West on our radar
Planners organizing group tours will find many new itinerary brighteners in the region Take a look at what’s happening in the West: ARIZONA Mission San Xavier del Bac, located nine miles south of downtown Tucson, is offering free guided tours for the first time in its 214-year history. Volunteer docents lead 45-minute tours Monday through Saturday and explain the mission’s rich history and ornate interior that includes painted murals and original statuary. Tours of the mission, a National Historic Landmark, are made possible through Patronato San Xavier, a nonsectarian, nonprofit organization founded in 1978 to promote the restoration, maintenance and preservation of the mission, which was completed in 1797. The tour schedule is subject to change because the mission is a working Roman Catholic Church. (520-294-2624, sanxaviermission.org)
CALIFORNIA Central Coast Food Tours has started guided walking tours through downtown San Luis Obispo. Focusing on the town’s culinary riches, the two-mile walk is on mostly flat-terrain city sidewalks that thread along creeksides, picturesque landscapes and historic city streets. There are typically six to seven pre-arranged food and beverage tasting destinations on each tour. Cost is $49 per person, including all food and wine tastings. There is a maximum of 12 people per tour, and private tours for small groups can be arranged. (centralcoastfoodtours.com) SeaWorld San Diego has unveiled Turtle Reef, an interactive attraction that gives guests an up-close look at more than 60 sea turtles as well as an immersion into the life cycle of these threatened and endangered species. The focal point of Turtle Reef is a 300,000-gallon aquarium featuring hawksbill and green sea turtles. Also included are interactive games, a touch-screen tracking map and a ride that takes passengers on a rescue mission of their own. (800-257-4268, seaworldsandiego.com) Previews have begun for a brand new Cirque du Soleil production, IRIS, A Journey Through the World of Cinema, at Kodak Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard, home of the Academy Awards. Turtle Reef is the newest crowd-pleaser at SeaWorld San Diego. Directed by French director-choreograLeisureGroupTravel.com
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