A Route 66 road trip is a driving adventure along what is probably the most famous road in the world. Historic Route 66 spans over 2,400 miles and crosses 8 states, starting in Chicago, Illinois and terminating at the Pacific Coast in Santa Monica, California. Given its “66” designation in 1926, it became a well-traveled highway, bringing together people from all walks of life.
John Steinbeck would refer to Route 66 as “the mother road, the road of flight” for those trying to escape the Dust Bowl and ravages of the Great Depression in the 1930’s. Later it would support a countless number of vacationing families from the Midwest heading to the Grand Canyon or Disneyland. As more Americans took to the highway, a roadside culture would spring up along Route 66—motels, diners, gas stations, tourist attractions—to cater to a population that was increasingly mobile.
Today it is that classic road side culture and the appeal of the open road that continues to attract tourists. Route 66 has inspired songs, films, TV shows, books, and even a clothing brand. Even though Route 66 was officially decommissioned in 1985, people from around the world come to drive this mythic highway, stay in vintage motels, gawk at odd roadside attractions, and eat American road food. For some travelers, it is a trip back in time to revisit a road they once traveled on a family holiday, whereas for others a Route 66 road trip is the ultimate symbol of Americana.
Laurence and I drove Route 66 from Los Angeles to Chicago and loved it! We’ll share information on how to plan your own Route 66 road trip, decide when and where to go, and share advice based on our own Route 66 road trip experiences.
Contents:
Basic Information about Route 66
This first section covers the basics of Route 66 including the history of the route, the length of the Route, the current status of the route, the starting and ending points, and the main things you can see and do along Route 66.
What is Route 66?
Essentially, Route 66 is a historic highway in the United States that ran southwestwardly from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California, crossing 8 states and covering over 2,400 miles (3,900 km). From east to west, it runs through parts of Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.
Over the years, the route was continually improved, repaved, changed, and re-routed so there is no one single “Route 66” but a number of alignments. For instance, one early Route 66 alignment in New Mexico went through Santa Fe, but in 1937 Route 66 was re-routed to bypass the state capital so today’s travelers can choose which alignment of Route 66 they would like to follow at such points.
The route is no longer officially designated or signed as Route 66 (as it was decommissioned in 1985); however, more than 80% of this original route can still be driven today with the help of Route 66 guidebooks and maps. Route 66 has become a symbol of early roadside America, and tourists drive it today for its history, sites, and nostalgia.
Note that most U.S. states have a Route 66 or Highway 66; however, the “famous” Route 66 refers only to this historic route that ran from the Midwest to California.
The history of Route 66 spans almost 100 years, but here is a brief history. In 1926, the U.S. federal highway system designated the number 66 to the route that ran from Chicago to Santa Monica. The route was simply a series of pre-existing roads and the Route 66 designation was meant to ensure adequate and consistent markings and signage for the route as it crossed state and regional boundaries. The route would be fully paved by 1938, and Route 66 would become the most traveled route between the Midwest and the West Coast.
Over the years, it would be traversed on foot by those participating in the Bunion Derby, driven in desperation by Dust Bowl migrants headed to California for a better life, hitchhiked by World War II soldiers, and used by thousands upon thousands of vacationing Americans in the 1950s and 1960s on their way to visit wonders like the Grand Canyon and Disneyland.
Along this busy road would spring up motels, diners, gas stations, car repair shops, and all sorts of tourist traps that would become part of a distinctive roadside culture that reached its height during the 1950s and 1960s. Along this route, you could pay to see live rattlesnakes, tour caves and Jesse James hideouts, visit Native American reservations, ride horses, watch a Wild West show, and marvel at giant dinosaur statues.
Sadly and ironically, it would be the popularity of the road that led to its eventual demise and the rise of the current federal interstate system. Interstates are designed to get people from Point A to Point B as quickly and efficiently as possible, which means bypassing towns when possible, having a minimum speed, and having minimal exit points. As interstates such as I-40 were constructed that bypassed many of the small towns and cities that had grown up alongside Route 66, the small businesses along most of this route suffered considerably (as they did all over the country).
In 1985, Route 66 was officially decommissioned as a route and the route signage was removed. Today, a number of advocacy, tourism, and preservation groups seek to protect the history, remaining pavement, and local businesses along this historic route. Efforts by advocacy groups, government funding, and portrayal in films, such as Cars, have helped to increase tourism along the route.
However, despite these efforts, The World Monuments Fund added Route 66 to its Watch List of endangered sites in 2008. Current travelers along Route 66 should consider how being good patrons to the small existing businesses along the route can help sustain them for future visitors.
Where Does Route 66 Start?
Route 66 starts in Chicago, Illinois. In Chicago, the official starting and ending points for Route 66 are a bit confusing as they changed over time and there are now one-way east bound and westbound lanes making it even more tricky.
For those starting in Chicago, you can start at Jackson Boulevard at Michigan Avenue (the original beginning point in 1926) or Jackson Blvd at Lake Shore Drive (the official beginning point since 1933). These two points are only a couple of blocks apart.
However, the current Route 66 Begin sign (last we knew) is located on E. Adams Street at Michigan Avenue so may want to stop and walk over there before you set off. For those eastbound drivers ending in Chicago, the Route 66 End Sign is marked at Jackson Blvd and Michigan Avenue.
