Sri Lanka at Thanksgiving? Save 20% on our Nov 23 departure with THANKS20

The trip you've always dreamed of: Route 66! 7 states, thousands of miles, and a concentrate of freedom between endless prairies, blazing deserts, and legendary cities like St. Louis and Las Vegas. Here, you’ll realize the real journey is never the destination.

Is this trip for me?

Party and nightlife
Relax
Nature and adventure
City and cultures
Monuments and history
Physical effort
Trip type
Searching best flight prices

Itinerary

The ultimate road trip: Route 66, the most famous road in the world, takes us through 7 American states, from Illinois to California, from Lake Michigan to the Pacific Ocean. We cross the great prairies of Missouri, the farms of Kansas and Oklahoma, the deserts of Texas and New Mexico and the parks of Arizona: almost 4,000km where the real star is the road.

We pass through Springfield, St. Louis, Santa Fe, Amarillo, Albuquerque, Flagstaff and Las Vegas. We dress up as cowboys in Oklahoma City, marvel at the colours of the Painted Desert, eat grilled meat in Texan BBQs and Mexican food in New Mexico. We enjoy the sunset over the Grand Canyon and drive the last kilometers to Los Angeles with a little sadness in our hearts, but a lot of joy for the whole road travelled. Route 66 gives this: happiness, adventure, freedom.

Travel route map across the United States starting in Chicago and ending in Los Angeles with intermediate stops.
An aerial view of a city park featuring a large, reflective bean-shaped sculpture in a plaza, surrounded by modern skyscrapers under a clear blue sky.

Chicago, the Windy City

Arrive and check-in at your hotel in Chicago and we gather for welcome meeting— click here to see how it works!.

We are in Chicago, the “Windy City”: the breeze from the immense Lake Michigan, which the city overlooks, certainly doesn't scare us!

  • We start exploring the city, with The Bean as our first stop.

  • Then a taste of Chicago's most famous dish, the deep dish pizza. Will it win us over or will we remain faithful to the original?

A crowd of people gathers around a large, reflective, bean-shaped sculpture in a city plaza, with skyscrapers in the background.

Let's discover the city

A full day to explore Chicago and all it has to offer!

  • A guided tour, the best way to discover the hidden gems of the city.

  • Skyscrapers everywhere and an iconic skyline. At the Willis Tower observatory you can walk on a ledge made entirely of glass more than 400 meters high: not for vertigo sufferers, but thrill seekers will love it.

  • Back down to earth at Millennium Park for a few more selfies in front of the big bean.

  • Then we decide together: Navy Pier with its shops and attractions, one of the many museums, or a mini cruise along the river past the skyscrapers. Quick shower, then our first dinner: what will American cuisine offer us?

Graffiti-covered cars buried nose-down in a field, with empty spray paint cans on the cracked earth under a blue, cloudy sky.

The dream comes true: Route 66!

Today our real journey on the road begins: ready to head down Route 66? We pick up the cars in Pontiac.

  • This suburb of Illinois shares its name with the Michigan town where the first factories of General Motors were built, the US parent company of Cadillac and Chevrolet, among others.

  • Keys in hand, a group photo in front of the mural that marks the beginning of Route 66, and we're off! We are on the most famous road in the world.

  • Lunch in Springfield, the capital of Illinois: grilled cheese everyone?

St. Louis, the Mississippi and the blues

A stroll through Springfield, where President Lincoln lived: statues, murals and museums dedicated to him are dotted around.

  • Off to St. Louis, saying goodbye to Illinois and entering the state of Missouri.

  • The city sits on the banks of the Mississippi, the longest river in the United States, and is famed for its blues-related music culture. Quite a change from cosmopolitan Chicago!

  • We start from its symbol, the Gateway Arch, the tallest arch in the world, and maybe pick a place with live music for tonight.

Vintage roadside signs for Route 66, souvenirs, and toys, with a large space-cowboy statue in front of a building.

In the heart of Missouri

Good morning America! We wake up early and head to the heart of Missouri, both figuratively and literally.

  • Coffee in Cuba (no, not the island!), a town full of murals.

  • The Meramec caves, impressive caves with spectacular rock formations.

  • In Rolla we visit the Totem Pole Trading Post, apparently the longest-running business on Route 66 in all of Missouri (established in 1933!). Then hamburger, fries and milkshake, in good American tradition?

On the Missouri-Kansas border

You won't believe it, but today we stop in Springfield again: no, it's not the same Springfield as yesterday!

  • Then off to another state: in 3 days we have already crossed two.

  • In Galena we see scale reproductions of the famous cars from the film “Cars”: customary photos for everyone.

  • Dinner in this quirky town on the Missouri-Kansas border, then the hotel: tomorrow brings plenty of miles and new places.

A rustic gas station with corrugated metal walls, a vintage orange fuel pump, and an old truck parked in a sandy lot.

A whale on Route 66

On Route 66 we are also crossing three quarters of the United States, through its most eccentric and exciting places.

  • First stop: Catoosa, where we find... a whale? Yes, a work of art shaped like a whale that has become one of the symbols of Route 66. Ritual selfie!

