Main Street USA. The Mother Road. The Will Rogers Highway. Known by many names, Route 66 is an American icon that has inspired a 1946 hit song, a 1960s television series, the 2006 animated movie Cars, as well as countless dreams and road trips.
Route 66 turns 100 next year, so now is the perfect time to plan your own adventure on the historic roadway. Here are travel resources and things to see, eat, and drink (after the ride) along the way, organized by state.
RESOURCES:
See all of Rider’s Route 66 travel features and info
Illinois (301 miles)
Going from east to west, start your ride in Chicago at the “Historic 66 Begin” sign at the northwestern corner of Adams St. and Michigan Ave. Fuel up for the journey at the historic Lou Mitchell’s restaurant or The Roadhouse 66 Gas N’ Grill, and then hit the road.
The first 100 miles of Route 66 is known as the Heritage Corridor. In Joliet, visit the Route 66 Welcome Center at the Joliet Area Historical Museum and the Old Joliet Prison, made famous by The Blues Brothers movie.
You can see American bison grazing at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, the Gemini Giant in Wilmington, and the Ambler Becker Texaco Station in Dwight, the longest-operating filling station on Route 66. In Pontiac, visit the Pontiac-Oakland Auto Museum and see the massive Route 66 shield mural downtown behind the Route 66 Hall of Fame & Museum.
Springfield boasts several worthy stops, from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum to the Illinois State Museum, the Ace Sign Company Museum, and the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Dana Thomas House. Route 66 Motorheads Bar, Grill and Museum, designed with car and racing enthusiasts in mind, is home to a variety of motorcycle rallies, car shows, and other events throughout the year.
The last 100 miles of Route 66 in Southwest Illinois is part of the Great Rivers & Routes region, going from Virden just outside Springfield to the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, which was part of the old Route 66 and crosses the Mississippi River. Here, Route 66 connects with another legendary highway, the Great River Road.
RESOURCES:
- IL66Assoc.org
- EnjoyIllinois.com
- National Park Sites: Chicago Portage National Historic Site, Lincoln Home National Historic Site
- Landmarks: Gemini Giant (Wilmington), Sprague’s Super Service Station (Normal), Cozy Dog Drive In (Springfield)
Missouri (292 miles)
In St. Louis, after visiting the Gateway Arch, check out Schlafly Beer, the city’s original craft brewery, which brews more than 70 styles of beer and runs multiple brewpubs. It’s working on a new line of low-ABV beers that don’t sacrifice flavor and recently released a 2.5% IPA at its tap room.
The Pulaski County portion of Route 66 marks the halfway point between St. Louis and Joplin and boasts breathtaking views of rivers cutting through limestone and dolomite rock, leaving dramatic bluffs and fertile valleys. The George M. Reed Roadside Park is one of the few remaining original roadside parks on Route 66 in Missouri, while St. Robert Route 66 Neon Park offers multiple restored neon signs lit from dusk till midnight daily.
RESOURCES:
- Missouri66.org
- VisitMO.com
- National Park Sites: Gateway Arch National Park, Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site
- Landmarks: 66 Drive-In (Carthage), Ted Drewes Frozen Custard (St. Louis), Meramec Caverns (Stanton)
Kansas (13 miles)
After crossing into Kansas, visit the Galena Mining and Historical Museum for a glimpse of the town during its 1920s-era mining heyday, while Cars on the Route, inside the old Kan-O-Tex gas station, serves sandwiches and sells souvenirs related to Pixar’s animated Route 66 movie Cars.
RESOURCES:
- TravelKS.com
- Facebook.com/KSHistoricRoute66
- Landmarks: Baxter Springs Service Station (Baxter Springs), Marsh Rainbow Arch Bridge (Riverton)
Oklahoma (376 miles)
For a respite when you reach Oklahoma City, the National, Autograph Collection is a storied hotel housed in the 1931 First National Bank building. The hotel embraces its history with The Vault, a speakeasy cocktail lounge in the old bank vault, and Tellers, an Italian-inspired eatery that uses the original teller stands as booths.
Check out the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton for a deep dive into the history of the Mother Road with interactive exhibits. The museum offers visitors a personal journey through the revered highway, showcasing the iconic ideas, images, and myths of Route 66.
