RouteTrip USA

Jim Hinckley’s Destination Spotlight: Kingman Arizona & Telling People Where To Go

Booking a holiday with RouteTrip USA is your passport to exciting, memory making, worry free adventures in the U.S. or Canada. Our bespoke holidays can also be a unique and immersive experience.

Our holiday packages in the American west, or on Route 66, include some of the Grand Circle. They also include a visit to Kingman, Arizona, a charming community in western Arizona forever immortalized in a song about getting your kicks on Route 66.

The Grand Circle includes some of the most stunning and cinematic landscapes in the United States. It includes Monument Valley, and Bryce, Zion and the Grand Canyon as well as historic Native American sites such as Wupatki with towering pre-Columbian ruins framed by the snowcapped San Francisco peaks.

Kingman is located on Route 66 along the southern edge of the Grand Circle. If you are a fan of craft beer (there are three microbreweries downtown), the American cinema, western frontier history, Technicolor sunsets, sunrise walkabouts in deeply shadowed canyons, or Route 66 history, this dusty desert crossroads needs to be a destination.

Kingman has a connection with cinematic history including Easy Rider, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Universal Soldier. The town is also linked to automotive industry legends such as Louis Chevrolet and Edsel Ford, and aviation pioneers including Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart.

The extensive urban trail systems that range from nearly wheelchair accessible to challenging are a portal to awe inspiring scenic wonders as well as to historic sites and desert oasis complete with small waterfalls. Some of the trails follow 19^th century wagon roads with ruts worn deep in the store in the shadow of towering cliffs.

Kingman is a town full of surprises. Phase one of the world’s only electric vehicle museum is in the Powerhouse Visitor Center that is also home to an acclaimed Route 66 museum. An internationally acclaimed distillery that specializes in agave rum is a few miles east on Route 66 at was once the WWII era Kingman Army Airfield. And a short drive of just twelve miles takes you from the desert to Hualapai Mountain Park with a picturesque lodge and miles of shade dappled trails through a forest of towering pines.

RouteTrip USA can ensure that you get the most from your visit to Kingman. After all, as with all our holiday packages, before we make recommendations for you, we test the pillows, taste the enchiladas, and make the partnerships that will enhance your trip.

Discovering the rich history of Kingman, and its surprising Hollywood connection, begins with the self-guided tour that starts at the historic 1907 railroad depot. Using QR codes audio narration by author Jim Hinckley brings the story of filming locations, historic sites, Route 66, and fascinating people to life.

Often billed as America’s storyteller, Hinckley is the author of books about Route 66, the American southwest and the American auto industry, and the developer of Jim Hinckley’s America. He is also one of our travel destination consultants, another reason that we are a leading bespoke holiday company. This is why we can also ensure that each trip is tailored to your specific interests.

Speaking of tailor-made trips, through special arrangement we can further enhance your stop in Kingman. We can arrange for Jim Hinckley to be your personal guide to historic or scenic locations in the immediate area.

Are you ready to book a holiday that makes memories that last a lifetime?

Jim Hinckley’s Destination Spotlight: Arizona – A wonderland for any season

The American southwest is an almost magical place where myth, legend, history, stories of larger-than-life characters, and awe-inspiring landscapes unfold on a holiday as a rich and colourful tapestry. Who isn’t familiar with Wyatt Earp and the OK Corral, the exploits of Buffalo Bill Cody, or the story of Olive Oatman?

But for every Jesse James or Billy the Kid, there are a dozen people like Tap Duncan, Jeff Davis Milton or Black Mary whose stories have been forgotten. Tombstone is a town with a name as recognizable as Detroit or New York City. But who remembers Fairbank, Rhyolite, or Dos Cabezas?

Aubry Valley and Route 66 west of Seligman, Arizona

A road trip through southern Arizona is an adventure of epic proportions. And it is also a journey through time, and a voyage of discovery.

Tucson, Arizona is a modern metropolis built around an ancient Spanish presidio. Within a few miles of the city’s congested heart is a vast wilderness and a forest of towering saguaro. Tucson. And yet the southernmost ski resort in the United States is less than an hours drive.

Within site of the city’s towering, modern skyline is the treasure of San Xavier del Bac known as the White Dove of The Desert. This National Historic Landmark and World Heritage Site that still serves the Tohono O’odham reservation was established as a Catholic mission by Father Eusebio Kino in 1692. Construction of the current church began in 1783 and was completed in 1797.

Nearby is the picturesque village of Tubac that is an artists colony filled with historic landmarks. Dating to 1725 this is the oldest European settlement in Arizona.

