USA Holidays
Sample itineraries
Route 66 - The Mother Road
From £1625
Route 66 - The Mother Road from Chicago to Los Angeles. Who can resist this iconic 2448 mile journey through eight states and three time zones. Take the holiday of a lifetime and drive the classic Route 66 with Bon Voyage.
Customer Review:
"We just wanted to thank you personally for the fantastic planning and organisation which resulted in a completely seamless and trouble-free journey. From start to finish we encountered no problems at all, the variety of the hotels and motels was a perfect mix of nostalgia and luxury. The personalised booklet was invaluable and gave us a number of ideas during the journey. Having now completed this Route 66 trip it has given us a taste of the open road and we will certainly be in touch when we are ready to start the planning process for our next trip". The Slater Family, Wolverhampton.
Route 66 Holiday Highlights:
- Willis Tower, Chicago (formerly Sears Tower)
- Chicago Blues Clubs
- St Louis Blues Clubs
- St Louis Arch
- Ozark region
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Cool Drive-Ins & quirky diners
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Amarillo and the heart of Cowboy Country
- Petrified Forest National Park
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Old Town Albuquerque & historic Santa Fe
- Meteor Crater
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"Standing on the Corner of Winslow, Arizona"
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Las Vegas Strip and the incredible hotels
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Rainbow Basin
- Santa Monica beach and the end of Route 66 at famous Santa Monica Pier.
Accommodation options en route-
We offer two types of accommodation on our Route 66 holiday.
Classic - clean and comfortable 3 star hotels .
Superior - 4/5 star hotels in sought after locations .
Mix and Match
options are available. You may want to consider Classic hotels on your 1 night stays and the Superior options in the cities or longer stays. Our Route 66 holidays are flexible.
Call Bon Voyage to discuss your options.
Route 66 Holiday- Price per person includes:
- Return flights from the UK to Chicago, Illinois and home from Los Angeles, California
- Airport taxes
- 14 days full-size car hire grade to include all insurances and taxes, there will be a drop off charge $250 payable locally.
- 14 nights accommodation in either Classic or Superior grade (or a mix of both).
- A customised personal travel portfolio with full driving instructions and area information.
Ideal time to visit: April to mid-October (the tour is available outside of these months but you may encounter inclement weather), call Bon Voyage for further information.
Prices are based on off-season travel. Please call or email for costs for your preferred date of travel.
For full details on the history of Route 66 and the attractions- please click here.
Day 1 Chicago
Every Route 66 itinerary starts in Chicago. The road originally began at the corner of Jackson and Michigan Boulevards in 1926, although parts of the highway have been in existence since 1857 when the US War Department order a government funded wagon road across the desert. Later the Lone Star Route connected Chicago and St. Louis and the National Old Trail Roads traced a path between St Louis and Los Angeles. Ultimately all these roads were connected into one to become Route 66.
Before heading off on Route 66, plan to spend some
time in Chicago - birthplace of the skyscraper. Most of the innovation
required to build a skyscraper can be found inside Burnham and
Root's Moorish revival the "Rookery", with its restored interior and
Auditorium building, a masterpiece of engineering, design and
acoustics from 1889. Also enjoy the transformation of Pine Street,
which was originally home to factories, saloons, and auto dealerships into the "Boul Mich" or Magnificent Mile as it is called today.
Classic Hotel:The Doubletree, Holiday Inn or similiar
Superior Hotel: The Monaco, The Drake, Palmer House Hilton or similiar
Day 2 Chicago
A second day in Chicago will provide time for you to explore four of Chicago's prime attractions on South Lake Shore Drive.
- The Field Museum, one of America's premier natural history museums.
- The Shed Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium located close to each other.
- The Museum of Science and Industry
- The Art Institute of Chicago for fine art lovers, with collections that equal any New York gallery.
We would recommend you spending a day at the Field Museum, located at Chicago's Museum Campus or combining the Field Museum and the Adler Planetarium into one day.