To take a photo of any of the Route 66 signs, you’ll want to find a place to park and walk to them if you can. The signs are located up tall poles (one next to a bus stop) to prevent vandalism/stealing, but this inconveniently make it more challenging to take photos next to them!
Where Does Route 66 End?
The route ends in Santa Monica, California. Although some say Los Angeles, California for simplicity since Los Angeles is a better known city.
Like the starting point, you have more than one official ending point. The original 1926 terminus was at 7th Street and Broadway in downtown Los Angeles and was later moved to the intersection of Lincoln Boulevard and Olympic Boulevard in Santa Monica.
Olympic Boulevard is now divided by Interstate 10. For eastbound traffic there is a Chevron gas station located at the intersection of Olympic and Lincoln (no signs). But for westbound traffic, there is both a brown Begin and End sign for Route 66 located at the intersection in front of Mel’s Drive-In (1670 Lincoln Blvd). Mel’s opened in 2018 and is a retro-style modern diner and a good place to stop for a bite to eat.
For a more satisfying end (or beginning) to your Route 66 road trip drive a bit further to the Santa Monica Pier, the entrance is located at Colorado and Ocean Avenue. Then take a walk to find the 66 to Cali shop where you’ll find the “End of the Trail” Route 66 sign as well as a fun Route 66 gift shop kiosk.
What States Does Route 66 Cross?
Route 66 runs through 8 different states within the United States. From east to west, it runs through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.
What Can I See Along Route 66?
Route 66 stretches across 8 states so you will cross through stretches of desert, mountains, farmland, large metropolitan cities, and small towns. You’ll pass a wide variety of landmarks, landscapes, parks, waterways, and cultural attractions along the way.
Cities are certainly important stops on a Route 66 itinerary but it is in the smaller cities and towns, often along their Main Streets, where you find the businesses and people that fit the image many people have of Small Town America.
In many towns, there might be nothing to do expect stroll its Main Street, eat at its diner, and visit an old steam engine. A road trip along Route 66 is not necessarily jam-packed with must-see sights, but the drive itself is the experience. Route 66 was developed to be a the way for people to get from Point A to Point B, but today Route 66 is often the destination itself.
Some of the most iconic things to see along the route are the buildings and signage of the numerous roadside cafes, motels, gas stations, and tourist attractions along this route. A large number of the original businesses are no longer operational, but in many places you can still eat in the same diner, sleep in the same motor court, and do a guided tour of the same cave as those who traveled Route 66 in the 1950’s.
Spending time in the car, eating a hamburger and ice cream soda at a classic diner, visiting a fun classic tourist trap attraction, and sleeping in a simple but clean family-run motel are the hallmarks of a Route 66 trip.
Sadly, many of the businesses that sprung up to support the Route 66 traffic are long gone, leaving behind ruined buildings, dark neon signs, crumbling motels, and even isolated ghost towns which have also become noteworthy attractions themselves. Natural wonders such as the Mojave Desert, Painted Desert, the Petrified Forest, Meramec Caverns, and the mighty Mississippi River are along this route, and detours can get you to many more natural wonders such as the Grand Canyon.
Other popular attractions include classic cars, old bridges, quirky roadside statues and art installations, restored old gas stations, drive-in movie theaters, painted murals, Old West shows and attractions, old city theaters, and historical railroad attractions.
Giant statue highlights include a giant blue whale, dinosaurs, a soda bottle, giant cowboys, a large cross, the famous Muffler men, the world’s largest concrete totem pole, and the world’s largest rocking chair. There are also a number of Route 66 museums (most states have at least one) and other speciality museums along the route (focusing on everything from barbed wire to Jesse James to cowboys to motorcycles).
Of course it is your trip to plan as you wish, and you can also make deviations and detours from Route 66 to visit other attractions off the route that fit your interests, whether it be listening to country music in Branson, Missouri, searching for aliens in Roswell, NM, gawking at the Grand Canyon in Arizona, gambling in Las Vegas, or visiting Disneyland in Anaheim, CA.
If you are planning to include the California coast in your trip, you can check out our Pacific Coast Highway road trip guide as we drove the Pacific Coast Highway prior to beginning Route 66.
Route 66 Planning Advice
This section answers the most common questions people have about planning a Route 66 road trip, including “How many days does it take to drive Route 66?”, “When is the best time of year to drive Route 66?”, “Where should I stay along Route 66?”, “How do I rent a car for a Route 66 road trip”, and “What should I pack for a Route 66 road trip?”. It also gives advice for developing your own Route 66 itinerary based on your time and interests.
When is the Best Time of Year to Travel Route 66?
Most people drive Route 66 between early May and late September, and this is generally considered the best time to travel the route. This is the most traveled time period partly due to convenience (school and work holidays) and partly due to the fact that these months generally present the best weather conditions. You’ll also find most of the attractions open for business during this time period.
One of the challenges (and thrills) with Route 66 given its large expanse is that is crosses deserts, plains, mountains, and grasslands and six climate zones (ranging from desert to mediterranean to alpine climates).