  • We say goodbye to Kansas and enter the state of Oklahoma, pushing further west after the immense plains at the centre of the States.

  • Farms and cornfields all around: maybe we'll even see aliens? Hans Zimmer is a must for the playlist.

Oklahoma City, cowboy land

Mexican lunch in Tulsa: as well as going west, we've also moved south.

  • We are now in the land of cowboys: in Oklahoma City, the state capital, cowboy boots and hats are everywhere, like being in a film with Morricone's soundtracks.

  • Stockyards City, a real western “village” where we can find everything: will any of us buy cowboy boots?

  • Evening stroll in Bricktown, the downtown district full of restaurants: steakhouses, fried chicken and deep-fried pickles. Our arteries are jumping for joy!

A sunny street scene with Route 66 signs on a brick building, people walking past cacti, and a retro V8 sign in the background.

Time for Texas

Another day, another journey: in Elk City we dive into the history of Route 66 at the museum of the same name.

  • Following those who travelled this road from Illinois to California before us, we're back on the road. Lunch on the go: eyes open for a typical diner!

  • In Shamrock we have officially entered Texas! Time to wear those cowboy hats and boots.

  • A stop at the U-Drop Inn, an example of art deco applied to a gas station.

  • Night in Amarillo, a lively Texan town where we stop to eat too. Have we tasted pulled pork yet? In these parts we will not be hungry.

An orange and white bicycle is parked on a city sidewalk in front of the historic Santa Fe Depot building on a sunny day.

Cadillac Ranch and Blue Swallow Motel

Early start and a nice breakfast with bacon and eggs, one of the best things in the States!

  • The Cadillac Ranch: a monumental outdoor sculpture of scrapped Cadillacs sprouting from the ground, a tribute to Bruce Springsteen's album “The River”.

  • Goodbye Texas: our journey along Route 66 continues west into New Mexico.

  • A stop at the Blue Swallow Motel, one of the symbols of Route 66, then lunch in Santa Rosa at a Route 66 themed diner.

Santa Fe's Old Town

In the afternoon we reach the heart of New Mexico and Santa Fe, which holds lots of charm!

  • We park the cars and stroll through the Old Town, with the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and Santa Fe Plaza, the heart of the city.

  • A break from hamburgers and fries: a typical Mexican dinner in a traditional restaurant. If not here, where?!

Cars drive along a winding road next to a large, layered red rock mountain under a bright blue sky.

Walter White, is that you?

Ready to step into a movie? Actually no, a TV series! Early in the morning we reach Albuquerque, where “Breaking Bad” is set.

  • Rule of the day: none of us rents an RV and starts producing meth in the desert. Clear?

  • The Old Town, which reminds us of Santa Fe.

  • The Rattlesnake Museum, dedicated to the rattlesnake, one of the symbols of this area of the United States.

  • West Park, a vast park on the banks of the Rio Grande River, perfect for some sun and quiet.

Desert immersion

After Albuquerque we arrive in Gallup, close to the New Mexico border, to explore the surroundings.

  • A walk in Red Rock Park, among rock formations with the typical reddish colour of this area.

  • Evening and night in Gallup, immersed in the desert.

A WeRoad group trip poses for a photo next to an Arizona Historic US Route 66 sign, with one person holding an American flag.

Painted Desert and Petrified Forest

Bye bye New Mexico, it's time to cross the Arizona border! Can you feel the Pacific Ocean breeze? Metaphorically, of course: we are in the middle of the desert.

  • First stop: the Painted Desert, at the eastern end of the Grand Canyon Park. Stratified faults dating back to the Triassic make the rocks multicoloured.

  • If there's time, the beautiful Horseshoe Bend and Monument Valley too!

  • The Petrified Forest National Park, with fossilised tree trunks more than 200 million years old: a real open-air museum.

  • Dinner in Holbrook at the famous Joe and Aggie's Cafè (a must on Route 66) and overnight.

View of Sedona's rocks and desert landscape on route 66

In the middle of the desert

Arizona keeps giving us the most unique landscapes as we push towards Sedona.

  • If there's time, the impressive Antelope Canyon, a sight so aesthetic it was a Windows desktop!

  • A meteorite crater in the middle of the desert: about 50,000 years ago a meteorite crashed here, leaving a diameter of about 1,200 meters and a depth of 170. Breakfast on the rim, anyone?

  • An easy hike at Red Rock Crossing, among intense red rock formations called Cathedral Rock for their resemblance to imposing cathedrals. Even better at sunset.

  • Then back to Flagstaff for the night.

The Route 66 shield painted on a long, empty asphalt road stretching through a desert landscape at sunset.

Yes, it's time for the Grand Canyon

Ready for another day of adventures? Today we head towards Kingman, a busy town on Route 66 on the way to the most famous sight in the United States: the Grand Canyon!

  • In Flagstaff, the historic centre with the old western vibe we now know well. We can also stop off at Monument Valley and Horseshoe Bend.

  • The Grand Canyon is not quite on Route 66, but what's another hour and a half drive to admire this natural wonder?

