Fly to Chicago for a 15 night small group discovery tour taking in the highlights of the legendary Route 66. This historic route travels from Chicago through 8 states and ends in Los Angeles. You will visit many of the cities along Route 66, with a deviation to take in the breathtaking scenery of the Grand Canyon and experience the excitement of Las Vegas. At the end of your tour, you will board the Celebrity Millennium for a 16 night cruise through the Panama Canal ending in Fort Lauderdale. With your drinks, Wifi and gratuities included, sit back and relax on board, or take an excursion at one of the 9 ports on route.
| Day | Port of Call | Summary | Arrival Time | Departure Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Welcome to Chicago, the start of Route 66! Your Tour Director is on hand late this afternoon to answer questions. | |||
| 2 | Known as the “Windy City,” Chicago is home to one of America’s tallest buildings, legends such as Al Capone and his notorious gang, andcountless jazz and blues clubs. Get to know this exciting city on a morning sightseeing tour that includes the sign marking the start ofhistoric Route 66. This afternoon is at leisure. Ride the elevator to the top of the Willis Tower, formally known as the Sears Tower, explore The Magnificent Mile, or stroll along Navy Pier. | |||
| 3 | This morning, immerse yourself in Route 66 memorabilia. Visit the Route 66 Hall of Fame & Museum in Pontiac, housed in a historic firestation. See the large maps that will sketch out your Route 66 adventure for the coming days, and enjoy the nostalgic photos andpostcards from the “Mother Road’s” heyday. On to Springfield and the former home of President Abraham Lincoln. Visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. | |||
| 4 | Cross the mighty Mississippi River and continue to St. Louis, “Gateway to the West.” Your orientation tour includes the towering GatewayArch National Park. Ascend to the top of the 630-foot-tall arch for a panoramic view of the city and river. | |||
| 5 | Today, we travel through the Missouri countryside, then on to Branson, one of America’s biggest music centers. Your Tour Director willmake suggestions for independent exploration. | |||
| 6 | This morning, leave the Ozarks and travel through America’s “Bible Belt” into Cowboy Country. After a quick drive through Kansas, enterOklahoma, once known as Indian Territory. In Tulsa, see the “East Meets West” sculpture that pays tribute to Cyrus Avery, “The Father ofRoute 66.” Later today, arrive in Oklahoma City. | |||
| 7 | Start the day with a city sightseeing tour of Oklahoma City, the capital and largest city in Oklahoma. From here, travel to Elk City and visit the National Route 66 Museum. Take a journey through each of the eight states Route 66 passes through—from Illinois all the way to California. Continue into Texas and on to Amarillo, the Yellow Rose of Texas. | |||
| 8 | On the way out of Amarillo, see Cadillac Ranch, a quirky art sculpture consisting of a collection of 10 Cadillacs. Before crossing into New Mexico, reach Adrian, the halfway point on Route 66. Across the New Mexico border, visit Russell’s Car Museum, featuring classic cars and memorabilia. Next, stop in Tucumcari and shop for souvenirs at Teepee Curios. See the neon signs of the Blue Swallow Motel that has been serving travelers of Route 66 since 1939. Visit Central Avenue in Albuquerque, where many of the original Route 66 buildings and businesses still stand. Afterward, there’s free time in this original Spanish town with its fine parish church and Spanish-style plaza. | |||
| 9 | This morning, enjoy a leisurely breakfast or sunbathe in the New Mexico sunshine. Consider a short walk to Old Town, site of the city’soriginal settlement. Hone your bargaining skills with the local craftsmen who line the square to sell their lovely silver and turquoise jewelry.After exploring more of this atmospheric city, seize the chance to ride the world’s longest aerial tramway up nearby Sandia Peak Mountain and witness spine-tingling views of the desert floor, forests, and canyons below. | |||
| 10 | This morning, visit Acoma Sky City, home of the Pueblo Indians, situated on 367-foot-high sandstone rock. It is considered to be the oldest continuously inhabited village in the United States. Learn about this community and its inhabitants, and peruse Acoma pottery and jewelry. Then, cross the Continental Divide and continue to Gallup, which claims a longtime Hollywood connection. From classic westerns to the more recent Adventures of Superman, the area has provided unequaled movie scenery. The next two nights are in Williams, gatewayto the Grand Canyon, and listed in the National Register for Historic Places. The Historic Downtown District covers six square blocks andboasts a rich heritage that features the Old West and Route 66. | |||
| 11 | Deviate from Route 66 to see one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, Grand Canyon National Park. Wander along the canyon rim for breathtaking views and wildlife. Elk are frequently spotted grazing in the forested areas on the South Rim. Perhaps join the optional helicopter flightseeing tour? Return to Williams where the evening is free to explore the historic Americana-style shops and restaurants dating back to the early 1900s, and home of Pete’s Route 66 Gas Station Museum, featuring highway memorabilia. Be sure to appreciate the neon signs of the intact circa 1940s “Motel Row". | |||
| 12 | Depart Williams for Seligman, home to the rebirth of Route 66. Detour once again from Route 66 to visit the bright lights and excitement of Las Vegas. An orientation tour upon arrival shows off many of the themed casino resorts along the colorful “Strip.” This evening, join an optional night at a dazzling show featuring top Vegas entertainment. | |||
| 13 | A day at leisure to relax by the pool or explore the world-renowned Las Vegas Strip. Ride the world’s highest rollercoaster, float through a Venetian canal, or see man-eating sharks up close—it’s all possible in Las Vegas. Don’t miss downtown Las Vegas, where you’ll find the Fremont Street Experience, five city blocks enclosed in a glass atrium and filled with dazzling lights, sounds, and action. A variety of optional excursions are available, including a float trip through dramatic Black Canyon on the Colorado River. | |||
