Our RideFree experience was an adventure of epic proportions. With the guidance of Wil and strategic planning, we managed to do a self-guided tour from LA to Yosemite National park,... read more through San Francisco and back down to LA in 5 days. It was a trip of a lifetime and I can't wait to hit the road again soon."
Read my full blog and story here on my website, NavigatorNick
Nick S 4/24/2020
Nathan Peach ( Overseal, Derbyshire, United Kingdom ) Just recently completed a Ride Free organised tour of Northern California, me and my buddy hatched an idea to go... read more and have an adventure in America whilst still fit and able enough to not be plagued with...More
nathanp265 11/11/2019
Wil and Erin at Ride Free organised our whole trip along route 66 then the coast road to San Francisco. A self guided driving tour we did with our friends.... read more And taking in some of the natural wonders as well like the Grand Canyon &...More
Hello Wil and Erin. Just a short note to thank you for the ‘BEST VACATION EVER’. Both Brian and Andy were exceptionally professional and it is fair to say that that trip would not have been as good without the professional and friendly banter between the group and the guides. They were well able to cater for the differences in the group and this aided the holiday. The locations, lodgings and roads traveled matched and, sometimes, exceeded our expectations. On at least two occasions the accommodations were part of our dreams. ( Log cabin on a lake ) Read More
Wild West Motorcycle Tour and California Coast Self Drive Car TOUR INFORMATION
Wild West Motorcycle Tour and California Coast Self Drive Car Tour with Monument Valley
We are the OLDEST MOTORCYCLE TOUR COMPANY IN THE USA, established in 1993. We are not the largest, fanciest, or most corporate tour company; we are a small tight group of friends who love taking you on tour and making new friends from all over the world. The TeamCONTACT US
Part 1= LA to Vegas, 8 Day
Los Angeles Laughlin Grand Canyon, Williams Grand Canyon South Rim Monument Valley Zion Bryce Canyon Las Vegas
Part 2= Vegas to San Fran, California Coast to LA – 9 Day
Las Vegas Death Valley Lone Pine Yosemite San Francisco Monterey Cambria Santa Barbara Los Angeles
Combine Part 1 and 2 = 16 Day Option Los Angeles to Los Angeles
One Way Fees Apply on non Round Trip Options- $300 per bike, not person
Options:
11 Day WWII: Ultra Option: add Death Valley, add Napa With N Cal Coast with Redwoods
16 Day Combo: As above
17 Day Combo: Add Day in Death Valley, next night Mammoth Lakes
18 Day Combo:Ultra Option: Add Day in Death Valley, and Layover in San Francisco –
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.
16 Day Route Below, 8 – 15 Day Routes also available on similar route. Custom Self Drive Motorcycle Tours available for an portion of this route.
Full Tour, or Part 1 = LA to Vegas 8 Day, Part 2 = Vegas to LA 9 Day.
One way fee $375 applies per bike if not round trip.
Route 66 Self Drive Car Tour. Drive Historic Route 66 from Chicago to LA down the Mother Road of America. Explore old Rt 66, The Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, and more with the Oldest Motorcycle Tour Company in the USA. Fully Insured.
See the Route 66 Self Drive Motorcycle Tour from Chicago to Los Angeles with Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. Or for a shorter Route 66 trip, you can join on a motorcycle the portion from Albuquerque to LA on Route 66. This is a 10 Day Tour.
Pre Rt 66 Trip to Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee – or – Milwaukee Start Option – add to any tours
This extra day pre trip is available as an option on all our Route 66 tours. Adds 1 or 2 days to trip.
Or Start the tour in Milwaukee, visit the Harley Museum, pick up the bikes, ride with the group to Chicago.
Harley-Davidson 115th Anniversary Celebration Museum Rally Route 66 Motorcycle Tour from Milwaukee
Part 1: We meet up for a few days of celebration at the Harley Museum in Milwaukee. Then we get our bikes and ride to Chicago.
Part 2: From Chicago we do the Route 66 Chicago to Los Angeles Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Tour
Option 1 – 15 Day 14 Night – Traditional Classic Route 66 Motorcycle Tour
– can add Milwaukee Harley Museum Option
This is the Traditional Route 66 Chicago to LA Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Tour. Ride Free includes almost a full day at The Grand Canyon on this motorbike trip across America, or explore the area on your bike that day. And, we arrive early to Las Vegas so you have a full afternoon and night in Las Vegas, or we can ride the Red Rock Canyon by Vegas or The Valley of fire. Optional helicopter ride at Grand Canyon. This is what most motorcycle tour companies run, but we highly suggest the 16 day or 17 day tour. They turn the trip from a mission feel where you just don’t have the time you wish you had every day, into the motorcycle tour experience you were hoping for. It is not that our 16 day Rt 66 route is longer in mileage, we just give you more time to see the things you came to see, and not be exhausted like the other tours we see on the road.
