Stay : The "classic" Route 66
Here is a proposal for a route exclusively dedicated to Route 66, in which a first full day has been planned to visit Chicago and two other days are dedicated to the discovery of Los Angeles and its region(Pasadena, Santa Monica and Downtown Los Angeles). We will rent a car from Chicago.
Summary of the stay
Best time to go
18 days
€€€ - Luxury
Where to stay - Chicago ?
The map of your stay - États-Unis
Detail of the stay : The "classic" Route 66 - 18 days
Day 1: Departure from Paris, arrival in Chicago
Steps: Chicago
Arrival in Chicago at the end of the day and settling down at the hotel.
Day 2: Visit of Chicago
Steps: Chicago
You should see first of all the starting points and arrival points of Road 66. Visit The Grant Park and Millennium Park. Enjoy the sound and light of Buckingham Fountain (day and night). Climb at the top of the Navy Pier or visit one of the other museums in the city, such as the Chicago.
THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO / WILLIS TOWER - SKYDECK CHICAGO / MILLENNIUM PARK / GRANT PARK / NAVY PIER / CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM / MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY (M.S.I.)
Day 3: Chicago-Bloomington. 214 km (133 miles)
Steps: Joliet, Wilmington, Odell, Bloomington, Pontiac
Taking over the rented car and departure for the journey. In Joliet, the Wilmington, make a photo break in front of your first giant (Gemini Giant) of Road 66. Stop at Odell for its beautiful 1932 standard service station. Pontiac offers several museums to visit and beautiful murals frescoes. It will also be your first meeting with Bob Waldmire, an artist on Road 66. Night in Bloomington.
RIALTO SQUARE THEATER
Day 4: Bloomington-St. Louis. 178 miles (286 km)
Steps: Springfield, Madison, Lincoln, Edwardsville, Atlanta, Chatham, Auburn, St Louis
Take some time in Atlanta, with its other Route 66 giant (Paul Bunyan's Giant) and its many murals. In Lincoln as in Springfield, Abraham Lincoln is honored. The Oak Ridge Cemetery, his burial place, is a must-see. Between Chatham and Auburn, discover an original section of Route 66, still paved, which you can drive for 1.4 miles; a treat! When you get to St. Louis, don't miss the Mustang Corral in Edwardsville or the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. In St. Louis, check out theArch. Overnight in St. Louis.
Day 5: Saint-Louis-Springfield. 370 km (230 miles)
Steps: Springfield, Stanton, Devil'S Elbow, Cuba, Rolla, Meramec Caverns, Bourbon, St James
At the exit of Saint-Louis, you will discover the beginning of the Goddaer Mountains. At Stanton, the Meramec Caverns is worth visiting. Then go through the towns of Bourbon, Cuba, Saint James and Devil's Elbow Bridge, superb. At Springfield, spend a pleasant night at the Route 66 Rail Haven.
Day 6: Springfield-Tulsa. 327 km (203 miles)
Steps: Halltown, Carthage, Paris Springs, Carterville, Galena, Claremore, Miami, Catoosa, Tulsa
Whitehall Mercantile, as well as Paris Springs and its Sinclair station will be your first stops. Then Carthage with its courthouse and drive-in cinema, then Carterville, for its old cars exposed on the street, including a model truck that inspired the designers of the cartoon Cars. When you are in Kansas, make a short stop at Galena and Cars on The Route. In Oklahoma, take a good half hour to discover the Miami frescoes, go to Claremore to visit the Will Rogers Memorial Museum then, before arriving at Tulsa, make a photo break in front of the blue whale of {6}Catoosa{/6}. Night in Tulsa.
Day 7: Tulsa - Weatherford. 198 miles (319 km)
Steps: Tulsa, Chandler, Arcadia, Oklahoma City, Hydro, Bridgeport, Warwick
Don't leave Tulsa without seeing the Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza on your way out of town. Chandler, with its Route 66 Interpretative Center, and Warwick, with the Seaba Station Motorcycle Museum, are must-sees. A little farther on, the Round Barn inArcadia will no doubt impress you. Try to get to the National Cow Boy & Western Heritage Museum by lunchtime, so you can combine an excellent buffet with a very interesting tour of the site. Shortly before Bridgeport, crossing the Pony Bridge will leave you with an unforgettable memory. At Hydro, take a photo stop in front of Lucille's Service Station.
Day 8: Weatherford-Amarillo. 197 miles (317 km)
Steps: Amarillo, Shamrock, Groom, Clinton, Elk City
In the morning, before crossing the Texas border, visit the Route 66 museums in Clinton andElk City. Both are complementary and very well designed. For lunch, stop in Shamrock and admire its beautiful Art Deco Tower Station & U-Drop Inn Café. In Groom, check out the leaning water tower and go to the foot of the largest cross in the U.S., 58 meters high. As for Amarillo, the Cadillac Ranch (visit to be scheduled the next day on the way out) and the Big Texan Steak Ranch are the two places not to be missed.
