Fly to Denver, then make the short drive to Boulder where your orientation officially begins with some of our favorite icebreakers and “get to know you” activities.

Welcome to the Rockies, and one of the most beautiful places in the nation! Get to know your new friends with CU-Boulder’s professional Low Elements challenge and teamwork program. Dine at The Sink, a Boulder institution where you can sign the wall and keep an eye out for the “grate” listing all the previous Westcoast Connection groups to have passed through. Enjoy evenings trying your hand at axe throwing, bowling and playing billiards with your new friends in CU Boulder’s main hub – the Connection. Explore Pearl Street with its funky musicians and street performers!

Explore the quaint town of Jackson Hole and snap a photo in front of the famous elk-antler arches. Brave the wet and wild Snake River on an incredible whitewater rafting journey! Go full throttle down an Alpine Slide and the Cowboy Coaster for breathtaking views. Embrace the majestic Grand Tetons on your way to marvel at Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park’s most regular geyser, the thermal pools and the Fountain Paint Pots. Keep your eyes out for the park’s diverse wildlife, including the many buffalo.

Enjoy the day riding the body or tube slides or lounging in the lazy river at Lagoon Water Park. That evening, ride one of the many awesome roller coasters or 40 other attractions in the amusement park including the state of the art roller coaster, Cannibal. For the daredevils in the group, brave Wicked, a coaster that launches riders up a 110 Tower, at 55 mph in 2.5 seconds before an Immelmann turn, a heart-line roll, two half-pipe turns and the signature "lake turn" into a dark tunnel. Visit the Olympic Park and take an Extreme Tubing ride down the landing hill of a ski jump in an inner tube at speeds up to 50 mph!

Explore Fisherman’s Wharf, taste chocolate in Ghirardelli Square, ferry over to Alcatraz prison*, watch the sea lions, browse the shops and enjoy fresh seafood at Pier 39. Wander down Lombard Street, cross the Golden Gate Bridge and ride one of San Francisco’s iconic cable cars.

*As per the National Park Service, we disclose that Alcatraz tour has a retail value of $45.25 included in our program tuition.

Play Ultimate Frisbee or beach volleyball on the shore or listen to music and tan. Learn to waterski with professional instructors or go tubing or wakeboarding. Sprawl the deck of your private sailboat as we sail the deep blue waters. Clip into Via Ferrata, a network of steel cables that run the length of a mountain face and cross built-in steps, handles, beams and bridges while you are struck by spectacular views of nature all around.

Enjoy the perfect stay on the California Coast. Santa Barbara features small-town charm, miles of beaches and the beauty of the surrounding mountains at your fingertips. Sea kayak the Pacific Ocean, and check out Stearns Wharf and State St. Enjoy a beach day, go for a swim or play a pickup game of soccer in the sand… don’t forget the sunscreen!

Experience the brand new Universal Studios’ SUPER NINTENDO WORLD ™! Tour the world’s most famous backlot at Universal’s Studio Tour, explore the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Jurassic World -The Ride!

Look for your favorite celebrities on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and compare handprints with the stars outside of TCL Chinese Theater. Check out Venice Beach, watch for celebrities on Rodeo Drive, and laugh out loud at the IMPROV comedy club. Spend the day at the happiest place on earth, Disneyland, featuring ‘Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge’.

Sample delicious treats at the Original Farmers Market on Fairfax & 3rd, and choose from over 100 different cuisines to try. Take a stroll in Downtown Santa Monica on Third Street Promenade and enjoy live performances. Then, hop over Ocean Avenue to the Santa Monica Pier and soak up the beautiful views of the California coast from the world-famous Ferris Wheel. Learn from professional chefs at a private cooking school and cheer on the Dodgers or Angels at a baseball game and so much more!

Learn to hang ten with professional instructors at our surf school before a relaxing day at the beach. Encounter the 4,000+ animals in the world-famous San Diego Zoo. Explore Seaport Village on San Diego Bay. Spend the evening at San Diego’s iconic beachfront boardwalk, Belmont Park, and take a ride on the Giant Dipper or Tilt-A-Whirl while overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Check into the Egyptian-themed Luxor hotel and experience the Las Vegas strip with its incredible sites including the dancing fountains at the Bellagio and the charm of Venice at the Venetian. Ride the Big Apple Coaster at New York-New York before exploring M&M World and the Coca-Cola store. Finally, realize the excitement of seeing one of Las Vegas’ world-renowned Cirque du Soleil shows!

The beginning of your time in Canyon Country! Be awed by sculptured canyons, soaring cliffs and dramatic landscapes against a beautiful blue sky in Zion National Park. Marvel at the orange and red hoodoos of Bryce, formed from wind, water, and ice erosion.

Walk the rim of the Grand Canyon and take in the incredible scenery around you. You'll quickly see why it's considered to be one of the 7 natural wonders of the world.

Enjoy a rugged Pink Jeep tour with the iconic backdrop of Sedona's famous red-rock formations such as Bell Rock, Chapel Butte or the Rock of Gibraltar. See the views from Submarine Rock or Chicken Point and hold on tight as you go around Mushroom Rock and descend down the Road of No Return. On our final day, enjoy an incredible brunch at the Cheesecake Factory and back at the resort take advantage of the fitness center, incredible pool or embrace the sunshine before our farewell banquet that celebrates our bonds of friendship.

Return Flight Home from Phoenix, Arizona
Head to Phoenix and say farewell to your new friends as you part ways for your return home. The summer might be over, but all the memories you’ve made will last a lifetime!