Cross Country by Bus: The Trip of a Lifetime

Trip Duration: 27 Days/26 Nights

Meals Included: 26 Breakfasts, 7 Lunches, 5 Dinners

Tour Director: Yes 

 

Join Starr Tours on the trip of a lifetime!

 

Skydeck Chicago

Skydeck Chicago offers an unsurpassed view of Chicago and 4 surrounding states. Take an elevator to the 103rd floor and see the breathtaking panorama.

"The Ledge" dares visitors to attempt a new Chicago experience: stand on The Ledge and feel the city from 103 floors over Wacker Drive and the Chicago River.

Admission also includes interactive exhibits and signature photo opportunities.

 

Lake Michigan and Chicago River Boat Cruise

Chicago's most comprehensive boat tour. This signature tour of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River includes a trip through the Chicago Lock and a live narration featuring an overview of architecture and history.

 

NOTE: Guests must navigate steps to get to the actual dock. Persons with walking disabilities may find this difficult.

Vessels include open air and covered seating, men's and women's restrooms, and a snack bar & cash bar.

 

Illinois Route 66 Association Hall of Fame Museum

The Route 66 Association Hall of Fame Museum features thousands of artifacts and memorabilia related to Route 66--The Mother Road. 

Some of the museum features:

-Route 66 artist and icon Bob Waldmire's bus and van

-Travel resources--explore the highway by visiting Route 66 on the flip rack library

-Great photo opp with the largest Route 66 shield mural painted on the museum's outside back wall

 

Pontiac Oakland Auto Museum

The Pontiac-Oakland museum located in Pontiac, Illinois houses a collection of vehicles and memorabilia that spans the history of the Pontiac and Oakland car brands up until their departures from the manufacturing of vehicles.

 

Lincoln Presidential Museum

Occupying an entire city block in downtown Springfield, Illinois, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum is the largest Presidential Museum. With over 50,000 square feet devoted to state-of-the-art full-immersion exhibits, special effects theaters and displays of original artifacts, it is also the first major Experience Museum of its kind.

Instead of the traditional museum design of static exhibits with flat images and dead objects in glass boxes, this Museum employs 21st century technology to bring 19th century history to life. Bringing education, storytelling, and advanced entertainment technology together in a truly innovative way, the museum invites, guides, and envelops visitors in the life and times of Abraham Lincoln.

 

St. Louis Gateway Arch

A visit to the Gateway Arch National Park Riverfront is not complete without going to the top of the tallest national monument in the United States standing at 630 feet tall.  At the highest point in downtown St. Louis, you'll experience unforgettable views of the city and the Mississippi River.

Trams travel at an average speed of 4mph and are very quiet and completely safe. At this speed, most people do not experience discomfort in the short ride.

The top of the Arch is not fully accessible to visitors with mobility impairments.

 

Fantastic Caverns

Fantastic Caverns, America's Ride-Thru Cave, lies beneath the rolling Ozarks hills.  This North American cavern offers a completely ride-through cave experience. Propane-powered Jeep-drawn trams tour the path left behind by an ancient underground river. During the tour, trams drive along a one-mile tour route providing guests an up-close look at beautiful cave formations, like giant columns stretching from floor to ceiling, delicate soda straws glistening with minerals and tiny cave pearls hidden in crystal-clear water.

No walking is necessary and trams are equipped with pull-out ramps to accommodate wheelchairs, making the tour convenient for everyone, especially older visitors, parents with small children and individuals with physical limitations.

 

Fantastic Caverns is an all-weather natural cave attraction open year 'round, with the temperature inside Fantastic Caverns hovering at around 60 degrees F (15 degree C) all the time.

 

Will Rogers Memorial Museum

Rogers' memorabilia includes saddle collections, photographs, costumes from his Ziegfield Follies' days, and numerous items related to his life. The 178-seat theatre shows films daily. His gravesite is located on the museum grounds.  

 

Woody Guthrie Center

The Woody Guthrie Center is dedicated to spreading Woody Guthrie's message of diversity, equality, and justice.  The facility honors Woody Guthrie's life and legacy by educating visitors, teachers, students, and scholars about his relevance today and his important role in American history.

 

Greenwood Rising

Greenwood Rising, which is dedicated to educating the public about the Tulsa Race Massacre that happened 100 years ago in the Greenwood District. The new museum utilizes history, technology, and interactive design to open a dialogue of challenging conversations about the tragedy while also discussing Black history and the heritage of historically Black North Tulsa and the Greenwood District specifically. 

