Escorted Tour or Self Drive 2023
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Historic Route 66
17 days from £3,199 per person
The spirit of Route 66, immortalised in Bobby Troup’s 1946 classic ‘(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66’ is ingrained in the American psyche. Nicknamed the ‘Mother Road’ by novelist John Steinbeck, this iconic highway between Chicago and Los Angeles represents America’s ideals of freedom and celebrates its love of the car. This sensational holiday is both an epic road trip and journey of discovery through the American heartland, taking in gems such as Oklahoma, President Lincoln’s home in Springfield, St Louis, Amarillo and Albuquerque, as well as the extraordinary expanse of the Grand Canyon and the incredible Petrified Forest National Park. Covering ‘more than two thousand miles all the way’, this tour is heaven for fans of retro Americana.
Including...
15 nights in hotels and 1 in flight (accommodation as specified or similar)
Included excursions and visits: 11
Tour of Chicago with local guide
Visit to Historic Lincoln’s Tomb and Home
Entrance to New Salem
Guided tour of the Museum of Transportation
Entrance to Fantastic Caverns
Orientation tour of Oklahoma City
Entrance to Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Orientation tour of Albuquerque
Entrance to Petrified Forest National Park
Entrance to Grand Canyon National Park
Entrance to Calico Ghost Town
Plus all these benefits:
Titan’s VIP Home Departure Service
Free connecting flights from regional airports
Check-in service by Titan staff with porterage
Services of an experienced Titan tour manager
Scheduled British Airways direct flights
Best available coaches with experienced drivers
Hotel porterage (one bag per person)
Airport taxes, security charges and fuel surcharges
UK Air Passenger Duty (APD)
7 May 2023 London Heathrow £3,199pp
20 Aug 2023 London Heathrow £3,249pp
11 Sep 2023 London Heathrow £3,199pp
Day 1 London - Chicago
Titan’s VIP door-to-door travel service collects you from home, for your journey to London Heathrow or Gatwick Airport and a direct, scheduled United Airlines or Norwegian Airlines flight to Chicago. On arrival we transfer to the Hotel Indigo Gold Coast (3T+) or Courtyard River North (3T), our base for the next two nights.
Day 2 Chicago
A morning city tour introduces us to this magnificent city constructed along the shores of Lake Michigan. The afternoon is free to explore the ‘Windy City’.
Day 3 Chicago - Springfield
This morning we take our first steps along the ‘Mother Road’. Although the roads have been changed and modernised through the years, our route over the following days still encompasses the Route 66 spirit that has enthralled so many since its inception in 1926. We stop to visit the Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame & Museum, housing thousands of artefacts and memorabilia on this world-famous road. We continue south to the Springfield area, which President Lincoln called his home for so many years. We stay this evening at the Wyndham Springfield City Center (3T+).
Day 4 Springfield - St Louis
Spend today learning about the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. Our first stop is President Lincoln’s tomb, the final resting place of the president after he was assassinated in 1865. We then visit Lincoln’s home, a National Historic site, and travel to New Salem, where Lincoln lived and worked for six years in the 1830s. This reconstructed village includes houses, shops and a general store, with information imparted by period costumed interpreters. We now head for St Louis, where we spend the next two nights at the Drury Inn Union Station (3T). This evening you are again free to explore.
Day 5 St Louis
Today we take a trip to the top of the 630ft Gateway Arch, opened in 1965 to honour President Jefferson’s vision of the continental United States. The rest of the day is free to discover all that St Louis has to offer. Why not take a riverboat cruise along the Mississippi, tour the huge Anheuser-Busch Brewery or experience the beautiful Botanical Garden.
Day 6 St Louis - Springfield
Our first stop today is at the Museum of Transportation. Over 20 classic locomotives are housed here, together with many classic motor vehicles, many of which would have taken the old Route 66 in years past. Later, we take a tour of the aptly named Fantastic Caverns to view the spectacular cave formations. Tonight we stay in Springfield, Missouri at the Oasis Hotel & Convention Centre (3T).
Day 7 Springfield - Oklahoma City
Departing Springfield, we cross into Kansas and on to the state of Oklahoma and our lunch stop in Tulsa. This afternoon we continue to Oklahoma City, where on 22 April 1889 tens of thousands of settlers surged forward in the Great Land Run to grab their piece of glory and stake their claim on part of the two million areas of unassigned land then opened for settlement. Not surprisingly, Oklahoma City became known as ‘the city born in a single day’. On arrival we take an orientation tour, before checking into the Courtyard by Marriott (3T).