I would advise avoiding the winter months from mid-November to mid-February as you’ll likely find cold temperatures along much of the route (yes, it does freeze in places like New Mexico and Texas!), potential mountain road snow closures in the Western States (California, Arizona, New Mexico), and bone-chillingly cold winds in Chicago.
In addition to cold temperatures and potential poor road conditions, many of the smaller Route 66 attractions (and some of the bigger ones) close down in the winter months or have reduced hours making it harder for winter travelers to get the most of their Route 66 experience.
Some people also advise to avoid the months of July and August not only because of the heat and humidity, but also because they are the busiest months on Route 66 with the biggest crowds, most children, fewest discounts, and highest prices.
We actually did our road trip in July/August and although we did experience high desert temperatures (over 110 F degrees in Needles, CA for example), humidity, and rain during the route, we did not find the tourist sights or roads to be very crowded and did not have trouble finding motels or campground vacancies along the route. Very few people drive the route from one end to the other, and even fewer do it by faithfully sticking to the old route so we very often had the road to ourselves.
The busiest section was probably the section in Arizona between Topock, Arizona and Williams, Arizona so I would expect potential slow traffic and crowds on this section of the route. The larger cities are always busy and expect slower traffic there as well no matter when you are traveling. For those wanting decent weather (hopefully!) but looking to avoid crowds and the high desert temperatures, consider May, early June, September, or early October.
Obviously, the best time to drive Route 66 is the time you have available, and if you need to set out at a less than opportune time of the year, just be prepared and be flexible. No matter when you plan to set out on Route 66, plan ahead with the expectation that you will experience a range of temperatures and climates. During your trip, I’d advise checking the weather conditions each day as snow, hail storms, landslides, tornadoes, thunderstorms, flooding, and dust storms are all possible along this route!
Should I Drive Route 66 Westward or Eastward?
There is of course no correct way to do a road trip, not even an epic one like Route 66. You’ll see essentially the same things no matter which way you go (guides will actually suggest sometimes driving both ways in a town to experience both eastbound and westbound sections of Route 66 if there is a split because of one-way roads).
I would first base this decision on logistics (e.g., where you are based, best flight or car rental deals, weather), practicalities (e.g., weather), and any time-limited sightseeing priorities (e.g., a museum open for only 6 months of the year, a concert in Chicago you want to be at on X day). For example, we drove it eastbound from California to Chicago as we were based near San Francisco and it logistically made the most sense to start there.
However, if you have no logistical issues making you lean one way or the other, I would choose to drive Route 66 westward, from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, CA. This is the traditional way that Route 66 was originally developed and it also follows the westward expansion of the entire country.
Is Route 66 Signposted?
Not really. There are some Historical Route 66 signs in some states, but not in others. Some towns have taken upon themselves to put up Route 66 signs to help guide drivers. But you can’t depend on signs to follow Route 66.
How Do I Find and Stay on Route 66?
Bad news is that you can’t just go to Chicago and follow Route 66 signs westward to California. Since the route was decommissioned in 1985, the signs were removed and the route was removed from official maps. The road is also no longer contiguous as parts of the old Route 66 are now closed, deteriorated, or paved over. Some states have kept the 66 designation for parts of the highway, but only as state roads.
Good news is that as time goes on, more signs are being put up along the route to denote the Historical Route 66 and some maps are including parts of Route 66 as a tourist or scenic highway. However, these sorts of signs and denotations are not consistent along the route, and are sometimes conflicting and confusing, so the best way to find the route and stick to it is with the help of a good guidebook or Route 66 specific map. We highly recommend the EZ66 Guide and some good road maps (see our list of Planning Resources towards the bottom of the post).
Most GPS units will not be able to follow Route 66 although we found ours useful to figure out which road we were on. That said, there are Route 66 GPS downloads made by River Pilot that are designed to provide Route 66 turn-by-turn directions; these are compatible with a limited number of GPS units and have mixed reviews so do some research before ordering. We did not use them during our trip.
Today, it is estimated that over 80% of the original Route 66 in some form or the other is still driveable and with the help of some good Route 66 planning aids, you can easily find and drive it. It is up to you how faithful you want to be in keeping to the original route as most people skip over sections to save time and hop on the Interstate, whereas others try to be as faithful as possible. For instance, there are many times when you can actually see the interstate from historic Route 66 and you are simply traveling alongside it on a slower local road.
Note that a few sections of Route 66 are not in great driving shape, may run onto private land, or may be impassable in bad weather conditions so keep this in mind and just drive safely. Guidebooks will often warn you about these sections and provide helpful advice.
How Much Time Does it Take to Drive Route 66?
This really depends on how much you want to see, how much time you are willing to drive each day, and how faithful you want to be to the historical Route 66. Also you will need to account for any detours you plan to make which can take up a lot of time (e.g., detours to Grand Canyon or Las Vegas, NV).
For those who want to be faithful as possible to the historical Route 66, drive extra alignments, and stop at all the main attractions, you’ll need at least 2 weeks to drive the full Route 66 route (not accounting for detours); however, it will be a bit rushed at 2 weeks. Four weeks seems to be the recommended amount of time to drive the route faithfully at a fairly leisurely pace and have time to do all the stops.
If you have less than 2 weeks, I’d highly recommend choosing a section of Route 66 to explore, and you can always come back and drive the rest at another time. So many people drive Route 66 multiple times in their lives as the route seems to have an appeal that pulls you back again since it is always changing.
