Take a ride through historic Route 66 beginning at the lakefront city of Chicago. Get a taste of the Old West in Oklahoma City, kick up your heels in Albuquerque and indulge in all the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas and Hollywood. Marvel at the awe-inspiring landscapes of the Grand Canyon and take in all the scenic vistas along the way.

HIGHLIGHTS
Chicago Enjoy an orientation tour of this beautiful lakefront city
Oklahoma City Visit the Oklahoma National Memorial and National Cowboy Museum
Amarillo See the iconic Cadillac Ranch, one of America’s most striking outdoor art installations
Petrified Forest National Park Wonder at this ancient desert landscape Flagstaff See the charming historic downtown and world’s largest Ponderosa Pine forest
Grand Canyon National Park Travel along the canyon’s Desert View Drive
Las Vegas Visit the “Entertainment Capital of the World”
Los Angeles Enjoy an orientation tour around Hollywood and Beverley Hills


ITINERARY

Day 1: ARRIVE CHICAGO
Welcome to the starting point of Route 66! Your Tour Director is at the hotel this afternoon to answer any questions. At 6 p.m., gather at the hotel with your Tour Director and fellow travellers for a Welcome Reception.

Day 2: CHICAGO - SPRINGFIELD
After an introduction to the Windy City, including elegant Lakeshore Drive and the Magnificent Mile, hit the road for a good, old-fashioned American road trip. Just outside Chicago, see several of Route 66’s original gas stations. Explore the history and cultural impact of America’s Mother Road at the Route 66 Association Hall of Fame & Museum. Roll on southwest to Springfield, where you visit the last resting place of Abraham Lincoln.(Full Breakfast)

Day 3: SPRINGFIELD - ST LOUIS
Starting with viewing the great city from atop the famed St. Louis Gateway arch, get ready for a real taste of America’s Midwest today. Take a break at Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, a Route 66 favourite since 1929. Then, experience another American favourite with a guided tour of the Anheuser-Busch Brewery — from the stables of the Clydesdales to the tasting room. And what goes better with beer than barbecue? Learn to mix up your own sweet and spicy barbecue sauce with a team of master barbecue chefs and enjoy a rib-sticking Be My Guest Barbecue Dinner, hot off the grill.(Full Breakfast / Be My Guest dinner)

Day 4: ST LOUIS - MERAMEC CAVERNS - BRANSON
Go underground in Meramec Caverns, a former hideout of Jesse James, for a glimpse of some outstanding subterranean formations. Then it’s onward to the Ozarks and the lively American musical mecca of Branson. Explore Branson Landing, a shopping, dining and entertainment hub on the shores of Lake Taneycomo. Tonight, perhaps get your kicks at an optional dinner show.(Full Breakfast)

Day 5: BRANSON - WILL ROGERS MEMORIAL - OKLAHOMA CITY (2 NIGHTS)
Roll on through historic Joplin, Missouri right into Oklahoma to visit the opuluent Coleman Theatre. In Eastern Oklahoma, an especially scenic part of the Mother Road, Route 66 is also known as the Will Rogers Highway; stop to visit a museum dedicated to this famous American humorist who once said, “I never met a man I didn’t like.” Tonight, enjoy a Highlight Dinner in the vibrant warehouse district of Bricktown.(Full Breakfast / Highlight Dinner)

Day 6: OKLAHOMA CITY SIGHTSEEING - FREE TIME
Get a taste of the Old West at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum with its collection of Native American art and outstanding display of antique firearms. After lunch, visit the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, honouring the 1995 bombing victims. The rest of the day is yours to explore historic Bricktown.(Full Breakfast)

Day 7: OKLAHOMA CITY - ROUTE 66 MUSEUM - AMARILLO
In Clinton, explore a classic collection of Route 66 history, memorabilia and culture. Crossing into the Texas Panhandle, return to Old Route 66 for a scenic drive before stopping at Amarillo, the “yellow rose of Texas.”(Full Breakfast)

Day 8: AMARILLO - ALBUQUERQUE (2 NIGHTS)
Yes, those are 10 classic Cadillacs buried nose down in the dirt, the famed Cadillac Ranch pop art installation just outside Amarillo. Travel on to Albuquerque where the spirit of Route 66 still thrives; tonight, don your poodle skirt or leather jacket for a Highlight Dinner at the 66 Diner with its 1950s jukebox and blue-plate specials that have hardly changed since the heyday of the “Main Street of America.”(Full Breakfast / Highlight Dinner)

Day 9: ALBUQUERQUE SIGHTSEEING & FREE TIME
While Albuquerque didn’t boom until the coming of Route 66, the city has been here for more than 300 years. Take a tour of the Old Town and old adobes and enjoy some leisure time to explore on your own. Visit one of the many museums, relax in a cafe or perhaps opt to visit southwestern arts-filled Santa Fe.(Full Breakfast)

Day 10: ALBUQUERQUE - SKY CITY ACOMA PUEBLO - FLAGSTAFF
Perched on a sandstone bluff, the Acoma pueblo is the longest continuously inhabited community in North America. With your Native American guide, walk through nearly 1,000 years of history and culture. Crossing into Arizona, watch the sun play over the changing colours of the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Park before arriving in Flagstaff with its quaint downtown and pine-forested hills.(Full Breakfast / Dinner)

Day 11: FLAGSTAFF - NAVAJO RESERVATION - GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK
As the morning sun gilds the desert landscape, visit the traditional land of the Navajo people. Stop at Cameron Trading Post to browse through handicrafts and maybe enjoy some tasty fry bread. This afternoon, wind along scenic Desert View Drive before arriving at the Grand Canyon. Spend the night inside the park, allowing plenty of time to explore this natural world wonder. For more stunning views, take an optional plane or helicopter trip to see the canyon from the sky.(Full Breakfast)

Day 12: GRAND CANYON - SELIGMAN - KINGMAN - LAS VEGAS
Hit the road again, breaking in Seligman and Kingman, Route 66 hotspots that have kept the old culture alive. Driving the Mother Road in these desert oases is like time travelling to see the well-preserved motels, diners and gas stations of a simpler era. Then, it’s full speed ahead to glittering Las Vegas. The afternoon and evening are yours to hit the Strip, catch a show or try your luck at the slots.(Full Breakfast)

Day 13: LAS VEGAS - HOLLYWOOD - LOS ANGELES
Travel from the City of Broken Dreams to the City of Angels today, with one last jaunt on Route 66 near the town of Barstow. Upon arrival in Los Angeles, see the sights, including Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, Beverly Hills, Sunset Boulevard and the place where the road comes to an end, Santa Monica and the great Pacific. This evening, celebrate your journey at a festive Farewell Dinner.(Full Breakfast / Farewell Dinner)

Day 14: DEPART LOS ANGELES
Say good-bye to the road and take flight. A complimentary transfer is provided to Los Angeles International Airport.(Full Breakfast)