West Coast Trip 2016 Program
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Transcript of West Coast Trip 2016 Program
2016
Belo USA contact phone numbers:
• Toll free: 1-877-235.6872 - 8am to 6pm CST
• FAX: 1-312-376-3690
• E-mail: [email protected]
WEST COAST TRIPPhoenix AZ/Grand Canyon, AZ/Las Vegas, NV /Los Angeles, CA/Yosemite, CA/San Francisco, CA
14 days/13 nightsHere it is, the West Coast Dream Trip! The US has continually expanded westward since its founding,
and thus the denition of the West has evolved over time. Our trip will reect the ever-changing
nature of this amazing part of the country.
You will have an opportunity to travel from Phoenix to San Francisco, visiting the states of Arizona,
Nevada and California.
Prepare to visit spectacular nature spots like the Grand Canyon and Yosemite National Park,
famous cities like Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco… 13 days of pure adventure and
nature, mixed with culture, learning and friendship!
Arrivals to the Phoenix airport are between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm MST. Belo USA staff monitors will
meet arriving students at our pre-arranged pick-up points. Students must send Belo USA their
arrival information in advance in order to be picked-up. All students will be met in the baggage
claim area (meeting point attached to your program) and then proceed to the hotel. Please look for
our representative with a Belo USA sign in the baggage claim area.
Arrival Airport: Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) in Phoenix, AZ between 8:00 AM
and 5:00 PM MST.
Departure Airport: Oakland International Airport (OAK) in Oakland, CA between 6:00 AM
and 3:00 PM PST.
Some of our educational goals of the trip include:1. Identify cultural and social differences between various regions in Arizona, Nevada and
California.
2. Explore the many geographical differences and wonders of the U.S.
3. Learn and live American history.
Operated by:
Emergency Contact: Toll Free: 1-855-442-7714 (Trip Coordinator - 24/7 during trip
mapa
San Francisco
Los Angeles CA
NV
AZ
Yosemite
Phoenix
Grand Canyon
Las Vegas
PACIFIC
ProgramDate:June 23 to July 6 / Departure from: Phoenix, AZ
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JUNE 23 - THURSDAYArrival Day - Phoenix, AZ
Welcome to Phoenix!
Student Arrivals.
Arrival times: 8 am - 5 pm
Arrival Airport: Phoenix Sky Harbor
International (PHX)
Students arriving after 5pm or in a different
airport will be charged extra for the transfer
Airport – Hotel.
7pm – Dinner at the hotel (included) followed by
the Orientation Meeting (Mandatory).
At the orientation Belo USA will give all students
the guidelines, as well as the logistical specics
for the trip. The chaperone and the Belo trip
coordinator will introduce themselves so
students know who they are and what their roles
are during the trip. This meeting will prepare all
students to fully enjoy this fantastic trip safely.
JUNE 24 - FRIDAY
Phoenix, AZ - Grand Canyon, AZ
Breakfast (included).
9am – Departure from the hotel. We will get to
know more about the largest state capital in the
US (Lunch is not included).
The Phoenix and Scottsdale metro area is
called the Valley of the Sun. Phoenix is in
the beautiful Sonoran Desert, the only
desert of its type in the world. Experience
this unique lush desert, home of the
Saguaro Cactus. We will visit downtown
Phoenix with a stop at the State Capitol.
From there we will the head to Camelback
Mountain and Papago Park area to check
out an ancient site known as the Hole in
the Rock. Let's nish in Scottsdale for some
lunch and shopping.
12 pm – Free time for lunch at a mall.
3 pm - Departure to Williams, AZ.
• Trip: 173 miles / 279 km – approx. a 4-hour
trip.
We’ll stop in Sedona, AZ – a town with beautiful
scenery in the middle of the desert, where a lot of
famous Western movies were lmed. It’s also
famous for its spiritual energy.
6pm – Arrival and check-in, and time to relax at
the pool.
7pm -Dinner (included). Afterward, some time
to get ready for our next exciting day.
JUNE 25 - SATURDAY
Grand Canyon, AZ
Breakfast (included).
