Chicago Campervan & Motorhome Hire

Day 1: Before collecting your van, take the train into the Loop to photograph the Begin Route 66 sign on Adams Street, as Chicago bans motorhomes from parking on its streets. Cruise America usually hands over vans in the afternoon, so pick yours up in the suburbs, stock up at a big supermarket and drive about 40 miles (65 km) south-west to a campground near Joliet.

Day 2: Follow the old road south through Wilmington, home of the Gemini Giant, a fibreglass spaceman, to Pontiac and its Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum. Continue about 105 miles (170 km) to Springfield, the state capital, and book two nights at a campground on the edge of town. Try a Cozy Dog, a corn dog on a stick that has been served here since the 1940s.

Day 3: Spend the day in Springfield, starting at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, where Abraham Lincoln lived before he became president. Visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and Lincoln's Tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery, then refuel and restock ready for the run south to Missouri tomorrow.

Day 4: Drive about 95 miles (155 km) to St Louis, stopping to walk the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, a former Route 66 crossing of the Mississippi River with a sharp bend in the middle, now open only to walkers and cyclists. Ride the tram to the top of the Gateway Arch, then camp outside the city, as downtown parking is tight.

Day 5: Head about 60 miles (100 km) south-west to Meramec Caverns near Stanton for a guided cave tour, then stop in Cuba, known as the Route 66 Mural City, to wander among its painted walls. Look out for the giant rocking chair at Fanning, then stay at a campground in the Ozark hills.

Day 6: Continue through the rolling Ozarks to Springfield, Missouri, where the Route 66 name was proposed in 1926. Push on to Carthage, about 210 miles (340 km) from Stanton in all, and if it is screening, watch a film at the 66 Drive-In Theatre before camping nearby.

Day 7: Drive the short Kansas stretch of Route 66, about 13 miles (21 km) through Galena, Riverton and Baxter Springs, then cross into Oklahoma. Stop to photograph the Blue Whale of Catoosa, a much-loved roadside swimming spot, before camping near Tulsa, about 130 miles (210 km) from Carthage.

Day 8: See Tulsa's Route 66 neon and the Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza, named after the man known as the father of Route 66. Then drive about 105 miles (170 km) to Oklahoma City via the Round Barn at Arcadia and the giant soda bottle at Pops 66, and camp on the city's edge.

Day 9: Today is one of the longest drives, about 260 miles (415 km) west, so break it at the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton and the National Route 66 & Transportation Museum in Elk City. Cross into the Texas Panhandle and book two nights near Amarillo, watching for summer storms that can bring hail and strong winds.

Day 10: Visit Cadillac Ranch, a row of graffiti-covered Cadillacs half-buried nose-down in a field west of Amarillo, and bring a can of spray paint to add your mark. In the afternoon, drive about 30 miles (47 km) to Palo Duro Canyon State Park for red-rock views and short hikes, carrying plenty of water in summer.

Day 11: Stop at the MidPoint Café in Adrian, roughly halfway between Chicago and Los Angeles, then cross into New Mexico and Mountain Time. Admire the neon of the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari and follow the old pre-1937 alignment north-west to Santa Fe, about 280 miles (450 km) from Amarillo in total, camping outside town.

Day 12: Explore Santa Fe's adobe Plaza, the Palace of the Governors and the galleries of Canyon Road, leaving the van at your campground or a large car park, as downtown streets are narrow. Drive about 65 miles (105 km) to Albuquerque in the afternoon and book a campground on the city's west side.

Day 13: Wander Albuquerque's Old Town and ride the Sandia Peak Tramway for views across the Rio Grande valley. After dark, drive Central Avenue, the city's stretch of Route 66, to see its neon signs, and stock up on food and water for the long desert stretch ahead.

Day 14: Head west on Interstate 40 through Gallup into Arizona, about 210 miles (335 km), to Petrified Forest National Park, which protects a section of the old Route 66. Drive the park road past the Painted Desert and the fossilised logs of Crystal Forest, then camp near Holbrook. Arizona does not use daylight saving time.

