Compare Arizona and New Mexico Discovered Self-Drive by Audley Travel vs Kicks on Route 66 by Tours of Distinction
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Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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Duration | 14 days | 9 days |
Price From | $ 2,273 | $ 3,450 |
Price Per Day | $ 162 | $ 383 |
Highlights |
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Trip Style | Private guided tour | Small group tour |
Lodging Level | Standard | Premium |
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Countries Visited | ||
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Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Airfare included |
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Meals Included | N/A |
9 Breakfast, 2 Lunches, 3 Dinners |
Description |
Oversized objects and other Americana along Route 66, the beaches and glitzy cities of California’s coast, steaming geysers in Yellowstone National Park… on a tailor-made holiday to the USA with Audley, you’ll see the highlights — and much more — your way. We’ll design your ideal trip with you, paying close attention to your interests, your travel style and your budget. Our USA specialists know the country inside out and can lead you to experiences you won’t find in a guidebook. |
Travel the “Mother Road” a term coined by author John Steinbeck because Route 66 was the road people took west across America to escape the dust bowl and the Great Depression. On this tour, you will be treated like the “King and Queen” of the road as you gawk at odd roadside attractions, stay in vintage hotels, and eat hardy American road food. Get ready to saddle up in Texas and tour Cadillac Ranch. A highlight is the fabled town of Santa Fe, known for its’ Spanish and Native American culture. Afterward tour Albuquerque’s Old Town, stop in at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Gallup, and a walk through the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert in Arizona. History, the beauty of the Wild West, and nostalgia makes this road-trip mythic! |
Day 1 : Scottsdale
Today you begin your journey by boarding your international outbound flight to Phoenix. On arrival in Phoenix, collect your hire car and make your way to your accommodation in nearby Scottsdale. The remainder of the day is free to relax after your flight or, depending on your time of arrival, begin exploring the town's shops and restaurants.
Day 2 : Scottsdale
Enjoy a full day in Scottsdale. You may wish to go walking in the surrounding mountains, browse downtown Scottsdale, or simply relax around the swimming pool. The Phoenix Art Museum in Scottsdale contains an excellent collection of exhibits from the USA and further afield, or you could head to the nearby Desert Botanical Gardens to admire a variety of trees and plants native to deserts around the world.
Day 3 : Tucson
Drive south to Tucson, a journey of just over two hours. Along the way you pass Saguaro National Park, which is well worth visiting to see its many large Saguaro cacti. Tucson itself was once a colonial outpost for both the Spanish and Mexicans, as well as having a rich Native American history. On arrival, take in the city's turn-of-the-century architecture and perhaps pay a visit to one of its museums to learn about its varied history. You may also wish to see pre-Columbian and other art at the Tucson Art Museum.
Day 4 : Tucson
You have a whole day to explore the Tucson area. You could visit the 18th-century San Xavier del Bac Mission, visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum or drive 112 km (70 miles) to We recommend driving to the atmospheric Wild West town of Tombstone, where there's a daily re-enactment of an 1881 gun fight.
Day 5 : Silver City
Travel east from Tucson and cross into New Mexico. You then travel through the Gila National Forest to the historic mining town of Silver City. The total journey time is around three and a half hours. Once in Silver City, explore the old streets lined with buildings from the late 19th-century mining period.
Day 6 : Silver City
Spend a full day exploring Silver City, following in the legendary footsteps of Kit Carson and Billy the Kid. From Silver City you can take a scenic drive to explore the fascinating Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, set in a dramatic location overlooking the Gila River Canyon. On the way up don't miss a stop at historic Pinos Altos to visit the Buckhorn Saloon and Opera House.
Day 7 : Albuquerque
We recommend you take the longer, scenic route on your drive today from Silver City to Albuquerque. This four and a half hour drive takes you over impressive mountain ranges and through the Apache National Forest. Don't miss a visit to the ghost town of Kelly en route. This evening, Albuquerque's many restaurants and live music venues beckon.
Day 8 : Santa Fe
After discovering Albuquerque's Route 66 heritage, drive two hours north to Santa Fe. You may wish to explore one of New Mexico's fascinating Ancestral Puebloan villages on the way. Santa Fe itself is one of the USA's oldest cities, founded by Spanish missionaries in the early 17th century. Once you arrive, we suggest exploring the city on foot, taking in the adobe houses and baroque churches and paying a visit to the modern museums and art galleries.
Day 9 : Santa Fe
The day is yours to continue exploring Santa Fe. Don't miss the Palace of the Governors, the old Central Plaza, the San Miguel Mission and the Barrio de Analco (historic district) where you can see one of the oldest houses in the country.
Day 10 : Taos
Travel two and a half hours north past the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to Taos, which lies close to some of the USA's most impressive Ancestral Puebloan dwelling sites, which you may wish to stop at along the way. You could also stop by the mountain village of Chimayo to see the Spanish colonial church of Santuario de Chimayo, built in 1816.
Day 11 : Taos
Enjoy a day to immerse yourself in the native American communities of Taos. Adobe buildings here have been in continual use as residences by native Americans for over 1,000 years and many of today's residents have made few concessions to the modern world, making this a fascinating place to visit.
Day 12 : Alamosa
Drive two hours north into Colorado today. You may wish to stop for a journey on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railway before continuing your journey to Alamosa.
Day 13 : International return flight
Take the four-hour drive from Alamosa to Denver. At the airport, drop off your hire car before boarding your onward flight.
Day 14 : International return flight
Arrive home today to complete your journey.