 

Back before the events that occurred in 1921, the Greenwood District was an affluent African-American community with a thriving business district known as "Black Wall Street." White rioters burned and looted the area between May 31 and June 1, 1921 and historians estimate about 300 people were killed, over 800 were treated for injuries, and thousands were left homeless.

 

Greenwood Rising has a number of thoughtful exhibitions for the public to gain greater knowledge of the events that happened there, including "The Greenwood Spirit" exploring the early Greenwood community; "The Arc of Oppression," which frames the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and its effects through the lens of the history of anti-Blackness in America and systemic oppression; and the "Journey Toward Reconciliation," which is an open space asking all visitors to come together in the spirit of racial reconciliation and restorative justice.

 

Arcadia Round Barn

The Arcadia Round Barn is a landmark and tourist attraction on historic U.S. Route 66 in Arcadia, Oklahoma. It was built by local farmer William Harrison Odor in 1898 using native bur oak boards soaked while green and forced into the curves needed for the walls and roof rafters.

 

Oklahoma City National Memorial

The outdoor symbolic memorial is a place of quiet reflection, honoring victims, survivors, rescuers, and all who were changed forever on April 19, 1995. It encompasses the now sacred soil where the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building once stood, capturing and preserving forever the place and events that changed the world.

 

Oklahoma Route 66 Museum

The museum offers visitors a personal journey through the history of the nation's most revered highway. Encounter the iconic ideas, images, and myths of the Mother Road. Learn about the dreams and the labor needed to make the road a reality. Experience the Dust Bowl as thousands streamed along the road, away from drought and despair, and towards the "land of promise." Listen to the sounds of the Big Band era, when the roar of the big trucks and the welcome home cries to returning soldiers dominated the road. Sit at the counter or a booth in the 1950s diner and feel the open road as America's families vacationed along the length of Route 66. You just might overhear the family's chatter as they eat their lunch. The museum also offers changing special exhibits focusing on the Route 66 experience.

 

Devils Rope Barbed Wire Museum

Learn all about the history of barbed wire, its artifacts, the significance of the invention, and the impact on developement of the Old West. Their Mercantile on site provides you with the opportunity to purchase books, barbed wire samples, postcards, and various bundles of wire for the collector in your group. They have a library onsite that offers you books about the history of barbed wire and how to identify wire.

 

Big Texan Steak Ranch

Step into the Big Texan Steak Ranch and you're taking a giant step back to the rowdy, rip-roaring days of the late 1800s.

As you cross the threshold you will feel the excitement shared by thousands of visitors each year. Laughter echoes above the sizzle of steaks on the open grill and the buzz of conversation.  The strolling musicians may be strumming "The Yellow Rose of Texas," or "Amarillo by Morning."  Mouths begin to water as the savory smell of smoke and good beef fill the air. Eyes open wide as they take in the old-fashioned bar, the giant rocking chair, the Magician entertaining in the lobby and the lure of thousands of intriguing items in the gift shop.

 

New Mexico Route 66 Museum

The New Mexico Route 66 Museum offers a unique look into New Mexico's Route 66 heritage, as well as a wide range of representation,from Glenrio to Gallup and everywhere in between. From Route 66's beginnings in New Mexico with the Ozark Trails system to today's Historic Route 66, they offer a unique perspective of the Mother Road's history in our great state "The Land of Enchantment".

 

Sandia Peak Tramway

A trip on the world's longest aerial tramway transports you above deep canyons and breathtaking terrain over a distance of 2.7 miles. See some of nature's more dramatic beauty unfold before you. From the observation deck atop 10,378 foot Sandia Peak in the Cibola National Forest get an 11,000 square-mile panoramic view of the Rio Grande Valley and the Land of Enchantment. Located on the eastern edge of Albuquerque in the Sandia Foothills at the end of Tramway Road.

 

Old Town Albuquerque

Historic Old Town has been the heart of Albuquerque since the city was founded here in 1706. Today, Old Town is the city's cultural center, with numerous museums and more than 100 shops, galleries, and restaurants.

 

Petrified Forest National Park & Painted Desert

One of the most colorful and fascinating places to be found in Arizona is the Petrified Forest National Park. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is abundant with geological history and can offer you the chance for an experience of a lifetime.

 

The Petrified Forest is next to the scenic Painted Desert. For the first few miles you'll travel through the Painted Desert and have a chance to stop at many of the scenic viewpoints of the multicolored landscape.

 

Grand Canyon Railway

The Grand Canyon Railway travels 130 miles round trip from Williams, AZ to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.   