| 15 | Today, depart the man-made oasis of Las Vegas, and cross the Mojave Desert and the San Bernardino Mountains en route to Los Angeles.Visit the California Route 66 Museum, which displays memories in such settings as a 50’s diner, VW Love Bus and the 1917 Model TFord. Overnight in Los Angeles, the “City of Angels". | |||
| 14 | Join an exciting morning tour of the glamorous side of L.A. in Beverly Hills, the Sunset Strip, Hollywood, and Santa Monica, the endingpoint of Route 66. Return to Los Angeles where the rest of the day is yours to shop for souvenirs or relax by the pool. | |||
| 13 | Los Angeles, California | Transfer to San Pedro cruise port for your all inclusive cruise through the Panama Canal. | 00:00 | 16:00 |
| 12 | San Diego, California | San Diego is a vacationer's paradise, with year-round temperatures in the seventies and near-constant sunshine. One of America's most family-friendly cities, San Diego is home to LEGOLAND, the New Children's Museum, and the famous San Diego Zoo. Sunbathers and surfers are guaranteed to find their perfect beach, and foodies find delights in artisanal breweries, local bistros, and gourmet restaurants. From the Broadway excitement of La Jolla Playhouse to the European feel of Little Italy to the nouveau-chic of the Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego has something for everyone. | 06:00 | 16:00 |
| 10 | Cabo San Lucas | 11:00 | 18:00 | |
| 9 | Puerto Vallarta | 12:30 | 20:00 | |
| 6 | Puerto Quetzal | 09:00 | 19:00 | |
| 4 | Puntarenas | This town is not on the Nicoya Peninsula, but rather on Costa Rica's mainland. It is best known as a cruise-ship port and launching pad for ferries heading southeast to the coast of the Nicoya Peninsula and for cruises sailing out on the Gulf of Nicoya. Puntarenas is also a major fishing port with a lively fish market. The town’s reputation suffers from the unimpressive parts you see from your car as you roll through town on the way to the ferry dock. But the town has a lot of character off the main drag, thanks to its illustrious past as an affluent port town and principal vacation spot for San José's wealthy, who arrived by train in the last century. Once the port was moved and roads opened to other beaches, Puntarenas's economy crashed, but it's making a comeback. Sitting on a narrow spit of sand—punta de arenas literally means "point of sand"—that protrudes into the Gulf of Nicoya, the town boasts a beautifully groomed, wide Blue Flag beach with views of the Nicoya Peninsula and spectacular sunsets, along with a public swimming pool, the San Lucas Beach Club, and a marine-life museum. Ticos arrive by bus and car to enjoy the beach and stroll the Paseo de los Turistas, a beachfront promenade lined with tree-shaded concrete benches and seafood restaurants. Crowds of locals, called porteños, cruise by on bicycles, the town’s most popular form of transport. | 07:00 | 17:00 |
| 2 | 07:00 | 19:00 | ||
| 1 | Colón | The provincial capital of Colón, beside the canal's Atlantic entrance, is named for the Spanish-language surname of Christopher Columbus, though the Americans called it Aspinwall in the 19th century.. The city was founded in 1850 by Americans working on the Panama railroad and named Aspinwall for one of the railway engineers. Following completion in 1855, Colon gained in importance, which was furthered by the plans for an isthmian canal. During the time of the French canal attempt, a fire in 1885 burned the city nearly to the ground and left thousands of people homeless. Colon was rebuilt in the architectural style then popular in France. Buildings from that era plus the ones constructed by Americans between 1904 and 1914 are still in use today, although the majority is on the verge of collapse. In addition to its importance as a port, Colon boasts the world’s second largest duty-free zone, known as Zona Libre, which is contained in a huge fortress like, walled-off area with giant international stores. However, most of the merchandise is sold in bulk to commercial businesses throughout the country. | 07:00 | 17:00 |
| 29 | Cartagena | Cartagena's magnificent city walls and fortresses, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, enclose a well-restored historic center (the Cuidad Amurallada, or walled city) with plazas, churches, museums, and shops that have made it a lively coastal vacation spot for South Americans and others. New hotels and restaurants make the walled city a desirable place to stay, and the formerly down-at-the-heels Getsemaní neighborhood attracts those seeking a bohemian buzz. The historic center is a small section of Cartagena; many hotels are in the Bocagrande district, an elongated peninsula where high-rise hotels overlook a long, gray-sand beach.When it was founded in 1533 by Spanish conquistador Pedro de Heredia, Cartagena was the only port on the South American mainland. Gold and silver looted from indigenous peoples passed through here en route to Spain and attracted pirates, including Sir Francis Drake, who in 1586 torched 200 buildings. Cartagena's walls protected the city's riches as well as the New World's most important African slave market. | 09:30 | 16:00 |
| 32 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | Like many southeast Florida neighbors, Fort Lauderdale has long been revitalizing. In a state where gaudy tourist zones often stand aloof from workaday downtowns, Fort Lauderdale exhibits consistency at both ends of the 2-mile Las Olas corridor. The sparkling look results from upgrades both downtown and on the beachfront. Matching the downtown's innovative arts district, cafés, and boutiques is an equally inventive beach area, with hotels, cafés, and shops facing an undeveloped shoreline, and new resort-style hotels replacing faded icons of yesteryear. Despite wariness of pretentious overdevelopment, city leaders have allowed a striking number of glittering high-rises. Nostalgic locals and frequent visitors fret over the diminishing vision of sailboats bobbing in waters near downtown; however, Fort Lauderdale remains the yachting capital of the world, and the water toys don’t seem to be going anywhere. | 07:00 | 00:00 |
Itinerary may be subject to change.
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