Day 15: Stop in Winslow at Standin' on the Corner Park, then visit Meteor Crater, a privately run impact crater about a mile wide just off Interstate 40. Continue through Flagstaff, at about 2,100 m, where nights can be cold even in summer, to Williams, about 125 miles (200 km) from Holbrook, and camp there.

Day 16: Drive about 60 miles (95 km) north to the Grand Canyon's South Rim and book two nights at Mather Campground on recreation.gov, or at Trailer Village RV Park for hookups. Non-US residents aged 16 and over pay a US$100 surcharge each on top of the US$35 vehicle fee, unless they hold the US$250 nonresident America the Beautiful pass.

Day 17: Spend a full day on the rim. Free park shuttle buses run along Hermit Road, which is closed to private vehicles for most of the year, while Desert View Drive to the east is open to your van. Walk part of the Rim Trail and watch the sunset from Mather Point or Hopi Point.

Day 18: Rejoin Route 66 at Seligman, a small town full of old signs and souvenir shops, and follow one of the longest unbroken stretches of the old road through Peach Springs and past the Hackberry General Store to Kingman, about 175 miles (280 km) from the canyon. Visit the Arizona Route 66 Museum before camping in town.

Day 19: Skip the narrow Oatman Road over Sitgreaves Pass, which Kingman's visitor bureau does not recommend for RVs, and take Interstate 40 to Needles and into California. Detour to the Roy's Motel and Café sign at Amboy if the road is open, as some Mojave sections have closed for bridge repairs. Summer days can top 40°C, so carry extra water and camp near Barstow.

Day 20: Cross the Cajon Pass into the Los Angeles basin, stopping at the Wigwam Motel in San Bernardino, then follow Foothill Boulevard west through Pasadena. Finish at the End of the Trail sign on Santa Monica Pier, about 130 miles (210 km) from Barstow, and spend your last night at a campground near the beach.

Day 21: Empty the tanks, refuel and drive about 16 miles (25 km) to Cruise America's Los Angeles centre in Carson, where returns are usually between 9 and 11am. Allow extra time for Los Angeles traffic, then take a taxi or rideshare to LAX, about 16 miles (26 km) away.

Day 1: Collect your van in the afternoon and drive about 80 miles (130 km) north to Milwaukee. The Illinois stretch of the drive has tolls, but Wisconsin has no toll roads. Camp on the edge of the city, then head to the lakefront to see the winged Milwaukee Art Museum and try a local frozen custard.

Day 2: Drive about 175 miles (285 km) north to the Door County peninsula and book two nights at Peninsula State Park near Fish Creek. Vans with out-of-state plates need a Wisconsin park admission pass, US$16 a day in 2026. Walk the shoreline trails and watch the sunset over the waters of Green Bay.

Day 3: Explore the bayside villages of Ephraim, Sister Bay and Egg Harbor, and try a traditional Door County fish boil, cooked outdoors over an open fire. Cross to the quieter Lake Michigan shore to see the sea caves at Cave Point County Park, and pick cherries in season, usually from mid-July.

Day 4: Today is a long drive of about 240 miles (385 km), around five hours, so leave early. Head through Green Bay and Menominee and along the shore past Escanaba to Munising on Lake Superior, moving your clocks forward an hour into Eastern time on the way. Book two nights near town.

Day 5: Take a Pictured Rocks Cruises boat trip from Munising, which runs from about mid-May to mid-October, to see the colourful sandstone cliffs from the water. Buy the park's US$25 vehicle pass online before you arrive, as the lakeshore does not accept cash, then walk to Munising Falls and the Miners Castle lookout.

Day 6: Follow H-58 east along the lakeshore, stopping at Twelvemile Beach and the Log Slide Overlook above the Grand Sable Dunes. Some lakeshore campgrounds have short sites, so check length limits on recreation.gov, or stay near Grand Marais, about 60 miles (100 km) from Munising.

Day 7: Drive about 50 miles (75 km) to Tahquamenon Falls State Park, home to one of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi. Michigan state parks need a Recreation Passport, US$12 a day or US$42 a year for out-of-state vehicles in 2026. Walk the trail between the Upper and Lower Falls and stay at the park's campground.

