorkel off Lana’i & Lend a Hand Protecting Sea Turtles
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
We’ll have an early breakfast before cruising to the scenic coastline of Lana'i island with the Pacific Whale Foundation. Spend the morning with breakfast on the boat (expect large boat with other travelers) and then 1.5 hours of snorkeling. Scout for wild dolphins, including acrobatic spinner dolphins, friendly bottlenose dolphins, and curious spotted dolphins. Conservationists from the Foundation will narrate your journey and take about everything from whale migration to plastics in the ocean to reef health.
We’ll return to Maui and, after lunch, spend our first afternoon volunteering alongside the Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute. Home to one of Hawaii’s largest sea turtle rescues and land based coral nurseries, we’ll join their staff on beach and marine debris cleanu , specifically collecting coral fragments. Take these pieces of coral back to the research center and aid in cutting them into smaller pieces to be grown at the center for a period of 8 months - something that would take the reef 20 years to regenerate! This coral is eventually placed back into the reef to bring back areas that are dead or dying.
Day 6: Maui Ocean Center Volunteering & Farewell Luau
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
After breakfast, we’ll spend another morning helping the conservation team at the Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute. On Maui and other Hawaiian islands, sea turtles are being threatened as their habitat is increasingly depleted. Green turtle populations are being impacted by events such as the 2018 hurricane that washed out the most important nesting beach for this species in the entire archipelago. We’ll continue to lend a hand on our projects while learning about some of the initiatives in place to preserve the fragile ecosystem both on land and underwater, including going out with the team to find turtles and tag them for research purposes.
Later in the afternoon, we’ll head back to the hotel where you’ll have some free time to enjoy the beach, swim in the ocean or venture into the coastal town of Lahaina. Tonight, we’ll enjoy a special farewell dinner together along with a traditional island luau.
Day 7: Depart Maui or Continue on for the Post-Trip Extension
Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and check-out of your rooms. The rest of the day is free to relax at the beach or explore nearby Lahaina until your flight home, or continue on to our optional post-trip extension along the gorgeous road to Hana.