Day 8 Oklahoma City - Amarillo
We continue west, leaving the plains of Oklahoma for the oil-rich Texas Panhandle. We take time to view Palo Duro Canyon State Park, second largest in America and where spectacular vistas greet the eye. We continue to Amarillo for our overnight stay. Since it was founded in the 1880s, Amarillo has experienced many things, from civil war battles to the creation of many millionaires from the ‘black gold’ of the area. Our hotel is the Embassy Suites Downtown (3T+).
Day 9 Amarillo - Albuquerque
Just outside Amarillo we catch a glimpse of a strange sight - ten half-buried Cadillacs, tail up in a field, which is said to represent the golden era of the car. Onward to New Mexico, known as ‘the Land of Enchantment’ and Albuquerque, a historic city dating back nearly 300 years. We take a brief orientation tour before checking into the Best Western Rio Grande Hotel (3T).
Day 10 Albuquerque
Today is free to explore at your leisure. The Historic Old Town is worthy of exploration with its many museums and galleries.
Day 11 Albuquerque - Flagstaff
Arizona greets us today as we make a visit to the Petrified Forest National Park, where quite literally the remnants of an ancient forest have been fossilised. Incorporated in the park is the Painted Desert, a vast arid badland scattered with buttes and mesas. We continue west to Flagstaff and stay at the Little America Hotel (4T), for the next two nights.
Day 12 Grand Canyon
Our journey today takes us to a true world wonder - the Grand Canyon. The colossal size is difficult to comprehend, especially as its creator, the mighty Colorado River, is so small in comparison. After an enchanting day with an opportunity to take a superb helicopter flight over the canyon, we return to our hotel at Flagstaff.
Day 13 Flagstaff - Williams - Kingman - Las Vegas
Our scenic journey today takes us onwards for a brief stop at Williams, a town steeped in Route 66 history. Time to explore before travelling through Hualapai Indian country to Kingman. We continue to Las Vegas where we overnight at the classic Golden Nugget Hotel (3T+), located on Fremont Street, the original Las Vegas before the Strip was developed.
Day 14 Las Vegas - Santa Monica - Long Beach
West to Barstow and a visit to Calico Ghost town, an old silver mining town which has become a popular tourist attraction. We continue our travels through the San Bernardino Mountains and down to Los Angeles. Taking Santa Monica Boulevard to the coast itself and the actual end of the road at the Pacific Ocean our journey is now complete. You have a short time for reflection or exploration in Santa Monica before our transfer to Long Beach and the Renaissance Long Beach (4T), our base for the next two nights.
Day 15 Long Beach
Today you are at leisure in the waterfront city of Long Beach. There are many attractions a short distance from your hotel including the fabulous Queen Mary, where you can take a fascinating self-guided walking tour.
Day 16 Los Angeles - In flight
Today we transfer to Los Angeles Airport for a direct, flight to London.
Day 17 London
VIP Inbound Arrival at London Heathrow where you will be met and guided to your Titan vehicle, for the journey home.
7 May 2023 London Heathrow £3,199pp
20 Aug 2023 London Heathrow £3,249pp
11 Sep 2023 London Heathrow £3,199pp
These tours are operated by Titan Travel ATOL no 0308. For these tours Westoe Travel act as agents for Titan Travel
HISTORIC ROUTE 66 SELF DRIVE
Follow legendary Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles on this self drive tour - the ultimate American road trip through America's heartland. Visit the spectacular Grand Canyon and Las Vegas before arriving at Santa Monica on California's Pacific Coast.
Day 1: Arrive Chicago
Arrive into Chicago airport and collect your rental car before driving to your hotel.
Hotel for 2 nights: Chicago’s Essex Inn
Day 2: Chicago,
Enjoy a day exploring Chicago. Stroll along fashionable Michigan Avenue, the Magnificent Mile, for some world-class shopping or marvel at some of the most impressive architecture in the city’s bustling business district. The Sears Tower, at 108 stories, stands as Chicago’s tallest building since its completion in 1974 and is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. Boat cruises are offered on the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. Millennium Park which opened to the public in 2004 is a green oasis along the city’s lakefront and is home to many cultural events. In the evening do not miss a visit to one of Chicago’s famous blues clubs.