Tucson. Tombstone. Bisbee. Nogales. Sierra Vista. Douglas. Dos Cabezas. Hiking trails in a desert wilderness or urban exploration. Historic sites, scenic wonders above and below ground, five-star dining and quaint cafes, luxury resorts or historic hotels. You can easily fill a dozen holidays with memory making adventures in southern Arizona.

But the entire state is a holiday paradise in any season. At the recent Route 66 Info Fair in Needles, California, just across the river from Oatman, Arizona on iconic Route 66, the temperature was a delightful 23 degrees. And yet just 370 kilometers to the east at the Grand Canyon, it was snowing, and the ski resorts were doing a booming business.

And in the months of summer when temperatures in the Colorado River Valley soar to 50 degrees or more, a scenic drive of just 90 miles is all that is needed to escape the heat to the pine forested oasis in a sea of desert that is Hualapai Mountain Park.

A hiking trail in Hualapai Mountain Park

Are you ready for a memory making holiday in the Grand Canyon State? Contact RouteTrip USA. We will build a bespoke trip just for you. After all, we are the bespoke holiday specialists.

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Jim Hinckley’s Destination SpotlightThis month our Destination Expert talks food along America’s Mother Route; Route 66.

Food is a big part of the memory making process. And so, inclusion of unique restaurants, trying unfamiliar foods, and savoring a bit of the local atmosphere while enjoying a meal can dramatically enhance a road trip adventure.
In Vinita, Oklahoma, casting its shadow over Route 66, is Clanton’s Café. This venerable old restaurant has its origins with Grant Clanton, a farmer known locally as “Sweet Tator”, that had a dream of opening a restaurant. So, in 1927 he opened the Busy Bee Café.
His promotional style was fitting for a man raised on the farm. At lunch time, according to local legend, he would step out onto the sidewalk and begin banging a pot with a spoon.
Shortly after selling that restaurant, he opened a new and larger café on Route 66. That was in 1930. The current restaurant with its signature sign that simply reads EAT dates to 1947, and it is still managed by the same family. And they still offer the hearty traditional American dishes that have been popular in Oklahoma farm country for a century.
In Miami, Oklahoma (pronounced My-am-uh) there is a roadside gem from another era. Waylans Kuku with its unique and colorful signage on Route 66 dates to 1965. It is the last surviving restaurant in what was once a regional chain. Aside from the expected offerings such as hamburgers and French fries, there are also a few items not often associated with a fast-food restaurant. Have you ever tried a buffalo burger?

*The neon signage outside of Waylans Kuku restaurant in Miami OK*

*Clanton’s Cafe, on Route 66 in Vinita OK*

In Amarillo, the Big Texan Steak Ranch & Brewery with its heavily promoted 72-ounce (2041 gram) steak challenge is well known among Route 66 enthusiasts. But on 6^th Avenue, the original alignment of Route 66 through the historic San Jacinto district, there is an often-overlooked treasure.
The Golden Light Café & Cantina opened its doors in 1946. As you might expect from an authentic Texas roadhouse, the menu offerings center on beef. But there is a twist such as Tamara’s Green Chili Cheeseburger, a traditional Angus beef cheeseburger with grilled green chilies or Charles’ Buffalo Burger using meat from the largest buffalo herd in Amarillo and two pieces of cheese with hot grilled jalapeno peppers in between.

A bit further to the west in Gallup, New Mexico is the uniquely styled El Rancho Hotel. Built in the late 1930s and promoted as the “World’s Largest Ranch House” it was a resort that became famous for celebrity sightings. John Wayne kept a suite off the saloon.
The restaurant offers an array of regional and traditional New Mexico favorites such as huevos rancheros; two eggs, corn tortillas, pinto beans, cheddar and asadero cheese, fresh avocado, green chilies, homemade salsa, hash brown potatoes and a warm, fresh flour tortilla.
So, how do you discover the hidden gems in the US or Canada where you can savor regional favorites and immerse yourself in local culture? Why, by booking your bespoke road trip holiday with the experts at RouteTrip USA, of course! We test the pillows, sample the local brews, and taste the enchiladas. We work to ensure a memorable, trouble-free odyssey that is full of delicious surprises.

Jim Hinckley’s Destination Spotlight: This month our Destination Expert talks about Native American history, Route 66 and festivals.