A new permanent exhibit at the Field Museum lets you see the world through the eyes of a 500 million year old trilobite. "Evolving Planet" takes you through an awe-inspiring journey of 4 billon years of life, and there is an expanded Dinsoaur Hall which includes every major group of Dinosaur that has lived on earth.
If museums aren't your thing, then you'll love the shopping along Magnificent Mile or Navy Pier, or why not try your hand at roller-skating along the shores of Lake Michigan. We'd urge you too to visit "The Ledge" at Willis Tower for incredible views of the city (see image).
Consider extending your Route 66 adventure in Springfield, Illinois. Situated between Chicago and St Louis, Missouri. This historic state capital is packed with iconic Route 66 attractions such as the Cozy Dog Drive In, Shea's Gas Station Museum, Die Cast Autos, Twin Drive In Theatre and the Curve Inn.... Call Bon Voyage to discuss your stay in Springfield, Illinois.
Day 3 St Louis
Distance: 289 miles
Travel Route 66 from Chicago to St Louis through quintessential America. The icons of Route 66 will start appearing as you leave Chicago.
- Stop at the Midewin Tall grass Prairie and gain an appreciation for the transition between Chicago and the wide open spaces along Route 66.
- Take a photo of the 36-foot muffler man statue near the Launching Pad restaurant, the legendary drive-in at Willmington, Illinois.
- Visit the Village of Riverside, one of the first planned elite suburban communities in the US. It is now preserved as a Landscape Architectural Historic District.
As you cross from Illinois into Missouri you will be crossing the historic Martin Luther King Memorial Bridge. Make time to stop at Ted Drewes Frozen Custard at 6726 Chippewa, St Louis who have been serving Route 66 travellers since 1929.
In St Louis we definitely recommend taking the elevator to the top of the Gateway Arch to enjoy the spectacular views of the Mississippi River. In the evening, why not catch up with the St Louis Blues and relax with a beer from the world's largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch.
Classic Hotel: Hampton Inn Gateway Arch or similiar
Superior Hotel: Omni Hotel or similiar
Day 4 Springfield, Missouri
Distance: 216 miles
Route 66 from St Louis to Springfield, Missouri takes you through the lush rolling hills of the Missouri Ozark Moutains, which appear much as they did when the first settlers arrived in the late 1800s.
Even though most of Route 66 through Springfield is now Interstate 44, remnants of the old road are everywhere just off the highway. In fact, Springfield is considered the "mother" of the Mother Road.
It was here that Cyrus Avery of Oklahoma who fought for a route through Oklahoma met with John Woodruff of Springfield to plan and promote the idea of an inter-regional link that would bring trade and access to the area. In their honour, Springfield has preserved much of the old highway frontage along St Louis Street as well as the "Chestnut Expressway".
If you are a fan of western folklore, you must delve into the "Wild" Bill Hicock legend surrounding his fellow gambler Dave Tutt. There are so many stories no one really knows what happened.
Visit Meramec Caverns, a timeless attraction visited by millons travelling Route 66. Meramec Caverns were used by Jesse James, of famed James Gang fame - who locals knew as "just a nice Missouri boy" - as a hideout when escaping the Law. The owner of Meramec Caverns, Lester Dill started the American advertising institution, the bumper sticker, when he gave away portable advertising to all who stopped by to visit.
Classic Hotel: Best Western Route 66 Rail Haven or similiar
Superior Hotel: Doubletree Hotel or similiar
Day 5 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Distance: 297 miles
As you leave Missouri for Oklahoma, the landscape begins to change from the rich croplands of the Midwest to the red, dry dusty Southwest. You will notice the culture changes too. There is a Native American influence due to so many Native Americans moving here from the Southwest.
The survivors of the Trail of Tears gradually established new institutions and traditions in what was then known as Indian Territory. The soil proved to be good for cattle raising giving rise to the era of the American Cowboy. Soon the lands in Indian Territory were opened to non Native Americans and settlers came from across America and the world.