For those wanting to do the full road trip from Chicago to Los Angeles but are not so concerned about faithfulness to the route and just want to be sure to hit the highlights of Route 66 can do the drive in less time. You can actually get from Chicago to Los Angeles via Interstates along the route with about 48 hours worth of driving or less. That said, you’ll want to make plenty of stops and drive portions of the old Route 66 along the way.
I’d suggest at least 8 days to 10 days to do this sort of trip for those who do not mind Interstate driving. The Interstates can save you a lot of time, but just remember that those driving Route 66 are often searching for an atmosphere that exists away from the Interstates so be sure to include some good stretches of Route 66 to get this experience.
Our summer Route 66 road trip lasted 18 days but we spent 1 night in Page, AZ, 2 nights at the Grand Canyon, and an extra day or so in Albuquerque, NM visiting a friend. So we basically had 14 full days and nights along the route and we drove the route as faithfully as possible, sticking to the existing old sections of Route 66 and not getting onto the Interstate unless there was no alternative.
We stopped at just about all of the notable attractions, visited most of the Route 66 related museums, and made a countless number of stops to take a photo or take a look at vintage signs, motels, abandoned drive-in theaters, etc. along the route.
We also made a few minor side trips along the route. But to accomplish the above, we typically started driving between 8:00am to 9:00am and drove until around night fall (generally 7:30pm to 8:00pm) every day. We’d stop for all notable (and most minor) stops with typically an hour or less allocated for a lunch stop, but dinner was usually made in the RV before going to bed each night.
It was a great road trip and we saw so much, but we drove a lot most days and never had time to spend more than one night in any place. On days when we wanted to spend a lot of time in one place, we’d make up for it by driving later into the night or getting up earlier the next day.
So yes it is possible to do a Route 66 road trip in 2 weeks, drive the route faithfully, and visit most of the attractions along the way, but it means a quick pace and long days of driving. For the average traveler with two weeks, I’d recommend slowing down more and either use the Interstate more to save time or skip some sections of the route so you can more fully appreciate the section you are driving.
I Don’t Have Time for The Full Route, What Section Should I Drive?
Most people who travel on Route 66 do not travel the full route. And even among those who say they’ve traveled the full route between Chicago and Santa Monica, often don’t follow it faithfully, jumping on the Interstate highways to save time between major destinations.
If you have limited time, I would choose a section that fits in with your interests (e.g., vintage motels, Wild West, quirky roadside attractions, railroads) or that fits in with your other travel plans (e.g., a visit to Las Vegas or a family visit in Texas). Below is but a short list of suggestions:
Cowboys & Wild West: There are a lot of Old West oriented stops, and I’d recommend considering the Oklahoma to Arizona section. A must-stop is the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. Will Rogers birthplace is in Oologah, Oklahoma, the Will Rogers Memorial is in Claremore, OK, and the annual Will Rogers Memorial Rodeo is held in Vinita, OK each summer.
In Texas, Route 66 drivers may want to pull over for a steak at the Big Texan Steak Ranch and consider visits to the Devil’s Rope Museum in McClean, the American Quarter Horse Association Heritage Center and Museum in Amarillo, the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, and the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in Hereford.
The historic Old Town of Albuquerque and Santa Fe are both great places to buy Western wear in New Mexico. In Arizona, you might want to make a pitstop at Wild West Junction in Williams, Arizona and stroll thorough Oatman, Arizona which was a true Old West mining town and now holds Old West shows in the middle of the street in the summer. If you end up in California, I’d highly recommend a stop at the Calico Ghost Town.
Isolated, Apocalyptic Feel: I would drive through California’s Mojave Desert as there are several parts where you can get that isolated feel with very few tiny towns here and there. This was the end and most dangerous section for most drivers of historic Route 66 as water was scarce, distances long, and old cars could easily overheat in the desert heat. Some sections of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas can also give you this feeling, such as the section from Amarillo, TX to Albuquerque, NM.
Birthplace & History of Route 66: I would suggest the Illinois through Oklahoma section. The route obviously begins in Chicago but Springfield, Missouri is considered the official birthplace of Route 66 (there is a plaque in Park Central Square) as this was where the meeting was held where Route 66 was officially designated as such.
Oklahoma also factors heavily into the creation of Route 66. The Father of Route 66, Oklahoma state highway official Cyrus Avery, is the reason that Route 66 had its longest stretch in Oklahoma (there is actually no reason the Route needs to run through Oklahoma at all!). You’ll find a lot of famous Route 66 sites in Oklahoma and you can visit the National Route 66 Museum in Elk City, Oklahoma to learn all about the history of this famous route.
Cars Film Lovers: The animated film drew inspiration from locations throughout Route 66. The town Radiator Springs is fictional and likely draws from a combination of towns rather than one specific one, although you’ll hear that many towns were “the town from Cars” whether it be Amboy, CA, Seligman, AZ, Gallup, NM, or Baxter Springs, KS.
