Explore The Western U.S. on a 3-week Journey
Overview
A 3-week journey traveling around the western USA, mixing adventure, service learning, and a Jewish connection.
Traveling from Nevada to Utah to Arizona to California. Stays in Las Vegas, St. George, Sedona, San Diego, Los Angeles, Yosemite, Napa Valley/Sonoma, & San Francisco.
Service learning for Food Justice and Equity, & Sustainable Food Practices with local Jewish organizations such as Coastal Roots Farm, Mazon, and Repair the World. Other volunteer opportunities may also include Border Angels and the Rooftop Medicine Farm.
Additional Jewish connection through experiences such as the Museum of Tolerance and the Contemporary Jewish Museum. Connect with the Jewish Latin community in San Diego and learn about and volunteer at a local Jewish community farm .
Adventure activities include hiking, kayaking, and visiting 3 National Parks (Zion, Grand Canyon, & Yosemite) and more (Red Rock Canyon, La Jolla Cove, Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, Muir Woods National Monument).
Volunteer & Service Learning Opportunities
10 – 14 hours of community service total.
Below are the organizations being considered for each city.
San Diego
- Coastal Root Farm’s mission is to cultivate healthy, connected communities by integrating sustainable agriculture, food justice, and ancient wisdom. As a nonprofit Jewish community farm, they envision a world in which every community comes together to grow and share healthy food, care for the land, help their neighbors, and strengthen the connections they have with each other.
- Border Angels’s mission is to promote a culture of love through advocacy, education and community engagement to defend the rights of migrants and refugees. (Optional- to be discussed)
Los Angeles
- Mazon & Challah for Hunger brings volunteers together to bake and distribute challah bread, to raise money and awareness for social justice causes. Through volunteering, people gain connections, leadership experience, confidence in the kitchen, business skills, and inspiration.
- Repair the World mobilizes Jews and their communities to take action to pursue a just world, igniting a lifelong commitment to service. They believe service in support of social change is vital to a strong Jewish community and an inspired Jewish life.
San Francisco
- Deep Medicine Circle advances a food system based in care with a Rooftop Medicine Farm, which reframes farmers as ecological stewards whose care directly supports human and planetary health.
Highlights
- Red Rock Canyon
- Cirque du Soleil in Vegas
- Zion National Park
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Hiking in Sedona
- Shabbat at the Sedona Valley Verde Synagogue
- Tubing in Salt River
- San Diego Zoo
- Sunset Cliffs Natural Park
- Kayaking in San Diego
- Check out the local seals in La Jolla
- Volunteer at a Jewish community farm
- Disneyland
- Yosemite National Park Glamping experience
- Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge
- Check out the local Redwood trees
- Alcatraz night tour
- Shabbat in Sedona, Los Angeles, & San Francisco
Additional optional activities include:
- Guided e-bike tour in Zion National Park
- Sedona Jeep Tour
Itinerary: 3 Weeks
June 30 – July 25, 2025
| Day | Activity |
|
1-2 |
Monday-Tuesday Las Vegas, Nevada Arrive at Las Vegas’s Harry Reid International Airport, welcome dinner, and orientation. Spend the next day exploring all Vegas has to offer including visiting Red Rock Canyon, the Welcome to Vegas Sign, the Downtown Container Park, Fremont Street, the Las Vegas strip, and the Fountains of Bellagio. End the night experiencing the magic of Cirque du Soleil. Overnight in Las Vegas, NV. |
|
3 |
Wednesday Zion National Park, UtahStart the morning driving from Vegas to Zion National Park (3 hour drive). Arriving in Zion with plenty of time to explore, hike, and take in the majestic views. Overnight in St. George, UT. |
|
4 |
Thursday Drive to Sedona, AZ Make our way down to Arizona, splitting up the drive with a visit to the Grand Canyon South Rim (5 hr drive). After soaking in the grand views, drive down to Sedona (3 hr drive).Overnight in Sedona, AZ. |
|
5-6 |
Friday-Saturday Shabbat in Sedona, Arizona Soak in the beautiful Sedona red-rock scenery by hiking local trails like Devil’s Bridge. Explore downtown Sedona. Spend Friday night Shabbat with the local community. Wake up to a relaxing Saturday. After Havdalah, take a short drive to go stargazing. Overnight in Sedona, AZ. |
|
7-9 |
Sunday- Tuesday San Diego, CaliforniaWake up and make our way to San Diego, stopping to tube down the Salt River. End the night exploring Old Town San Diego, the Birthplace of California.Tuesday begins with volunteering and service learning at Coastal Roots Farm, a nonprofit Jewish community farm. The hard work pays off with a beach day and kayaking in La Jolla. Watch the sunset and spend the evening at Belmont Park.Spend the next morning at the American-Mexican Border volunteering with and learning about Border Angels. Afterwards, explore the San Diego Zoo and watch the sunset at Sunset Cliffs Natural Park.Overnight in San Diego, CA. |
|
10-13 |
Wednesday- Saturday Shabbat in Los Angeles, CaliforniaBegin Wednesday connecting with the Ken Jewish Community – San Diego’s Latin Jewish Community before driving to Los Angeles (3 hrs). Stopping for lunch in Laguna Beach. Spend the evening in LA on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Spend the next day at Disneyland!Before Shabbat we’ll visit the Museum of Tolerance and spend the afternoon checking out Santa Monica and Venice Beach. We’ll spend Shabbat relaxing and exploring UCLA’s campus.Overnight in Los Angeles, CA. |
|
14-15 |
Sunday- Monday Yosemite National ParkVolunteer with Repair the World or Challah for Hunger in the morning before spending the afternoon driving to Yosemite National Park. Check into our glamping accommodations at Wildhaven. Spend the next day exploring and hiking in Yosemite Valley. Overnight at Yosemite. |
|
16-17 |
Tuesday-Wednesday Napa Valley, CaliforniaDrive north and explore Napa Valley’s Calistoga area, hiking to local waterfalls and visiting the Old Faithful Geyser of California. The next day check out Cornerstone Art Gardens and Morton’s Warm Springs: Sonoma Valley’s Geothermal Springs. Overnight in Napa Valley or Sonoma, CA. |
|
18-20 |
Thursday-Saturday Shabbat in San Francisco, CaliforniaDrive to San Francisco and walk across the Golden Gate Bridge, visit the Contemporary Jewish Museum, and explore Fisherman’s Wharf, Ghirardelli, Square, Pier 39 and Chinatown. Visit Alcatraz on a night tour. Spend the next morning with Rooftop Medicine Farm, then head to the Muir Woods National Monument. Spend the last Shabbat hanging by the pool, and walking to local parks. Overnight in San Francisco. |
|
21 |
Sunday Departure DayTeens fly home from San Francisco International Airport or to Costa Rica. |
Contact us for more information about our summer trip or to learn more about opportunities for your group!
