Western National Parks Motorcycle Tour and California Coast Motorcycle Tour with Monument Valley
13 Day 12 Night or 15 Day 14 Night
Los Angeles Laughlin Grand Canyon, Williams Grand Canyon South Rim Monument Valley Zion Bryce Canyon Las Vegas Death Valley Lone Pine Yosemite San Francisco Monterey Cambria Ventura Los Angeles
| Meals+Insurance / No M+I | 13 Day 12 Night | 15 Day 14 Night |
|---|---|---|
| All Inclusive Guided Driver | $6840 / $5999 | $7980 / $6980 |
| All Inclusive Guided Passenger | $3411 / $2811 | $3980 / $3280 |
| Self Drive Double Occupancy | $3443 | $3700 |
| Self Drive Single Occupancy | $4393 | $4925 |
Runs: April – May – June – Sept – Oct
Join the Ride Free family for a week long journey through some of the most famed destinations and National Parks in the Western United States as we travel historic Route 66 on our way to visit Grand Canyon National Park, Monument Valley, Las Vegas, Death Valley, Zion, Bryce Canyon, and more.
15 Day Route Below – 13 day is minus 2 days of same route
Day 1 – Los Angeles, California
Meet your fellow riders from around the globe and the Ride Free Tour Team late afternoon in the hotel lobby for introductions and a drink before our first group dinner at our favorite local spot at the beach. After dinner the Ride Free Tour Team will give a brief orientation and answer any questions about the exciting ride to come. Get a good night’s sleep, as we have a big week ahead.
Day 2 – Los Angeles to Laughlin, Nevada
The Ride Free Tour Team will pick you up at the hotel and head directly to pick up your bike. Once everybody in the group has been checked out the Ride Free Tour Team will give a safety briefing and answer any questions before we saddle up and hit the road. If you have never been part of a group ride on a Harley Davidson or touring bike before, you will find yourself grinning ear to ear as you realize that you have quickly become the object of envy for every pour soul stuck in their cars on the Los Angeles Freeway system. The only sound more satisfying than the roar of the engines of your fellow riders around you is the rumble of your own bike as you leave Los Angeles in your mirrors and the great American city gives way to lonely cacti and the inviting warmth of the California dessert. You have been waiting a long time for this day. Enjoy the feeling.
After a lunch stop at a roadside diner we will open into the Nevada dessert before dropping down the valley towards the banks of the Colorado River and the small casino city of Laughlin, Nevada. After checking into the hotel, we’ll enjoy a group dinner before turning you lose to try your luck on the craps tables, slot machines and blackjack tables. Just remember to save few bucks because Las Vegas is just a few days away.
Day 3 – Laughlin, Nevada to Williams, the base of Grand Canyon National Park via Route 66
Day 4 – Williams to Grand Canyon South Rim or no layover, and we go to Bryce Canyon after Zion.
We either have a layover at the Grand Canyon by means of staying in Williams at the base of the Grand Canyon, or we continue on to the South Rim as described in the next paragraph. If we choose this Williams layover, it allows us more time on Day 3 to take our time on Route 66. Then the next morning we drive an hour to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and enjoy a day of hiking, exploring, an optional helicopter ride, mule rides if scheduled far enough in advance, and just taking in the biggest hole in the world. Or, we do not do a layover in Williams, but follow the description below, and then we can have a layover at another place to be decided as we book the tour. Most likely a layover in Zion, which allows us to spend the day exploring the amazing Bryce Canyon.
For many, this is one of the most anticipated days on our journey, as we trace the path of American history along an open stretch of one of the world’s most infamous highways, Route 66. Feel the rumble of your bike as we open up our throttles and race back in time. You can almost see the old steam engine carrying passengers to a new life in the West along the 100 year old tracks that run parallel to Route 66. Gas stations and roadside diners still dot the same landscape that the first Harley Davidson motorcycles sped eastbound from Milwaukee so many years ago. We are now at one with the road as we leave a little piece of our own history on this great American highway.
We will soon be leaving the roar of Route 66 for the quiet serenity of the most recognizable destination in the Southwestern U.S., Grand Canyon National Park. We will enter the Park and ride along the rim of the Grand Canyon at dusk as we make our way to the lodge for the evening. Once we settle in for the night we’ll enjoy a short walk to stand together in awe of one of the Great Wonders of the World.
For those of you who want the full experience, we’ll organize an early morning walk to watch the sunrise over the Grand Canyon. You’ll have to see it to believe it.
Day 5 – Grand Canyon to Monument Valley
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What an incredible day we have ahead of us! We’ll putt along the rim of the Grand Canyon once again as we make our way out of the Park for the scenic ride into the state of Utah on our way to Monument Valley. The region is rich in Native American history and we will have plenty of time to stop at road side stands and shop for Native American handcrafts or just to talk with people whose ancestors have called this area home for hundreds of years. These people are as proud and prominent as the great landscape that rises before us as we enter the visual wonder that is Monument Valley.