The Texas to Arizona section probably most resembles the actual landscape in the film. I would suggest from talking to other travelers that Arizona best fits their picture of Route 66 based on the film. If you are looking for the picturesque waterfall in the film, it sadly does not exist on Route 66 although it may be inspired by Havasu Falls in Arizona (a 3-4 hour drive and overnight hike from Peach Springs, AZ). If you want to see the actual tow truck that inspired Tow Mater, add Galena, Kansas to your itinerary.
Old Motels: You’ll find vintage Route 66 era motels and hotels scattered along the route and you can find them along almost any stretch. If I had to choose one state, I might choose Missouri as you’ll find a lot of notable Route 66 motels, including the Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba, Munger Moss Motel in Lebanon, Route 66 Rail Haven in Springfield, and Boots Motel in Carthage. Another top choice would be New Mexico with classics like the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, Motel Safari in Tucumcari, Monterey Motel in Albuquerque, El Rey Inn in Santa Fe, and El Rancho Hotel & Motel in Gallup. Tucumcari, New Mexico was once known as having a motel row with billboards along Route 66 advertising “Tucumcari Tonite”; however, while many of the neon signs have darkened it still has several fantastic old motels.
If you want to sleep in a wigwam (concrete tee-pee), you’ll want to stop in either Holbrook Arizona or San Bernardino California to stay at the Wigwam Motel!
Those interested in the historic Fred Harvey railroad luxury hotels, a few have been restored as hotels around Route 66 such as the La Posada in Winslow, Arizona, El Tovar in the Grand Canyon, La Fonda in Santa Fe, and the Castañeda Hotel in Las Vegas, NM.
For more options, see our guide to historic motels and hotels on Route 66.
Big Cities: Those looking for big city highlights on a Route 66 road trip may be best served by starting in Chicago, Illinois and heading to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This will allow you to explore the Route 66 cities of Chicago, St. Louis, MO, Tulsa, OK, and Oklahoma City. Other places of notable size along the route are Springfield, IL and Springfield, MO. You’ll also get a good sampling of smaller town and rural landscapes along the way.
Avoiding Big Cities: You’ll notice the size of cities and towns generally decreases pretty rapidly after you leave St. Louis. For those who want to skip big cities, I’d suggest avoiding the Chicago to St. Louis stretch as well as the final stretch as you near Santa Monica and Los Angeles which are the two main areas where traffic can get heavy and slow. Any section you choose in between will have few large cities.
The only other large cities (depending on your definition of large) that you may want to detour around are Tulsa, OK, Oklahoma City, OK, Albuquerque, NM, Santa Fe, NM and Flagstaff, AZ. Many people driving Route 66 detour around the larger cities and often you can just hop on the interstate to get through them quickly or take a beltway to loop around them.
Best Landscapes: Depends of course on the type of landscapes you want to see, but I would say Arizona as you have the desert, petrified forest, mountains, caverns, and the Painted Desert. The whole stretch from the Mojave Desert in California through Texas has some great desert and Western landscapes.
Grapes of Wrath fans: This one’s a no-brainer, start in Oklahoma and follow “the mother road” to the California coast tracing the same route as the Joads. If you expect Oklahoma to be a giant brown, dusty prairie, you’ll be in for a surprise (in a good way!). Driving through the Mojave Desert can really help you imagine the challenging journey of those during the Dust Bowl and better understand the meaning of the phrase “California, or Bust!”.
Drive-in Movie Theaters: Most of the operational drive-in theaters along Route 66 are in the earlier part of the route between Illinois and Oklahoma, but a few are still up-and-running across the route along with a number of now abandoned ones.
Here are some that were still showing films during our travels: Litchfield Sky View Drive-In in Litchfield, IL, 66 Drive-In in Carthage, MO,19 Drive-In in Cuba, MO, Admiral Twin Drive-In in Tulsa, OK, Winchester Drive-In in Oklahoma City, OK, Fort Union Drive-in in Las Vegas, NM, and Skyline Drive-in Theater in Barstow, CA. While not a drive in theater, The Route 66 Movie Theater in Webb City, MO has been showing films since 1945.
Do check ahead before you plan to see a film as drive-in theaters seem to close down (and also open) a lot without much warning; most are also only open during the Spring and Summer months.
Roadside Attractions: There are fun, quirky and downright weird roadside attraction all across Route 66 (and America in general for that matter) and these change as old ones are removed and new ones spring up. Here is a very partial list of some of the more quirky roadside attractions in each state so you can have an idea of which state(s) might be must-see for your Route 66 road trip depending on your interests.
Illinois has the Muffler Men, Funk’s Grove, Henry’s Rabbit Ranch, a giant Abraham Lincoln on a covered wagon, The Fuller Dome, and the world’s largest ketchup bottle.
Missouri has the world’s largest rocking chair, the Jesse James Wax Museum, Red Oak II (art installations and restored Route 66 era buildings), and Meramec Caverns.
Kansas has the tow truck that inspired the Tow Mater character on Cars. Oklahoma has the world’s largest concrete totem pole, the Blue Whale of Catoosa, a giant oilworker, a round barn, a giant soda bottle, a giant cross, and perhaps the largest Route 66 shield in the world.
Texas has the Cadillac Ranch, VW Slug Bug Ranch, a “leaning” water tower, Big Texan Steak Ranch, a giant cross, and enormous balls of barbed wire at Devil’s Rope Museum.