In November 1907, life changed for everyone in Oklahoma when the Territory became a state and "the place to go to strike it rich" with oil. People came from all parts of the world to seek their fortunes in Oklahoma's teeming oil fields. Cities like Tulsa, Ponca City, Bartlesville and Oklahoma City flourished. In fact the State Capitol is the only one in the country with an oil well on the grounds.
Oklahoma City suffered a dramatic decline at the end of the 1980s, however since then the city has gone through an astounding transformation which continued during the re building which followed the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. There is a monument dedicated to the victims with an adjacent museum which tells the story.
For nightlife, make sure you visit Bricktown, a former warehouse district that has been reinvented with restaurants, cafes, night clubs giving a vibrant atmosphere.
Classic Hotel: Hampton Inn Bricktown or similiar
Superior Hotel: The Skirvin Hilton Oklahoma City or similiar
Day 6 Amarillo, Texas
Distance: 258 miles
Welcome to the heart of Cowboy Country! Amarillo is one of those places where the Old West is just minutes away. Here too, you will find the icons of Route 66 start appearing, such as:
- Two headed snakes
- Reptile Farms
- Alligators
- Wondrous Caves
- Petrified Mummies
Outside Amarillo you will find vast ranches of the Texas Panhandle, some numbering in the millions of acres that spread as far as the eye can see. Shortly after being discovered by the Spanish Explorer Francisco Coronado in 1541, the area became a magnet for cattlemen and sheep herders from all points of the compass looking for fresh grazing grounds. Some Dust Bowl farmers headed to California while others stopped here to stake their claim for ranching. As a result, Amarillo still has a unique blend of the Old West and the New West, populated by American Cowboys, roughnecks, self made millionaires and the ever present oil derricks.
Make sure you allow time to drive Amarillo Boulevard which is part of the original Route 66. The road is lined with block after block of strip shopping centres and roadside motels straight out of the 1950s.
Classic Hotel: Holiday Inn Express or similiar
Superior Hotel: Ambassador Hotel or similiar
Day 7 - 8 Santa Fe, New Mexico
Distance: 278 miles
En route to Sante Fe, New Mexico you'll pass through Tucumcari once nicknamed "Six Shooter Siding", Tucumcari, New Mexico got its start in 1901 as a rowdy railroad camp filled with saloons and outlaws. It soon became one of the many small railroad towns in the Southwest with a failing economy and diminishing population. But this was to change, with a large number of roadside businesses that sprung up along Route 66. What made it unique was the materials that were used to create these workable spaces. Crates left over from World War II became the walls of a motor court, oil cans became shingles used to roof a service station, cast away bottles and roadside trash became the material to create a wondrous roadside attraction. Diners could be ordered from a catalogue and shipped by railroad to their destination. As a result, New Mexico still has the most miles of original Route 66 that can be driven today and perhaps the most unique roadside landscape as well.
Today, Route 66 is critically important, since it was the new businesses that were established along Route 66 which allowed Tucumcari to hang on when other small towns failed completely.
Let the sign that reads "Tucumcari Tonight!" beckon you to this quirky place. Be sure to take the tour of the 20 murals throughout the town that tell the story of this unique destination.
Your stay for the next two nights is in Sante Fe (one of the orginal abandoned routings of Route 66 ) you'll experience a far better choice of accommodation here than Tucumcari and it's more fun in the evenings!
Santa Fe is the capital of the state of New Mexico (infact, the oldest state capital in the USA) and the very embodiment of a south-western city with its pueblo-style buildings, numerous galleries and superb museums. Life here revolves around the charming and Historic Sante Fe Plaza. Park up, find a cafe on the Plaza, grab a chilled beer and watch the world go by in this fascinating part of the USA.
Be sure to visit Museum Hill which has a collection of four of Sante Fe's most interesting museums:
- The Museum of International Folk Art
- Museum of Indian Arts and Culture
- Museum of Spanish Colonial Art
- The Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian
Santa Fe is ranked the second largest art market in the United States and Canyon Road has the hightest concentration of art galleries in the US.