Day 6 – Monument Valley to Zion National Park, Utah
I’ll warn that you may forget all about the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley once we enter Zion National Park. While Route 66 to Grand Canyon, and Monument Valley are easily the most anticipated days for our fellow riders, this is almost always the most memorable. It is difficult to paint a description of Zion that can measure up to the actual experience of riding through it so I will leave it to your imagination, except to say WOW.
Day 7 – Zion to Viva Las Vegas
Or Zion to Bryce Canyon to Zion – If we decide, all before the trip, to not do a layover in Williams, Grand Canyon; then that allows us the opportunity spend a layover day in Zion and ride to Bryce Canyon and back for the day. Bryce Canyon is absolutely amazing. There is also the choice to just hang out for the day in Zion if you like. You can ride to Bryce with us, or do your own thing. You can go for a hike, go for a local ride in the mountains, relax, shop, explore, or lounge by the pool. Relax. I would have to say that Zion is probably my favorite stop on the journey.
We will get an early start today so we can arrive in Las Vegas with plenty of time to cut loose. Leaving the cool air of Zion, we will drop down into The Valley of Fire, a moonscape of deep red clay earth and rock formations that open once again into the Nevada dessert.
Here comes that ear to ear grin once again as Las Vegas starts to grow in the distance. The only sensation that can come close to matching the wonder of the Las Vegas cityscape at night is cruising down the Las Vegas Strip amidst the rumble of your fellow riders and newfound friends as we make our presence clearly known.
What happens next? That’s all up to you. Las Vegas is, well, Las Vegas. Walk the famed Las Vegas strip at night, take in an amazing show or redeem yourself at one of the great casinos. The choice is yours. We’ll organize a group dinner and some fun for those of you who want to come along. For the rest. Viva Las Vegas!
Day 8 – Las Vegas to Death Valley, California
This is a fun ride! As we near our destination we will wind along the calm waters of Big Bear Lake, which doubles as a popular Southern California ski resort in the winter. Today it is sunny, warm and inviting. If you’re feeling adventurous join the few of the Ride Free Family in the past who have braved the icy waters of the lake for a late afternoon swim. Go ahead, we dare you!Get up and shake off the glitter of Las Vegas because we are about to take a journey to one of the most unforgiving and magnificent places on the planet, Death Valley. It is going to be hot, but it will also be amazing as we enter the confines of Death Valley, one of the few habitable places on Earth that actually drops below sea level. Your Ride Free Tour Team will make plenty of stops to rehydrate and soak in the unbelievable sights.Our final destination for the day will be Panamint Springs, California, a tiny smattering of single floor hotel rooms over thirty miles from the nearest civilization that has been the backdrop for more than one Hollywood thriller. From the bright lights of Las Vegas to the bright stars of Panamint Springs. You have likely never seen the Milky Way and the constellations as clear in your life as you will tonight. As always, soak it in. Let it take over you. Home and work seem a million miles away and you hope this ride never ends.
Day 9 – Death Valley to Lone Pine, California
(in Spring this route varies depending on snow conditions on the passes. We take Southern route to Yosemite if the passes are closed )
This day easily brings the greatest contrast in landscape of the trip, as we leave the vast expanse of Death Valley for the Sierra Nevada mountain range and the western town of Lone Pine. Your bike now feels like part of your body as we climb out of the Valley and climb the Sierra Nevadas.
Our final destination today is Lone Pine, California; a tiny town nestled into the base of Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the state of California. Los Angeles is a memory as you take in the perfect night air of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range and the warm welcome of this unique town.
Day 10 – Lone Pine to Yosemite National Park
( this route varies depending on snow conditions on the passes )
Yosemite National Park is, without a doubt, one of the most visually stunning natural wonders in North America. We will enter the Park from the west entrance and cross Tioga Pass at an elevation of almost 9,000 feet as we cruise along crystal clear mountain lakes and peaks that are hanging on to their last remnants of snow. The sun is warm and the air is fresh as Yosemite Valley and El Capitan still lie ahead. The sun climbs into the sky as we open to the endless green meadows of the valley floor. Lunch today is on a picnic bench under the shade of a giant Redwood. No cell phones, no rush hour, no worries. Today is about you and about this place.