8am – Departure to the National Park. The
Grand Canyon is a steep-sided gorge carved by
the Colorado River. It is largely contained within
the Grand Canyon National Park — one of the
rst national parks in the United States.
Bring your water and hiking shoes because we
are going down into the canyon (not
mandatory)! Today you will have the opportunity
to take some amazing pictures, not to mention
make lifelong memories.
If you don't feel like hiking, we can take the
shuttle and visit the view points and even check
out the Colorado River!
Then we will have free time for lunch, and you
will have the afternoon to relax and explore the
canyon- one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
6pm – Dinner at the park (included). Let's relax
and discuss all the natural wonders of the
Canyon!
8pm – Return to the hotel.
JUNE 26 - SUNDAY
Grand Canyon, AZ - Las Vegas, NV
Breakfast (included).
PACK YOUR BAGS… WE'RE GOING TO VEGAS!
8 am – Departure from the Hotel. We are
crossing the desert on our way to Las Vegas, so
make sure to take a good look around; we will
cross the Colorado River that divides Arizona
and Nevada.
• Trip: 270 miles/440 km – approx. a 5-hour
trip.
1 pm – Arrival in Las Vegas and time for lunch
Program
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and shopping.
3 pm – Head to the hotel to check-in, relax at the
pool, and get ready for our rst night out in Las
Vegas.
7 pm – Dinner (included).
Tonight will be a night to remember. We have
arranged for a Las Vegas city tour in a limo
(included)! Yes, a limo! We will ride around in
style and take in the lights of the Vegas Strip.
We'll see the famous water show at the Bellagio
Hotel, the Las Vegas Welcome sign and the
famous Fremont Street... Denitely a night to
remember!!!
JUNE 27 - MONDAY
Las Vegas, NV
Breakfast (included).
10am – Let's walk around the Las Vegas Strip
and see some more sights of the city that rose
out of the desert. We will have time to go into
many of the hotels, marvel at the impressive
structures and check out the attractions within.
And even though we cannot gamble, there is still
much to soak up in this bustling playground.
Free time for lunch. Check out the affordable all-
you-can-eat buffets in many of the hotels.
2pm – The bus will zip us to the northern end of
the Strip, where we will ascend 1,149 ft. inside of
the tallest free-standing structure in Nevada,
The Stratosphere Tower (included). Behold the
sprawling city of Las Vegas all around you and
the innite horizons beyond. There are also
some exciting thrill rides atop the Stratosphere!
6pm – We will stay in this area for our dinner
(included). After dinner we can walk around.
Optional: We have prepared some optional
shows for you. We will give you more
information about this at our orientation on
the rst day of the trip. The cost of the shows
vary from $70 - $150. You can choose to go to
a famous Vegas show or enjoy the swimming
pool at the hotel.
JUNE 28 - TUESDAY
Las Vegas, NV - Los Angeles, CA
Breakfast (included).
8am – Departure to Los Angeles, CA.
• Trip: 283 miles / 455 km – approx. a 5-hour
trip.
WELCOME TO SUNNY CALIFORNIA!!!
1pm – Arrive in Los Angeles and go straight to
Universal Studios Theme Park (included)!
You will be on your own for lunch, so make sure
to bring some money to buy something at the
park.
Universal Studios Hollywood is “The
Entertainment Capitol of LA”! It is both a movie
studio and the original Universal Studios theme
park. Throughout the hot summer months its
often called “The Coolest Place in LA.” It was
rst created for people to take tours of the real
Universal Studios soundstages and sets but
overtime it evolved into the amusement park it is
today!
7pm – Dinner (included).
JUNE 29 - WEDNESDAYLos Angeles, CA
Breakfast (included).
8 am – Departure from hotel.
Time to get ready for an exciting tour of
Hollywood! We will start at Madame Tussaud's
Wax Museum (included) for a chance to meet all
of your favorite stars!
Then we'll be able to see Grouman's Chinese
Theatre, the Kodak Theatre and Hollywood
Boulevard!
