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

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!