Day 11 – Yosemite to San Francisco, California
Today will take you and the Ride Free Family from the serenity of Yosemite to the cool and vibrant streets of San Francisco. We’ll ride or motorcycles through the Northern California countryside for a nice stretch before we drop down towards Sausalito on the Pacific Coast Highway along the California coast. Soon we’ll be perched on a high peak to gaze over The Golden Gate Bridge before riding across and into the heart of the San Francisco Bay and Ghirardelli Square. From here everything that San Francisco and the surrounding area have to offer is at your fingertips. The Ride Free Tour Team has a few favorite spots we like to hit for dinner and some great blues and jazz music. We can’t wait to share this exciting city with you. We take a ride on the cable car, and do some exploration of Fisherman’s Wharf where we stay for the night.
Day 12 – San Francisco to Monterey, California
We start the day off lazy with some coffee and some more time walking around San Francisco. This is a relaxed morning. A nice walk over to the famous cable car, and we hop on for an incredible ride downtown where we do some exploring and shopping. Then we regroup and ride the cable car one more time back to Fishermans Wharf.
Late in the morning we turn our journey south and start the first of four days of riding on California’s Pacific Coast Highway 1, a long stretch of winding ocean side highway. PCH 1 is a motorcycle rider’s dream; pure and simple.
This day also offers one of the best lunch spots of the trip, Hollister, California. The Hollister motorcycle riot and subsequent movie, “The Wild Ones”, starring a young Marlon Brando, is considered by motorcycle historians to have catapulted the “outlaw biker” lifestyle into the public eye. We’ll step back in history as we settle in for lunch at Johnny’s Bar, a small pub in the center of Hollister that was the backdrop for one of the most famous motorcycle scenes in the history of Hollywood.
From Hollister, it is just a short hop down the hill past Carmel (the coastal city where Clint Eastwood was Mayor) and down the California coast on motorcycle riding the PCH to Monterey Bay. Monterey’s Cannery Row and world famous aquarium have been favorite spots of the Ride Free family for years. You will love this quintessential California coastal town.
Day 13 – Monterey to Cambria, California per PCH Highway – BIG SUR !
The Ride Free Guided Tour Team gets to sleep a little late this morning as we do not leave Monterey until 12:00pm. This gives you plenty of time to enjoy Cannery Row for some great food or tour the famous Monterey Aquarium. There is actually plenty of time for both if you like.
Now, get ready for an amazing day on this PCH motorcycle tour. Within the first few miles we will hug hair pin corners as we cruise the sea side cliffs that open to the Pacific Ocean. We will stop often to take in the scenery and many opportunities for breathtaking photos and video. Riding the Big Sur California Coast is something that has to be experienced to fully appreciate the views. Today is not a view here and a view there. Today’s ride is a visual sensation from start to finish.
Cruise right on the coast. Sometimes so close to the ocean spray might hit us, then we are high on cliffs! Lots of marine life to see.
The motorbike group will make one last stop before settling in for the night in the small sea side town of Cambria. We’ll have the rare opportunity to get up close and personal with giant Elephant Seals in their natural habitat. The term “couch potato” takes on a whole new meaning when you see thirty of these giants lounging poolside on the beach. You’ll have to see it to believe it.
Day 14 – Cambria to Ventura, California
We will get an early start this morning because we have a special treat planned for lunch today. After a short ride along the california coast we will turn inland for a stunning ride through the foothills of Santa Barbara before dropping back down and into one of the most beautiful cities in Southern California.
Lunch today is long and lazy. Oh, and it is on the famous Santa Barbara Pier! Heads will turn as the Ride Free group rumbles down the wooded planks of the pier to park our bikes 1/8 mile over the Pacific Ocean. We will be sure to leave plenty of time for souvenir shopping after our group lunch on a waterfront terrace. Most of the group usually leaves Santa Barbara Pier with a couple of bags of fresh hand pulled taffy and t-shirts for their kids and family back home.
After lunch we will shake the pier one last time as we leave Santa Barbara behind us for the laid back beachfront town of Ventura, California.
Day 15 – Ventura to Los Angeles
We still have a full day ahead of us. We spend the day hanging out at the famous local surfing spots on the PCH highway and 2 of the most visited bike hangouts. Keep an eye out for Jay Leno.
Live as a local today.
We’ll get an early jump on the day and continue our motorcycle journey along the Pacific Ocean on the 101 and Pacific Coast Highway as we point our bikes south towards Malibu Beach as we rumble past the long row of celebrity homes that line this world famous stretch of sand. We ride and explore the famous motorcycle roads in and around Malibu. And, we go to the local spots throughout the day, that are some of the most famous motorcycle destinations in California. We pass the Santa Monica Pier, and cruise along the coast right past Venice Beach. A late Lunch today is at the Ride Free Tour Team’s favorite L.A. eatery. We will have plenty of time to reflect on the experience we shared together and, most likely, will start planting the seeds for our next adventure together.
After a late lunch we head back along the beach for one last walk in the sand. Then at the end of the day we turn in our bikes.
You came into this trip as one of a group of riders from all over the world. You are leaving today as part of a family; the Ride Free family.
