Original Route 66

Fifteen nights on the Mother Road, from Chicago to Santa Monica. The American Road Trip Company calls this the most historic version of its Route 66 trips, one for purists, because it stays on the original or old alignment for the whole drive.

Three nights in Chicago open the trip, with two full days either side of the river. The car is then collected for the run to Springfield, Illinois, and on to St. Louis, followed by Meramec Caverns and Springfield, Missouri. Oklahoma comes next, with Tulsa and Oklahoma City, then Amarillo in Texas and Santa Fe in New Mexico.

The route continues through Albuquerque and Gallup to Winslow, Arizona, then through desert country to the town of Oatman before the final run to Los Angeles. The page mentions roadside attractions such as a giant blue whale, a 30-foot spaceman and the world’s largest ketchup bottle, and the ghost town of Calico near Barstow. The trip finishes with two nights in Los Angeles. Most days are between 100 and 280 miles.

The price shown is a from figure for 15 nights, per person, based on two people sharing, off-peak travel, a standard car, economy flights and two to three star hotels. It covers flights with a premier carrier such as British Airways, accommodation, car rental and a detailed Road Trip Pack with route suggestions and points of interest for each drive. Every trip is built to order, so dates, hotel standard, flight class, car type and the number of nights can all be adjusted, and a one-way rental fee may apply where the start and end points differ. The American Road Trip Company serves customers based in the UK and the EU, so check current quotes and availability with the operator.