Day 1 - Arrive Amarillo, TX
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Amarillo, TX. Upon arrival, we check into our accommodations for the next two evenings. This evening is free to hang out on Route 66 in the Historic District, where you can enjoy dinner and Saturday Cruise Night.
Day 2 - Amarillo
Get ready to saddle up, as we go horseback riding at the Cowgirls and Cowboys of the West Ranch, and for those that aren’t ready to saddle up, bring your camera and learn to take beautiful scenic pictures, while touring the ranch. Lunch, on own, is at the iconic Big Texan Steak Ranch and Brewery, which opened back in 1960 and became a well known stopping point along Route 66. This afternoon enjoy time to explore Amarillo ~ maybe check out the artifacts and art at the Panhandle - Plains Historical Museum, there are other museums and the Botanical Gardens. Tonight we check out the TEXAS Outdoor Musical, situated in Palo Duro Canyon State Park. A guide will take us into the Canyon before dinner and the show. (B, D)
Day 3 - Amarillo - Santa Rosa, NM
On our way out of Amarillo a quick stop is made at the famous Cadillac Ranch exhibit, paying homage to the ‘Golden Age’ of automobiles. Continuing our journey West, we stop in the ghost town of Glenrio, which straddles the New Mexico and Texas borders, before arriving in Tucumcari, NM. Visit the Route 66 Museum, Tee Pee Curious, and have lunch at Del’s Restaurant, serving travelers along Route 66 since 1956. Don’t forget to take a picture of the Blue Swallow Hotel, where travelers have been staying since 1939! Later, we check into our hotel. Evening on own. (B)
Day 4 - Santa Rosa - Santa Fe
This morning we head to Fort Sumner, a military fort charged with the internment of nearby Navajo and Mescalero Apache populations from 1863 to 1868. After it’s closing, the fort was privately purchased and its best known visitor was Billy the Kid. We visit the Billy the Kid Museum and Burial before making our way over to the Bosque Redondo Memorial. This memorial depicts the tragic history of Fort Sumner and the Bosque Redondo Indian Reservation. After, we depart for Santa Fe, but not before stopping to have lunch in Santa Rosa, on own. Later, we check into our hotel for the next two nights, the Inn on the Alameda. The evening is free. (B)
Day 5 - Santa Fe
This morning we visit De Vargas Street House and the San Miguel Chapel, the oldest house and church in the U.S. The remaining part of the day will be visiting many of the Pueblos that make up this area. The day will consist of the Tesuque Pueblo, which has been occupied since 1200AD, and is on the National Register of Historic Places. We will also get a chance to visit the Nambe Pueblo, the Santa Clara Pueblo, the Puye Cliffs Welcome Center and the San Ildefonso Pueblo. All known for their pottery and jewelry. Upon our return to Santa Fe, the remainder of the day and evening are on your own. (B)
Day 6 - Santa Fe to Albuquerque
This morning is yours to explore. There is the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi or the Palace of the Governors, the oldest continuously occupied government building in the U.S. Visit the Georgia O’Keefe Museum, walk along the Barrio De Analaco Historic District, here you will see the San Miguel Mission. This afternoon we continue West along our historic route, stopping in Albuquerque, NM. After checking into our 4-star accommodations, we depart for dinner where you will feel as if you’ve traveled back in time to a beautiful southwestern roadhouse found along old Route 66. From dinner, we will meet our guide and take a walking ghost tour of Old Town. (B, D)
Day 7 - Albuquerque to Gallup
This morning we will tour the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, before having free time in the historic Nob Hill area of town. This afternoon we will take a trail at Petroglyph National Monument, and walk where early native and Spanish settlers walked, and look at the images left behind, telling their story. This afternoon we continue West into Gallup, NM, where we will check into our hotel for the evening. (B)
Day 8 - Gallup to Flagstaff, AZ
Today we cross the boarder from New Mexico into Arizona, where our first stop along our historic route is the Petrified Forest National Park and Painted Desert National Forest. This unpaved one mile hike will wind us through the rim woodland, where there are spectacular views of the Painted Desert. This afternoon we continue our drive into Winslow, AZ, where we will stop for lunch at the famous Turquois Room & Martini Lounge. Route 66 was the primary artery through Winslow, in its railroad days and bypassed by I-40 in the late 1970s. As our journey continues, we make a picture stop in the ghost town of Two Guns, AZ, sight of a bitter fight between the Apache and Navajo Indians, before stopping at Walnut Canyon National Monument. We will be able to walk the Rim Trail (0.7 mile roundtrip), where there are two overlooks that provide scenic views of the canyon and cliff dwellings below. After a busy day, we will check into our accommodations for the next two nights in Flagstaff, AZ. The remainder of the evening is free. (B, L)
Day 9 - Flagstaff
A local guide will take us on a tour of Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona National Park, and Jerome, AZ. Today is not the day to forget your camera! Oak Creek Canyon is famous for its beautiful scenery, and we will have the opportunity to see it up close. From here it’s a short drive to Sedona National Park, where our pink Jeeps will be waiting to take us on a rugged off road adventure, with a local guide. We will be riding the rough terrain of the red rocks, stopping at lookout vistas, and where Hollywood movies were made. After, there will be a picnic lunch waiting for us. This afternoon we drive into Jerome, AZ. Another ghost town trying to build itself back up again. Stop in and shop at the world’s largest kaleidoscope store, set up in Jerome’s original brothel. Dinner is included tonight. (B, L, D)
Day 10 - Depart Flagstaff
This morning we say good-bye to our historic past and travel into Phoenix for our flight home. To be able to see parts of our country before it disappears is such an exhilarating experience. (B)