TOURS & CRUISES

MEXICO

Copper Canyon, by rail and sea

SAIL to Copper Canyon by way of the Gulf of California.

Passengers will spend 10 nights aboard Holland America’s Ryndam and one day traveling by train through the Sierra Madre canyon. Departures are Nov. 7 and Dec. 7.

“It’s the most comfortable way to do the Copper Canyon,” said Christopher Kyte of Uncommon Journeys Train Holidays. “Most trips to the Copper Canyon go overland from Tucson or El Paso by bus or train.”

The cruise embarks in San Diego, and port stops include Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Topolobampo, Mexico. Ashore, the group will ascend Copper Canyon on the Chihuahua al Pacifico railroad, rising from sea level to more than 8,000 feet at Posada Barrancas on the canyon rim.

The cruise continues with stops at Pichilingue, La Paz and Cabo San Lucas.

Cost: $1,795 to $3,695 ($1,100 to $1,500 single surcharge), including accommodations, meals, train and ground transportation. Transportation to San Diego is not included.

Contact: Uncommon Journeys Train Holidays, Oakland; (800) 323-5893, www.uncommonjourneys.com.

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CALIFORNIA

Communing

with the whales

PADDLE with whales off La Jolla on half-day kayak tours.

The tours will be offered weekends from Dec. 17 through March during the California gray whale migration season.

“We get close enough so that people can observe, but not so close that we interfere with the whales,” said Kim Johnson of Hike Bike Kayak San Diego. The group is close enough to hear them breathe, Johnson said, adding, “It’s a real thrill.”

The guided trips pass through La Jolla Ecological Reserve. Participants, ages 8 and older, must be able to swim.

Cost: $65 per person, including kayaking equipment and instruction, life jackets, wetsuits, guides and refreshments.

Contact: Hike Bike Kayak San Diego, La Jolla Shores; (866) 425-2925, www.hikebikekayak.com.

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NEW YORK

Bound to hit

a few high notes

REVEL in Rossini, Verdi, Mozart and Gounod on an opera tour beginning Nov. 11 in New York City.

The five-day trip includes three performances at the Metropolitan Opera and one at Carnegie Hall.

The group will have opportunities to meet backstage with some members of the casts.

Cost: $2,795 per person, double occupancy ($545 single surcharge), including deluxe hotel accommodations, orchestra tickets, lectures and reception dinner. Airfare from Los Angeles and most meals are not included.

Contact: Smithsonian Journeys, Washington, D.C.; (877) 338-8687, www.smithsonianjourneys.org.

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ITALY

A leisurely way to learn the language

DELVE into Renaissance art and learn to speak Italian on a study tour in Florence.

The four-week program, which begins Jan. 2, is sponsored by the Coast Community College District.

The program includes field trips to Rome and Siena. Participants attend Italian classes at the Scuola Leonardo da Vinci in Florence and study art history with Jacquelyn Powell of Golden West College, Huntington Beach.

Cost: $4,325 per person, double occupancy ($200 single surcharge), including housing, instruction, excursions and airport transfers. International airfare, meals and community college tuition are not included.

Contact: Accent International, San Francisco; (800) 869-9291, www.accentintl.com, or Jacquelyn Powell, (714) 544-6590.

The Times is not responsible for changes in prices, dates or itineraries. Send information to Tours & Cruises, Los Angeles Times, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 or write via e-mail to travel@latimes.com.