Route 66 Trip

This Days Inn is situated approximately 25 miles from Laughlin Bullhead International Airport and 109 miles from McCarran International Airport.Hotel amenities include free local telephone calls, free parking, 24-hour front desk, continental breakfast, and free morning newspapers.Guest rooms feature cable TVs, telephones, dataports, hairdryers, and AM/FM alarm clock radios.

Flagstaff sits just north of the center of Arizona, only a few hours’ drive from Phoenix. Less than an hour from the Grand Canyon, Flagstaff is covered in pine forests and is an ideal destination for hiking, skiing and other outdoor activities.

The San Francisco Peaks surround Flagstaff and attract many tourists to its hiking and biking trails; science buffs will relish the Lowell Observatory, where astronomy and the solar system are hot topics; and the Meteor Crater Visitor Center offers visitors telescopes from which to view the giant hole in the ground that spans 4,000 feet across.

This is Arizona's first archaeological state park. It consists of four major pueblo sites, inhabited by the Anasazi peoples between 1200 and 1425 A.D. The ruins are spread throughout the 340-acre park. Special workshops, programs and exhibits on Native American culture and history are regularly scheduled. The complex also has campsites, picnic areas and hiking trails. Guided tours are available by special arrangement. There is no admission fee. Campsites inside the park range from $10-22 per night.

Get your fill of New Mexico’s Old West charm alongside Native American art galleries and quirky kitsch on this scenic byway.

Albuquerque is a sprawling desert city near the center of New Mexico. Although it is the largest city in the state, it is often overshadowed by Santa Fe, 60 miles to the north. But Albuquerque has a number of great attractions in its own right, with pleasant scenery, colorful history and a spectacular hot-air balloon fiesta in the fall.
Albuquerque is in the high desert and has a generally warm, dry climate with four distinct seasons. This is a casual town. Expect shorts, a T-shirt, and sandals to be entirely acceptable almost everywhere.

Visitors to the city should explore the Albuquerque Biological Park, which includes the Albuquerque Aquarium, the Rio Grande Botanic Garden, the Rio Grande Zoo, and Tingley Beach. Old Town, located east of Rio Grande Boulevard in between Central Avenue and Mountain Road, is a nice sightseeing area where centuries of history and modern life merge. The neighborhood blends 18th century architecture with narrow brick paths, adobe architecture, world famous artwork, fine jewelry, delicious food and specialty shops. There are several museums located within easy walking distance of the Old Town plaza.

The Sandia Mountains offer outdoors opportunities ranging from straight hiking to serious, multi-day rock climbing. Mountain biking is also really popular. During the winter, you can ski or snowboard at Sandia Peak.

Staybridge Suites Albuquerque is an extended stay hotel located at the Albuquerque International Airport offering superior upscale studios and 1 and 2 bedroom suites including fully equipped kitchens. Guest amenities include complimentary airport shuttle, Internet, laundry facilities, pool and fitness room, sports court, business center, community area with fireplace and state-of-the-art just like home theater, daily Breakfast Buffet and a evening reception Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

This small shop is packed full of chocolate, and if they do not have it, they are willing to custom make just about whatever you desire. Gift baskets and buckets loaded with various selections of bite sized chocolates are sure to tempt anyone, but why not go bigger and get the Oreo Espresso Cheesecake? Have all your favorites delivered to your doorstep locally or shipped nationwide. This is a true family owned and operated business, and the Weck's are determined that you leave with a smile.

Agape Southwest Pueblo Pottery an Old Town gallery is a necessary stop on your quest for a truly original piece of Southwestern Pueblo pottery. Featuring artists from the 19 Pueblos of Northern New Mexico as well as the Hopi and the Navajo tribes, the selection here is enormous. As you browse through the collection, ask questions. The staff members here are eager to share their knowledge and you will soon learn the subtle and not-so-subtle nuances that set apart the pottery styles of the various pueblos. The gallery also features Kachinas, jewelry, original paintings and weavings.

Learn and play at a center that challenges people of all ages and backgrounds to explor learn and critically think. Explore art, science, technology, culture and fun. The museum contains a collection of over 250 interactive science, technology and art exhibits such as an experiment bar and a high-wire bike and robotics lab. Demonstrations, theatre performances and a variety of programs and activities are also offered. The museum store provides a wide array of bilingual and educational items.

Santa Fe, founded in 1607, is the capital of the state of New Mexico. With an elevation of 7000 feet, it is not only the United States' oldest state capital but also its highest. Santa Fe is consistently rated one of the world's top travel destinations for its confluence of scenic beauty, long history (by American standards), cultural diversity and an extraordinary concentration of arts, music and fine dining.   

