Why Take a Route 66 Tour?

You might have wanted to tour the United States for years – and in particular take the famous Route 66 through the Midwest all the way to the Pacific coast. Route 66 covers such a stretch of the U.S you might think the best option would be hiring a car – but looking closer at the sheer volume of destinations, it is hard to see a way to fit everything into the time you probably have.

Once you’re ready to visit the USA and have all the papers required, be it a visa or a ESTA USA if coming from Europe for example,  you can chose a Route 66 tour, travelling by coach from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California. You could be initially reticent: an escorted holiday may not be what you have in mind for exploring the U.S. but by the time you’re finished you could be a convert: it is a unique way to travel America’s ‘Mother Road’ and experience some of the world’s most culturally diverse environments.

Starting in Chicago, the tour includes hotel stays and the services of experienced tour guides who’ll happily chat about the surrounding areas and offer advice on the best places to eat (and drink!). First stop is Springfield, home of Abraham Lincoln, before heading south to beautiful Missouri. You will also be  overwhelmed by the variety of locations: from Springfield’s subterranean Fantastic Caverns and the Great Plains of Oklahoma, to the spectacular desert landscapes of Texas’ Canyon State Park and the oil fields of Amarillo.

Driving Route 66 isn’t necessarily a sightseeing holiday. If you’re a huge music fan the trip is a way to get close to the roots of rock and roll and country music. Route 66 has a special place in music history: the bars, restaurants and clubs you’ll visit  each night almost all host their own bands and will get a great range of live music over the course of the trip. One of the attractions of the Route 66 experience is the diversity of North America – nowhere is this more evident than in the food. There’s a huge amount to choose from including North American staples, like pancakes and syrup, impressive Texan steaks, and the Tex-Mex spices of New Mexico and California.

A great benefit of the escorted tour is that by the time you arrive in Los Angeles, you’ll still be full of energy and raring to explore. It’s a sensational place: sun-drenched, bustling and colorful, it’s difficult to know whether to sunbathe on the beach or go star-spotting on Hollywood Boulevard.

You can get a Route 66 road trip without the hassle and exhaustion of driving. The sheer amount of experiences the tour packs will surprise you – and offer more than enough excuses to come back to the U.S. again!

Have you traveled across the US? Did you use this road? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below, and this post too if you liked it!