New Mexico has museums dedicated to dinosaurs, Billy the Kid, and rattlesnakes, a giant roadrunner, the Blue Hole, a musical road, Tinkertown, Tee Pee Curios and the Continental Divide.
Arizona has a Wigwam Motel, dinosaur sculptures, the Jack Rabbit Trading Post with its giant jackrabbit, giant arrows, a geodesic dome, giant lumberjacks, Grand Canyon Caverns (not the same as the Grand Canyon National Park), frog rock, Giganticus Headicus, a giant meteor crater, wild burros, and lots of petrified wood.
In California, you’ll find shoe trees, the world’s largest thermometer, a giant hula dancer, the Bagdad Cafe of movie fame, a big orange, Calico Ghost town, Elmer’s Bottle Tree Ranch, the McDonald’s Museum, and a Wigwam Motel.
Longest Stretch of Uninterrupted Route 66: Currently the longest stretch of driveable historic Route 66 (over 150 miles) starts around Ash Fork, Arizona and ends in Topock, Arizona. This means that you don’t need to hop on the interstate at all during this drive. This is one of the most driven and busy sections of Route 66.
Grand Canyon and/or Las Vegas Bound: Consider driving the California-Arizona section. Las Vegas is convenient from around Needles, CA and the Grand Canyon is convenient from either Williams, AZ or Flagstaff, AZ.
Route 66 Road Trip Itinerary Planning Tips
After you have decided when you want to go, how much time you have, and your sightseeing priorities, you can start putting together your Route 66 itinerary. I’d think about how much you want to drive each day and what you think you can feasibly fit into each day to help develop your itinerary and choose places to overnight.
Historic Route 66 was about 2,448 miles (3940 km) long and today the trip is approximately 2,278 miles (3,665 km) long. So if you have 12 days to drive 2,278 miles of Route 66, you’d need to drive an average of 189 miles (304 km) per day at an average speed of 45 MPH, that would be 4.2 hours of driving each day. If you have 14 days you’d need to drive an average of 163 miles (262 km) per day with about 3 hours and 37 minutes of driving each day.
We have had a number of people ask us to help give them a suggested itinerary, so here is our suggested 2 week Route 66 itinerary based on our experience and research (you’re very welcome!). You can use this as a basis to plan your own Route 66 itinerary. It provides a day-to-day route, mileage, driving tips, attraction highlights, dining suggestions, and accommodation suggestions.
If you have a shorter about of time, you can check out our more speedy 1 week Route 66 itinerary.
Choosing Transportation for a Route 66 Road Trip?
It wouldn’t be a road trip unless you were driving, so either you’ll need to supply your own vehicle or motorcycle or you’ll need to rent one. If you are planning on renting, you should consider whether you want to stay in lodging along the way, bring camping gear to set up a tent at campsites along the way, or if you want to be able to sleep in your vehicle such as with a campervan or RV.
There are a lot of major rental car (Thrifty, Hertz, Alamo, Avis, Dollar, Enterprise, etc.) that have offices in both Chicago and Los Angeles so check around and compare prices. For a Route 66 road trip, you’ll probably want to look for a car or RV rental company that allow you to rent a vehicle at one end of your journey (e.g., Chicago) and return it at the other (e.g., Los Angeles). In our experience, Enterprise usually offers the best deals for one way rentals.
Those wanting to hire a classic car (e.g., a vintage Ford Mustang or Chevy Corvette) should expect much higher rental rates and may want to check out car rental companies that specialize in Route 66 classic car rentals like Ride Free.
For RV rentals, there are a several companies that allow one-way rentals with offices in both Chicago and Los Angeles which include USA Rentals and Cruise America.
We recommend using Motorhome Republic for RV rental – they compare prices across the major RV rental firms in the USA to find the best price for you. You can book your RV for the USA through them here.
Those looking for a motorcycle rental for Route 66 might check out Eagle Rider and Ride Free.
For any type or rental, you’ll want to research what insurance coverage is included in the rental (and what is recommended), and you’ll want to specifically check on any one-way drop-off fees which can add an additional $100 or more to a rental car price. To rent a vehicle or RV, you typically need to be at least 21 years of age (often 25 years of age) and have a valid driver’s license.
If you are not an American citizen you may need an international driving permit or an authorized English translation of your driving credentials. If you are an international driver and have never driven in the U.S., you should check out this article from Laurence about tips for driving in the U.S. for non-American drivers.
We personally chose to do our first full Route 66 roadtrip in a JUCY campervan rental, and JUCY conveniently has offices located in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. JUCY specialize in small custom-built campervan hires. Hiring a campervan gave us the option to sleep and eat (there is a small kitchen included!) in the RV, and this helped us save a lot of time and money along the way.
If driving along in a bright green and purple campervan with a pop-up Penthouse on top doesn’t sound intimidating, you can read our full review of our JUCY campervan experience. However, this is not currently an option for those driving the full route one-way but may be great for those driving only a western section and can return the van in California or Las Vegas.
Are Escorted or Guided Route 66 Tours Available?
Yes, indeed, there are several group and guided tours available for those wanting to traverse Route 66 by car, bus, or motorcycle. Some cover the full route and others cover only sections of Route 66. Group tours may be a particularly good fit for foreign travelers who don’t speak much English, those who feel uncomfortable traveling independently, those unable to rent a car, or solo travelers wanting company during their trip.
