Imagine sipping wine off the coast of the Mediterranean. Lounging in the finest hotels in Europe and climbing the most epic mountain passes you could ever imagine. Trek Travel offers all-inclusive bike tours around the globe, from Zion National Park to the Croatian coast, and everything in between! As an industry leader, they know the best hotels, dining, excursions and rides — all with that special “insider” twist.
Tours are designed for flexibility and can accommodate all ability levels, pleasing the most hard-core cyclists while still attending to the needs of less active travelers. You choose your mileage, itinerary and experiences.
Overnight stays include the best hotels in the region. Trek’s Luxury trips enjoy 4-star intimate settings, their Explorer trips frequent 3-star hotels, and their Cross Country trips offer the best accommodations possible. Most meals are included, as are all of the cultural events mentioned in your itinerary. The average group size is about 12, with most trips capped at 20 guests.
All trips have at least two guides — one guide in the support vehicle and the other cycling along side you. They’ll fill up your water bottles, change your tire, call for a shuttle or shuttle you up the hill, provide you with local insight and make sure everyone is on the right track. Off the bike, guides are at your service to help you with anything you need—massage appointments, wine suggestions, or to find that special local treat you’re craving.
European Waterways offers all-inclusive luxury river barge cruises in nine European countries — from the picturesque vineyards of Burgundy, the sun-drenched South of France, to the spectacular Scottish Highlands. Each 6-night cruise is a slow-paced, immersive experience where guests enjoy a blend of daily excursions, sightseeing, gourmet cuisine, and fine wines – all while being pampered by an attentive crew. These river cruises journey down the smaller waterways inaccessible to larger vessels. Here, the focus is on the culture, wines and cuisine of each region. Cruises include unique excursions in small groups to “off the beaten track” sites. Varying in size to accommodate between 6 to 20 passengers, these boutique hotel barges feature fine wood paneling, carpeting and a blend of antique and traditional decor. All vessels have an English speaking crew which includes a Captain, Master Chef, Housekeeper and Tour Guide. Furnished with every modern comfort, cabins offer opening portholes/windows, closets, and private en-suite showers or bathrooms. All vessels have central heating and most are air-conditioned. The majority also have a spa-pool on the sundeck. In addition, each vessel carries enough bicycles for everyone on board, and with their Biking Plus program you can explore the surrounding countryside and villages along the lanes, towpaths and byways. They also offer a variety of theme cruises including art (for aspiring painters), golf and tennis, wine appreciation, opera, cycling cruises (with cycling guides), flower show, World War I, Christmas cruises and more!
With a fleet of 12 beautifully crafted ships, Pandaw Cruises specializes in all-inclusive boutique river expeditions on three great Southeast Asian rivers: the Irrawaddy and Chindwin Rivers in Burma, and the Mekong River through Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. In 2009, Pandaw begin offering new river cruises on the Rajang in Borneo and Ganges in India. With at least one stop and excursion per day, you’re never cruising for long uninterrupted periods of time. These journeys include visits to remote villages, ancient cities, Buddhist monasteries, temples, museums, caves and ancient ruins, as well as performances and other historic and cultural highlights. Each ship is in itself an object of great beauty, hand finished in brass and teak by traditional craftsmen. The atmosphere on board is friendly and informal, and with a crew passenger ratio of 1:2, there is an extremely high level of personal service and care. Nearly everything is included in the price and there are no hidden extras for excursions. Even your drinks and the crew tips are included in the price of your ticket. There is a bar service on the sundeck open from dawn to dusk, and guests can dine together, alfresco style with their open-air environment. All meals are prepared fresh onboard and nearly 100% of supplies are sourced from local producers. Pandaw works with local businesses and a number of NGO providers.
