Route 66 Through New Mexico by Motorhome

Itinerary

• Day 1: Arrive Albuquerque – Holiday Inn Express Suites Albuquerque Airport IHG

  Landing in Alburquerque is the perfect introduction to your New Mexico holiday. Take time to relax in the hotel’s indoor pool, workout in the fitness centre, or get out and explore the city’s line-up of attractions – from wandering Old Town Albuquerque’s cobblestone streets and art shops, visiting the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, and meeting the marine and animal life at ABQ BioPark to admiring the cityscapes with an evening ride on the Sandia Peak Tramway.

• Day 2: Albuquerque → Santa Fe

  Breakfast at the hotel fuels your first day’s adventures; before picking up your motorhome and hitting the road for a short first driving day to New Mexico’s capital of Santa Fe. Santa Fe Plaza lets you enjoy an enchilada or a margarita and pay a visit to Cathedral Basilica of St Francis Assisi and Loretto Chapel. Or experience Canyon Road’s art galleries and boutiques, Georgia O'Keeffe Museum’s masterpieces, and Meow Wolf Santa Fe’s House of Eternal Rest’s immersive art and psychedelic rooms.

• Day 3: Santa Fe → Taos and back or overnight in Taos

  Today’s journey is 70 to 140 miles depending on route you take - the scenic High Road to Taos is beautiful but has steep sections and narrower roads which are less ideal for large motorhomes. Spend time in Taos Plaza to have coffee at Historic Taos Inn and see Hotel La Fonda de Taos’ DH Lawrence paintings. Or head to Taos Pueblo to see historic adobe dwellings and San Geronimo Chapel, shop for authentic pottery and leatherware, and tuck into tasty Indian tacos. If you’re staying in Taos overnight; Rio Grande Gorge Bridge RV stay campground is a good option

• Day 4: Taos → Santa Rosa

  Get behind the wheel today to drive the 200+ miles towards Santa Rosa – taking time to stop enroute to enjoy the scenery of the Santa Fe Trail - including the ruins of ancient Indian pueblos at Pecos National Historical Park - and Route 66. Santa Rosa is also home to Janes-Wallace Memorial Park and Power Dam, Park Lake, Santa Rosa Lake State Park, Trail of the Forty-Niners, and classic Route 66 spots like the Silver Moon Café. Recommended RV stay is Santa Rosa Campground and RV Park.

• Day 5: Santa Rosa → Tucumcar

  Today’s 115-mile road trip between Santa Rosa and Tucumcari is a classic Route 66 day - passing vintage roadside icons, classic neon signs, and ghost towns - from the Blue Hole artesian swimming sinkhole and Park Lake to the classic and vintage cars at Route 66 Auto Museum. Arriving in Tucumcari seek out the vintage Blue Swallow Hotel, TeePee Curios souvenir shop, Motel Safari, Tucumcari Route 66 Monument, and the Route 66 Murals. Recommended RV stay: Tucumcari KOA or local RV park.

• Days 6 to 7: Tucumcari → Albuquerque or Gallup

  With a 250 to 285-mile journey ahead of you – this is the longest day so far, so consider splitting it. Better RV pacing could be an overnight in Albuquerque before continuing west. Or travel the whole route towards Gallup with an early start and possible stops along the way at old Route 66 communities like the mostly abandoned ghost towns of Cuervo, Newkirk, and Montoya; Clines Corners trading post, and the farming/ranching hub of Moriarty. Suggested overnight at Gallup’s Continental Divide RV stay.

• Day 8: Gallup

  Hit the pause button today with a rest day. Explore the 640-acre Red Rock Park with its red sandstone cliffs, Pyramid Rock and Church Rock Trails, and museum with ancient indigenous artefacts. Step back in time at the Historic El Rancho Hotel and shop for handmade jewellery and pottery at Richardson Trading Company. Seek out colourful public art murals and delve into local history at the Rex Museum Or why not take a scenic drive out to the El Malpais National Monument? RV stay: Gallup

• Day 9: Gallup → Petrified Forest → Holbrook → Williams or Flagstaff

  Today’s 220-mile journey makes for a great RV day! Stop at Petrified Forest National Park’s Rainbow Forest, Rainbow Forest Museum, Newspaper Rock, Puerco Pueblo, and Painted Desert and also Arizona’s Holbrook with its Wigwam Motel and Rainbow Rock Shop as you travel along Route 66. Spend the night tonight at an RV site in Williams – perfect for riding the Grand Canyon Railway and visiting Bearizona Wildlife Park or Flagstaff with its Lowell Observatory and historic Downtown.

• Days 10 to 11: Grand Canyon

  For the next two days you can base yourself near Grand Canyon’s South Rim – RV-friendly options: Trailer Village RV Park (inside the park) or Williams RV parks (easier availability). Both perfect for spending a full day discovering the wonders of the Grand Canyon – including visiting the Mather Point and Hopi Points viewpoints and Desert View Watchtower by shuttle buses at sunrise and sunset to witness amazing vistas and walking along the canyon’s rim.

• Day 12: Williams → Las Vegas

  220 miles of driving is on the agenda today en-route to Las Vegas. Perfect places to stop along the way are at: the classic Route 66 town of Seligman – the inspiration for the “Cars” film - with its retro 1950s Americana, vintage cars, and quirky roadside shops; historic Kingman - home to Arizona Route 66 Museum; and the concrete arch gravity Hoover Dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River. Arriving in Las Vegas - suggested RV stay for two nights: Las Vegas RV Resort

• Day 13 - Las Vegas

  Las Vegas has it all! From the Las Vegas Strip’s flashy casinos, restaurants, and after-dark venues to the MGM Grand’s bright lights and American eateries. Discover Freemont Street Experience’s 24-hour mall, 12-storey zipline, and live music; Bellagio Resort's Fountain Show, and Vegas' famous signage at Neon Museum. Get up close to Shark Reef Aquarium’s sharks, rays, and turtles. Or why not follow the 13-mile Scenic Drive through the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area?

• Day 14: Fly Back to the UK

  Return the motorhome today before your flight home to London Heathrow via Denver with many happy memories to look back on of your Route 66 Through New Mexico by Motorhome adventure.