Chicago, Oklahoma to Las Vegas - 15 Days

Upon arrival at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, make your own way to the hotel. Between 2 pm and 8 pm, meet your Tour Director at the Hospitality Desk. The rest of the day is at leisure. Please note: This tour may have travellers joining or departing at various points along the route, meaning group composition can change during the tour. Please also be aware that depending on group composition, guiding may be in additional languages as well as English.

This morning, we take a guided city tour of Chicago, showcasing its striking modern architecture shaped by renowned architects such as Mies van der Rohe, Frank Lloyd Wright and Daniel Burnham. We pass along the Magnificent Mile, known for its flagship stores, and visit Navy Pier - once a naval facility, now a lively hub for dining and entertainment. We also see Grant Park and Lincoln Park, both central to the city’s cultural life, and the iconic Cloud Gate sculpture. The afternoon is free to explore further or arrange optional visits such as Willis Tower, an architectural river cruise or a dinner cruise.

Chicago - St Louis. We depart Chicago and begin our journey along Historic Route 66, travelling through classic Midwestern landscapes of cornfields and open plains. Arriving in St. Louis, one of the route’s key cities, you can visit the Gateway Arch - the tallest monument in a US National Park and a symbol of westward expansion linked to explorers Lewis and Clark.

St Louis - Springfield. We continue through the Ozark Highlands, widely regarded as the birthplace of Route 66. En route, we visit Meramec Caverns, a vast limestone cave system known for its unique formations. The caverns are also linked to outlaw Jesse James, who is said to have used them as a hideout.

Springfield - Tulsa - Oklahoma City. Today we pass briefly through south-eastern Kansas before entering Oklahoma, the state with the longest drivable stretch of Route 66. This route was once travelled by families heading west during the 1930s Dust Bowl era. We stop at the Blue Whale of Catoosa, a well-known roadside landmark, and in Tulsa to view the historic Avery Route 66 Bridge. On arrival in Oklahoma City, we take a short orientation tour.

Oklahoma City - Amarillo. We travel across the flat plains of the Texas Panhandle, once home to vast buffalo herds and Native American tribes including the Kiowa and Comanche. We visit the Route 66 Museum in Clinton, where we explore six decades of the road’s history. Stops are also made in Shamrock and McLean to see restored historic petrol stations that reflect the rise of road travel along Route 66.

Amarillo - Albuquerque. Before leaving Amarillo, we visit Cadillac Ranch - an open-air art installation featuring vintage Cadillacs partially buried in the ground since 1974. We then continue west into New Mexico, arriving in Albuquerque, a city known for its blend of culture, technology and the annual International Balloon Fiesta.

Albuquerque - Gallup. We travel to Gallup, a town that retains the character of Route 66’s golden era, complete with classic neon signage. There is time to browse local Southwestern shops. Continuing on, we enter the Navajo Nation - the largest Native American reservation in the United States. This afternoon, you may choose to join an optional excursion to Canyon de Chelly, known for its ancient cliff dwellings and Navajo heritage.

Gallup - Monument Valley - Page. We journey through Navajo lands to Monument Valley, famous for its dramatic sandstone buttes and mesas, often featured in classic Western films. You may choose to explore further on an optional jeep tour. We continue to Page for our overnight stay.

Page - Grand Canyon National Park - Williams. We visit the Grand Canyon National Park, one of the world’s most renowned natural wonders, designated a national park in 1919. In the afternoon, we board the historic Grand Canyon Railway for a scenic journey to Williams, a classic Route 66 town.

Williams - Seligman - Las Vegas. We travel via Seligman, a town instrumental in preserving the Historic Route 66 name, and continue through Kingman before arriving in Las Vegas. Known as the entertainment capital of the world, the city is famed for its casinos, shows and vibrant nightlife. This evening, we gather with fellow travellers.

Today is at leisure. You may explore the city independently or join optional excursions such as a visit to the Hoover Dam or an evening dinner and show.

Las Vegas - Barstow - Los Angeles. After a relaxed morning, we stop at the iconic ‘Welcome to Las Vegas’ sign before crossing the Mojave Desert into California. We visit Calico Ghost Town - a restored 19th-century mining settlement from the silver rush era. By afternoon, we arrive in Los Angeles.

We enjoy a full-day city tour, taking in key areas including Downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood and the Walk of Fame, as well as the Farmers Market and The Grove. We pass through Beverly Hills and continue to Santa Monica, the official end point of Route 66. There is time to explore the beach and pier before a farewell dinner. The tour concludes upon arrival at the LAX hotel.

Check out and transfer independently to Los Angeles International Airport via the hotel shuttle.