Route 66 - 15 Day Tour - Celtic Horizon Tours

Information

Package overview

Our World famous Route 66 motorcycle tour travels the original Route 66, known as the “Mainstreet of America” or “Mother Road” . At over 2400 miles long from Chicago to Los Angeles, Route 66 crosses three time zones and 8 States: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. Route 66 has been the path of migrants, dreamers, desperadoes and an entire generation of vacationers discovering the way west. The 1950’s were the Route 66 glory days, when thousands of cars rode bumper to bumper behind each other to experience the Western frontier. Hotels, motels, gas stations, classic restaurants, and the “New” America sprang up everywhere. Much of Route 66’s classic roads, restaurants, gas stations, and nostalgic landmarks are preserved just as they were in the 1950’s. The famous and nostalgic Route 66 is the road created in heaven for motorcycle touring. Simply stated, this is the guided tour of America!

Included in this package

Flights Dublin – Chicago/ Los Angeles – Dublin
Late Model Motorcycle Rental
Bike Model Guarantee
Free Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour
3-4 Star Motorcycle Friendly Hotels
Breakfast on Riding Days
Fuel on Riding Days
Custom Armoured Riding Jacket
Hosted Welcome Dinner
Half-Shell Helmets for Rider & Pillion
EagleRider Legendary Farewell Dinner
Experienced Multilingual Tour Guide
Support Vechile Equipped for Luggage and Spare Bike
Door to Door Luggage Service
Mobile Tour Guide App
Custom Tour Completion Patch
National Park Entrance Fees
Hotel Parking Fees
Toll Fees
Transportation between Tour Hotel and EagleRider locations
SLI Insurance (liability cover up to US$300,000)
VIP-Zero Insurance cover for your motorcycle

NOT included in this package

Flight Taxes @ €278.00 – Prices can vary according to Flight availability and exchange rates
Personal souvenirs
Beverages
Food and snacks (except welcome and farewell meals, as described)
Tips
Personal travel insurance (see below)

Additional info

2 persons / 1 bike / 1 room from * €5,255.00 pps
2 persons / 2 bikes / 1 room from * €7,310.00 pps
1 person / 1 bike / 1 room from * €8,950.00

Prices can vary according to Flight availability and exchange rates

Insurance is a very important matter for everybody travelling by motorcycle. We feel therefore, that it is important that you clearly understand matters and set out the relevant information below.

1. Supplemental Liability Insurance (SLI)

All packages include a basic insurance for which the amount of cover varies from State to State. in addition, we also automatically include SLI as this increases your liability insurance Benefit up to US$3000,000. This insurance protects the renter against claims made by a Third Party for bodily injury and/or property damage sustained as a result of an accident.

2. EVIP Insurance

This policy is applicable to the motorcycle ONLY. It limits the liability of the renter:

in the event of any and all accidental damage to the motorcycle and its accessories.
the loss/theft of the vehicle provided the motorcycle was locked with all locks provided by the rental company.
in the event of mechanical breakdown requiring repair for more than 12 hours, the renter is provide with up to $75/day for a replacement rental + refund of daily rate.
covers the cost of tire repair/labour, but towing is NOT covered.
A Security Deposit of $300 will be taken upon collection of the motorcycle

IMPORTANT: A police report is required for all damages or accidents. All damages to rented motorcycle without a police report is considered the Renter’s fault.

3. Personal Travel Insurance

Your travel insurance policy must include repatriation to Ireland of patients by Air Ambulance or other medically approved means of transportation where it is deemed as preferable by the Medical Adviser of the Insurance Underwriters.

Please check closely the terms of cover provided by any travel insurance policy that you are offered or already hold. In our experience, most policies only provide cover for motorcycles up to 125cc which is not sufficient as most motorcycle models in use on the EagleRider tours range between 1200cc and 1800cc.

Celtic Horizon Tours will be happy to assist in obtaining quotations for suitable travel insurance cover should you require our assistance in this matter.

What to Bring

Warm Weather Riding Gear

* Mesh Riding Jacket
* Neck Cooler/ Bandana
* Hydration Pack

Cold Weather Riding Gear

* Leather Jacket
* Wind Proof Jacket
* Wind Proof Pants

Wet Weather Riding Gear

* Waterproof Jacket
* Waterproof Pants

Protective Riding Gear

* Goggles
* Sun Glasses
* Riding Boots
* Riding Gloves

FAQ

How many people are in a group?