Grouman's Chinese Theatre often rolls out the
red carpet for lm premieres, but what we'll get
to enjoy today is out front of the theatre. Before
entering the theatre you'll nd the handprints,
footprints and signatures of stars ranging from
John Wayne and Shirley Temple to Arnold
Schwarzenegger and Daniel Radcliffe.
The Kodak Theatre stands in the midst of the
Hollywood and Highland Center- full of
shopping, food and fun! The Kodak Theatre is
able to seat 3,400 people and is the permanent
home of the Academy Awards. If you walk into
the Hollywood and Highland Center, up the
stairs and to the bridges connecting the 2nd and
3rd oors of the complex you'll also catch an
amazing view of the famous “Hollywood” sign!
Hollywood Boulevard is known for its “Walk of
Fame”- growing since 1960 there are now over
2,300 bronze stars lining the sidewalks. See if
you can nd your favorite star!
1 pm – Grab your sun block and let's go to the
beach! Today is a day of fun in the sun; don't
forget to check out all the Californian beach
fashion. You'll have the chance to enjoy
Santa Monica Beach or do some shopping.
Free time to get some lunch at the beach.
6 pm – Dinner by the beach before returning to
the hotel for the night (included).
JUNE 30 - THURSDAY
Los Angeles, CA
Breakfast (included).
10 am – Today is our day to go to magical
Disneyland (included)!
“To all who come to this happy place –
Welcome! Disneyland is your land. Here
age relives fond memories of the past and
here youth may savor the challenge and
promise of the future. Disneyland is
dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and
the hard facts that have created America…
with the hope that it will be a source of joy
and inspiration to all the world.”
Walter E. Disney, July 17, 1955
7 pm – Dinner (included) at the park and some
time to relax before the famous reworks!
(9:30pm – Fireworks)
Program
4
JULY 1 - FRIDAY
Los Angeles, CA – Merced, CA
Breakfast (included).
8am – Let’s enjoy our last moments in star-
studded Los Angeles and take some last minute
pictures. We will be visiting Grifth Observatory
for a great view of the Hollywood sign and the
entire city of LA!
12pm – Free time in Beverly Hills for lunch.
1pm – Departure to Merced, CA
• Trip: 296 miles / 480 km – approx. a 6-hour trip.
Yosemite National Park is known for its beauty. It
seems like the green you see will go on forever
with huge forests, beautiful wildlife and huge
granite walls. We will join with nature and learn
about this unique forest culture.
7pm – Arrive at Yosemite National Park. We will
be staying in Merced, CA, which is located in 79
miles from Yosemite National Park. We will arrive
in the city, have dinner (included) and check into
the hotel.
JULY 2 - SATURDAY
Yosemite National Park, CA
Breakfast (included).
8 am – Departure from the Hotel.
We will start with an interesting talk about how the
National Park Service protects bears and what we
can do to help. A little bit about the bears: About
300 to 500 American black bears live in the park.
The name "black bear" is misleading, since the
color of each bear varies from blond to cinnamon-
brown to black. The typical adult male weighs
300—350 pounds and adult female can weigh in
at 200—250 pounds.
After lunch, we will have a great hiking adventure
through the expansive park (included). Yosemite
Park is internationally recognized for its
spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear
streams, Giant Sequoia tree groves, and
biological diversity. We will do some bike riding or
rafting (Class 1)* at Yosemite! (included).
6 pm - Dinner (included) at the Park and let's return
to the hotel.
*Class 1: Very small rough areas, requires no
maneuvering. (Skill Level: None)
JULY 3 - SUNDAY
Merced, CA - San Francisco, CA
Breakfast (included).
Today you will be able to relax and get ready to
head to San Francisco.
10 am – Departure to San Francisco, CA.
• Trip: 130 miles / 209 km – approx. a 3-hour
trip.
2 pm – Arrival in San Francisco and head to the
beautiful Golden Gate Park, with great views of
the city and time to explore the de Young Art
Museum (included).
We will be going to famous Pier 39, to see the sea
lions!
7pm – Dinner (included).
