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About our business
Do you offer bus tours?
No. We cater to individuals, couples, families and small groups
looking for independence from the needs of larger groups. We conduct
our private tours a selection of vehicles ranging from sedans to
14 passenger vans. If you're looking for a bus company that does
package tours of California, we recommend California
Parlor Car Tours.
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Will
we be traveling with other people we've never met?
No. Our clients are independent travelers who want
to be able to pursue their own activities on their own schedule.
You will, of course, have the option to join groups for local
tours and activities at various destinations, but the overall
experience is one to be shared with just you, and your friends
and family.
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Where
can we go using your service?
While California's almost always plays a central role
in our clients' itineraries, our service by no means stops
at the border. Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Sedona, and destinations
in the Pacific Northwest states of Oregon and Washington are
commonly included in our tours.
Occassionally, a client is interested in venturing even further
afield. While we don't consider ourselves experts in destinations
like Utah, New Mexico, Idaho, Colorado and beyond, we've been
happy to add them and other destinations to an itinerary at
a client's request. We've gone as far east as Texas and Louisiana
in some cases. In all cases, we are familiar with the regions,
and have traveled there in the past. If you need a driver
to continue your tour beyond our normal operating region,
just ask! We'll be happy to oblige.
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Will
you get us great deals?
By and large, we get
the same rates on rooms and activities that you would
get if you took the time to make the arrangements yourself.
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About your trip
Planning
At
what airports are you available to pick us up?
We will pick you up
and drop you off at any airport in California (also Las Vegas, Nevada) at no extra fee. If you need us to meet you, or drop you off out of
state, we may bill you for commuting expenses, depending on the specific location.
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How
many people can we have in our traveling party?
Our service is for individuals, couples, families and
family-sized groups. We limit the size to maintain the intimacy
of the experience, but also are limited by the sizes of the
vehicles we can drive. The maximum sized group we will currently take is 8 passengers.
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Do
we have to prebook our accommodations? Or, can we "just
wing it"?
Obviously, "winging it" is more risky at some times and destinations than others, but if you prefer to have a bit of flexibility with your trip, let us know. We'll advise you where and when it may be possible to take a more unscripted approach to your itinerary.
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Can
you book our inbound and outbound airfare?
Happily. This can sometimes be advantageous, as inbound/outbound
airfare can occassionally be combined with local flights in
an itinerary that's more economical than if the flights were
booked separately. Our familiarity with local airports and
flights can also help when figuring out how best to design
the flight itinerary. You should know, however, that we do
not have any special relationships with the airlines or get
any special deals. As with the other arrangements we book,
we will be getting the same fares that you would be able to
get if you researched the flights on your own.
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Who
will we pay for our lodging and other local arrangements?
In most cases, you will pay the individual providers directly for these arrangements. For some arrangements, we may need to place a deposit for you in advance of your arrival. In these cases, you can either reimburse us for the deposits, or have us use your credit card to pay them.
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During your trip
In
what kind of accommodations will we be staying?
You will stay in whichever types of accommodations you like. We drive and guide your trip; we don't dictate your sleeping or eating arrangements. Those are up to your own personal tastes.
We will present options during the planning stage, at which
point you can decide based on price, style and amenities.
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In what
kind of vehicle will we be traveling?
There is no limit on what type of vehicle we'll be driving in. We've provided pricing for some standard vehicles on our pricing page. If you have a specialty vehicle you'd like us to drive you in, we'll be happy to price that out for you.
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Will you
join us for meals?
We play this by ear, but it's up to you to invite,
or not to invite. Our tours tend to be fairly casual and intimate
experiences. We'll be spending a lot of time together, and
share quite a few memorable experiences. Often, our clients
like to carry this over into meals and other off-hours pursuits.
On the other hand, we fully respect that you're here to enjoy
yourselves with your friends and family, and that you'll want
to have time apart from your friendly guide. We often need
a little private time as well.
So, the way we handle it is that it's up to you to
invite, and for us to accept of decline. If you'd like us
to join you for a meal or a drink, give us the invite. If
we've got the energy, we'll accept; if not, maybe next meal.
In any case, we've built the cost for own meals into our pricing,
so we'll make sure to take care of our own tabs.
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Will
you be available to us at all times during our tour?
We're always available breakfast through supper, and are also happy to drive you out for the evening, should you decide to go out for some entertainment. We do require that we are able to get a full night's sleep each night, as a safety consideration, so may not be available for real late nights.
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Will
you be guiding every aspect of our trip?
We are happy to guide any driving aspect of your trip, and may also lead you on some non-driving experiences as well. There are quite aq few experiences, however, where we may set you up with other local guides. Examples include water-based experiences like kayaking tours, whale watching or fishing, or other specialty tours like horseback riding, hot air ballooning or scuba diving. You'll pay the guides for any of these tours that are incorporated into your itinerary separately.
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