EXPLORE AND SEE MORE

Discover many of the classic sights of Western USA on this epic self-drive tour, which starts in Los Angeles and finishes in San Francisco. You can spend your time exploring some of America's most iconic landscapes, including Zion National Park and the Grand Canyon.

After arriving in LA, you’ll drive east through the Mojave Desert to Laughlin in Nevada, where you can enjoy all sorts of activities on the Colorado River. Then you’ll drive the longest stretch that remains of the famous Route 66, before reaching the Grand Canyon National Park – a natural wonder that has to be seen to be believed. You can visit the Navajo Indian Reservation and the Hopi Nation, as you make your way to the vast, man-made Lake Powell. Next, you’ll tick off Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park, where you can discover limestone arches, pink cliffs and tall spires, called ‘hoodoo’. Your trip wraps up with a couple of nights in Las Vegas, where you can walk the famous Strip, have a flutter in one of the casinos, and dine at world-class restaurants.

You’ll start your East Coast self-drive in Boston. As one of the USA's oldest cities, this place has plenty to see. Make sure you take a walk along the iconic Freedom Trail to see 16 of the city's most significant historical landmarks. Once you’ve collected your hire car, you’ll drive out of Boston and see some of Massachusetts’ best beaches and sea views. Stop in Salem for a coffee and enjoy lunch in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, before crossing into Maine. Along the stunning Maine Coast, you’ll drive through charming fishing villages, where you can stop to try some local lobster or clam chowder. Your route then takes you through the spectacular White Mountains. With historic villages and unique covered bridges, this much-loved region is considered the rooftop of New England.

You’ll spend a night in The Berkshires. Known for their rural beauty and cultural significance, this place is ideal for lovers of the great outdoors. Newport is your next stop, where the USA’s most prominent families once spent their summers. After relaxing on the sandy beaches, you’ll head to Cape Cod to discover cliffs, dunes, beaches and trails, as well as picturesque villages.

The American South should be on everyone’s bucket list. Starting and finishing in Atlanta, this escorted tour allows you to leave the driving to someone else, as you travel in a luxury, air-conditioned coach. You’ll enjoy some free time in Atlanta – the birthplace of Martin Luther King – before meeting your fellow travellers. Your second stop is Augusta, home to the prestigious Masters Tournament, followed by Charleston. One of the most charming cities in the South, this historic gem witnessed the Revolutionary War and the Civil War.

Next, you’ll head west across the state of Georgia into the heart of the American South: Alabama. Discover Montgomery and Selma – learning about the Civil Rights Movement as you go – before driving through Mississippi to New Orleans. Take in the French flavour of this unique city, visit a working plantation, and feast on a melting pot of cuisines aboard a Riverboat Dinner Cruise. During the drive to Natchez, you’ll journey through exceptional scenery. And then it’s time for two musical greats: Memphis and Nashville. The first is famous for its blues music and Elvis’ home, Graceland, while the second is the capital of country music. What more could you want from a tour of the South?

INGREDIENTS

• - 750g pumpkin - peeled, de-seeded, and cut into chunks
• - 350g sweet shortcrust pastry
• - Handful of plain flour, for dusting
• - 140g caster sugar
• - 175ml milk
• - 25g butter, melted
• - 2 eggs, beaten
• - ½ tsp salt
• - ½ tsp fresh nutmeg, grated
• - 1 tsp cinnamon
• - 1 tbsp icing sugar

METHOD

1. 1. Place the pumpkin chunks in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain the water and leave the pumpkin to cool
2. 2. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a 22cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Chill for 15 mins. Place baking parchment and baking beans on the pastry, then bake for 15 mins. Then remove the beans and paper, and cook for a further 10 mins until the base is pale golden and biscuity. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
3. 3. Increase oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Blitz the pumpkin to a pulp using a hand-held blender. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, salt, nutmeg, and half the cinnamon. Mix in the beaten eggs, melted butter and milk, then add to the pumpkin purée and stir to combine. Pour into the tart shell and cook for 10 mins.
4. 4. Reduce the temperature to 180C/160C fan/gas 4, and continue to bake for 35-40 mins, until the filling has just set.
5. 5. Leave to cool, then remove the pie from the tin. Mix the remaining cinnamon with the icing sugar and dust over the pie. Serve chilled.