JULY 4 - MONDAYSan Francisco, CA
Breakfast (included).
9 pm –Today we will take a lovely tour of the sights
of San Francisco!
Our tour will include: Pier 39, Fishermen's Wharf,
and the famous San Fran cable cars! Yes, we will
be riding a cable car!
We will be boarding the cable cars and cross the
city all the way to Union Square where we will
have time to shop, eat lunch and explore the city.
2 pm – Let's board our buses and head to the City
Hall and check out the city from the top of the Twin
Peaks. After that we'll head to the largest
Chinatown in the United States.
We'll have some time to look in the shops there
before grabbing dinner at one of the amazing
restaurants!
7 pm – Dinner in San Francisco's famous
Chinatown (included).
JULY 5 - TUESDAY
San Francisco, CA
Breakfast (included).
8am – Departure from the Hotel and grab your sailor's hat. We're taking a boat tour (included) to get a glimpse of the marvelous Golden Gate Bridge and the famous Alcatraz Island.
Alcatraz is also known as THE ROCK and it is a small island located in the middle of San Francisco Bay. It served as a lighthouse, a military prison, then a federal prison until 1963. The prison held such notable criminals as Al Capone.
12pm – Break for lunch.
Stretch your legs and let's get a real experience by walking the 1.71 miles across the Golden Gate Bridge! Let's experience the best view of San Francisco Bay.
6pm – Dinner (included).
Tonight is the farewell party! Let's have a great last night with all your new friends, and get ready to go back to your host families.
JULY 6 - WEDNESDAYSan Francisco, CA – Departure Day
Breakfast before individual departures (included).
DEPARTURE DAY: All day our staff will be taking groups of students to the airport for their departures.
Departures are between 6am - 3pm PST from Oakland International Airport (OAK) on this day.
Hotel check-out will be at 11:00am.
Students are not permitted to stay longer than the planned trip – all departing ights must be scheduled for this day. If there are any ight cancellations or delays, we will communicate with the host family.
Thanks for travelling with us and we look forward to seeing you very soon!
Belo USA Travel Inc.
Useful Hints
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MANDATORY ITEMS:
• Original Passport - students will not be
allowed to travel without their passport;
• Approximately US$ 350.00 for personal
expenses during the trip, such as meals, gifts,
and others. If you are interested in buying
gifts, remember to bring a larger amount;
• Alarm clock;
• Lock for luggage.
Ÿ Health Insurance Card
CLOTHING AND OTHER NECESSARY ITEMS:
• Shorts, Jeans - take a look at the weather
before you leave home and decide what you
will need to wear;
• Sandals, sneakers, tennis shoes and/or
trekking boots;
• Swimming suit.
• T-Shirts;
• Cap;
• Sweatshirts
• Layered clothing;
• Personal products;
• Sunscreen, sunglasses;
• Accessories (belt, etc.);
• Watch;
• If you bring a credit card, leave a copy with
your host family;
• Any medication you take regularly.
ADDITIONAL SUGGESTED ITEMS:
(Remember to put your name on your
belongings!)
• Camera, memory card and charger;
• Video Camera and charger;
• Cell phone and charger;
• MP3 and/or I-Pod;
• Flag from your country;
• Musical instrument you play, etc.
Price Includes
• Transportation in coach buses;
• Water and soft drinks inside the bus for the trip-days;
• 13 Nights (4 people per room, 2 per bed same gender);
• 13 Breakfasts;
• 13 Dinners;
• Transportation to the tours;
• Entrance Fee for the Grand Canyon National Park;
• Night City Tour in Las Vegas in a Limo;
• Ticket to the Stratosphere Tower;
• Ticket to Universal Theme park;
• Ticket to an Amusement Park in Los Angeles, CA;
• Entrance Fee for Yosemite National Park;
• Rafting at Yosemite;
• Ticket to Alcatraz in San Franciso, CA;
• Ticket to a cable car ride in San Francisco, CA;
• City Tours mentioned in the program;
• Local specialized Guides;
• Transfer Airport - Hotel - Airport (PHX in Phoenix and OAK in
Oakland);
• Belo USA Coordinator;
• Belo USA Monitors;
• Chaperone;
• 1 Trip T-shirt;
• 1 Trip Video.