Since 2003, Natural Habitat Adventures has partnered with World Wildlife Fund, the world’s leading environmental conservation organization, to take travelers around the globe to view nature’s greatest sights. They offer small group (8-10 guests) wildlife tours and nature tours, with luxury camps and lodges, and expert wildlife/nature guides. The only trips Natural Habitat runs are nature and wildlife adventures. In addition to some of the top naturalist Expedition Leaders, tours include the instruction and resources from World Wildlife Fund’s team of scientists. Natural Habitat truly offers a wide range of nature and wildlife tours. Get up-close to polar bears Churchill, Canada – the Polar Bear Capital of the World; experience Galapagos cruises and tours on chartered deluxe yachts; photograph India’s wild tigers and track rhinos in Nepal; search for orangutans in the rain forests of Borneo; get close to cuddly pandas in China; explore Costa Rica’s unspoiled south Pacific coast in search of monkeys, crocs and iguanas; watch whales and scout for kiwis in New Zealand. Their trips go everywhere from Antarctica, Greenland and the North Pole, to Costa Rica, Cuba, Argentina and Europe. They also offer wide variety of African safaris. Travelers get up close to wildlife via specialized vehicles, from small 4×4 trucks for tiger watching in India to massive Polar Rovers custom-designed for polar bear viewing on the Canadian tundra. These exceptional award-winning trips average between $5000-$10,000, with some unique tours exceeding that amount. They do offer some trips for under $5000, such as their Costa Rica tours and some US parks tours.
Historic Route 66 conjures up nostalgic images of a more innocent America from the forties and fifties, with old neon motel signs, vintage American autos, and iconic scenery of the American West. America’s most famous road was completed in 1926 and became the country’s main east/west route, running 2,488 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles. Known as “The Mother Road,” its history, car culture, and romantic lure has inspired songs, TV shows, movies, and books.
Old cars are displayed at the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook
In 1985 when the last stretch of the new interstate was finished, Route 66 was officially decommissioned. Out West, it was replaced with Interstate 40, which bypasses many of the small towns that Route 66 used to go right through, rendering many of them obsolete, struggling to survive and keep from becoming actual ghost towns. These are the best Route 66 towns – the towns whose main claim to fame now is their Route 66 heritage. They are the old railway and truck-stop towns that time forgot. Arizona and New Mexico have more than their fair share of these little retro towns, and with the American Southwest as a backdrop, what could be better!
Blue Swallow Motel sign in Tucumcari, New Mexico. This motel is still open for business.
To get a good feel of Route 66, I suggest driving the scenic and well-preserved stretch, from Arizona through New Mexico, and Texas, if time allows. If you haven’t made this drive before, don’t expect to drive the entire way along the old Route 66 and find a plethora of historic sights, or even a quaint Route 66 district in each town. In fact, preserved sections are few and far between. You won’t even be driving Route 66 most of the time. The original road is barely two lanes wide and not maintained on the long stretches between towns. It simply disappears in some places and is often not well marked or easy to find. Therefore, most of your drive will be on Interstate 40.
Below I’ve listed the most popular Route 66 towns (from West to East) and attractions on what is, in my opinion, the most preserved and scenic stretch of the old route.
ARIZONA – The longest undisturbed stretch of the original Route 66 is in Arizona. If you’re coming from the West, exit Interstate 40 between Needles and Kingman, and take State Road 95 to the original Route 66 heading towards Oatman. Oatman is an authentic Old West mining town with a current population of around 2000. It’s popular with tourists for its Old West history and Route 66 nostalgia. Oatman’s wild burrows wander the streets and there’s even a Wild West gunfight show. Another authentic old Route 66 town is Kingman, founded by the Santa Fe Railroad in 1882.
Our motel in Kingman, Arizona, with view of the town
With its stark desert scenery, old train depot, funky motels and cafes, Kingman feels more like a gritty truck stop town. In Kingman, check out the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona, for history, information, memorabilia and a gift shop. From Kingman, drive east to Seligman, another interesting little town with some original structures and a Route 66 gift shop. From here, don’t take Interstate 40, instead continue along the longest remaining stretch of Route 66, which veers northwest and takes you through Peach Springs, the inspiration for the animated Pixar film Cars. With a population of just over 1000, its old buildings, hotels and gas stations remind visitors of another era.