We allow a maximum of 15 bikes per group. At rare occasions there can be a few more bikes but if the number exceeds 15 we may add a second tour guide on a motorcycle to the group.

Will there be enough photo stops on a guided tour?

While one just likes to ride and is hardly to be kept off his bike another may want to stop every five minutes to get this very special photo shot. We try to find a good average of stops to accommodate everyone’s needs.

Can I book additional nights before or after the tour through Celtic Horizon Tours?

Yes, we are happy to book additional accommodation before or after the tour for you. Please be aware that once an additional reservation has been made any changes or cancellation will result in a €50 handling fee per occurrence. Reservations for additional nights must be made at time of booking.

What is the weather going to be like?

If you’ve all been good the weather will be too…honestly, we can never be certain; this is one factor on our tours that we still haven’t been able to influence. In general you can say that during mid summer months you have a 90% chance of staying dry and hot weather on any of our tours. It’ll always be a little cool along the west coast and you can always expect some rain along Route 66. Please come prepared, bring your raingear and a variety of clothing to be armed for all weather conditions.

Do I have to wear a helmet?

For your own safety we require you to wear a helmet at all times when you ride a motorcycle.

Do all bikes have a windshield?

The only models that are equipped with a windshield are Road King and Heritage Softail. Especially during mid summer you will face very hot temperatures on your rides. A windshield will not only hold off dust and stones but also keep away direct hot air to your body.

Extras

Depart Dates;

28th April
05th, 11th, 12th, 26th May
01st, 02nd, 23rd, 30th June
14th, 28th July
25th August
01st, 07th, 08th, 15th, 22nd September
08th October

Please contact our office for prices on the above dates.

IMPORTANT

PRICES CAN VARY ACCORDING TO FLIGHT AVAILABILITY AT TIME OF BOOKING.

Rates of exchange can also fluctuate and cause prices to alter.
If a person decides to travel without any travel insurance cover, they do so explicitly at their own risk, against our advice, and are deemed to absolve Celtic Horizon Tours Ltd, its employees, agents, suppliers and various affiliates of all and any responsibility and/or liability.
The prices shown are in respect of 2 pax + 1 bike sharing a twin / double room. Prices are also available on request for 2 pax + 2 bikes sharing a twin / double room, or 1 pax + 1 bike staying in a single room.

Other tours available in the US include:

Route 66 West 8-Day Tour CHI – ABQ

Route 66 West 9-Day Tour ABQ – LAX

Wild West I 8-Day

Wild West II 9-Day Tour

Canada to Yellowstone 16 Day Tour-

Sturgis Motorcycle 10 Day Tour

Pacific Coast 10 Day Tour

Triple B – BlueRidge, Blues, BBQ 14 Day Tour

Blues – Blue Ridge – BBQ Motorcycle Tour – New Orleans to Nashville 2021 – 8 Day Tour

Triple B – Blues – Blue Ridge – BBQ Motorcycle Tour – Nashville to Washington D.C. 2021 – 8 Day

Southwest Canyon Country – 9 Day Tour

We also have Motorcycle Tours available in Australia, South Africa, Italy and Morocco – please contact our office for details.

Itinerary

General Information

No of touring days: 15 days
No of nights in package: 14 nights
Arriving airport: Chicago, IL
Departing airport: Los Angeles, CA

Please note you arrive back in Ireland the day after the last day of the tour.

DAY 1 Chicago, IL – Arrival

Welcome to the Windy City! Nicknamed the ‘Paris of the Prairie’, Chicago is the biggest and most exciting of the Great Lake cities. It includes a stunning skyline along Lake Michigan, and a gamut of top-rated museums, restaurants and cafes, and innumerable bars and nightclubs that pay homage to the city’s strong jazz and blues heritage. 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, IL – Springfield, IL

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 our 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, the original name for this bit of the road here, passing through Joliet, checking out the Launching Pad Giant, 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, MO

Today we head towards St. Louis! We will stay primarily on the 2-lane sections of the Mother Road, traversing cornfields and small towns that represent the heartland of America. Our arrival into St. Louis will be over the Chain of Rocks Bridge, the original bridge where RT 66 crossed the Mississippi River. Enjoy the short ride today into the “Gateway to the West,” St. Louis. This amazing city rests along the shores of the mighty Mississippi River and is home to some of the best live music and BBQ ribs in the country.