5
Hotels
Phoenix, AZ:
Hilton Phoenix Airport2435 South 47th Street
Phoenix, AZ 85034
Phone: 480-894-1600
Grand Canyon, AZ:
Quality Inn Williams 1029 N Grand Canyon BLVD
Williams, AZ 86046
Phone: 928-635-9888
Las Vegas, NV:
Hampton Inn & Suites6575 S. Eastern Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89119
Phone: 702-647-8000
Los Angeles, CA:
Holiday Inn Buena Park7000 Beach Blvd.
Buena Park, CA 90620
Phone: 714-522-7000
Yosemite, CA:
Hampton Inn Merced225 S Parsons Ave
Merced, CA 95341
Phone: (209) 386-1210
San Francisco, CA:
Hilton Oakland1 Hegenberger Road
Oakland, CA 94621
Phone: 510-635-5000
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Coin Laundry Facility Fitness Center
Swimming Pool Internet Access
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General Conditions
01. English is the ofcial language
of this trip.
02. It is not allowed, under any circumstance, for any
student to separate from the program during the
trip.
03. All students must bring their original passport on the
trip, however please leave a copy of your passport
with your host family.
04. At the beginning and end of the trip, each student
must leave from and go directly to their host
community, unless the student has written
permission from their Exchange Organization and
their host family.
05. Belo USA Travel Inc. is not responsible for buying
any bus, airline and train tickets from the trip's nal
destination to your host city. It's the student's
responsibility to pay for the ticket.
06. Illegal drug use of any kind is prohibited.
07. Stealing of any kind will be severely punished in
addition to any possible legal consequences.
08. Purchasing or consuming alcoholic beverages is
strictly forbidden.
09. Tattoos and body piercings are extremely
discouraged and allowed only with the
preauthorization of the natural parents and
sponsor/local their Exchange Organization.
10. Our schedules and itineraries must be followed by
all students. The trip coordinator reserves the right
to make changes in the schedule, when necessary,
or if it is in the best interest of the group.
11. Lodging does not cover incidental costs, such as
phone calls, mini-bar purchases, etc. If the students
decide to use these services, they are responsible for
paying these costs.
12. Keep luggage to a minimum. All students will carry
and be responsible for their own luggage at all
times. The maximum amount allowed is 50 pounds
(23 kg) and a carry on bag (small bag or back pack).
Remember to keep those items you will need during
the day with you on the bus - like iPods, cameras,
wallets, etc.
13. Students must be approved by their Exchange
Organization in order to travel. Students who have
faced disciplinary action with their Exchange
Organization may be denied approval for
participation.
14. All departure/arrival times from/to our activities will
be decided by the coordinators, depending on the
exact length of each activity.
15. The trip has a limited number of vacancies, which
will be lled on a “rst come – rst serve” basis.
16. There must be at least 35 students signed up to open
up the trip. However, there is a possibility for us to
open more buses depending on the number of
reservations.
17. Belo USA Travel Inc. reserves the right to operate the
trip program backwards (i.e., switching the
departure city and the arrival city) if needed because
of number of students and availability.
18. Swimming: Even if you know how to swim please BE
CAREFUL, because you are unfamiliar with the
pool/places and are not aware of all potential
hazards.
19. Please note that additional expenses are different
for each individual. We believe that $25/per day
is enough for food, extra entertainment, optional
items, etc, but remember to bring additional
money if you are planning to buy gifts. Also
remember that anything you buy will have to t
into your suitcase in order to get it on the bus and
back home.
20. There will be plenty of ATM machines available
during the entire course of the trip in case you
need more money.
21. Please bring all cash in US dollars.
22. If you are not comfortable traveling with cash,
Traveler's Checks are a safer option. Most banks
in the US can provide you with Traveler's Checks,
which are accepted at most commercial
locations.