One of the best Route 66 towns in Arizona is Williams, which many travelers miss by stopping in Flagstaff instead. Williams is a charming little Old West town with plenty of reasonably priced small motels, diners, and souvenir shops. One of Williams’ main attractions is The Grand Canyon Railway, which takes visitors from downtown Williams straight to the south rim of the Grand Canyon and back! Williams is tiny and quaint compared to Flagstaff, which is more of a college town. If time allows, I recommend driving north from Williams to see the Grand Canyon (if you don’t take the train), then driving along the south rim to Desert View and then to Cameron before heading south on the 89 back to Flagstaff. Flagstaff is the biggest town along Arizona’s stretch of Route 66, and caters as much to its Northern Arizona University students as it does tourists. The college scene keeps the small historic downtown district lively and filled with reasonably priced cafes and shops. It’s more of a real town with a lot more going on, including numerous museums, the Lowell Observatory, the Riordan Mansion State Historic Park, and a ski area. Moving on, Interstate 40 takes you to the town of Winslow, home to the gorgeous La Posada Hotel & Gardens, an architectural gem built in 1929 by the Santa Fe Railway for the Fred Harvey Company. Designed by architect Mary Colter, it’s considered a Southwest masterpiece and “America’s last great railway hotel.” Winslow is an interesting Route 66 town, with an authentic feel and worth taking a look around. Heading east, your next stop is the tiny town of Holbrook, home of the famous Wigwam Village Motel. Built in 1950, with kitschy rooms in the shape of Native American teepees and a collection of vintage autos in the parking lot, the Wigwam is an iconic Route 66 landmark that is still in operation.
Teepee rooms at the Wigwam Motel, Holbrook Arizona
NEW MEXICO – Gallup is another Route 66 town worth exploring. Known for striking desert scenery and its proximity to the Navajo Nation and the Zuni Pueblo, it’s the place to buy Native American pottery, artwork, rugs and jewelry. Gallup’s most famous landmark is the El Rancho Hotel. Built in 1936 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this rustic Old West hotel is where the biggest movie stars of the 30s, 40s and 50s stayed while filming Westerns nearby. If you don’t stay the night, at least check out the hotel’s beautiful lobby (also used for filming) and have a drink at The 49er Lounge – the bar that Errol Flynn once rode his horse into!
Back on Interstate 40, for those interested in authentic Native American culture, I suggest taking a side trip to the Acoma Pueblo to the south, between Grants and Albuquerque. The Acoma Pueblo, or Sky City as it’s known, was established on top of a 367-foot mesa and is reputed to be the oldest continuously inhabited community in North America.
Albuquerque has a significant Route 66 section along what is now East Central Avenue and still plays up its Route 66 heritage! This stretch has a Route 66 diner and quite a few of the old Route 66 motels, with their cool retro neon signs. Some of the best old motels and neon signs are in a rundown part of town which is probably only good for taking photos, since most of these motels are no longer in use. Moving on, Santa Rosa is worth exploring, although it’s very small and doesn’t seem to give a hoot about Route 66 nostalgia. There are very few authentic old motels, retro neon signs, or other Route 66 references. Nonetheless, it’s an interesting old town that also has been left alone.
Palomino Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico
TeePee Curios Shop neon in Tucumcari, New Mexico
Old Paradise Motel sign in Tucumcari New Mexico
By far, the best town for funky old Route 66 motels, neon signs and nostalgia is Tucumcari. It’s quite small and as you can drive through the center of town, down Route 66, you’ll be surprised by the number of interesting old motels, shops, and cafes with incredible old neon signs! Several of these old hotels from Route 66’s heyday are still in operation, the most famous being the Blue Swallow Motel. From what I’ve observed, Tucumcari has more preserved old motels and shops, with their original neon signs, than any other town along this stretch – it seems truly untouched by time. It’s also a bit more gritty and authentic compared to Williams and Flagstaff. Some sections of town are a bit rundown and there’s not much to do there (no big attractions or museums), but that’s part of its charm – it hasn’t been ruined by progress. If you’re a photographer, Tucumcari should be at the top of your list.