DAY 4 St. Louis, MO – Joplin, MO

Try to get up early to walk across the street today and enjoy an early morning view of the St. Louis Arch and Mississippi River before we hit the road. We quickly leave the city in mirrors as we settle in to enjoy the rolling Missouri hills that make this area so beautiful and fun to ride in. We will stop and see the famous World’s Largest Rocking Chair in Fanning, wind our way on the twisting roads of Devil’s Elbow, and stop at other Route 66 icons. Tonight we will enjoy a stay in Joplin, a city that was hit very hard in 2011 by a massive tornado. Maybe tonight we’ll hang with the locals and hear some amazing stories about what it was like to be in the eye of a massive tornado!

DAY 5 Joplin, MO – Oklahoma City, OK

Today is all about the route! From Joplin we will 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, We will also go through the reservations of several Native American tribes. In the 1830s, much of this land was considered “unusable” by the Federal Government, so various Indian tribes were “settled” there after colonization, including the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole, Creek and Cherokee. This evening we will stay in Oklahoma City, the heart and soul of Route 66.! At night you can enjoy at Bricktown, the neighborhood in the heart of the city full of lively restaurants, bars and shops.

DAY 6 Oklahoma City, OK – Amarillo,

This morning we travel along some of the oldest stretches of Oklahoma’s Route 66. Once the land of vast buffalo herds, this section of 66 traverses some of the great cattle trails which were used in the 1860s to drive herds of cattle from Texas up to the railhead in Abilene, Kansas. We will 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 we cross the border into the Texas Panhandle, the southernmost portion of the Great Plains. At the Big Texan Steakhouse in Amarillo you have the opportunity to enjoy the best steaks in Texas, guaranteed!

DAY 7 Amarillo, TX – Santa Fe, NM

Today you leave Texas and are on your way into “The Land of Enchantment”, New Mexico. After passing through the world famous Cadillac Ranch, we’ll stop at the midway point of RT 66 in Adrian, Texas! And how about the ghost town of Glen Rio, where you can stand with one foot in New Mexico and the other one in Texas? From there we enter the land of the Comanche Indians, where mesas, mountains, cactus and pines define the landscape as we 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 our base for the next two nights.

DAY 8 Santa Fe, NM - Free Day

Today is at leisure to rest and enjoy the distinctive flavor 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. Perhaps you would like to take a ride along the river valley to the old Native American Indian town of Taos, enjoy a sunrise hot air balloon ride, or play cowboy for a day on a horseback ride along a mountain or canyon trail. Santa Fe provides all of these opportunities and more.

DAY 9 Santa Fe, NM – Gallup, NM

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. You are skirting mesas and bluffs on into Laguna. 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, NM – Grand Canyon, AZ

Today is another huge day, full of spectacular scenery and iconic Route 66 stops. We 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, we travel further west to the Wigwam Hotel in Holbrook, and stop to stand on the corner in Winslow! While most groups stop in Flagstaff or Williams, Arizona, we will ride on to spend our night just one mile from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon! Tonight you will 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, AZ – Laughlin, AZ

For those looking to get a real “Bird’s Eye View” of the Grand Canyon be sure to let us know and we will arrange a morning helicopter ride over the heart of the South Rim. Leaving the Grand Canyon, we will 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 our Laughlin hotel on the shores of the Colorado River.

DAY 12 Laughlin, AZ – Las Vegas, NV

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 us through our 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 we pick up Route 66 tomorrow right where we left off yesterday.

DAY 13 Las Vegas, NV – Victorville, CA

Today we cross the border into our final State on Route 66 – California! One thing is for sure – today is a day like no other as we 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 travelers making their way across this huge expanse of desert, dotted with Joshua Trees, cactus, volcanic rock and sand as you stop in the tiny “waystations” of Amboy and Ludlow. Tonight, we celebrate our last night on the Mother Road.

DAY 14 Victorville, CA – Los Angeles, CA

Today we head off for our final destination – the end of the road on the Santa Monica Pier! To get there, however, we 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, we 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, we celebrate the miles we’ve ridden and the friends we made as we party together at our Farewell Dinner!

DAY 15 Los Angeles, CA – Departure

Today your exciting trip will conclude in Los Angeles. Please be sure to let us know if you need an extra night or two in L.A. to enjoy the sights. We can even arrange a discounted motorcycle rental! See you next year!