Our 4-day road trip has finally coming to a close. In Part III of this series, I left you with us at the Albuquerque International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta. After a morning session at the festival, we decided to hit the road and head back to Scottsdale, Arizona. Scottsdale would be our final stop on this trip and where we would spend our last night before flying back to our homes in Atlanta, GA. Before heading back, my friends and I had just one more goal. We wanted to see if we could ride the infamous highway: Route 66. 

U.S. Route 66 is a historic highway and one of the original roads of the U.S. Highway System. Originally running from Chicago to Los Angeles, it was the main route used for people migrating out west in the 1930s. The highway was eventually decommissioned between the 1950s-1960s but still remains a significant piece in history and pop culture. Although parts of the highway are no longer in use, there are still many landmarks, signs, and streets dedicated to its history.

 The Search is On:

We decided to hit the highway and looked for signs as well as used our GPS to point us in any direction of the historic road. Unfortunately, the signs found along the highway were minimal and underwhelming. Then out of nowhere, we found the cutest area of Albuquerque that paid homage to Route 66 with a full retro vibe. From street signs, motels, cars, and multiple bus stops, one would think they stepped into a time machine and landed in the 50s. 

After sightseeing and getting our fix of photos, we worked up a pretty good appetite. We quickly found an excellent Market that specializes in organic and local food and decided to stop for brunch. The Grove Cafe and Market sits on Route 66 Downtown and has a fantastic setting with plenty of natural light. I highly recommend it for a beautiful Sunday Brunch as they have a great variety of traditional breakfast, sandwiches, salads, and amazing desserts. 

Homecoming: 

After our meal, we hit the road and began to head back to Arizona for one more night in Scottsdale. Although we were sad that our trip has come to a close, we were extremely grateful for our accomplishments with our limited amount of time and budget. We covered: the spiritual energy of Sedona, the magnificent formations of the Grand Canyon, got our famous Instagram photos at Antelope Canyon, crossed off a bucket list item at Four Corners, couldn’t believe our eyes at the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta, and went back in time by walking down Route 66. I could not believe that we covered 4 states in just 4 days. I genuinely believe that anyone can find adventure like this with a proper budget, good planning, and a great group of friends that bring positive energy and high vibrations to make it all possible. 

My grand total for this whole trip, including plane tickets, hotels, rental cars, gas, food, and all activities was just short of $600. This is extremely good for everything that we were able to conquer (See how we planned and budgeted this trip in Part I of this series here).

My heart is filled with nothing but joy and gratitude as I reflect and write about this trip. This was the first time I’ve experienced a road trip like this and is certainly not the last. Make sure you subscribe to this blog, so you don’t miss out on many more adventures. Thank you for joining me for the ride!!!