Option 2 – 16 Day 15 Night – Ultra Route 66 Motorcycle Tour – or 17 day Ultimate Explorer
– can add Milwaukee Harley Museum Option
This is the traditional Route 66 Chicago to Los Angeles Motorcycle Tour, BUT with a couple of extras.
We explore Rt 66 where most tours ride right by, and we add days so we have time to explore more without days being too long on our motorcycles. # Wil highly recommends this over any 15 day Rt 66 Route.
We add a day in the middle of the trip = shortens the riding days. Our 15 day is the industry standard, but there are some very long riding day, if you add a riding, it will make the 3 long days into 4 nice days. Well worth it. Or add 2 extra riding days for a 17 day Route 66 Motorcycle Tour, and is even more relaxing. This is how Wil would choose to do it every time. You are only doing this once, believe me now or later…
## Note: don’t let the mileage fool you, much of our trip exploring is slow moving and takes a long time. And, you don’t want to miss all the history and attractions.
Option 3 – 13 Day 12 Night – Chicago to Las Vegas Rt 66 Motorcycle Tour
– can add Milwaukee Harley Museum Option
This motorcycle trip across America is the same as the Traditional Chicago to LA Route 66 Harley-Davidson
motorcycle tour, but we ride our motorbikes Chicago to Las Vegas on Route 66.
Option 4 – 10 Day 9 Night – Chicago to Albuquerque Rt 66 Motorcycle Tour
– can add Milwaukee Harley Museum Option
This motorcycle trip across America is the same as the Ultra Chicago to LA Route 66 Harley-Davidson
motorcycle tour, but we ride our motorbikes Chicago to Santa Fe / Albuquerque on Route 66.
Option 5 – 9 Day 8 Night – Albuquerque to Los Angeles Rt 66 Motorcycle Tour
This motorcycle trip across America is the same as the Ultra Chicago to LA Route 66 Harley-Davidson
motorcycle tour, but we ride our motorbikes Albuquerque / Santa Fe to Los Angeles on Route 66.
Option 5B – 10 day 9 Night – We go to Santa Fe also on this trip.
Option 6 – 19 Day 18 Night – Chicago to Los Angeles Ultimate Rt 66 Motorcycle Tour
Add Harley Museum and Las Vegas Layover – starts in Chicago or Milwaukee start option
This Rt 66 motorcycle trip across America is the same as the relaxed 17 day Ultimate Chicago to LA Route 66 Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Tour, except we add in a stop at the Harley Davidson Museum in Milwaukee and a layover day in Las Vegas.
If you want to go no holds barred on your motorbike experience of a lifetime, this is the trip for you. It still also has the layover day in Santa Fe. You will have time to see so much on your trip, and with the layover days, you will be much less fatigued and tired than the 15 day trip.
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 car. 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 touring car 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 car 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
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. We wind up the mountain to the old mining town of Oatman and pet the mules and maybe find some gold?
Feel the rumble of your car 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 arrive in Williams, at the base of the Grand Canyon. This gives us plenty of time to enjoy Rt 66, then be staged for a full day at The Grand Canyon tomorrow.
Day 4 – Williams to Grand Canyon South Rim . Or no stop at Williams, and we go to Bryce Canyon for a night before Zion after Monument Valley.
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 drive along the rim of the Grand Canyon as we make our way to the lodge and other activities. Once we settle in we’ll enjoy a short walk to stand together in awe of one of the Great Wonders of the World.
We either have a layover at the Grand Canyon by means of staying in Williams at the base of the Grand Canyon yesterday, or we continue on to the South Rim on Day 3 and add Bryce for a night to the trip after Monument Valley on the way to Zion. This is decided months before tour depending on what everyone wants.
If we choose the Williams stop, it allows us more time on Day 3 to take our time on Route 66 and the neat Western Town of Williams. 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 night 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 and more. 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
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 1 – Las Vegas Departure – Begin Part II, Meet Day
Today is the beginning of Part II. Part II Group meets up in Las Vegas that afternoon to prepare and have fun before heading out on the road the next morning. Start you Vegas fun early, because tomorrow early the adventure begins!
Day 2 – Las Vegas to Lone Pine or Mammoth Lakes, California
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 peace 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. 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 car now feels like part of your body as we drive 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 3 – Lone Pine to Yosemite National Park
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 4 – 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 our cars 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 5 – 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 car driver'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 driving 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 6 – 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 car 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 car 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 7 – Cambria to Santa Barbara, 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. We have an amazing hidden away lunch spot!
