Arizona's Red Rocks, Rails & Route 66

Day 1 – Welcome to Williams!

We’ll set out from our departure points this morning and make a stop in the Route 66 town of Seligman and a stop for lunch on your own before arriving this evening in the “Gateway to the Grand Canyon,” Williams, Arizona (elevation 6,770 feet). Experience the luxury of a bygone era while enjoying a two-night stay at the recently renovated Grand Canyon Railway Hotel, delightfully styled in 1900s Southwestern décor. Enjoy the balance of the evening at leisure with an included dinner at the hotel’s Fred Harvey Restaurant. You may choose to make the short walk to Williams’ Historic Downtown District. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, these six square blocks split by historic Route 66 is one of the most meaningful stretches of “The Mother Road” as Williams was the last Route 66 town to be bypassed by Interstate 40. This charming Old West town featuring historic 19th century storefronts is surrounded by stunning mountain scenery. (Dinner)

Day 2 – Grand Canyon by Rail

Following an included breakfast and an Old West shootout at the hotel, we’ll board the historic Grand Canyon Railway, featuring authentically-restored Pullman Coaches. The opulence of oversized reclining seats along with extra-large windows and refreshments served onboard will make for a memorable experience. Sit back and relax in the air-conditioned, first-class car and gaze out the window in search of prairie dogs, deer and antelope grazing the wooded flatlands. As we travel by train through the beautiful northern Arizona countryside towards the Grand Canyon, the terrain will dramatically shift from high desert to prairie and then from prairie to pine. Upon arrival at Grand Canyon’s authentic 1910 train depot, you’ll find yourself gazing at the most awesome landscape that no postcard could ever do justice. Eons of time are represented in the many colors of earth uncovered by millions of years of erosion by the Colorado River. At 277 miles long, 18 miles wide and one mile deep, it’s easy to see why the Grand Canyon is one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World. We’ll have approximately three hours at leisure at the Grand Canyon Village, situated on the Grand Canyon’s South Rim. Enjoy lunch on your own at several eateries, stop in the visitor center, browse the galleries and gift shops and admire the Grand Canyon’s amazing gorges, buttes and colors. We return to Williams by train with the balance of the evening at leisure and an included dinner at the hotel’s Fred Harvey Restaurant. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 3 – Grand Canyon to Sedona

After an included breakfast, we’ll re-enter Grand Canyon National Park by motorcoach and take in some of the most scenic views of the canyon as we travel east along the South Rim. We’ll make a stop at Grandview Point and at the Desert View Watchtower, the 70-foot tall National Historic Landmark that was designed to resemble the architecture of the Ancestral Puebloan people of the Colorado Plateau. At Desert View Point you can look down upon the Colorado River’s “Big Bend,” where it dramatically makes a sharp 90-degree turn to the west, cutting directly into a major uplift on the Colorado Plateau. We’ll enjoy an included lunch at the Cameron Trading Post, the National Historic Landmark that’s a reminder of the important role that trading posts played in the history of the American West. This afternoon we’ll arrive in Sedona, the picturesque town surrounded by stunning red-rock formations in Arizona’s Verde Valley. We’ll enjoy a two-night stay at an upscale, recently-renovated hotel that features luxurious guest rooms, stylish décor and a private balcony or patio. Enjoy dinner on your own at the hotel or a nearby restaurant. (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 4 – Sedona

After an included breakfast, we’ll join a local guide for a panoramic tour of the Sedona area, highlighting the region’s history, geology, flora vortexes and more. We’ll visit Montezuma Castle National Monument, protecting the well-preserved, 5-story, 20-room cliff dwelling built by the Sinagua people between 1100 and 1400 CE. Nestled into a towering limestone cliff overlooking Beaver Creek, this ancient five-story “apartment building” towers above the desert below and this stone-and-mortar marvel of early architectural engineering tells a story of ingenuity, survival and ultimately prosperity, in an unforgiving desert landscape. Enjoy time at leisure at the Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village, filled with 40 specialty shops, art galleries and restaurants. This afternoon, enjoy time at leisure in Sedona’s Uptown, home to numerous galleries and boutiques, restaurants, historic buildings, and outdoor sculptures. Or, take advantage of an optional Red Rocks Jeep Excursion for an additional $180 per person including gratuities and fees (payable with your tour payment). This thrilling, two-hour, four-wheeling adventure with a certified, interpretive driver-guide is aboard an open-air, custom-built Jeep Wrangler designed to safely climb over and atop Sedona’s famous red rocks. All the while, you’ll be amongst stunning towering rock spires and unique geological formations surrounded by juniper and cypress. Enjoy dinner on your own at the hotel. (Breakfast)

Day 5 – Sedona to Laughlin

After an included breakfast, we’ll travel to Kingman and visit the Arizona Route 66 Museum. Located in Kingman’s Historic Powerhouse, the museum features brilliant murals, photos and lifesize dioramas capturing each of the groups that have traveled along Route 66. The museum features a number of interactive exhibits, including a gas station, a motel, and a diner which collectively provide a taste of what it was like to travel on Route 66 in the 1950s and 60s. Enjoy lunch on your own at a Route 66 diner displaying vintage Americana and serving up classic American comfort food like burgers, milkshakes and pie. We continue to Laughlin and its picturesque river setting. We’ll enjoy an overnight stay in an upgraded riverview room at the Aquarius Casino Resort, an upscale, highly-rated resort hotel situated along Laughlin’s Riverwalk and overlooking the Colorado River. The resort features a 57,000 square foot casino, a variety of eateries, the only non-smoking lounge in Laughlin and a riverfront swimming pool. This evening we’ll enjoy a two-hour Sunset Dinner Cruise and relive the nostalgic era when steamboats plied the Colorado River. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 6 – Journey Home

Following a late morning departure, we’ll begin our journey to southern California with a stop for lunch on your own in Barstow. We’ll return to our drop-off points in the early evening with many fond memories of our time exploring Arizona’s canyons, red rocks, rails and Route 66. (Breakfast)

While we make every effort to operate our tours as outlined in the itinerary, we ask for your patience, understanding and flexibility and to retain a sense of adventure while traveling with us. Situations may arise that necessitate changes to the itinerary. Should we need to adjust the itinerary either prior to or while on tour, these changes will be communicated to you and only done when absolutely necessary.