Harley Davidson Route 66 Motorcycle Tour with Eagle Rider

Day 1: UK – Chicago

Welcome to the Windy City! Nicknamed the 'Paris of the Prairie', Chicago is the biggest and most exciting of the Great Lake cities. Tonight, you will get to meet your fellow riders and Tour Guides at an Orientation Meeting at the tour hotel, followed by a great Welcome Dinner to kick-off your dream Route 66 journey!

Day 2: Chicago - Springfield

This morning you pick up your bike and are off to the ultimate American road trip. The legendary Route 66 begins at the doorstep of the EagleRider location, cutting through the state of Illinois before running all the way to the Pacific Coast. From Chicago you head south along the Pontiac Trail, passing through Joliet, stopping at the amazing RT 66 Museum in Pontiac, and generally getting a feel for the rubber on the Mother Road.

Day 3: Springfield – St. Louis

Today head towards St. Louis! You’ll stay primarily on the 2-lane sections of the Mother Road, traversing cornfields and small towns that represent the heartland of America. Your arrival into St. Louis will be over the Chain of Rocks Bridge, the original bridge where RT 66 crossed the Mississippi River. 

Day 4: St Louis - Joplin

Rise early to enjoy an early morning view of the St. Louis Arch and Mississippi River before you hit the road. Settle in to enjoy the rolling Missouri hills that make this area so beautiful and fun to ride in. You’ll stop and see the famous World’s Largest Rocking Chair in Fanning, wind your way on the twisting roads of Devil’s Elbow, and stop at other Route 66 icons. Tonight, enjoy a stay in Joplin, a city that was hit very hard in 2011 by a massive tornado. 

Day 5: Joplin – Oklahoma City

Today is all about the route! From Joplin, head west through the hills and horse country through Oklahoma, crossing Miami, Claremore and Catoosa, home of the legendary Blue Whale before passing through Tulsa. This evening, stay in Oklahoma City, the heart and soul of Route 66! 

Day 6: Oklahoma City – Amarillo

This morning, travel along some of the oldest stretches of Oklahoma’s Route 66. Ride along a section of the Chisholm Trial, which passes through Yukon and El Reno, and stop at the amazing Route 66 Museum in Clinton. After lunch, cross the border into the Texas Panhandle, the southernmost portion of the Great Plains. 

Day 7: Amarillo – Santa Fe

Today you leave Texas and are on your way into “The Land of Enchantment”, New Mexico. After passing through the world-famous Cadillac Ranch, stop at the midway point of RT 66 in Adrian, Texas! From there, enter the land of the Comanche Indians, where mesas, mountains, cactus and pines define the landscape as you head up into the High Plains and altitude of Santa Fe in central New Mexico. Santa Fe is one of America’s oldest and most beautiful cities and will be your base for the next two nights.

Day 8: Santa Fe

Today is at leisure to rest and enjoy the distinctive flavour of this nearly 400-year-old city. The blend of cultures here becomes evident in the southwestern architectural style so closely associated with New Mexico’s capital city. 

Day 9: Santa Fe - Gallup

This morning you head south, down to Albuquerque, New Mexico’s largest city, with a third of the state’s population. Albuquerque is sprawling at the heart of New Mexico, where the main east - west road and rail routes cross both the Rio Grande and the old road south to Mexico. You cross the Rio Grande and head west – out into the open country and the hues of the Navajo wilderness. Further on ride through Grants and along Cibola National Forest towards the famous Route 66 town of Gallup – an old railroad town and Indian stronghold. Enjoy your stay tonight with a host of fellow riders from around the world at one of the many biker-friendly hotels in Gallup.

Day 10: Gallup – Grand Canyon

Today is another huge day, full of spectacular scenery and iconic Route 66 stops. Cross the border into Arizona and ride to Petrified Forest National Park, a fossilized prehistoric forest of gigantic trees that has been unearthed by erosion. Here you will have the time to explore this stunning landscape and take a moment to get lost in the expansiveness that defines this area. Leaving Petrified Forest NP, travel further west to the Wigwam Hotel in Holbrook, and stop to stand on the corner in Winslow! Tonight, sit with a cold drink in your hand and enjoy the sunset over the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The dream is coming true!

Day 11: Grand Canyon - Laughlin

Leaving the Grand Canyon, you’ll pick Route 66 back up in Williams, Arizona before heading to stops in the famous 66 towns of Seligman, Hackberry and Kingman, and Oatman before arriving at your Laughlin hotel on the shores of the Colorado River.

Day 12: Laughlin – Las Vegas

Today is a quick ride for a little detour to take in the incredible sights and sounds of Las Vegas! Our journey this morning will take you through your first real taste of the Mojave Desert, and a ride across the famous Hoover Dam! One thing is for sure, your time in Vegas may be short, but it will sure be sweet! Try to get a little bit of sleep because you’ll pick up Route 66 tomorrow right where you left off.

Day 13: Las Vegas - Victorville

Today, cross the border into your final State on Route 66 – California! One thing is for sure - today is a day like no other as you traverse the Mojave Desert which offers some of the most dramatic scenery in Southern California. You can imagine what it must have been like for early Route 66 travellers making their way across this huge expanse of desert, dotted with Joshua Trees, cacti, volcanic rock, and sand as you stop in the tiny "waystations" of Amboy and Ludlow. Tonight, celebrate your last night on the Mother Road.

Day 14: Victorville – Los Angeles

Today head off for your final destination – the end of the road on the Santa Monica Pier! To get there, however, you first get to ride the 66 miles of the Angeles Crest Highway through the mountainous terrain of Angeles National Forest. This highway is considered one of the top motorcycle rides in southern California and rises to over 2300 meters. Next, descend the Crest into the Los Angeles Basin and head towards the Pacific Ocean. Riders always have mixed emotions as they stand at the "End of the Trail" sign on the Santa Monica Pier. There is a sense of joy and elation at having completed a journey most people only dream about, and a sense of sadness at the thought of the ride having come to an end. Tonight, celebrate the miles you’ve ridden and the friends you made as you party together at the Farewell Dinner!

Day 15: Los Angeles – UK

Today your exciting trip will conclude in Los Angeles.