Travel First Class in Streamliner-era coaches that get you to the canyon and back with style and grace. Enjoy comfortable over-sized seating, big windows and complimentary snacks in the morning & afternoon in these classic air-conditioned 1950s era passenger cars. Strolling musicians roam the cars playing the tunes of yesteryear while your passenger service attendant will be there to add insight and answer questions.

       

You'll have about 3 hours and 45 minutes at the Grand Canyon after the train arrives. The train pulls into historic Grand Canyon Village, where all the historic hotels, restaurants and shopping are.  Free shuttles are available for transportation throughout the canyon.

Cash is no longer accepted for onboard purchases while riding the train.

 

Grand Canyon Caverns

The Grand Canyon Caverns were created over 65 million years ago, formed within the limestone that was once the bottom of an ancient inland sea that divided North America. They are the largest the dry caverns in the U.S.

 

Amboy Crater National Natural Landmark

Amboy Crater, formed of ash and cinders, is 250 feet high and 1,500 feet in diameter. It is situated in one of the youngest volcanic fields in the United States.

Amboy Crater was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1973 and is recognized for its visual and geological significance. Amboy Crater is an example of a very symmetrical volcanic cinder cone. There is a breach on the west side of the crater where basaltic lava poured out over a vast area of 24 square miles, which contains lava lakes, collapsed lava tubes and sinks, spatter cones and massive flows of basalt. Amboy Crater and surrounding area are unique volcanic environments where temperatures can get very hot. Make sure to pack plenty of water!

 

California Route 66 Museum

The California Route 66 Museum is an Interactive museum with over 4500 Sq. Ft. of floor space and photo opportunities for visitors to share memories in such settings as a 50's diner, a VW Love Bus complete with hippie wigs and sunglasses for that perfect shot. You can jump up onto the 1917 Model T Ford. There is the first Santa Monica “End of the Trails” booth that is becoming quite popular with visitors. And for those with a good sense of humor, they have an "Outhouse" built just for that photo.

 

Original McDonalds Site and Museum

The museum houses the largest collection of McDonald's memorabilia in the world. This is the site of the first McDonald's opened in 1948 by brothers Richard (Dick) and Maurice (Mac) McDonald. The McDonald brothers began franchising their fast-food system beginning in 1953.

 

Universal Studios Walk

Make no plans and see what you discover in acres of fun and exciting environments - from shopping to movies to mouth-watering food and drinks.

 

Guided Tour of Los Angeles Area

Tour includes: Santa Monica Pier which is "The End of Route 66", Will Rogers Highway Memorial Plaque, Will Rogers Home, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Grauman's Chinese Theater (now TCL Chinese Theater), The Hollywood Sign, La Brea Tar Pits, Time for lunch and shopping on ow at the world famous Farmers Market, and more!

 

Joshua Tree National Park

In Joshua Tree National Park, two distinct desert ecosystems, the Mojave and the Colorado, come together to form a single ecosystem. There is a fascinating variety of plants and animals that make their homes in this land that has been sculpted by strong winds and torrential rains on occasion. The wonder of this vast wilderness in southern California is heightened by the presence of dark night skies, a rich cultural history, and surreal geological features.

Many different ecosystems can be found in these landscapes, which can appear to be deceptively barren at first glance. A plethora of plant and animal life has adapted to and thrived in the harsh conditions of the Joshua Tree National Park, despite the area's harsh climate.

 

Saguaro National Park West

Saguaro National Park West is located in Tucson, Arizona. It is home to the nation's largest cacti, the giant saguaro which is the universal symbol of the American west. These majestic plants are found only in a small portion of the United States and are protected by Saguaro National Park.

 

Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a 98-acre zoo, aquarium, botanical garden, natural history museum, publisher, and art gallery founded in 1952.

 

Gaslight Theatre Performance

The Gaslight Theatre is a Musical Melodrama Theatre. Family friendly musical comedies, concerts, and free popcorn!

Show is Shreik, a spoof on Shrek.

 

White Sands National Park

Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert, creating the world's largest gypsum dunefield. White Sands National Park preserves a major portion of this unique dunefield, along with the plants and animals that live here.

 

Longhorn Cattle Drive

The Old West comes to life before your eyes during the world's only cattle drive presented by the Fort Worth Herd. Real Texas cowhands drive a herd of Texas longhorns down East Exchange Avenue in the Stockyards National Historic District every day.

 

Lorraine Motel

The Lorraine Motel was forever etched in America's collective memory with the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968, but even before that fateful day, the property at 450 Mulberry Street had a fascinating history in its own right. Before it was the Lorraine, it was the Marquette Hotel that catered to black clientele in segregated Memphis. Then, in 1945 black businessman Walter Bailey purchased the hotel, which he re-christened the Lorraine after his wife Loree and the popular jazz song, "Sweet Lorraine." The motel became a destination for blacks and appeared in the Negro Motorists Green Book or "Green Guide," which identified establishments that welcomed black travelers when Jim Crow restrictions offered limited options for services and lodging.

