Historic Route 66

Itinerary 2012

Day 1 – UK to Chicago

Arrive in Chicago and transfer independently to your hotel.

Accommodation - Chicago Essex Inn

Day 2 – Chicago

Meet your American Tours representative at 8am this morning. You'll be given a welcome kit, including driving instructions, vouchers and maps for your tour. After that, enjoy a full day to explore the 'Windy City' at your leisure.

Accommodation - Chicago Essex Inn

Day 3 – Chicago to St. Louis (300 miles)

Pick up your rental car and set out on the first leg of your adventure, across the Illinois farmland to St. Louis, Missouri.

Accommodation - La Quinta Inn

Day 4 – St. Louis to Springfield (210 miles)

Leave the Mississippi River behind and travel along Route 66 through Missouri's beautiful Ozark region, to Springfield.

Accommodation - Best Western Deefield Inn

Day 5 – Springfield to Tulsa and Oklahoma City (310 miles)

Set off for Oklahoma City today, a major stop on Route 66, with highlights including the National Cowboy Museum.

Accommodation - La Quinta Inn South

Day 6 – Oklahoma City to Amarillo (260 miles)

Travel through the land of Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians today and arrive in Amarillo, the biggest city in the Texas Panhandle, filled with cowboys and self-made millionaires.

Accommodation - Best Western Amarillo Inn

Day 7 – Amarillo to Albuquerque (270 miles)

Make time to visit Cadillac Ranch before leaving Amarillo, where you'll find ten tail-fin Cadillacs half-buried in the sand. Drive along the old highway to Albuquerque, New Mexico, through the original hunting ground of the Comanche Indians.

Accommodation - Red Roof Inn & Suites Midtown

Day 8 – Albuquerque

Stay in Albuquerque for the next two nights, with its amazing views of New Mexico, 'Land of Enchantment'. Don't miss the Petroglyph National Monument, with its amazing rock art.

Accommodation - Red Roof Inn & Suites Midtown

Day 9 – Albuquerque to Santa Fe and Albuquerque (116 miles)

Take the short drive to Santa Fe today, where you can browse its famous art galleries and museums, as it's known as the 'art centre of the Southwest'.

Accommodation - Red Roof Inn & Suites Midtown

Day 10 – Albuquerque to Holbrook (260 miles)

See the unforgettable Petrified Forest National Park, home to thousands of acres of petrified trees, before staying overnight in Arizona's historic frontier town, Holbrook.

Accommodation - Best Western Adobe Inn

Day 11 – Holbrook to Grand Canyon National Park (180 miles)

Travel through Navajo Indian country today to the unforgettable Grand Canyon. If you've got a head for heights, leave the rim for a hike into the canyon to get a real sense of its awesome scale.

Accommodation - Yapavai Lodge West

Day 12 – Grand Canyon National Park to Las Vegas (300 miles)

Follow Route 66 to Nevada today, through Williams and Kingman, stopping off at the awe-inspiring Hoover Dam. Then it's on to the bright lights of Las Vegas.

Accommodation - Imperial Palace Hotel

Day 13 – Las Vegas

Enjoy a full day in the 'entertainment capital of the world'. Stroll down the famous 'Strip', taking in the fabulous themed hotels, try your luck in the casinos and enjoy your evening at a glitzy show.

Accommodation - Imperial Palace Hotel

Day 14 – Las Vegas to Santa Monica and Los Angeles (290 miles)

Journey through the Mojave Desert today, stopping off at the ghost town of Calico, and continuing to the end of Route 66 in glamorous Santa Monica. You'll then travel on to Los Angeles for your overnight stay.

Accommodation - Custom House Hotel

Day 15 – Los Angeles to Santa Monica

Complete your holiday with a night stay in Los Angeles.

Accommodation - Custom House Hotel

Day 16 – Los Angeles to UK

Wake up in LA for the last day of your tour, before transferring to the airport for your flight home.

Day 17 - Morning arrival at your chosen UK airport

times vary.