CADILLAC RANCH / TOWER STATION & U-DROP INN CAFÉ / CROSS OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
Day 9: Amarillo-Tucumcari. 182 km (113 miles)
Steps: Vega, Adrian, Tucumcari
For lunch, make a stop at the Vega's Boot Hill Saloon before you go to the few frescoes of the city. At Adrian, halfway from Route 66, stop at Mid Point Café. In Tucumcari, reserve time for a walk along Route 66 crossing the city, to shoot all the old motels brand which are waiting for you. Night in Tucumcari.
Day 10: Tucumcari-Santa Fe. 291 km (181 miles)
Steps: Santa Rosa, Pecos, Santa Fe, Las Vegas
On your way to Santa Fe, make a stop at Santa Rosa. The Route 66 Auto Museum is a real gem. Join Santa Fe with a small hook in Las Vegas (New Mexico, not Nevada) and the Glorieta Pass, which awaits you further, and the battle that occurred during the American Civil War. At Santa Fe, visit the city centre where you can spend a pleasant evening. Night in Santa Fe.
Day 11: Santa Fe-Gallup. 325 km (202 miles)
Steps: Albuquerque, Grants, Gallup, Laguna, Sky City - Acoma Pueblo, Church Rock
Go to Albuquerque late in the morning for lunch on Central Avenue. Stop near to 4th Street to admire the Gallup via Laguna, Grants and Church Rock. On the way, you will cross several pueblos and you will also have the opportunity to make a short visit of Gallup.
KIMO THEATRE
Day 12: Gallup-Flagstaff. 340 km (211 miles)
Steps: Flagstaff, Petrified Forest National Park, Meteor Crater, Lupton, Holbrook, Winslow, Two Guns, Twin Arrows, Gallup
Soon after leaving Gallup, you will reach Lupton and Arizona. Welcome to the Navajo territory! The landscape becomes desert. Take a look at the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest National Park, which are two sites in the same national park. Lunch in Holbrook. Take the road by stopping in Winslow and then visit Meteor Crater. Before arriving at Flagstaff, stop at Two Guns and Twin Arrows. Night to Flagstaff.
Day 13: Flagstaff - Kingman. 262 km (163 miles)
Steps: Barstow, Canyon, Hackberry, Flagstaff, Kingman, Ash Fork, Seligman, Grand Canyon Caverns
If you didn't have time to get there the day before, take a short walk through downtown Flagstaff. On the way to Barstow, stop in Williams, Ash Fork and Seligman. If you have time, visit Grand Canyon Caverns. Return to Kingman with a stop at the Hackberry General Store. Overnight in Kingman.
HACKBERRY GENERAL STORE
Day 14: Kingman-Barstow. 370 km (230 miles)
Steps: Needles, Bagdad, Newberry Springs, Barstow, Kingman, Oatman, Topock
The Powerhouse is the building you must see first in Kingman. From the exit of the city, the road will gradually rise to make you discover the Black Mountains. You just need few times to visit Oatman. You will enjoy its wild donkeys in the street and his duels. Then reach Topock and the California border. Be ready for a very hot temperature between Needles and Newberry Springs. In Newberry Springs, make a break at Baghdad Café before joining Barstow. Night in Barstow.
Day 15: Barstow-Pasadena. 208 km (129 miles)
Steps: Pasadena, San Bernardino, Cajon Pass, Barstow, Victorville, Helendale
Leave Barstow early because this day will be long. At the start of the journey, take the road to Helendale and stop at the Bottle Tree Ranch. Once you have crossed Victorville, go to the beautiful Cajon Pass and reach Pasadena. Night in Pasadena.
THE BOTTLE TREE RANCH
Day 16: Pasadena-Santa Monica via Hollywood. 43 km (27 miles)
Steps: Los Angeles
To get to Santa Monica, there are several routes along Route 66 to the north of Downtown Los Angeles. Follow Sunset Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard, discovering Hollywood and Beverly Hills. Reach Palisades Park and the Santa Monica Pier. You are at the end of the adventure! Overnight in Santa Monica.
Day 17: Santa Monica - Los Angeles via Mulholland Drive. 50 km (31 miles)
Steps: Los Angeles, Mulholland Drive
For this last day, take the time to discover Mulholland Drive from Santa Monica, then go for a walk in Downtown Los Angeles. Don't forget to visit the corner of Broadway and 7th Street, which was the official end of Route 66 until 1936. Overnight in Downtown.
Day 18: Los Angeles-Paris CDG
Return of the rented vehicle, shopping, last preparation and departure.
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