If you are traveling from Europe, you might consider this 16-day guided tour of Route 66 by Titan travel that includes your flights, transport, accommodation, and a number of entry fees/excursions. Geared to those who want a comfortable journey.
Those wanting to join a guided bus Route 66 tour might want to check out itineraries from Intrepid Travel. They don’t offer full Route 66 trips, but drive sections of Route 66 while also visiting places like Los Angeles, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, and Yosemite National Park.
Those wanting to join a tour and want to drive their own car or rental car, might check out this 13 day tour. Tour includes a local guide for the duration of the trip and you travel with a group of other drivers driving along Route 66.
Those wanting to travel on a motorcycle or classic car with other Route 66 travelers should check out Eagle Rider, River Pilot, and Ride Free.
Dining and Lodging along Route 66?
There are ample places to eat and sleep along Route 66. Unfortunately, the best resource was the Route 66 Dining & Lodging Guide, which listed over 500 restaurants and motels throughout the route, published its final edition in 2015 and the guide is now difficult to find. So we now refer people to check out the day-by-day Route 66 dining & lodging suggestions sections of our Route 66 itinerary. We also have a dedicated Route 66 hotels and motels guide which lists many of the classic Route 66 era lodging options.
One of the joys of a Route 66 road trip is staying in wonderful old vintage motels or motor courts. There are many Route 66 era ones and several newer ones along the route dedicated to serving Route 66 tourists. The options are really varied and you can even sleep in a wigwam (e.g., Wigwam Motel in San Bernardino, CA) or stay in a room where a celebrity such as Clark Gable (Boots Court Motel in Carthage, MO) or Elvis Presley stayed (Route 66 Rail Haven in Springfield, MO).
Even if you are primarily planning to camp or stay in an RV, as we did, I’d highly recommend staying at least one or two nights at a vintage motel along the route. Not only is this a great Route 66 experience, but your patronage supports these mostly family-run businesses and helps them keep their neon signs burning! We definitely enjoyed these stays.
Note that many hotels and campgrounds offer discounts for a number of reasons (seniors, U.S. military, AAA members), so be sure to check to see when booking and bring along proof at check-in (e.g., ID, membership card). Also you may want to sign up for a loyalty or rewards program if you plan to stay in a number of the same types of properties (e.g., Choice Hotels, Hilton, KOA RV parks) to receive perks, discounts, and free stays.
For those on a tight budget, note that free primitive camping (no hook-ups) is available on many public lands administered by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) and the USFS (US Forest Service) as well as some other organizations or even private ranches. Some WalMart stores also offer free overnight parking although this is store specific and at the discretion of each store manager.
For all those planning to camp or RV along Route 66, see our camping and RV resource list later in the post for more information and helpful websites.
You’ll find food options in almost any town along the route. Route 66 era diners are still serving up classic American road food such as hamburgers, chili, fried chicken, BBQ pork, milkshakes, and corn dogs. You’ll also find plenty of chain fast food places and even fine dining restaurants along the route.
Food options vary depending on the region so you can try green chili smothered burritos in New Mexico, steak in Texas, onion burgers in Oklahoma, frozen custard in Missouri, and cozy dogs in Illinois. Vegetarians, and particularly vegans, may have limited options in smaller towns along the route and may want to stop at grocery stores along the way to be sure to have snacks available if needed.
How Much Should I Plan Ahead?
This really depends on your style of travel, and some people plan nothing ahead and just drive the route and others plan in detail what they are going to see each day. I’d suggest something in between where you do some research and buy a guidebook to figure out what places you’d like to visit and where you generally plan to go along the route. I’m generally a person who plans everything out if I can but I think in keeping with the spirit of Route 66, it is better to take it slow and not have a lot of hard plans if possible.
It is nice to be able to have flexibility in terms of how much time you spend in an area and how far you drive each day as you may end up spending much more time in a place than you expected. For instance, we never planned our lodging more than a day in advance and this worked out well for us and we generally stopped for lunch whenever we got hungry.
We did make a general itinerary before our trip, but we didn’t end up sticking to it on a day-to-day basis as it was hard to anticipate how far we’d get each day and it was good to be able to go off and visit an interesting attraction someone told us about even if it was 30 miles off the route. It is good to be able to have this sort of freedom if you can. If you have fairly limited time for your Route 66 road trip, I’d suggest doing a bit more planning ahead of time to get the most out of your trip so you can use your limited time as wisely as possible.
Even if you want to just get in your car with no plans, there are a few things I’d recommend you do in advance. If you are not a U.S. citizen or resident, you’ll need a passport and likely a visa to enter the United States. You’ll also want to have proof of exit (e.g., a plane ticket out of the country) as you may be asked to show it at immigration. If you are renting a car or RV, I’d book that in advance to ensure you have one waiting and to get the best rates. If you need an International Driving Permit or translation of your driving credentials, I’d order it well in advance.
If there are any popular Route 66 motels (e.g. WigWam Motel or Blue Swallow) that you really want to stay in, I’d consider booking them in advance to ensure you get to sleep there. Also, if you are heading to the Grand Canyon or other national park along your trip, I’d book lodging there well in advance if you can as these are regularly fully booked, especially in the summer months.
