The Mother Road is calling—and C&T Excursions is answering!
This isn’t simply a bus ride from Chicago to St. Louis. It’s six days of classic Americana filled with glowing neon, legendary restaurants, quirky roadside giants, restored service stations, fascinating museums, Lincoln history, music history and the unforgettable characters that made Route 66 famous.
We’ll handle the driving, hotels, baggage and details while you enjoy the sights, stories and flavors of America’s most legendary highway.
Single rooms are limited, and all reservations are based on availability.
Our adventure begins with an included lunch at Walt’s Pub & Grill in West Lafayette. We’ll continue to Chicago, meet our local Route 66 “Roadie” and check into the Hampton Inn Chicago Downtown. That evening, enjoy an included dinner at The Berghoff, an iconic Chicago restaurant that has remained family-owned for more than a century.
Stand at Chicago’s Historic Route 66 Begin Sign before traveling to the Joliet Route 66 Welcome Center. We’ll meet the towering Gemini Giant and enjoy an included lunch in Wilmington, followed by a fun stop at Wally’s.
In Pontiac, we’ll explore the Route 66 Association Hall of Fame and Museum, see Bob Waldmire’s famous Volkswagen Bus and Road Yacht, discover colorful Route 66 murals and enjoy a guided trolley experience. Dinner is included at Old Route 66 Family Restaurant before checking into the Hampton Inn in Pontiac.
Visit Ryburn Place, a beautifully restored 1931 service station, then enjoy an included lunch at Country-Aire Restaurant. At the American Giants Museum, we’ll meet the larger-than-life “Muffler Men” that became Route 66 roadside legends.
In Springfield, we’ll visit the restored Shea’s Gas Station site and stop at Motorheads before a one-of-a-kind included dinner beneath more than 85 historic signs at Ace Sign Company.
Our “Taste of Springfield” dinner features a build-your-own Horseshoe buffet, Cozy Dogs, Maid-Rite sliders, Midwest Caprese salad, donut holes with caramel sauce and homemade root beer. We’ll end the evening surrounded by glowing neon at the Route 66 Experience before checking into the Holiday Inn Express in Springfield.
Step into history at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, followed by an included lunch at Ariston Cafe, a Route 66 landmark with roots dating to 1924.
Then it’s on to St. Louis for the Gateway Arch tram experience and panoramic views from the top of the 630-foot monument. We’ll check into the Drury Plaza St. Louis at the Arch for two nights. Enjoy the hotel’s 5:30 Kickback; dinner afterward is on your own, with several nearby choices.
Begin the day with “Route 66 for Beginners” led by a Route 66 expert. We’ll visit the mile-long Old Chain of Rocks Bridge over the Mississippi, stop at St. Louis’ historic Crown Candy Kitchen and explore Route 66 State Park, including the fascinating story of Times Beach.
Next comes a famously thick frozen custard “concrete” at Ted Drewes. We’ll finish the day with an included dinner at Blueberry Hill, where Chuck Berry performed more than 200 times.
Enjoy an included hot breakfast at the hotel before heading home with cameras full of pictures, bags full of souvenirs and six unforgettable days of Mother Road memories.