Classic Hotel: Hilton Santa Fe or similiar
Superior Hotel: Inn of the Governors or similiar
Day 9 Albuquerque, New Mexico
Distance: 65 miles
Historic neon signs still glow on old Route 66 through Albuquerque, which is now Central Avenue. Alongside the vintage signs you will see new version put up by businesses that are continuing the aesthetic traditions of old Route 66, adorning their shops with bright , buzzing neon.
The classic Route 66 continues to guide visitors through Albuquerque from the volcanoes on the city's far west side past the Rio Grande Botanical Gardens and the Albuquerque Aquarium, through historic Old Town and downtown areas, through the University of New Mexico and trendy Nob Hill. Here you will find many of the city's best restaurants, distinctive shops and boutiques.
Historic Old Town has been the heart of Albuquerque since the city was founded in 1706. When the first group of Spanish families settled here they organised their new town in the traditional Spanish colonial way, with a central plaza anchored by a church. The San Felipe de Neri Church with walls five feet thick is the oldest in Albuquerque, and it's white towers mark old town from a distance.
Classic Hotel: Best Western Rio Grande or similiar
Superior Hotel: Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa or similiar
Day 10 Holbrook, Arizona
Distance: 265 miles
Today visit the Petrified Forest National Park on your Route 66 holiday with it's thousands of acres of petrified trees.
Approximately 30 miles from Holbrook, en route to the Grand Canyon, is the fascinating Meteor Crater. Over 22,000 years ago a meteorite blasted a huge hole, nearly a mile across and over 500 foot deep into this plateau.
On site the former USA Museum of Astrogeology has been remodeled and includes
new displays on the never-ending process of impacts and collisions in our solar
system. The Meteor Crater Interactive Learning Centre includes twenty-four
exciting exhibits, making it the most extensive and informative museum of its
type on planet earth. Also included in the Learning Centre are two interactive
computer displays that contain information and high-tech graphics on space,
meteorites and asteroids, the solar system, and the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet that
impacted Jupiter.
Classic Hotel: The Wigwam or similiar
(No Superior option)
Day 11 Grand Canyon
Distance: 144 miles
At 277 miles long and 6,000 feet deep the Grand Canyon, a World Heritage site, is the granddaddy of natural wonders encompassing over 1.2 million acres. Over 1,500 plant, 355 bird, 89 mammal, 47 reptile, 9 amphibian and 17 fish species live her. The National Park Service provide good facilities to explore the Grand Canyon.
An easy way to familiarise yourself with Grand Canyon Village is on one of the shuttle buses that currently operate on 4 routes:
- The 60 minute village route runs between Canyon View Information Plaza and the village and back.
- The 30 minute scenic Kaibab Trail route runs between the South Kaibab Trailhead and Yaki Point
- The 75 minute round trip on Hermit Rest Route provides transportation on the 7 mile historic and scenic Hermit Road with stops at 9 canyon overlooks
- The 40 minute Tusayan Route serves as a park and ride shuttle between Tusayan and Canyon View Plaza
At some point you will want to take Desert View Scenic Drive, a 25 mile stretch of Arizona that parallels the South Rim of Grand Canyon. Along the drive, Lipan Point delivers some of the most breathtaking views of the Canyon as does Moran Point showing the massive layers of multi-coloured rock.
Classic Hotel: Best Western Squire Inn or similiar
Superior Hotel: El Tovar
Day 12 Las Vegas
Distance: 326 miles
Viva Las Vegas! Since its founding 100 years ago, Las Vegas has
been the biggest, brightest, and the brazenest boomtown in the history of the
world. Love it or hate it, there’s no denying that this place will blow your
mind.
The Las Vegas Strip, now an All American Road and National Scenic
Byway, is a sparkling fantasyland at the heart of the city. It’s unique blend
of exciting entertainment, scenic beauty and lavishly landscaped resorts take
you to a wide variety of exotic realms from a medieval castle to a Parisian
sidewalk cafe, a lakeside Italian Village or a pyramid in ancient Egypt.
