Hi All

Have a broad plan coming together for a road trip on Rt66 with a couple of loops/diversions off. Trying to bring it together and just wondered if I am missing anything spectacular - I recognise this is "a lot" - approx 5000 miles in the maximum of five weeks between early July and early September we are allowing for the trip. Definitely in the boat of the journey is the experience - which I am not sure the youngsters quite get just yet - but this is predominantly a bucket list holiday for the Mrs 50th and out 10th wedding anniversary..

The basics: As yet, unsure whether our daughter is committed to doing this - me and the wife definitely are, daughter is 17 and is undecided - also unsure whether her best friend will accompany - so it could be us two, us two + a 17YO, or us two + two 17YOs. If we take the youngster(s) we will need separate rooms/suite or suitable AirBnB/VRBO.

The route and timings are basically as follows:

Day 1 - Leave Heathrow, Arrive Chicago, Downtown hotel.Deep Dish Pizza!
Day 2 - Willis Tower, other city sights.
Day 3 - Start Rt66 and head to Springfield Il. Overnight.
Day 4 - Head to St Louis on Rt66. Gateway Arch. Overnight.
Day 5 - Head to Springfield Mo on Rt66. Overnight.
Day 6 - Head to Oklahoma City on Rt66. Visit National Memorial. Overnight.
Day 7 - Head to Amarillo on Rt66 - Big Texan Steak Challenge (maybe!). Overnight.
Day 8 - Head to Albuquerque on Rt 66 - Follow Breaking Bad locations.
Day 9 - Albuquerque. Rest Day!
Day 10 - Head up to Canon City - visit Las Vegas NM (Longmire locations). Overnight.
Day 11 - Day at Royal Gorge (bridge/train etc). Head to Colorado Springs. Overnight.
Day 12 - Pikes Peak. Overnight @ Colorado Springs.
Day 13 - Independence Pass to Aspen (afternoon wander and dinner, , then probably onto Snowmass (cheaper accommodation). Overnight.
Day 14 - Head to Durango via Million Dollar Highway. Overnight.
Day 15 - Head to San Juan - visit 4 Corner Monument, Forrest Gump Point. Sunset @ Monument Valley. Overnight.
Day 16 - Monument Valley (possibly sunrise), self drive loop tour. Head to Gallup (back on Rt66) or Holbrook for Wigwam Motel. Overnight.
Day 17 - Head to Grand Canyon South via R66. Helicopter Tour on arrival at Grand Canyon Junction/Tusayan. Overnight.
Day 18 - Grand Canyon - head west on shuttle rides. Driving rest day. Overnight.
Day 19 - Grand Canyon East self drive - heading to Navajo Bridge and on to Bryce Canyon. Overnight.
Day 20 - Head to Vegas (arrive dusk) via Zion NP & scenic routes. Overnight.
Day 21 - Vegas. Driving rest day. Overnight.
Day 22 - Head to Barstow via Hoover Dam. Back on Rt66. Overnight.
Day 23 - Head to Death Valley via Rt66 as far as possible before heading north. Sunset @ Death Valley. Overnight.
Day 24 - Death Valley - Driving rest day (ish) - sunrise. Overnight.
Day 25 - Head to Alamo via Tonopah and Extra Terrestrial Highway. Overnight. (Concern here as seems very barren and little places to stay/eat).
Day 26 - Head north to Ely or Eureka (to make Day 27 drive shorter) via scenic route. Overnight
Day 27 - Head to Reno via Loneliest Road. Overnight.
Day 28 - Head down to Yosemite via Lake Tahoe, Moon Crater Lake, Tioga Pass. Overnight.
Day 29 - Yosemite. Minimal driving. Overnight.
Day 30 - Yosemite. Minimal driving. Overnight.
Day 31 - Head to San Francisco. Overnight.
Day 32 - San Francisco. Driving rest day. Alcatraz. Overnight.
Day 33 - Head to San Simeon via PCH and Big Sur. Overnight.
Day 34 - Head to LA via PCH. Stay near Hollywood sign! Overnight.
Day 35 - LA - Universal Studios. Driving rest day. Overnight.
Day 36 - Head to Santa Monica Pier via Hollywood Blvd, Rodeo drive. Then to LAX, return car, fly home overnight to Heathrow.

Some chunks of Rt66 missed out but it does tick the boxes of things/places we want to see. Youngsters not really expressed too much insight except for Royal Gorge zip wire and Universal Studios!

If it's just me & the Mrs - Mustang/Camaro is the vehicle of choice. If we bring the youngsters - SUV purely for the space!

so...........Thoughts?

Thanks as always.

Matt