Day 8: Drive about 75 miles (125 km) to St Ignace, park the van at a ferry terminal and take the short ferry to Mackinac Island, where cars have been banned since the 1890s. Hire a bike to ride the 8-mile (13 km) road around the island, visit Fort Mackinac and try the island's famous fudge, then camp near St Ignace.

Day 9: Cross the 5-mile (8 km) Mackinac Bridge into Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Motorhomes pay US$5 per axle, so about US$10 for a two-axle hire van, and strong winds can slow crossings. Explore Mackinaw City and the reconstructed Colonial Michilimackinac fort, then camp nearby.

Day 10: Drive about 120 miles (190 km) south to Traverse City via Petoskey, sticking to the main highways rather than the narrow M-119 Tunnel of Trees. Spend the afternoon on the Old Mission Peninsula, known for its cherry orchards and wineries, with a designated driver, and book a campground nearby.

Day 11: Drive about 25 miles (40 km) to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, where a vehicle pass costs US$25 for seven days. Tackle the Dune Climb, then take the 7-mile (11 km) Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, open roughly late May to late October, with a 13 ft 6 in (4.1 m) clearance limit and no trailers. Camp at Platte River or D.H. Day.

Day 12: Head about 75 miles (120 km) south to Ludington State Park, set between Lake Michigan and Hamlin Lake, and walk the sandy trail to the Big Sable Point Lighthouse. Michigan state park campsites can be booked up to six months ahead, and summer weekends fill fast.

Day 13: Drive about 105 miles (165 km) to Holland, known for its Dutch heritage and De Zwaan windmill, and nearby Saugatuck, an arts town backed by big dunes. Continue about 60 miles (100 km) to Warren Dunes State Park for your last night, which shortens tomorrow's drive back.

Day 14: Empty the tanks before you leave, then drive about 100 miles (160 km) back to the depot, gaining an hour as you cross into Central time. Returns are due in the morning (by 10am at El Monte RV), so set off early to beat Chicago traffic, and pay any Illinois tolls online within 14 days.

Day 1: Collect your van and drive about 65 miles (100 km) south-east to Indiana Dunes National Park. Interstate 94 through north-west Indiana is toll-free, unlike the Chicago Skyway and Indiana Toll Road. Book two nights at the park's Dunewood Campground, open from about April to October, and buy the US$25 seven-day vehicle pass.

Day 2: Walk the dune trails at West Beach, or tackle the 3 Dune Challenge at the neighbouring Indiana Dunes State Park, which charges its own entry fee. In the afternoon, leave the van at camp and ride the South Shore Line train from Beverly Shores station into downtown Chicago for Millennium Park and the Art Institute.

Day 3: Drive about 115 miles (180 km) west along Interstate 80 to Starved Rock State Park and book three nights at its campground, which has electric sites and takes bookings six months ahead through ExploreMoreIL. Climb to the top of Starved Rock for views over the Illinois River.

Day 4: Hike the park's sandstone canyons, such as St. Louis, French and Ottawa canyons, where the waterfalls run best in spring and after rain. Stay on the marked trails, as the bluffs are steep and slippery. Stop for lunch at Starved Rock Lodge, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.

Day 5: Visit nearby Matthiessen State Park, where the Dells trail drops into a narrow canyon with waterfalls and a creek you can follow in dry weather. In the afternoon, explore the river towns of Utica and Ottawa, or hire a kayak for a paddle on the Illinois River.

Day 6: Drive about 130 miles (210 km) north around Chicago, avoiding weekday rush hours, to Illinois Beach State Park on Lake Michigan near Zion. It protects the last natural beach-ridge shoreline in Illinois, with dunes, wetlands and long sandy beaches. Camp at the park's campground and walk the beach at sunrise.

Day 7: Pack up early, empty the tanks at the campground dump station and drive back to the depot, about 40 miles (65 km) to Franklin Park, aiming to arrive by 10am for the return. If you fly out of O'Hare the same day, allow time for the return inspection and a taxi to the terminal.