Centennial Historic Route 66

Upon arrival at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, transfer independently to the hotel where you will meet your ATI tour director between the hours of 2 pm and 8 pm at the Hospitality/Welcome Desk. The remainder of the day is at your leisure.

Enjoy the included morning city tour of Chicago and see some of the most spectacular modern architecture designed by many famous architects like Mies van der Rohe, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Daniel Burnham. Experience the opulent Magnificent Mile filled with name-brand retail stores, Navy Pier, once used by the US Navy, now a point for restaurants and entertainment, Grant and Lincoln parks, home to several outdoor concerts and city gatherings, and not to forget the Cloud Gate sculpture.

The afternoon is at leisure to explore many other points of interest, or book a visit through your Tour Director for the Willis Tower, an architectural river cruise, or a dinner cruise (Subject to availability).

Say farewell to Chicago, and the journey of Historic Route 66 commences. The legendary old road passes through a variety of pure Americana landscapes and takes in some of the country’s biggest, oldest and most peculiar sites along the way. Begin the journey by following the traditional East West direction of Route 66 from Chicago to St. Louis, Missouri, traveling through cornfields and flat prairies.

When we arrive in St. Louis, one of the largest cities along Route 66, you can follow in the footsteps of legendary explorers, including Lewis and Clark, at the Gateway Arch, the gate to the West and the nation’s tallest monument within a National Park.

Continue through the Ozark Highlands of Southern Missouri, recognized as the birthplace of Route 66. En route, stop at the Meramec Caverns, a natural limestone cave whose formations and colors are as unique as they are beautiful. Adding to the pleasure of exploring the caves is learning that Jesse James used them as a hideout and took advantage of the underground river to escape through the “Back Door.”

This morning, cut through the south-eastern corner of Kansas on your way to Oklahoma City. The Oklahoma section of Route 66 contains more drivable miles than any other state. Portion of this stretch was even used by many Oklahoman families headed west in search of better opportunities during the 1930s.

The famous blue whale statue in Catoosa remains a landmark along Route 66. Once arriving in Tulsa, the Avery Route 66 memorial bridge connects the east with the west. Constructed in 1915 but closed to both vehicles and pedestrians, it gained its place on the list of National Historic Places in 1996. A brief orientation tour will commence upon arrival in Oklahoma City, the state capital of Oklahoma.

Continue to Amarillo, located in the pancake flat plains of the Texas Panhandle. This area of Texas was once the buffalo-rich grasslands of the Great Plains, inhabited by the Kiowa and Comanche Native Americans. Stop at the Oklahoma Route 66 museum in Clinton, where you can experience 6 decades of Route 66 history. (admission included)

Stop in Shamrock, Texas, known for the once beloved Conoco Tower Station and U-drop café, and the 1929 opened and restored Phillips 66 gas station for a photo stop in Mclean. Oil companies opened many gas stations as the need for petrol increased, as the number of travelers increased on Route 66.

Before leaving Amarillo, a visit to the world-famous Cadillac Ranch is a must. Here, you experience a unique display of art featuring a row of ten colorful painted Cadillac cars. Buried grill first in the ground since 1974. The Cadillacs range in production years between 1949 and 1963. This art display is now home to over 1 million visitors a year. Continue westbound and arrive in the neighboring state of New Mexico with destination Albuquerque. This city is not only the state’s largest but also known as the hub for technology, the arts, and the annual International Balloon Festival.

Leave Albuquerque and travel north to another spectacular Route 66 community, Gallup. Having barely changed since Route 66’s heydays, this city serves up a slice of Americana rarely seen nowadays, along with one of the best strips of Neon signs you will see anywhere on the old route. Shop one of the unique gift stores of the Southwest.

When leaving Gallup, you will enter the Nation’s largest Native American Reservation, home to the Navajo Nation.Living on almost 18,000 acres of land, this reservation is found in the states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. This afternoon, you could experience the wonders of Canyon de Chelly, where ancestral pueblos, pictographs of the ancient past will introduce you to Navajo culture. (Optional Excursion)

Leave Holbrook and continue your expedition through the Navajo Nation to Monument Valley. Experience the beauty of this region through a variety of Monuments, Mesas, and Buttes. This backdrop was used for many western movies with actor John Wayne, including movies like Forrest Gump and Back to the Future. Get up close to some of the monuments through the Monument Valley jeep tour (Optional excursion). Overnight in Page, AZ.

Continue on and travel to the magnificent Grand Canyon. This region was proclaimed as a National Park in 1919 and continues to receive close to 5 million visitors annually.

Mid Afternoon, you will take an unforgettable train ride with Grand Canyon Railway (included) through the magnificent Grand Canyon National Park to Williams.

In the late afternoon, you will arrive at the historic Route 66 community of Williams.

Depart Williams and continue via route 40 to route 66 and visit Seligman, Arizona. It was this community that lobbied to have the name changed from Route 66 to Historic Route 66 back in 1987. Many residents who had called Seligman home still live there today and always welcome visitors all year round.

Continue via Kingman to the glitz and glamour of the City of Las Vegas, where mega resort hotels dot the Las Vegas Strip. From the 24-hour-a-day Casino to the large variety of shows gave this city the slogan, the entertainment capital of the world.

Join your fellow travelers tonight for the orientation tour of the city, where you will be introduced to some of the hotels during this walking and driving tour. (Optional Excursion).

Enjoy this day at leisure to explore more of Las Vegas at your own pace or consult the Tour Director for the optional excursions planned for the day, including a visit to the Hoover Dam and the Dinner and Show program for tonight.

After a leisurely morning, and before we depart Las Vegas, we will stop at the iconic  Welcome To Las Vegas sign before we continue our journey through the Mojave Desert into the state of California on our way to Barstow / Yermo.

Once arrived, a stop will be made at Calico Ghost Town (admission included). Once a bustling community of the 19th century during the local silver ore rush, it fell into despair during the 1930s but was then purchased by the amusement park Knotts Berry Farm, reconstructed as it was during its peak years and then donated as a gift to San Bernardino County as an attraction. Relive the days of the Old West.

In the afternoon, we arrive in Los Angeles, a metropolis of more than 18 million residents.

Enjoy a full day city tour of this mega city and visit some of the neighborhoods the city is so famous for, including downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood and the walk of fame, Farmers Market and the Grove, passing Beverly Hills on our way to the final stop of route 66, Santa Monica. Here you will have time at leisure to explore the beach, Santa Monica Pier with the famous “END OF ROUTE 66 “ sign.

After a farewell dinner (included), your Historic Route 66 tour will end upon arrival at the LAX Hotel.

Individual check out and transfer via hotel shuttle on your own to the LAX Airport.