America is a nation of immigrants. There is even a growing body of evidence that Native Americans immigrated to the continent thousands of years ago. As a result, the country is uniquely diverse.
Travelers on Route 66 in October might be surprised to find one of the world’s largest Czech cultural festivals in the world. Held on the first weekend in October, the Oklahoma Czech Festival, in Yukon celebrates the town’s rich Czech heritage.
The day-long festival officially kicks off with Oklahoma’s largest parade along Garth Brooks Boulevard. Afterwards festivities shift to the Oklahoma Czech building at 5th and Cedar Street with polka bands, traditional Czech and Slovak folk-dance performances, and Czech foods such as kolache and klobasy sausages.
For more than a century on the first week of August, Gallup, New Mexico is transformed with the Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial Festival. One of the country’s oldest celebrations of Native American culture highlights arts, dance, and music.
Thousands of Native American and Indigenous participants representing tribes from the United States and Canada share songs, traditional dances, and food. The blurring of cultures is another tradition, a rodeo featuring some of the best Native American cowboys from the United States and Canada.
Visitors will be enthralled with the Indoor/Outdoor Marketplace and the Ceremonial Showroom. On display is one of the largest collections of authentic Indian fine arts, Navajo rugs, katsinas, jewelry, pottery, and basketry in North America.

*The first weekend in May, the Route 66 Fun Run transforms Kingman into a living time capsule.*

Quirky events and festivals are another highlight of travel in the United States. Held in Twinsburg, Ohio, the annual Twins Days Festival is, according to Guinness World Records, the largest annual gathering of twins in the world.
The event dates to 1976 when a group of organizers were looking for a unique way to celebrate the bicentennial. They hit upon the idea of setting aside a day to celebrate twins. The first event started with a flag raising, the national anthem, and dedication of the Wilcox Monument on the square.
The following year festival organizers decided to make this the largest event of its kind in the world. Food trucks and vendors, bands, talent shows, a Square Dance Exhibition, a bicycle and wagon parade for children under twelve years of age made it delightful small-town event for the whole family. Thirty-eight sets of twins attended that event.
Since then, more than 77,000 sets of twins have attended. And one year the event garnered national and international media coverage when a visiting delegation of nine sets of twins from the former Soviet Union attended.
And for the induvial that wants to get a tan and enjoy a vintage car show, there is the Valley View Recreation Club annual car show. Located in Cambridge, Wisconsin, the event has been held in August for more than thirty years. What makes this event unique is the fact that Valley View Recreation Club is a nudist resort. This is a nude car show!
You may not want that much sun on your holiday. But adding an event such as the Route 66 Fun Run in Kingman, Arizona or a festival like Cuba Fest in Cuba, Missouri to your adventure in the United States will ensure memories that last a lifetime.

Find out about our route 66 trips

Wedding plans changed? How about a romantic New York Weddingmoon….

Everyone has had to adjust their plans in some way, shape or form…. If you were planning to get married but now your budget has changed, or if the pandemic has made you realise who you want to spend the rest of your life with; then perhaps a trip to New York City will bring out your inner Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City…

We can arrange everything so there is nothing to worry about and we offer group booking discounts so you can ensure you can share your special day. You’ll need to apply for your marriage licence from the Office of the New York City Clerk (located at 141 Worth Street, Manhattan). The fee is $35 for the license and you need to hold this for at least 24 hours before you can legally marry. You can apply in person or online but you will still have to attend the City Clerk’s Office to complete your license and make payment.

As a UK Citizen, you will need to get the extended certificate in order for the marriage to be valid in the UK. The extended certificate can be applied for the same day that you get married but why not enjoy the day and then take a trip around the City – it does take a little time but we will cover this in your personalised literary so you don’t run out of time. You can get married right at City Hall and celebrate with a meal afterwards at The River Cafe, Dumbo Restaurant – we will ensure all reservations are taken care of. Or we can arrange a wedding officiant to get married any number of iconic locations such as Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge, Grand Central Station or as in Sex and the City – New York Public Library – just off Bryant Park.

You may need a permit from New York City Department of Parks & Recreation so just let us know and we will pull everything together so you don’t need to worry. There are a number of options including Brooklyn Botanic Garden in Prospect Park; Central Park offers the popular Loeb Boathouse, Conservatory Garden or The Pond; Central Park Zoo also offers a beautiful setting with all proceeds going towards conservation society programs.

Alternatively there is the more opulent Plaza Hotel, featured in a number of films, also the American Museum of Natural History is another great option. Or for something totally different- The Foundry in Long Island City or Studio 450 is an industrial space once the home of a chocolate factory. You can have an intimate setting along side the Statue of Liberty thanks to Manhattan Sail or hit a home run at either the Yankee or Met’s stadiums. All you have to do is let us know your budget and we will discuss the options with you, planning everything so you can enjoy your wedding and Honeymoon in one trip – a Weddingmoon.

Not only can you save thousands on tying the knot but we also offer a personalised service where your guests or loved ones can contribute. You’ll receive a dedicated webpage with secure login details and cards to include in invitations (should you require), explaining how guests can contribute towards your special trip. New York really is a romantic place and as it is on the East coast the flight time is roughly 7 hours, the Autumn is beautiful with good temperatures or enjoy a winter wonderland with the famous skating rink and Christmas tree as the Rockefeller Plaza. You could still get married in 2020 and have an amazing holiday – who says you need to chose!

