Six days in the saddle on a Harley-Davidson touring bike, about 850 miles from Las Vegas to the Pacific, with the Grand Canyon, the switchbacks above Oatman and the empty Mojave in between.
From$4,290per person, double room
Overview
This is the western end of Route 66 at riding pace. Hank Delgado, a rider for 30 years from Albuquerque, leads on his own bike, and a support van follows with the luggage, water, a first aid kit and room for a tired passenger. You pick up a Harley-Davidson touring bike in Las Vegas, included in the price, and ride it to Santa Monica Pier, where the road ends at the End of the Trail sign.
The ride has two halves. In Arizona you climb to the pines around Williams, ride a day out to the Grand Canyon and back, then follow the longest unbroken stretch of old 66 through Seligman and Hackberry. In California you drop into the Mojave, where it can be hot even in spring and fall. That is why departures avoid summer and why desert days start at first light, with the miles done before the afternoon heat. Riders need a valid motorcycle license; a passenger riding pillion pays $3,390.
Photos
Itinerary
Meals: B breakfast, L lunch, D dinner. Day 1 is arrival day; flights to the start are optional.
Transfer from the airport to the hotel. At 2 pm we drive to the rental shop to collect the bikes, adjust mirrors and levers and do a 30-minute shakedown ride on quiet roads. At 5 pm Hank holds the briefing: group riding formation, hand signals, fuel stops every 100 to 120 miles, the heat plan for the desert days and what the support van carries. Welcome dinner at the hotel, early night.
Kickstands up at 7 am. An optional stop at Hoover Dam, 35 miles out, is not on Route 66 but most riders want the photo from the Colorado River bridge. Then south on US 93 through Joshua tree country to Kingman and east on I-40, climbing from desert to ponderosa pine. Lunch in Kingman. We pull into Williams at about 4 pm after 220 miles, park on Route 66 and walk to dinner.
Today you ride without luggage. Sixty miles north on AZ 64 across open rangeland to the South Rim, arriving by 10 am. Park and walk the rim trail from Mather Point to the Yavapai Geology Museum, about 2 miles, then lunch near El Tovar. In the afternoon we ride Desert View Drive east to the 1932 Watchtower, 25 miles of rim views with pullouts every few miles. Back to Williams for a free evening in its Route 66 bars.
West on the longest surviving stretch of the old road. Seligman, where barber Angel Delgadillo started the campaign that saved Route 66 in Arizona, has a burger and a joke waiting at the Snow Cap Drive-In. Then about 60 miles of open two-lane through Peach Springs and the Hualapai lands to Hackberry General Store, full of old pumps and signs. We reach Kingman by 3 pm, about 130 miles, with time for the Route 66 museum in the Powerhouse.
Our earliest start, 6 am, to beat the heat. The road climbs to Sitgreaves Pass at about 3,550 feet in tight hairpins with no guardrails, then drops into Oatman, where wild burros walk the main street. Over the Colorado at Topock into California and fuel in Needles. Then the Mojave on the National Trails Highway: Roy's Motel and Cafe in Amboy with its 1950s sign, the cinder cone of Amboy Crater, Ludlow, and a cold drink at the Bagdad Cafe before Barstow. About 215 miles.
Out at 7 am past Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch near Oro Grande, a field of metal trees hung with glass bottles. Down Cajon Pass into San Bernardino and the Wigwam Motel, then west on Foothill Boulevard through the old citrus towns. The last stretch is Santa Monica Boulevard to the ocean. We ride onto Ocean Avenue and stop for the photo under the End of the Trail sign at Santa Monica Pier, about 140 miles. Bikes go back to the shop. Farewell dinner by the beach.
Breakfast near the ocean, then the van takes you to LAX, about 30 minutes in light traffic. If you have a late flight, Santa Monica is good for a morning walk along the beach path or out to the end of the pier. Hank sends each rider a map of the route with the stretches you rode marked, and a list of the gas stations for next time.
Pace: Full daysSix to eight hours on the road on some days and early starts; you drive or ride yourself. Every stop is optional; you can always stay with the vehicle.
Route map
Map tiles © Esri, HERE, Garmin, map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Straight lines join the stops; the trip follows the old Route 66 alignments between them.
Route at a glance
Road miles are rounded and include the detours to the stops named in the itinerary. 1 day with no driving at all.
| Day | From and to | Miles | On the road |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Las Vegas | No driving | Bike fitting and briefing |
| Day 2 | Las Vegas to Williams | 220 | Hoover Dam detour, Kingman, I-40 |
| Day 3 | Williams | 140 | Grand Canyon rim ride and back |
| Day 4 | Williams to Kingman | 130 | Seligman, Peach Springs, Hackberry |
| Day 5 | Kingman to Barstow | 215 | Sitgreaves Pass, Oatman, Amboy |
| Day 6 | Barstow to Santa Monica | 140 | Cajon Pass, end of the trail |
| Day 7 | Santa Monica to LAX | 10 | Bike return, airport transfer |
| Total | 7 days | 855 | Arizona, California |
Where you stay
Rooms by town and style. The exact motels and hotels for your date, these or similar ones, are confirmed in your travel documents.