Heads will turn as the Ride Free group rumbles down the road and park our cars by the Pacific Ocean. We will be sure to leave plenty of time for souvenir shopping. 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. We will shake the cars and pier one last time as we get ready to explore Santa Barbara for the evening.
Day 8 – Santa Barbara 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 car journey along the Pacific Ocean on the 101 and Pacific Coast Highway as we point our cars South to Ventura. Then we drive 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 car 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 cars. 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.
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 car. 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 touring car 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 car 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
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. We wind up the mountain to the old mining town of Oatman and pet the mules and maybe find some gold?
Feel the rumble of your car 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 arrive in Williams, at the base of the Grand Canyon. This gives us plenty of time to enjoy Rt 66, then be staged for a full day at The Grand Canyon tomorrow.
Day 4 – Williams to Grand Canyon South Rim . Or no stop at Williams, and we go to Bryce Canyon for a night before Zion after Monument Valley.
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 drive along the rim of the Grand Canyon as we make our way to the lodge and other activities. Once we settle in we’ll enjoy a short walk to stand together in awe of one of the Great Wonders of the World.
We either have a layover at the Grand Canyon by means of staying in Williams at the base of the Grand Canyon yesterday, or we continue on to the South Rim on Day 3 and add Bryce for a night to the trip after Monument Valley on the way to Zion. This is decided months before tour depending on what everyone wants.
If we choose the Williams stop, it allows us more time on Day 3 to take our time on Route 66 and the neat Western Town of Williams. 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 night 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 and more. 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
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 Departure – End of Part I / Begin Part II, Meet Day If on the 16 Day trip, this is a layover day in Vegas. Vegas to Vegas.
Today is the beginning of Part II. Part II Group meets up in Las Vegas that afternoon to prepare and have fun before heading out on the road the next morning. Start you Vegas fun early, because tomorrow early the adventure begins!
Day 9 – Las Vegas to Lone Pine or Mammoth Lakes, California
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 peace 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. 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 car now feels like part of your body as we drive 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
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 our cars 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 car driver'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 driving 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 car 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 car 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 Santa Barbara, 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. We have an amazing hidden away lunch spot!
Heads will turn as the Ride Free group rumbles down the road and park our cars by the Pacific Ocean. We will be sure to leave plenty of time for souvenir shopping. 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. We will shake the cars and pier one last time as we get ready to explore Santa Barbara for the evening.
Day 15 – Santa Barbara 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 car journey along the Pacific Ocean on the 101 and Pacific Coast Highway as we point our cars South to Ventura. Then we drive 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 car 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 cars. 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.
Day 16 – Los Angeles Departure
Los Angeles departure day.
Wild West Car Tour and California Coast Tour with Monument Valley
April 25 – May 2, 2021 – Wild West I – 8 Day
May 4 – 13, 2021 – Wild West I – 10 day
June 6 – 13 , 2021- Part I – Wild West Western National Parks – LA to Grand Canyon to Las Vegas – 8 day
June 13 – 21, 2021- Part II – Wild West Western National Parks – Vegas to California Coast to LA – 9 day
September 21- 28, 2021 – Part I -Wild West Western National Parks – LA to Grand Canyon to Las Vegas
September 28 – Oct 6, 2021 -Part II – Wild West Western National Parks – Vegas to Yosemite to California Coast to LA
September 21– Oct 6, 2021 – California COMBO Wild West Parks and Coast Motorcycle Tour – 16 day
One Way Fees Apply on non Round Trip Options- $300 per bike, not person
Options:
10 Day WWI: Ultra Option:
11 Day WWII: Ultra Option: add Death Valley, add Napa With N Cal Coast with Redwoods
16 Day Combo: As above
17 Day Combo: Add Day in Death Valley, next night Mammoth Lakes
18 Day Combo: Ultra Option: Add Day in Death Valley, and Layover in San Francisco –
Wild West Combo (1 + 2) – Self Drive Car Tour Pricing
Self Drive Tour – Per Person - TAX INCLUDED
16 Day 15 Night WW Combo
17 Day 18 Night WW Combo
18 Day 17 Night WW Combo
Self Drive – 2 People – 1 Car – 1 Room
$
$
$
Self Drive - 1 - Car - 1 room
$
$
$
Self Drive - 1 Car - 1 room
$
$
$
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.
16 Day Route Below, 8 – 15 Day Routes also available on a similar route. Custom Self Drive Car Tours available for a portion of this route.
Full Tour, or Part 1 = LA to Vegas 8 Day, Part 2 = Vegas to LA 9 Day.
One way fee $375 applies per bike if not round trip.
Our RideFree experience was an adventure of epic proportions. With the guidance of Wil and strategic planning, we managed to do a self-guided tour from LA to Yosemite National park,... read more 