TEXAS – This stretch of northern Texas is its shortest part, so for that reason alone, you could easily drive right through. However, if you’re coming from the west, you may just want to go as far as Amarillo, which is where you will find the strange roadside attraction known as Cadillac Ranch.
Cadillac Ranch | Photo by Tom Nora
This art installation was the brainchild of rancher Stanley Marsh who collaborated with the Ant Farm, a San Francisco art collective, and consists of ten half-buried Cadillacs. It’s worth stopping and getting out of your car, as it’s much more impressive up close. In downtown Amarillo, Route 66 is now 6th Avenue and lined with antique shops and a few cute cafes. It’s great if you love antiquing, and it’s a nice place to have lunch, but there’s not much in the way of original Route 66 signage or nostalgia. One building though, The Nat, has quite a history, having once been the biggest nightclub between Denver and Dallas. Built in 1922, The Amarillo Natatorium was originally a swimming pool, then a dance hall, then a performance venue. The huge old ballroom is now used as an antique mall during the day, and is cleared out for performances in the evening!
Route 66 continues on to Chicago, but I’ll leave that stretch of highway for another time. For most of us, Route 66 is just a great excuse to take a road trip out West and discover incredible desert scenery and interesting little towns we would otherwise have no reason to visit.
I suggest not getting too obsessed with Route 66 itself (unless you are a true history buff), mainly because there aren’t big chunks of it left – just little pieces here and there – and you may end up being disappointed by the lack of preservation. Besides, there is plenty to see and do along the way that has little to do with Route 66, like the Grand Canyon. Finally, keep an open mind – many of the towns that were bypassed when Interstate 40 was built suffered extreme economic downturns and may seem a little downtrodden and rough around the edges. However, time has a way of righting certain wrongs, and now those towns, the ones left alone with the least amount of progress, have become the most popular and authentic Route 66 travel destinations.
For a list of historic sites in each Route 66 city, I suggest visiting the National Parks’ website at http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/route66/listofsites66.html They have a nice list of historic buildings and attractions in each town.
© 2022 Rebecca Pavlik, All Rights Reserved.
One of the best luxury rail journeys in the world, the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is a work of art in itself and a true Art Deco icon. Better known as simply “the Orient Express,” it offers one of the most celebrated and romantic rail journeys in the world.
Classic journeys take you to great European cities, including London, Paris, Venice, Prague, Vienna and Budapest. Step aboard and enter a more gracious, elegant age of travel.
Delightful restored vintage cabins, gastronomic cuisine and lively onboard entertainment make a journey on this luxury train a truly unique experience. Marvel at the opulent interiors, sparkling crystal, plush fabrics and polished woods. Relax in your own cabin as you look out over stunning landscapes. Exceptional European cuisine is freshly prepared in the train’s kitchen by Chef Christian Bodiguel and his skilled team with fresh ingredients purchased along the route.
For South Africa luxury train tours, discover Africa’s legendary Blue Train, which steam-rolled into being in the 1920s. A carriage-by-carriage refurbishment in the 70s and conversion from steam to electricity and diesel in the 90s, made this train an icon of luxurious modern travel, while keeping the romance and history of its glittered past.
Rail journeys between Pretoria and Cape Town delight travelers with some of the most spectacular scenery in Africa. The train stops for excursions in Kimberley, a old diamond rush town, and Matjiesfontein, where Victorian buildings provide an oasis suspended in a different age. A new route to Kruger National Park area will be added to the 2016 schedule.
Elegant luxury suites offer double beds, bathtubs, big screen blue ray DVD for viewing movies. From the gourmet meals in its beautiful dining car, to its opulent lounges and boutiques, The Blue Train lives up to its five-star reputation in every sense.