23. Travel expenses from your host city to the trip's
departing airport are not included in the program
fee.
24. If you take any regular medication, make sure to
bring enough for the trip's duration. Also, please
bring a copy of the prescription in case you might
need it (just to be safe.)
25. Since we will be outside, please be careful and
use lotion/sunscreen.
26. If any student's conduct is considered harmful to
the rest of the students, or if any student breaks
any of the program rules, he or she can be sent
back to their host community immediately,
assuming all extra costs, to his or her host
city/family. Additionally, any violation of the rules
and any students removed from the program will
be reported to their Exchange Organization.
27. All prices are in US dollars. In case of payment by
international wire transfer, the dollar/euro/your
local currency exchange rate to be considered for
conversion will be the one listed by Chase Bank /
JP Morgan on the day that the payment arrives in
the USA.
28. All other optional activities that may be offered
during student's free time are considered extra
costs, and are not included in the overall trip
price.
29. Belo USA Travel Inc. is not responsible for the cost
of the student's travel expenses from his/her host
city to the departure point and back.
30. Lost & Found: all the students' items found during
the trip will be sent to Belo USA's ofce and kept
for 60 days after the end of the trip. Any student
who has lost something must send us an e-mail
with the description of the item within 60 days of
the end of the trip. Postage to return the item to
any student is the student's responsibility.
31. All students who take part in this trip grant image
use rights to Belo USA to produce a Trip VIDEO,
as well as use of photos from the trip on our
website and program materials.
32. The Trip Video will be sent to the students within
six months of the completion of the trip. Belo USA
will contact students by email when the video is
ready. You will be sent a link and a password in
order to view and download the video
33. In case you do not receive an email containing
the link to the video, please contact Belo USA
with your current email address.
34. Please make any comments or complaints
regarding the trip in writing (via email or
standard letter) to Belo USA Travel within 30 days of
the end of the trip to ensure Belo USA a chance to
respond. All contracts with Belo ofcially end 30 days
after the trip and Belo USA, the tour operator, is
therefore relinquished of any responsibility.
35. Once any student requests the description of any of
the trip's programs organized by Belo USA Travel
Inc., the client declares to know and to agree with all
the terms of this “General Conditions”, that can be
found in our trip program or on our web site.
Cancellation and Refund Policy:
36. In case we do not achieve the minimum number of
participants needed, Belo USA Travel Inc. reserves
the right to cancel the trip or to transfer the date
and/or to offer other options of tours as well,
according to the clients wish. If this occurs, all
payments already made will be returned in full.
37. If the student chooses to leave the program or is sent
home for breaking any program rules, he/she will
pay a penalty according to the date of his written
order to cancel the tour, read below:
* Cancelled more than 30 days before the
beginning of the trip: 10% of the trip's price.
* Cancelled between 29 and 21 days before the
beginning of the trip: 20% of the trip's price.
* Cancelled between 20 and 7 days before the
beginning of the trip: 40% of the trip's price.
* Cancelled between 6 days or less before the
beginning of the trip: 100% of the trip's price.
- If a student cancels his or her trip, any payments
previously made cannot be transferred to another
student or host sibling.
38. Any student who leaves the trip during the program,
for any reason, will not receive any refund.
39. A request for reimbursement due to trip cancellation
because of an early return of the exchange student
to his/her original country, must be made to Belo
USA Travel Inc. at least seven (7) days in advance of
the program trip's departure. After initial request,
reimbursement will be made to a U.S. bank account
and the penalties will be applied according to the
“cancellation and refund policy” above. If the
student does not follow the deadline established by
the program, making it necessary for us to proceed
with the reimbursement through International Wire
Transfer, all taxes and bank fees will be the client's
responsibility.
- In case of early return of the student from the trip or
to his/her original country, cost of return ticket is
the student's responsibility.
40. Any cancellations or withdrawals must be made in
writing – via letter, fax or email – by the tour's
participant to Belo USA Travel Inc.
41. Belo USA Travel is not responsible for any
reimbursements or change fees associated with
ight or travel arrangements.
Operated by: