New Immersive Small Van Trips

When it comes to group travel at Destination America, we are always looking for ways to innovate and improve upon our offerings. Even before COVID-19, our team recognized a strong demand in the market for small, family, and private group travel. The result of our creativity and research yielded our newest year-round Small Vans Trips, launching in August 2022.  

Utilizing luxuriously appointed Mercedes-Benz® Sprinter Vans, each trip will accommodate up to 17 guests, a driver, and a guide. These brand-new vans have been customized to bring our guests comfortable leather seats with ample legroom, panoramic windows to enjoy scenic drives, charging ports for personal devices, an awning to provide shade, filtered water dispenser, and much more. To optimize the van seating, overhead carry-on luggage storage will be available, as well as a luggage trailer on travel days.  

Thanks to the compact design of these vans, our guests can gain access to spectacular scenic byways, less travelled roads, lesser-known destinations, boutique hotels, and more intimate dining experiences. This gives Destination America (DA) the opportunity to take our guests off the beaten path and immerse them in locations that go beyond the top must-sees. DA’s Small Van Trips are all about slowing down and discovering the unique offerings of the regions visited on an approximately week-long adventure. 

From food and wine exploration in Northern California and the Central Coast to the hidden natural wonders of Utah’s National Parks, DA can curate distinct experiences that embrace the niche interests of our guests. Here are just a few of the many highlights featured on the new and exciting Small Van Trips DA will be thrilling groups with later this year: 

Yosemite & Lassen Volcanic National Parks

Showcasing the diversity and contrasts of California’s geography, this journey offers a glimpse of both well-known icons and lesser-known parks. Lassen Volcanic National Park, one of the state’s best kept secrets that rival Yellowstone in terms of beauty, features volcanic and hydrothermal areas on a rugged landscape. Traverse Gold Country and splash around in the dazzling waters of Lake Tahoe, visit awe-inspiring Yosemite National Park with the imposing Half Dome, all while enjoying spectacular hikes and experiences, such as an exclusive lunch at a family-owned, sustainable, organic vineyard in the heart of the “Bread bowl of America,” the San Joaquin Valley.

Utah’s National Parks

Utah’s parks offer otherworldly scenery and geologic features unlike anywhere else in the United States, or even the world. Explore the must-sees of Zion and Bryce Canyon for truly jaw-dropping vistas amongst vibrant red rock or unusual hoodoos and connect with Indigenous communities on their ancestral lands in Monument Valley Tribal Park and Antelope Canyon in Lake Powell Navajo Tribal Park. Capitol Reef National Park and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument highlight treasures such Waterpocket Fold and immense monoliths, slot canyons, natural bridges, and arches.

Northern California’s Food & Wine Trail

Embark on a sustainability-minded journey through some of California’s most beautiful and enchanting regions while sampling the fresh flavors of the Golden State. This trip introduces historic San Francisco and the iconic Golden Gate Bridge before revealing the natural wonders found at Muir Woods National Monument, Point Reyes, Mendocino Headlands State Park, Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens, the colorful shore of Glass Beach, and charming Healdsburg. No visit to the north would be complete without experiencing the three thriving regions of Sonoma, Russian River, and Napa Valley, where spectacular vineyards, wine tasting, and foodie delights await. 

Arizona and the Grand Canyon

This state has far more to offer than what your typical bucket list might mention. This journey is a discovery of both southern and northern Arizona through its unique and iconic locations of Sedona, Red Rock State Park, Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki National Monument, as well as the extraordinary Grand Canyon, all while experiencing the beautiful seasons beyond summertime. Enjoy the dark night skies unpolluted by light and gaze up at unobscured stars and planets. Unveil the heritage and ancient cultures of these stunning landscapes by tracing centuries of Native American history. 

Each of these new itineraries feature unique immersive activities, dining, and lodging that exemplify the region’s character, giving our guests a more local experience.  

At Destination America, we are extremely excited about the possibilities that these Small Van Trips can bring to travelers, both past and new. We offer ten unique itineraries run seasonally and year-round, visiting some of America’s lesser-known hidden gems. As part of our pledge to MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®, we are committed to bringing tourism to communities affected by undertourism and helping balance the effects of overtourism in more popular destinations. 

We understand that the interests of guests and how they want to experience travel regularly change and evolve, and we cannot wait to meet their requests for something different, but always exceptional. 

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