Day 3: Chicago - St. Louis (297 miles)
Begin your journey out West by driving through the Illinois farmlands. St. Louis is situated on the banks of the Mississippi River and welcomes you with its famous Gateway Arch which commemorates Thomas Jefferson and his quest for the westward expansion of the United States.
Hotel for 2 nights: Omni Majestic
Day 4: St. Louis
St. Louis has always been widely considered the gateway to the West. It was host to the World’s Fair and the first ever Olympic Games in the United States in 1904 and it was here that Charles Lindbergh embarked on the first transatlantic flight.
Day 5: St. Louis - Springfield (222 miles)
Today you will travel through the scenic countryside of Missouri, the home of Mark Twain. Along the route you will see numerous billboards advertising Meramec Caverns, a 26-mile cave system that’s worth a visit. Call at a trading post and collect some Route 66 souvenirs before arriving in Springfield.
Hotel: Best Western Rail Haven
Day 6: Springfield - Tulsa (231 miles)
Enter the state of Oklahoma. It has a colourful history as a frontier state, as the destination of freed slaves looking for opportunity and equality and as the heart of the oil boom in the early 20th century. The western and Native American heritage of the state is a large part of its cultural identity. Tulsa is the home to the largest, most comprehensive collection of American Western art and artifacts in the world, housed in the Gilcrease Museum. Today, Oklahoma contains more Native American tribal headquarters than any other state, as well as the nation’s second largest American Indian population.
Hotel: Comfort Suites Central
Day 7: Tulsa - Oklahoma City (116 miles)
Continue along historic Route 66 through small towns and farmland and perhaps stop at the Will Rogers museum in Claremore before arriving in Oklahoma City, the state capital. Visit the Myriad Botanical Gardens with its tropical conservatory or one of the interesting museums like the Omniplex Science Museum in the Kirkpatrick Center or the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, home to galleries of western art and to the Hall of Great Western Performers.
Hotel: Best Western Plus Broadway Inn & Suites.
Day 8: Oklahoma City - Amarillo (288 miles)
As you continue along the Mother Road, stop in El Reno to see Fort Reno, established in 1874 to protect the Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians. Then proceed to Clinton, to visit the Route 66 Museum with its vintage cars and Route 66 memorabilia, before heading to Amarillo in the “Lone Star State” of Texas.
Hotel: Best Western Medical Centre Inn.
Day 9: Amarillo - Tucumcari (109 miles)
Just west of Amarillo is the legendary “Cadillac Ranch” where 10 Cadillacs have been half-buried nose down in the ground as homage to the road. Make a stop at the Midpoint Café in Adrian, located at an equal distance to both Chicago and Los Angeles. Cross the state line to New Mexico and gain 1 hour. Drive through the ancient hunting grounds of the Comanche Indians until you arrive in Tucumcari.
Hotel: Rodeway Inn.
Day 10: Tucumcari - Santa Fe (161 miles)
Today’s leg of the journey leads to Santa Fe in New Mexico, the oldest capital city in the United States and a colourful artist’s mecca. On the way why not make a detour and visit the Pecos National Historic Park the centrepiece of which is the ruins of Pecos, once a major pueblo village with more than 1,100 rooms. 2,500 people are thought to have lived here, as high as five stories in places. Pecos, in a fertile valley between the Great Plains and the Rio Grande Valley, was a trading
centre centuries before the Spanish conquistadors visited in about 1540. The area also saw action in the Civil War with a battle on the Glorieta Pass in late March 1862.
Hotel for 2 nights: Courtyard by Marriott Santa Fe
Day 11: Santa Fe
Enjoy the state capital Santa Fe. The city is dominated by unique Southwestern Pueblo architecture. Visit the colourful local Indian crafts market held daily in front of the Palace of the Governors, walk around the gallery-lined town square or visit the History Museum. Or perhaps you’ll drive out of town an hour or so and visit Taos Pueblo, the ancient pueblo of a Northern Tiwa speaking Native American tribe of Pueblo people that has been inhabited for more than 1000 years.
Day 12: Santa Fe - Holbrook (276 miles)
First make a short stop in Albuquerque then drive via Gallup, another famous stop on Route 66 that is notable for its mix of indigenous people and native culture. Enter Arizona and visit the Petrified Forest National Park. This area was once the site of an ancient forest later covered by lava flow and now revealed by erosion. Continue to Holbrook where you’ll find old cafes and colourful motels still line the old Route 66.