  • A gigantic rocky fault stretching as far as the eye can see, in a thousand shades of red, ocher and brown. We walk some paths down towards the canyon and stay until sunset.

  • Then a 3 hour drive to tonight's destination: Kingman.

A Joshua tree stands on the side of an asphalt road in a desert landscape, with rocky formations under a clear blue sky.

Viva Las Vegas!

This morning, guess what? We're back on the road to the legendary Las Vegas, where we stay tonight.

  • A relaxed day exploring the most amazing hotels in the city, from Venice (The Venetian) to New York (Hotel New York-New York).

  • A pool party or a try at the casino? Careful with your wallet: always gamble responsibly!

  • As night falls everything lights up, especially the Bellagio Fountains. There's a reason so many hotels are inspired by Italian cities!

  • No Sin City without a wild night: we get dressed up, maybe rent a limousine (quite common around here) and pick a club to party at.

A WeRoad group trip walks across a vast, white salt flat with a rocky mountain range in the background.

From Furnace Creek to Badwater Basin

After a crazy night, we head from Las Vegas to the lowest and hottest point in North America: Death Valley.

  • Sand alternating with salt flats, hills, canyons and jagged rock formations. In 1849 a group of prospectors died here trying to find a shortcut to the central valleys of California.

  • The tour starts at Furnace Creek, the main center of the valley, then Zabriskie Point and Dante's View, located at 1,800 feet.

  • On to Artist Drive and Artist's Palette, until Badwater Basin, the salt lake that is the lowest point in North America. What a landscape!

A WeRoad group trip posing for a photo in a grassy park, with the Hollywood sign on a hill in the background under a clear sky.

Santa Monica and Venice Beach

It's already been 12 days since Chicago and we've crossed three-quarters of the United States: today is the last road trip of this journey. Let's enjoy it!

  • We leave the brightly lit streets and opulent hotels behind, heading for the City of Angels, one of the most iconic in America.

  • We arrive in Los Angeles around lunchtime: a diner, milkshakes, burgers and fries.

  • Afternoon in Santa Monica, whose Pier is the final stop on Route 66: obligatory photo in front of the sign! From Lake Michigan to the Pacific Ocean, a once-in-a-lifetime feeling.

  • A stroll along the pier, perhaps a roller coaster ride, then sunset drinks in Venice Beach and a final dinner: let's toast to ourselves and to Route 66!

Saying goodbye

Time to ditch our rental cars and say goodbye: our trip to the States ends here. See you soon for another WeRoad!

What's included

What's not included

Roundtrip flight to/from destination
  • Meals and drinks where not indicated

  • Gas/petrol, parking, toll fees 

  • Death Valley entrance - approx. USD 10

  • Entrance tickets unless specified

  • Horseshoe bend - approx. USD 8

  • Tips

  • All the extras you'll want to buy and you'll be able to fit in your backpack :)

  • Anything not mentioned in the "What's included" section

Optional activities

Please see below extra optional activities that you can experience during your trip. Your Group Leader will be happy to assist with organizing these activities for the group. Availability may vary depending on location and group preferences.

Please note these activities are provided by third party suppliers and liability rests exclusively with these third party suppliers.

  • Architecture Boat tour - Chicago - approx. USD 45

  • Chicago 360 - approx. USD 40

  • Skyrock chicago (alternative to Chicago 360) - approx. USD 38

  • Maremac caverns Tickets - Stanton Missouri - approx. USD 31

  • Antilope Canyon - approx. USD 85

Additional info

Learn more about accommodation, transport, and other useful travel information.
  • Accommodation

    Hotels. Rooms can be twin, triple or quadruple.

  • Drive-yourself tour

    This is a Drive-yourself tour - it isn’t compulsory to drive, however if you are willing to, then please tick the box when booking your trip.

  • Staff

    Our trips are led by a Group Leader who has been specifically trained by us to lead group travels to ensure you have the best time. A WhatsApp group with all travel participants will be created two weeks prior to departure by your Group Leader.

  • Visas and Vaccinations

    Before booking, please ensure to check what documents, visas, and vaccinations are required to enter the country you are visiting. If you have any questions, please contact us.

  • Arrival and Departure Times

    We always advise trying to get to the meet-up point for the first day of your tour by 5pm. On the last day of the tour you are free to leave whenever you want!

  • Luggage

    Backpacks are mandatory to allow easy transfers - we recommend a 45L backpack for our trips.

  • Info on private roomsShow all details

Why WeRoad

  • Small groups, on average 11 people

  • Move or change your trip for free up to 31 days before departure

  • Book with $ 0. Pay the $ 100 deposit only once the trip is confirmed

The Group Leaders

Our Group Leaders are chosen because they’re people just like you: passionate travelers who share the experience authentically, while having the skills to take care of the organisation, and help you get the most out of every moment of the trip.

Find your flight

For this trip, we recommend arriving and departing from these airports.

ArrivalChicago (ORD)
ReturnLos Angeles (LAX)
Searching best flight prices
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions

About this trip

About WeRoad

About Route 66

From
$ 2,608
Book with $ 0
•Free trip change
•0% interest installments