Much of the city's attractiveness, from both scenic and cultural perspectives, arises from its setting in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. This location produces a mild continental climate with four distinct seasons.

Like many towns initiated by the Spanish, Santa Fe has a central square that is a gathering place for all types. For hours of entertainment, pull up a bench and people watch; you'll rapidly gain an appreciation for how well the "City Different" nickname applies. Also check out one of the photogenic mission churches or interesting museums in town, or stop by for one of its many community festivals.

This Days Inn is located approximately one mile from downtown and eight miles from Amarillo International Airport. Guests of Days Inn have access to an outdoor pool with lounging area. Every morning, a complimentary hot breakfast is served. There are dining options in the vicinity, as well as a restaurant on the premises. Room service is available. The inn also offers 24-hour front desk service, free parking, free local calls, and laundry services. Small pets are allowed. All rooms have interior access, clock radios, coffeemakers, hairdryers, irons, dataport telephones, and cable TV.

Absolute Nirvana Spa & Gardens is the only Indonesian Spa in all of Santa Fe which offers special Asian massages and therapies. Apart from the facials, manicures and pedicures are a host of treatments like Thai massages, rose petal baths, Brown Sugar and Papaya Extravaganza. Buy a gift certificate for birthdays or anniversaries. A day at Absolute Nirvana Spa & Gardens promises revitalization of body, mind and soul.

This tiny silversmith's workshop and gallery is located in the cottonwood-shaded Sena Plaza. The Gusterman family of Sweden originally settled in central Colorado, the heart of America's silver mining country. In 1980, their children brought their expert silversmithing talent to Santa Fe where they turn out awesome examples of gold and silver jewelry in a variety of designs. Their work reflects the style of their parents, with an added modern touch.

You might think that you recognize the name of this store located on the Plaza, and you might just be right. This store used to be located in Hollywood, California. This new store offers authentic artifacts from the American Southwest. The extensive inventory includes Native American pottery, baskets, jewelry and beadwork as well as Civil war artifacts. Each item in the store is a genuine collector's piece and comes with a certificate of authenticity.

The Howard Johnson Inn Oklahoma City is five miles away from Baptist medical center, Bricktown, and Downtown, one mile away from Fire fighter museum, Golf courses, Kirkpatrick center, and Remington casino.The hotel features outdoor pool, business center, parking, electronic key system, and Internet access.The room amenities includes AM/FM alarm clock, coffee and tea maker, free local telephone calls, hairdryers, iron and ironing boards, Internet access and breakfast.

Free super daybreak breakfast* free hi speed wireless internet* free local calls* pool open during summer*.

Saint Louis, Missouri lies along the western shore of the Mississippi River with a growing skyline that includes the landmark Gateway Arch. Just a five hour drive from Chicago, Saint Louis shares many of the same features of the metropolis—unique food, avid sports fans and an easy public transportation system.

Fill up on gooey butter cake, thin-crust pizza and toasted ravioli at local bakeries and pizza places. Thanks to the Busch family, Saint Louis is also known for Busch and Budweiser beer. Families can say hello to the Budweiser Clydesdales and Bison at Grant's Farm. Those 21 and over may tour the Anheuser-Busch Brewery facilities and learn about the history of prohibition and sample some brews as well. Or just grab tickets to a Cardinals game at the new Busch Stadium downtown.

The city's light rail system, MetroLink, turns 20 in 2010, its youth evident in both its cleanliness and its continual expansion. For now, the rail sprawls in two branches pointing north and south, meeting just east of the Delmar Loop, one stop along the MetroLink. Visit the Loop, rapper Nelly's stomping grounds in University City, which includes several blocks of shopping, bars and restaurants, street performers and concert venues.

The Clubhouse Inn and Suites Westport is located about 30 minutes from downtown St. Louis nearby the St. Louis Car Museum, American Kennel Club, Museum of the Dog, Museum of Transportation, Lewis and Clark Center and the Missouri Botanical Garden.Complimentary breakfast is included in the price of the room and coffee and tea are served in the lobby all day long. Breakfast hours are 6:30am to 9am on Monday through Friday; Saturday and Sunday hours are 7am to 10am. The hotel is home to an outdoor pool and courtyard and an indoor whirlpool. Room amenities include cable/satellite TV, iron and ironing board, hair dryer, alarm clock/radio, voice mail, dataport, free wireless internet and a well-lighted work desk.

