Silicon Valley Computer Science School Trip

Fly to San Francisco

Arrive in San Francisco.

You will fly from the UK to San Francisco, where your guide will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel to check in. You will have free time to relax or take a stroll around Union Square or Fisherman's Wharf for your first taste of the city, before a two-course evening meal at a local restaurant.

Silicon Valley: day one

Stanford, the Computer History Museum and Intel.

The two Silicon Valley days can be swapped depending on availability and logistics. After breakfast you will meet your coach and guide for a full day touring the key tech and innovation landmarks of Silicon Valley. You will visit Stanford University on a student-led or self-guided tour, depending on availability, then the Computer History Museum, with entrance included to see its extensive exhibits on the evolution of computing, and the Intel Museum, with interactive exhibits on chip design and processing. Lunch is not included, with your guide able to suggest places to buy lunch on tour, such as a local supermarket or cafe, or one of the parks in Palo Alto. You will return for a two-course evening meal at a local restaurant.

Silicon Valley: day two

Googleplex, The Tech Interactive and Apple Park.

After breakfast you will meet your coach and guide for a second day exploring the tech heartland. You will see the Googleplex on a drive-by with photo opportunities, visit The Tech Interactive for hands-on exhibits with an IMAX screening included, and the Apple Park Visitor Centre, the only public-accessible area of Apple's headquarters. Time permitting, you will also drive by eBay, LinkedIn, Adobe and the Apple Infinite Loop. Lunch is not included, with options at the Tech Cafe or a nearby supermarket or cafe to eat at the adjacent Plaza de Cesar Chavez Park. You will return for a two-course evening meal at a local restaurant.

Alcatraz and San Francisco

Alcatraz Island.

After breakfast you will make your way around San Francisco on foot or by public transport, with tickets bought locally, or morning coach hire available at a supplement. You will visit Alcatraz Island, with the ferry ride included, to explore the prison and grounds with an award-winning audio tour. Lunch is not included, with the chance to pick up a sandwich or lunch box from Boudin Bakery, Pier 39 or Fisherman's Wharf and picnic in Washington Square Park or Marina Green.

A guided coach tour of the city.

After lunch you will meet your coach and guide for a four-hour guided coach tour of San Francisco, taking in the Golden Gate Bridge with a drive across and photo stop, the Painted Ladies at Alamo Square, Twin Peaks, Chinatown and North Beach, the Civic Center and Haight-Ashbury. You will return for a two-course evening meal at a local restaurant.

The Academy of Sciences and home

The California Academy of Sciences.

After breakfast you will make your way around San Francisco on foot or by public transport, with tickets bought locally, or coach hire available at a supplement. You will visit the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park, home to a rainforest, planetarium and aquarium. Lunch is not included, with options at the Ferry Building Marketplace, Union Square cafes or a picnic in Golden Gate Park. Depending on flight times you may have free time for last-minute shopping, before collecting your luggage and transferring to San Francisco airport for your return flight.

Arrive home

Arrive back in the UK.

You will arrive at your UK airport and make your own way home.