Something to look forward to

When booking your holiday it is always something to look forward to, but with the changing environment regarding the outbreak of COVID-19 it can be difficult to even think past the next Government update!

If you have already booked a trip with RouteTrip USA, you are in safe hands! We are keeping abreast of the updates and will be able to advise you based on your specific circumstances. But we are a small business, trying to keep tourism alive. Our business grew to keep Route 66 going and the only way we can do this is by keeping people visiting the USA. Whilst it is not possible to travel right now, this will inevitably change. So before you panic and cancel the trip you have been dreaming about for a while now – let’s see if we can re-book your trip. If you are travelling later in the year, this should not affect you.

Thinking about booking a trip but not sure? We are keeping tourism alive and you can help support small businesses like us too – secure your trip now for 2021 departures! You will still have an amazing trip to look forward to and your bank balance will thank you too with just a £99pp deposit and prices secured. You will have longer to pay and all our packages are ATOL protected giving you full piece of mind.

David Jason: Planes, Trains and Automobiles

You may well be enjoying Sir David Jason’s excellent “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” 5-part series currently being broadcast on the Gold TV channel. The actor, who famously played Delboy in Only Fools and Horses is travelling from Seattle to Los Angeles and enjoying vintage methods of transport and seeing some wonderful parts of Washington, Oregon and California as he heads south.

If you fancy a trip to the Pacific northwest, we have the “Northwest Coastal Cruise” which covers a similar route from Seattle to San Francisco and includes Olympic National Park, Portland, Crater Lake, the giant Redwood Trees and the Golden Gate Bridge. The trip can be extended to Los Angeles or San Diego too if you wish.

Please let us know if you’re interested and we can price this trip up for you.

More info

Book a holiday with us and we’ll give you $250 spending money!

Book any full road trip package (flight, car rental and hotels) with RouteTrip USA Ltd by 8pm on 15th March 2019 and we will send you a prepaid credit card with your road trip pack to use on your holiday.

If you pay 50% deposit when you book, we will pre-load the card with $250
If you pay the standard 10% deposit, we will pre-load the card with $100

This offer cannot be combined with any other offers or discount. However it can be used in conjunction with our like-for-like price matching offer.

Destinations Show 2019

We’re at the Destinations Show at Olympia London for the entire weekend. If you’re thinking of taking a road trip in the USA over the next year or two, please pop over and see us. We’re on Stand AC32 in the Americas section.

Roadkill Cafe, Seligman AZ

The Roadkill Cafe, along Route 66 in Seligman, Arizona

You kill it, we grill it!

The Roadkill Cafe along old Route 66 in Seligman has a wonderful souvenir shop inside selling gifts such as t-shirts, sweaters and aprons with slogans such as “you kill it, we grill it!” and featuring menu items such as Flat Cat – served as a single or in a stack, Rigor Mortis Tortoise and Fender Tenders. Of course, in reality it is a normal family owned, reasonably priced restaurant along a decent length of usable Route 66. The first time we drove past the Roadkill Cafe, we were trying to get to the Grand Canyon before sunset so we only stopped for some photos, however it was on a must-visit list for the next occasion, and we’ve eaten there several times since.

Seligman, an old railroad town was founded in 1886 and is known for being the birthplace of Historic Route 66, mainly due to the efforts of the Seligman Chamber of Commerce and local business owners to get the section of road between Seligman and Kingman designated as Historic Route 66 back in 1987, not long after the last section of the Mother Road, in nearby Williams, Arizona was bypassed by interstate 40. This was well before other towns and cities along the entirety of Route 66 started making similar efforts. Perhaps this is one reason that Seligman still looks so authentic and feels like you’ve suddenly been transported back to the heyday of the Main Street of America.

Seligman, Arizona – feels like you’re in the wild west

Seligman is a small, unincorporated town with a wonderful wild west heritage. The Roadkill Cafe itself was once the OK Saloon, and the bar/gift shop area is the original building. The restaurant section is an extension that was once a patio to the bar, but eventually enclosed to make a larger building.

The jailhouse which dates from 1860 claims to have held criminals such as “Seligman Sam” and “three-finger Jack”. Apparently in 1866, four Indians escaped from the jail by tunnelling underground to the OK Saloon next door and made their getaway only to be shot dead four days later in a shoot out with law enforcers.

Radiator Springs, from the Disney Pixar film “Cars” was known to be loosely based on Seligman, and indeed as you take your road trip along Route 66, also known as the Will Rogers Highway you’ll see various locations and people who inspired parts of this fun, animated movie.