Romanesque architecture is what you will first see when you arrive at the seat of the Catholic archdiocese in St. Louis, but it is the interior- with its Byzantine styling and a mosaic collection that is said to be the world's largest- that is truly inspiring. More than 41,000,000 pieces of glass tesserae illustrate numerous religious stories. The life story of French king St. Louis IX, the city's namesake, is life story told in mosaic on the walls of the portico. Choir concerts are scheduled throughout the year and choral programs and organ recitals are presented most Sunday afternoons.

The St. Louis garment district has been recognized by the National Register of Historic Places. Among the businesses that have thrived here throughout the past 180 years are many new studios, galleries and cafes. Some buildings have been rehabbed as loft apartments. The loft district, as it is known, is home to many artists who have made their livings from the very buildings that once housed garment plants. These historic buildings now serve well both as studio lofts and as homes to families. The loft district is worth a visit from travelers.

With vaudeville acts in the 1920s and 30s to plays, musicals and concerts in the modern era, the Roberts Orpheum Theater has been enthralling audiences since 1917. This Theater has plush interiors of first class quality, restrooms, bars and an enchanting history. With the likes of Alicia Keys, Dave Mathews Band, Tori Amos and the Red Hot Chili Peppers having all set this stage on fire Roberts Orpheum Theater is a place you just cannot miss.

Visit historical locations and personal favorites of the 44th president in his hometown of Chicago.

Broke? Fear not. You don’t need big bucks to enjoy some of Chicago’s best family attractions.

TravelMuse’s editorial director shares her favorite family restaurant memories from when she lived in Chicago along with some recommended new venues.

From gourmet to grub, there are lots of choices for families.

Chicago is a major metropolis located on the shore of Lake Michigan in Illinois. It’s the third-largest city and metropolitan area in the United States, after New York and Los Angeles.

Progress and modernization rule in Chicago. The old Chicago with its smoke-spewing factories and quarreling politicians—not to mention machine gun-wielding gangsters—is mostly gone, having given way to a new Chicago. From the sternly classical to the space age, from the Gothic to the coolly modern, Chicago is a place with an embarrassment of architectural riches. Modern architecture was born here. Frank Lloyd Wright fans will swoon to see his earliest buildings here, where he began his professional career.

Chicago’s museums and cultural institutions are among the best in the world. Three of them are located within a short walk of each other in the Near South, on what is known as the museum campus, in a beautiful spot along the lake: the Adler Planetarium, with cool hands-on space exhibits and astronomy shows; the Field Museum; and the Shedd Aquarium, with the best collection of marine life east of California. A short distance away, on the South Chicago Shore, is the most fun of them all, the Museum of Science and Industry—or, as generations of Chicago-area grade school students know it, the best field trip ever.

In the Loop, the Art Institute of Chicago has a handful of iconic household names among an unrivaled collection of Impressionism, modern and classical art, and tons of historical artifacts. And in Lincoln Park, a short trip from the Loop, the cheerful (and free) Lincoln Park Zoo welcomes visitors every day of the week.

Hampton Inn Majestic is a boutique-style property located atop the Bank of America Theatre in downtown Chicago's Theater District, half a mile from Michigan Avenue, and approximately 15 miles from O'Hare International Airport. Millennium Park is a quarter-mile away and Grant Park and Sears Tower are a half-mile from the hotel.Hotel amenities include the exercise room and complimentary hot breakfast. The hotel also offers valet laundry service, free coffee and tea in the lobby 24 hours a day, and 24-hour front desk message and fax service. Valet parking is available.All rooms feature coffeemakers, high-speed Internet access, weekday newspapers, irons and ironing boards, local calls, pay-per-view movies and in-room HBO, all complimentary.

Millions of Chicagoans flock to the Lake Michigan shoreline to watch as the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights begin their terrifying daredevil displays. The show, held in August, can be viewed from just about anywhere along the lakefront, as long as no buildings or trees obstruct the view. If you insist on watching from North Avenue Beach, be sure to arrive by 9a to stake out a spot and bring plenty of water and sun tan lotion with you, because you'll be jockeying for position all day long.

Featuring more than 300 department and specialty stores, this world-class shopping center located near O'Hare Airport is one of the largest enclosed retail centers in the United States. Anchored by Nordstrom, Marshall Field's, Lord & Taylor, JC Penney and Sears, the mall houses several upscale shops and more than 40 restaurants. A sprawling IKEA store is perched across the street from the mall. Daily shuttles are available from downtown Chicago. Accepted credit cards vary by the establishment.

Only the Pope has the authority to designate a church building a "basilica." This is an honorary title given to churches with especially noteworthy architecture, and Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica is only one of three churches in Chicago with such an esteemed degree. The Renaissance building was completed in 1900 after ten years of construction. Inside, an absolutely magnificent barrel-vaulted ceiling wraps around a high altar that is made entirely of Carrara marble.