From Chicago to LA, via train and car

[fillmore]

So after 3 years of wistfully reading everyone else's trip reports, it's time to do mine!

We (me, dh and ds aged 7) are off to the west coast via Chicago to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary. We were married in Vegas and honeymooned in Hawaii. DH wanted to return to Hawaii but I couldn't face the journey with a fidgety boy so that will have to wait.

Originally this was going to be a WDW plus week touring Florida holiday but after many variations this is the itinerary:

Chicago (2 nights), overnight Amtrak to Flagstaff on the Southwest Chief, 3 nights in Flagstaff, 1 night Grand Canyon North Rim, 3 nights in Zion, 2 nights in Vegas, 2 nights in Anaheim and 5 nights in Newport Beach.

When ds was younger his favourite film was Cars and he loves the idea of travelling on Route 66. So we'll see the beginning and the end and travel from Flagstaff to Kingman as a day trip from Flagstaff. I am looking forward the most to the overnight train journey...we did the overnight journey from Paris to Berlin years back and loved it ...although what 30 hours on a train with a 7 year old will be like is anyone's guess!

I can't actually believe after all the planning and waiting it is finally going to happen! I'll put more details for each place over the next few weeks. Thanks for reading.