Hotel: Best Western Arizonian Inn
Day 13: Holbrook - Grand Canyon (171 miles)
On your way to the Grand Canyon be sure to visit Meteor Crater and the impressive Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. Meteor Crater is the breath-taking result of a collision between a piece of an asteroid traveling at 26,000 miles per hour and planet Earth approximately 50,000 years ago. Today, Meteor Crater is nearly one mile across, 2.4 miles in circumference and more than 550 feet deep. Be sure to stop in Flagstaff, a town rich in route 66 legacies and in an area known for its rich Native American history.
Hotel for 2 nights: Best Western Squire Inn
Day 14: Grand Canyon
You’ve all day at the majestic Grand Canyon, so be sure to see the sunrise or sunset; or maybe even both. Along the canyon rim there are numerous vista points with ever changing and awe-inspiring views of this magnificent natural wonder and lots of optional sightseeing trips by helicopter or road.
Day 15: Grand Canyon - Las Vegas (277 miles)
Continuing via Williams you will travel along one of the longest remaining segments of the historic Route 66. Continue through the desert and cross over into the state of Nevada to reach the Entertainment Capital of the World, Las Vegas. The “Strip” will mesmerise you with its glittering lights and mega-hotels.
Hotel for 2 nights: The Platinum Hotel
Day 16: Las Vegas
A day to relax and enjoy the delights of Las Vegas; it isn’t called Sin City for nothing! You can relax by the pool, shop in the malls, try your hand with lady luck in one of the myriad themed casinos or watch a show that would grace any Broadway stage. The choice is yours.
Day 17: Las Vegas - Santa Monica (286 miles)
Today drive through the Mojave Desert; along the way visit Calico Ghost Town. Cross the San Bernardino Mountains and enter the sprawling metropolis of Los Angeles. This is where Route 66 becomes Santa Monica Boulevard, winding its way through Hollywood and Beverly Hills until it suddenly ends at the Santa Monica Boardwalk and the Pacific Ocean.
Hotel for 2 nights: Crowne Plaza Redondo Beach.
Day 18: Los Angeles
Relax and enjoy Los Angeles and reflect on your journey along the “Mother Road”. Perhaps spend a day on the beach soaking up the sun and celebrity spotting or maybe do a spot of sightseeing. For some non-stop action why not try one of the theme parks in Hollywood or Anaheim.
Day 19: Depart Los Angeles
Return your car to the airport by the time you collected it on day 1 and take your onward flight. Alternatively, you might choose to extend your stay with some extra nights in Los Angeles or Santa Monica - just ask us for details.
Flexible Itinerary: Want to spend more time in any of the locations along the route, make some extra side trips or extend your stay in Chicago or LA before and after the tour? The itinerary is completely flexible and we can make any amendments to the tour itinerary you require. Please just send us your exact requirements and we'll send you a quotation.
Cost Per Person
Departs Daily Please call for prices
This package is arranged through 1st Class Holidays ATOL number 5421. Westoe Travel act as agents for 1st Class Holidays
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All passengers must have a valid passport for this tour. Depending on the country issuing your passport, a visa may also be required. More information can be found at the Identity & Passport Service
Identity and Passport service
Customers should ensure that they are fit enough to travel, please check with your General Practictioner and www.fco.gov.uk/travel and www.nathnac.org
The latest advice from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office about travelling abroad
Foreign and commonwealth office
Travel Insurance
You are strongly recommended to take adequate insurance for all passengers for this tour
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Apply for a New ESTA
All eligible international travelers who wish to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program must apply for authorization.
Who You Are:
You are a citizen or eligible national of a Visa Waiver Program country.
You are currently not in possession of a visitor's visa.
Your travel is for 90 days or less.
You plan to travel to the United States for business or pleasure.
You want to apply for a new authorization for one person or a group of applications for two or more persons.
What You Need:
Valid passport from a Visa Waiver Program country.
Valid credit card (MasterCard, VISA, American Express, and Discover (JCB, Diners Club)) to pay US $14 per application.
Your contact information.
Your most recent employment information, if applicable.
For more information United States of America ESTA
Mobility We want to ensure you make the correct choice before you book your holiday with us. If you have any concerns regarding the suitability of the holiday due to reduced mobility we would encourage you to call us to discuss these concerns
We advise customers take travel insurance for all bookings
We strongly advise that you check the latest advice from the Foreign and commonwealth office about travelling abroad both before booking and before travelling
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