Here you’ll find some of the most glamorous, unique hotels in the
world, complete with award winning restaurants, opulent health spas, lavish
swimming pools and incredible golf courses. If you are looking for more of an
adrenaline rush, try out one or more of the dozen thrill rides located throughout
the city; many combine the excitement of a thrill ride with a bird’s eye view
of the city, our personal favourite is Big Shot on top of the Stratosphere
Hotel. Not for the faint hearted.
· Although it may be tempting to drive around Las Vegas to see the sights, we strongly suggest that you park up the car for your time here, put on a very comfortable pair of walking shoes and hit the Strip running, so to speak. From the Stratosphere Hotel in iconic downtown Vegas to the swanky Mandalay Bay Hotel at the other end is 4 miles as the crow flies. Start walking the Strip and you’ll find yourself dipping in and out of the mega hotels and sights that line this neon route, it will actually take you a whole day to do this properly. Hotels are huge and look like they are only 2 minutes stroll away, when they are in fact a 20 minute brisk walk.·
· There are trolleys that you can hop on and off if the work-out becomes too much! In the evening, be sure to make table reservations through your concierge if you are planning to eat in one of the sought-after eateries. The world and his wife tend to eat between 6pm-8pm in Vegas and it can become challenging to secure a table.·
· Theatre-goer or not, you’re in Vegas so you’ve simply got to check out a show. We recommend The Jersey Boys, Viva Elvis Cirque du Soleil, LOVE, Rat Pack is Back and for a bit of good old Vegas cheesy entertainment, Legends in Concert. There are many ticket booths along the Strip that sell cut price tickets on the day. After dark, be sure also to venture down to Freemont Street in downtown Vegas to experience “Old Las Vegas” Here you’ll enjoy a spectacular lights show, lively street entertainment and lower dining prices than the rest of the Strip.
Classic Hotel: New York New York, Planet Hollywood or similiar
Superior Hotel: Bellagio, Wynn, Venetian or similiar
Day 13 Santa Monica, Los Angeles
Distance: 270 miles
Finally, after a journey through the Mojave Desert you will reach the bright lights of Hollywood.It may be hard to believe that the area around Barstow was once covered by immense lakes ringed with Native American Villages.
Route 66 is Main Street through Barstow.
Rainbow Basin, about 15 miles north of Barstow, is one of the lakebeds that existed between 10 - 30 million years ago. Calico Ghost Town is California's official Silver Rush Ghost Town, and preserves one of the few original mining camps in the Old West. One third of the town is original with the rest constructed in the spirit of Calico's Old West past.
Today's destination is Santa Monica, where Route 66 meets the Pacific Ocean at the Pier, where many a dream has began on those beaches.
This sky is the limit in Los Angeles. Make time to check out:
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A behind the scenes tour at Universal Studios Hollywood
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The UCLA Armand Hammer Museum which presents the work of unprecedented artists
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The Californian Heritage Museum
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The Autry National Center Museum of the American West
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The Aquarium of the Pacific
- Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens
- A tour of Los Angeles and movie stars' homes
- The Hollywood Trolley Tour
- The California Science Centre
If none of these attractions happen to suit you, there's always Disneyland!
Classic Hotel: The Georgian, Holiday Inn or similiar
Superior Hotel: The Loews, Oceana or similiar
Day 14 Santa Monica, Los Angeles
We recommend you visit the Getty Center perched high on a hill above Los Angeles; the views over the city are spectacular.
Since you will be staying in the Los Angeles area for two nights, you may want to consider a 2-day Go Los Angeles card to maximise your time. The card provides admission to over 30 of the area's most popular attractions, museums and tours.
If you are up for driving, the Sunset Strip connects Hollywood with Beverly Hills. Shopping is hottest on Rodeo Drive!
Day 15 Fly Home
The final day of your deluxe Route 66 holiday. As you depart, be confident you have had a true American Journey.
Want to extend your holiday and stay longer in certain areas, we don't blame you?! Call Bon Voyage to discuss the options available to you. There are endless interesting and scenic side-trips available as you cruise along the Mother Road...
