The Road-Tripper
Throw your bags in the car and squeeze a cooler in the trunk --
it's time for a more traditional family vacation
By Madison G. Welch
Trafalgar
or Costa Rica
Gate 1 Travel has designed "Fly & Drive" vacations that include hotels, a rental car and a travel itinerary drafted by expert guides. Airfare can be added to your package as well (Gate 1 guests enjoy group rates on their seats).
These road warrior escapes explore U.S. national parks and California hot spots like San Francisco, the wine country and Santa Barbara. Gate 1 also has mapped out itineraries that take in the natural splendor of Costa Rica. Trips to the Arenal Volcano and the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve are priced from $349 per person for six nights of hotels, daily breakfast and a small SUV (the Suzuki Jimny is popular) with unlimited mileage; airfare is extra.
Get on Route 66
Maybe you love road trips but don't feel like doing the driving yourself. A few escorted vacation providers, including Cosmos, Trafalgar and Intrepid Travel, offer tours along America's historic highway: Route 66.
These trips typically feature stops in eight states, beginning in windy Chicago and ending in star-studded Los Angeles. Along with sightseeing and free time in several towns, some of the route's attractions include St. Louis' Gateway Arch, the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, a photo op at the Grand Canyon and Nevada locales like the Hoover Dam or Las Vegas Strip. Check out the 16-day "Highlights of Route 66" with Cosmos, starting from $2,189 per person without airfare.
The information in this story was accurate at the time it was published in January/February 2015.
Please visit Vacations To Go or call (800) 680-2858 for current rates and details.
