Romantic Getaway in the American Pacific: From California to Hawaii

The next two days are yours to spend soaking in the scenic and cultural delights of San Francisco. Between rolling green hills and cable cars, the city’s iconic colourful Victorian residences unfold from Union Square to Golden State Park and from Lombard Street to Fisherman's Wharf port. On one of the days you’ll have the opportunity to head out with a clued-up local resident-guide for a walking tour around the city, which can be entirely improvised to suit you. You can trace the city’s legendary ‘Summer of Love’ (when, in the summer of 1967, nearly 100,000 young people flocked to the bohemian streets of San Francisco for a hit of free-spirited hedonism) with a stroll through trendy Haight Ashbury and Alamo Square. There is also Union Square for shopping, Ocean Beach for leisurely walks and the districts of Castro and Mission for bar-hopping. The rest of your time in San Fran is yours to spend as you please. You can head out to Alcatraz, spend an evening strolling through the trendy SoMA district, walk up the winding Lombard Street, rent bikes and ride across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito, a charming neighbourhood full of seafood restaurants and local galleries.

Your grand Pacific adventure continues today with a two-and-a-half hour drive to Big Sur, a rugged stretch of coastline home to some of California’s most enchanting beaches. After breakfast this morning, collect your hire car and hit the road south along Route One, which winds down the Pacific Coast with its many surf resorts, Spanish Missions (old religious outposts) and bustling fishing ports. There are a couple of spots worth stopping at along the way, including Moss Landing and its Elkhorn Slough nature reserve and Monterey, a coastal resort renowned for its impressive aquarium. There is also Carmel-by-the-Sea, a beautiful Hispanic town on the Monterey Peninsula. On arrival in Big Sur, check in for two nights in a chic and contemporary hotel and round off today enjoying the sunset on the beach.

Today is dedicated to soaking in the wild natural landscapes of Big Sur, a beautiful slice of coastal California that embodies the free-spirited hedonism of a time since passed. You could easily lose track of time hopping from beach to beach, but if you’re an avid hiker, then we recommend turning your nose to the mountain range that extends behind you. The tall cliffs of the mountain range plunge directly into the Pacific Ocean, offering incredible vistas.

The time has come to bid farewell to California and hop across the ocean to the idyllic Hawaiian archipelago. After breakfast this morning, hop back into your hire car and drive two-and-a-half hours back to the airport in San Francisco to catch a five-and-a-half hour direct flight to Honolulu, on the island of Oahu. On arrival you’ll be privately transferred to a trendy, luxurious hotel on Waikiki beach, where you’ll be hanging up your hat for the next two nights. The rest of today is yours to play with. You could head out for a walk on the beach and a dip in the sea, or you could simply kick back, relax and enjoy the facilities of your hotel.

Hawaii’s bustling capital is a coastal city par excellence with its rhapsody of American-style skyscrapers, pristine white-sand beaches, trendy restaurants and fashionable boutiques. You’ll be staying in the stylish neighbourhood of Waikiki, where you can easily lose track of time gently drifting between bustling streets and the beautiful beach of the same name. Those with a penchant for hiking can also climb to the top of Diamond Head to admire views across the whole island, while culture-buffs can head to Haleiwa to soak in the island’s deep-rooted surf culture, the Polynesian Cultural Center for a traditional show, and Pearl Harbor to see the historic sights of the Arizona Memorial and Battleship Missouri. And finally, to make your first full-day in Hawaii that much more memorable, we’ve arranged for you to enjoy a helicopter flight over the tropical forests, lush valleys, cliffs, volcanoes, coral reefs and turquoise waters that call Oahu home. Our team could also arrange for you to fit in with the locals with a surf lesson, or rent a convertible to discover the island at your own pace.

Your journey across the Pacific Coast continues today with a one-hour flight across the archipelago to Hilo, a charming town on neighbouring Big Island. On arrival, collect your next rental car and drive just under an hour to the small village of Volcano. Here you’ll check in for two nights in a cosy colonial lodge perfect for some R&R in the heart of nature.

Make sure to fuel up at breakfast this morning as you have a big day ahead. Today you’ll be heading into the seriously impressive Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in the company of a local artist who is passionate about both nature and culture. Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this park is made up of two of the most active volcanoes in the world: Mauna Loa and Kilauea. You’ll learn all about the peculiarities of the park’s landscapes and terrain, which changes with volcanic eruptions and lava flows, revealing a collection of new and exciting geological formations. There are also rare birds and endemic species here, as well as forests of giant ferns. If you still have some steam left in the tank this afternoon, then our team will be happy to arrange a helicopter flight over the island, so you can have a bird’s-eye view of the landscapes you saw today.

Today you’ll be heading off to your final destination on this romantic Pacific getaway: a luxurious hotel between Puako and Kailua-Kona, on the paradisiacal Kohala Coast. Everything here revolves around giving guests an exclusive experience of this enchanting stretch of coastline, with high-quality facilities and helpful service. Spend the rest of today cocooning into this new delightful environment – head to the spa for a relaxing massage, read your book by the pool and head out for a picturesque evening stroll along the beach.

You have two full days here to fully kick back, relax and savour the deliciously slow-paced feel of this coastline. When you’re ready to peel yourself away from the beach or the pool, there’s plenty to see and do. You can learn to surf in the gentle waves, snorkel in the beautiful reefs, admire seahorses at the Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm, stroll through pristine coffee plantations and head out to Kailua-Kona, a small town home to several royal residences of the old kings of Hawaii. We’ve also arranged for you and your special someone to head out for a guided nightfall diving session with manta rays, which come to the surface at this time to feed on plankton. Despite their whopping 15ft wingspan, these elegant creatures are totally harmless and magical to watch.