1 night
4-star hotel off the Strip with secure bike parking, or similar
2 nights
3-star lodge on Route 66 in the historic district, or similar
1 night
3-star hotel near the Powerhouse on Andy Devine Avenue, or similar
1 night
3-star hotel on Main Street, or similar
1 night
4-star hotel a few blocks from the pier, or similar
Already included
6 nights, 6 breakfasts, 3 dinners, 1 entries and guided visits
Straight talk
Dates and prices 2026-27
Per person in US dollars, sharing a double room. Group up to 12 guests.
| Dates | Status | Double roomPer person | Single roomPer person |
|---|---|---|---|
| to Sunday arrival | Few seatsLast minute: save $350 | $3,940 | $4,820 |
| to Sunday arrival | AvailableEarly booking: save $150 | $4,290 | $5,170 |
| to Sunday arrival | GuaranteedEarly booking: save $150 | $4,290 | $5,170 |
| to Sunday arrival | AvailableEarly booking: save $150 | $4,290 | $5,170 |
| to Sunday arrival | AvailableEarly booking: save $150 | $4,290 | $5,170 |
| to Sunday arrival | AvailableEarly booking: save $150 | $4,290 | $5,170 |
Guaranteed means enough guests have booked and the departure will run. Seats change every week. Email [email protected] and we hold a seat for 72 hours. All departures on one page.
Optional add-on
Economy on scheduled airlines into Harry Reid International Airport, Las Vegas (LAS) and home from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), per person including taxes. Add them when you book, or fly on your own and meet us on day 1.
Fares are held for 72 hours with your seat and confirmed when you pay the deposit. Extra nights before or after the trip on request.
Practical
Weather in Arizona
Cool plateau with winter snow from Holbrook to Williams; hot low desert from Kingman west; summer storms July to September; dry, mild spring and fall
Weather in California
Very hot desert summers, mild sunny winters in the Mojave, cool nights; the coast stays mild all year with fog in early summer
Time zones
Mountain Standard Time all year: Arizona does not observe daylight saving time, so in summer it matches California, but the Navajo Nation does observe it Pacific Time, with daylight saving time from March to November; in summer the same clock as Arizona
Where it starts and ends
Start: Harry Reid International Airport, Las Vegas (LAS). End: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
What to eat
Navajo tacos on frybread, the Turquoise Room at La Posada, burgers at the Snow Cap in Seligman, steak and beer in Flagstaff and Williams
License and gear
Riders need a valid motorcycle license (M endorsement) and at least three years of riding experience. Bring a DOT helmet or rent one with the bike, gloves, boots and a riding jacket; rain gear and a cooling vest help in the desert.
Luggage
One soft bag of up to 40 pounds per rider travels in the support van, plus what fits in your saddlebags.
Your road captain
Motorcycle tours
Hank has ridden for 30 years and led motorcycle groups across the Southwest for 12. He is a certified rider coach and runs the safety briefing on every motorcycle trip.
Road captains rotate on some dates; the name for your departure is in your documents. Meet all the road captains
FAQ
Booking, motels, flights and insurance questions are answered on the main FAQ page.
A valid motorcycle license (a US M endorsement or the motorcycle class on a foreign license, plus an International Driving Permit) and at least three years of riding experience on large bikes. Riders must be 25 or older. The longest day is about 220 miles, so you should be comfortable with full days in the saddle.
Yes. A passenger riding pillion on your bike pays $3,390 instead of $4,290 and shares the room. Pillion passengers can also ride in the support van for any stretch, which many do on the hot Mojave day.
We do not run in July or August. On desert days we leave between 6 and 7 am and plan to finish the riding by early afternoon. The van carries cold water and electrolytes, we stop every 45 to 60 minutes, and Hank will cut a stop short if temperatures climb past about 95 degrees.
A DOT-approved helmet (or rent one), riding jacket with armor, gloves, boots over the ankle and eye protection. Pack a mesh jacket or vents for the Mojave and a warm layer for mornings at 7,000 feet around Williams and the Grand Canyon. One soft bag per rider goes in the van.
Harley-Davidson touring models such as the Road King, Street Glide and Electra Glide, with saddlebags for the things you need during the day. Tell us your preference when you book. A Road Glide or a trike can be arranged for a supplement.
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Email us the date you like, how many of you are traveling and whether you need flights. We hold the seat for 72 hours while you decide.
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