 

Elvis Experience Tour of Graceland

Elvis Presley's Memphis, A state-of-the-art entertainment and exhibit complex, offers a fully-immersive Elvis and pop culture experience to celebrate the most popular entertainer of all time. While the Graceland Mansion Tour continues to present the personal side of Elvis's life, across the street at the all-new entertainment complex, guests can enjoy exciting and engaging exhibitions, attractions and visitor experiences in a 200,000 square foot, state-of-the-art, climate-controlled facility. 

 

Elvis Experience Tour includes:

Mansion Audio-Guided Tour & Orientation film, full access to the state of the art Visitor Entertainment Complex, Elvis's two custom airplanes, Presley Car Museum, Elvis: The Entertainer Career Showcase Museum, and Elvis Discovery Exhibits.

 

Paula Deen's Family Kitchen

Born from the values of spending time with family and friends sharing a meal together, Paula Deen's Family Kitchen invites guests to feel at home while enjoying genuine Southern hospitality and family-style dining. Guests in the Music City will enjoy endless portions of classic recipes directly from the kitchens of Deen and her family.

 

Need to Know:

-Due to the nature of this trip, the long amount of time (and days!) you will be on the bus we HIGHLY recommended that every one of our tour guests is vaccinated and brings proof with them while on tour-but it is not required.

 

This trip is not recommended for people who are not able to easily get off and on the bus or have difficulty walking. This trip includes Photo Stops which requires passengers to board and deboard the bus easily.

 

Lake Michigan and Chicago River Boat Cruise--Guests must navigate steps to get to the actual dock. Persons with walking disabilities may find this difficult.

 

St. Louis Gateway Arch--The top of the Arch is not fully accessible to visitors with mobility impairments.

 

Grand Canyon Railway--Cash is no longer accepted for onboard purchases while riding the train.

 

Grand Canyon Caverns--Elevator takes you 200 feet underground. Handrails, paved walkways, stairs and mild inclines make the 3/4 mile long tour suitable for all ages.

 

Amboy Crater National Natural Landmark--Amboy Crater and surrounding area are unique volcanic environments where temperatures can get very hot.

 

Menus

Jimmy John's (box lunch day 16)

Sandwich choices:

Big John: Roast beef, lettuce, Tomato & mayo

Turkey Tom: Turkey, lettuce, tomato & mayo

The Veggie: Provolone, avocado spread, cucumber, lettuce, tomato & mayo

Served with chips, pickle and dessert We will also add a bottle of water

 

Eyre has a select quantity of wheelchair accessible motorcoaches available; therefore, we suggest you contact a Travel Advisor to discuss any needs you may have before reserving your trip.

 

Day 1:  Drury Inn & Suites, Grove City, OH

 

Day 2:  Fairfield Inn Chicago Downtown, Chicago, IL

 

Day 3:  Hampton Inn, Pontiac IL

 

Day 4:  Drury Inn & Suites, Springfield, IL

 

Day 5:  Drury Plaza St Louis at the Arch, St Louis, MO

 

Day 6:  Drury Inn & Suites, Springfield, MO

 

Day 7:  Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Vinita, OK

 

Day 8:  Doubletree Hotel Warren Place, Tulsa, OK

 

Day 9:  Country Inn & Suites OKC Airport, Oklahoma City, OK

 

Day 10: Country Inn & Suites, Amarillo, TX

 

Day 11: Drury Inn & Suites, Albuquerque, NM

 

Day 12: Springhill Suites, Gallup, NM

 

Days 13-14:  Grand Canyon Railway Hotel, Williams, AZ

 

Day 15: Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Kingman, AZ

 

Day 16: Holiday Inn & Suites, Barstow, CA

 

Days 17-18:  Hilton Garden Inn, Burbank, CA

 

Day 19-20:  Hampton Inn & Suites Tuscon East Williams Center, Tucson, AZ

 

Day 21: Fairfield Inn, Alamogorda, NM

 

Day 22: Fairfield Inn, Abilene, TX

 

Day 23: Drury Inn & Suites Dallas Frisco, Frisco TX

 

Day 24: Holiday Inn Downtown, Memphis, TN

 

Day 25: Holiday Inn Expess & Suites Nashville at Opryland, Nashville, TN

 

Day 26: Country Inn & Suites, Wytheville, VA

Zoom Presentation on 4/9/2024 at 7pm