Highlights of Route 66 with Mother Road Festival & Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

16 days from Chicago to Los Angeles
Get your kicks on Route 66 and help celebrate “The Mother Road’s” 100th anniversary with a legendary trip across America. This historic route, which was called the “Main Street of America” for more than 30 years before the advent of the US Interstate system, begins in Chicago, travels through eight states, and ends in Los Angeles. Take a trip down memory lane while traveling along much of Route 66, stopping in small towns and major cities, visiting Route 66 museums, and stepping back to a time when the journey truly was the destination! Experience twice the fun with the two very special events included on your tour—the 25th Annual Mother Road Festival and the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta! The annual Mother Road Festival in Springfield, Illinois, brings automobile and motorcycle enthusiasts with hot cars, cool trucks, and vintage bikes together to salute Route 66 and the tradition of the open road. Enjoy classic cars, live entertainment, and other scheduled activities. Then, hit the road for St. Louis for amazing views of the city and the Mississippi River from atop the 630-foot-tall Gateway Arch. Visit the National Route 66 Museum in Elk City to view antique cars and historic documents that evoke the feeling of traveling this historic road in years gone by. Then time to look up at the International Balloon Fiesta where a colorful spectacle of hundreds of hot-air balloons rise into the sky above Albuquerque. On to Williams Arizona, listed in the National Register for Historic Places, where you’ll see neon signs of the preserved circa 1940s “Motel Row.” Take a detour from Route 66 to see breathtaking scenery at one of the Natural Wonders of the World, the Grand Canyon! Then hit Las Vegas to explore The Strip, take an optional trip to see the engineering marvel, Hoover Dam, or just relax by the pool. Visit the California Route 66 Museum in Victorville which reminisces with exhibits including a 50’s diner, VW Love Bus, and a 1917 Model T Ford. Arrive in Los Angeles and visit Santa Monica and the “End of the Trail” sign denoting the end point of Route 66. Then enjoy a tour of famous landmarks like Hollywood, the Sunset Strip and Beverly Hills. So, sit back, relax, and let Cosmos handle the driving and details while you enjoy the ride during this special centennial year of Route 66!
All This. Included
The world is within reach with everything you need for perfectly affordable touring. Cosmos includes hand-selected accommodations, guided sightseeing, and seamless transportation between destinations—with value-minded travel lovers in mind. Explore with expert Cosmos Tour Directors and Local Guides, and private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi (where available). Enhance your free time to explore like a local with your CosmosGO mobile app!

Your Tour Includes:
• Guided city sightseeing in Chicago and Los Angeles
• Visit to Route 66 Hall of Fame & Museum
• Visit to the Mother Road Festival in Springfield, IL
• Orientation tours of St. Louis, Joplin, Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, and Las Vegas
• Entrance fee to Gateway Arch National Park including trip to the top of the Arch
• Visit to Cherokee Nation Anna Mitchell Welcome & Cultural Center
• Admission to National Route 66 Museum
• Stop at Cadillac Ranch
• Admission to the Balloon Glow & Mass Ascension at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
• Visit to Russell’s Car Museum
• Entrance Fee and guided sightseeing at Grand Canyon National Park
• Visit to California Route 66 Museum