RESOURCES:
- OklahomaRoute66.com
- TravelOK.com
- National Park Sites: Oklahoma City National Memorial
- Landmarks: Blue Whale (Catoosa), Round Barn (Arcadia), Rock Cafe (Shroud)
Texas (178 miles)
In addition to Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo boasts The Big Texan Steak Ranch & Brewery, famous for the 72-ounce steak challenge: If you can eat a salad, a baked potato, a shrimp cocktail, and 72 ounces of beef in one hour, it’s free; if not, you’ll have to pay the $72 price of the meal. The Big Texan also offers lodging at its RV park, cabins, wagons, Airstreams, and Airbnbs on property.
RESOURCES:
- Rt66ofTexas.com
- TravelTexas.com
- Landmarks: Cadillac Ranch (Amarillo), Leaning Tower of Texas (Groom), Tower Station and U-Drop Inn Cafe (Shamrock)
New Mexico (380 miles)
Santa Fe, which was part of the original Route 66 before being bypassed in 1937, was founded in 1610 and has a walkable historic district. Milk of the Poppy is a new immersive apothecary-meets-craft cocktail bar that evokes the experience of stumbling into a traveler’s tavern in the modern era. Its beverages draw inspiration from historical and fictional libations, and its limited menu features dishes influenced by the region and taverns of the Middle Ages.
Heading into Albuquerque, Vara Winery and Distillery has several tasting rooms to enjoy after a long day of riding. Vara aims to redefine how and when Americans enjoy sparkling wine, positioning it as a value-driven, everyday option with a high-quality domestic alternative with Spanish character and French winemaking.
RESOURCES:
- Rt66NM.org
- NewMexico.org
- National Park Sites: Pecos National Historic Park, Petroglyph National Monument, El Malpais National Monument
- Landmarks: Blue Swallow Motel (Tucumcari), El Rancho Hotel (Gallup), Maisel’s Indian Trading Post (Albuquerque)
Arizona (401 miles)
Stop at the Flagstaff Visitor Center at the train depot and ask for the Arizona Historic Route 66 Passport. There are numerous eateries and bars in the historic downtown district, including Lumberyard Brewing Co. with an outdoor patio overlooking the train tracks. If you’re looking for nightlife, The Museum Club in Flagstaff is a former Route 66 roadhouse and taxidermy shop turned country western nightclub, complete with line dancing and live music.
Other historic towns along Route 66 include Holbrook, Winslow, Williams, Seligman, and Kingman, all of which have classic shops, restaurants, and attractions. The final stretch of Route 66 in Arizona runs through the Black Mountains and Oatman, a Wild West mining town with staged shootouts, wooden sidewalks, and free-roaming burros. The historic Oatman Hotel houses a bar and restaurant on the ground level and a museum on the second floor – including the Clark Gable/Carole Lombard honeymoon suite.
RESOURCES:
- AZRt66.com
- VisitArizona.com
- National Park Sites: Grand Canyon National Park, Petrified Forest National Park, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Walnut Canyon National Monument, Wupatki National Monument
- Landmarks: Wigmam Village Motel #6 (Holbrook), Standin’ on the Corner Park (Winslow), Jack Rabbit Trading Post (Joseph City), Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In (Seligman)
California (315 miles)
After Route 66 goes over the Colorado River, it crosses the barren Mojave Desert before entering the megalopolis of Los Angeles, where it ends at the Santa Monica Pier. What now? Reward yourself after a long journey with a stay, meal, or drink at the Sandbourne Santa Monica, with a beachside location near the pier. Enjoy a signature cocktail such as the Matcha Martini at the oceanfront Lobby Bar or the fine California cuisine at its Marelle restaurant. If you’ve just finished a cruise down Route 66, you’ve earned it.
RESOURCES:
- Route66CA.org
- VisitCalifornia.com
- National Park Sites: Mojave National Preserve, Mojave Trails National Monument
- Landmarks: Old Trails Bridge (Needles), Roy’s Motel & Cafe (Amboy), Barstow Harvey House (Barstow)
In my younger age, would’ve loved to ride my motorcycle along any part of Route 66…
I have rode different parts of Route 66. Just not all at once. I am pushing 60 in January and I would like to ride it still. Now I’ve gone from 2 wheels to 3 wheels. Still within my range to do it.
In 1962 I was statioed with the USAF at Clinton Sherman AFB a few miles out of Clinton – but we lived in Clinton. My daughter mostly grew up there – till we moved elsewhere. Now I live in Washington state – but my same daughter is now 67 and lives in Chelsea, Oklahoma which is i the north east corner of the state – also on Route 66. I drove Route 66 many times during my time in the area.