Immortalised in song by Chuck Berry and at the heart of any American road trip, Route 66 is the ‘Mother Road’ of the US and a must on anyone’s list of things to do in the States, why not drive it this spring?
From May 4 to 6, devotees of all things Americana will celebrate the heyday of this great road with the Historic Route 66 Fun Run. More than 800 vehicles will meet at Sliigman in Arizona to start the 140 miles drive to Topock on the other side of the state. Expect special events, numerous festivals and a fair sprinkling of classic cars from the 50s and 60s. There may even be a few Jimmy Deans, Marilyns and Elvises too.
Even if you don’t join the Historic Route 66 Fun Run, why not drive the road yourself? Crossing three time zones and eight states on its 2,400-mile voyage from Chicago to LA, Route 66 is the classic trans-continental highway. And May is the perfect time of the year to take to the road, with the snow (hopefully) gone from the north and temperature rising in the south. You can also still benefit from low-season fares at this time of the year too.
If four-wheels are not your thing, then why not tackle the great road on two instead and ride Route 66 on a Harley Davidson.
Eileen Wise and Roger Hermiston took on an American road trip of their own driving through New Mexico and encountering UFOs, Ghost Towns and Country Music along the way.
Bon Voyage offers a 14-night trip in May from £1,895 pp, with flights from London, Manchester or Glasgow, motels, car hire and a road book with directions and travel tips. Phone 0800 316 0194 or visit www.bon-voyage.co.uk for further details.