How Safe is Traveling Route 66?
We felt safe during our trip and did not have any incidents; however, crime does happen along the route and you should be cautious, especially if you are traveling by yourself. Crime rates vary considerably along the route from big cities like Los Angeles and Chicago where there is higher rates of crime to small little towns in Oklahoma or Arizona where crime is rare.
Most crime, especially violent crime, happens late at night or early in the morning. So completing your sightseeing by dinner time (most things are closed by then anyway) and heading off to your accommodation for the night may make you feel safer, especially if you are new to traveling in the United States.
The most common problem is probably theft (of valuables and cars) you should follow all the practical travel safety guidelines as you would elsewhere. Keep your valuables hidden, car and hotel doors locked, and be cautious about opening motel or hotel doors to people you don’t know. If you are wearing a purse, I’d wear a cross body one that is difficult for someone to snatch.
Have copies of important phone numbers, IDs and credit cards stored in a separate place (physical and/or online) in case your purse and/or phone are stolen. Keep your cell phones charged and carry a spare battery or charger. Always have a bit of cash on you ($20 to $100) but don’t carry large amounts of cash in case you are robbed. Let other people not on your trip know your general plans. Some people, especially women, also like to carry pepper spray.
If you are camping, I’d stay at proper campsites with staff on-site and avoid camping off by yourself out of sight of others. If staying in budget motels or rented rooms (e.g., Airbnb), I’d be sure to read reviews and check on the area a bit (especially in larger cities) to try to avoid high crime areas. It can also help to make sure you have your lodging booked ahead at least a day or two in advance so you are never scrambling to find lodging late at night.
We did not have any safety related issues during our trip but I think you should definitely watch out for yourself like you would anywhere else and if you are new to these areas, it is always good to be a little extra cautious.
Can I Bring my Pets along Route 66?
Yes, of course, you can bring along your pets. The better question of course is to decide if you should bring along pets. It can be great to have the companionship of your dog on a trip but it also will limit where you can go and how much time you can spend exploring attractions along the route.
Many museums, attractions, restaurants, and hotels along Route 66 do not allow dogs (except ADA service dogs) or other pets. You can of course find many places you can go with your dog and several motel and hotel chains are pet friendly (e.g., Motel 6, Courtyard by Marriott) but it does limit your options. Most RV sites and campgrounds allow dogs so traveling with an RV can be a good option for pet owners.
Most motels and hotels have policies where you are not allowed to leave you pet unattended in the room which means one person should always stay with the pet. You should also of course not leave your pets unattended in a vehicle and in many U.S. states it is illegal to leave pets unattended in cars, especially in hot temperatures. It can be very hot (over 100 degrees Fahrenheit) when driving the sections in the West, especially in the summer months, and it can very hard on pets, especially larger dogs.
So I would balance your sightseeing priorities, the wellbeing of your pet, and the practicalities of traveling with your dog. We actually have driven parts of Route 66 with pets, once with 1 cat in a car and once with 2 cats in a campervan. It definitely limited our sightseeing, meant more picnics and drive-through food than long sit-down meals, and limited our hotel choices. Although we love our cats, we were definitely were able to travel more freely in the times we did not have the cats with us.
How Accessible is Route 66?
If you (or your travel companion) are traveling in a wheelchair or have limited mobility, there are of course some things that will be more difficult and some places you will not be able to visit or stay. However, the great news is that the vast majority of the attractions can be seen from the road and you don’t even need to get out of the car to see most of Route 66’s roadside attractions, historic buildings, neon signs, etc.
I would make a list of the top places you want to see and then look up accessibility information to get an idea of what you will and will not be able to visit and see. For example the Meramec Caverns cave tour is not currently wheelchair accessible but the majority of the National Route 66 Museum complex is wheelchair accessible. Santa Monica has free all terrain/beach wheelchairs available to rent that visitors can use to explore the area and beaches.
We would recommend that those with limited mobility, especially those with a wheelchair, book their accommodation in advance to be sure to get accessible rooms as options can be limited in the smaller towns and cities. Many motels and hotels along the route have wheelchair accessible rooms available, most can be booked online but you may want to call the property directly if you are unsure.
Many of the historical hotels cannot accommodate wheelchairs due to the nature of the property (stairs, no elevator), but many of the vintage motor court motels are ground level with no steps although not all have fully accessible rooms.
Route 66 Road Trip Supplies?
Everybody has a set of different things that they may want to take with them on a road trip, but things that I would recommend bringing with you or purchasing at the beginning of your road trip are a Route 66 guidebook or two, a camera, an umbrella and/or poncho, a hat, sunglasses, a flashlight, a reusable water bottle (keep it filled!), snacks, and sunscreen. Be sure to wear sunscreen even if you plan to stay in the vehicle most of the day as you can still get sun damage from UVA rays!
Note that there may be periods of a few hours, especially in the Mojave desert, where access to basic essentials are limited so keep water and snacks in the car. Tap water is generally safe throughout the United States so you can drink water directly from the sink taps or water fountains, but do not obviously drink untreated water from rivers, lakes, unknown wells, or other such sources. I’d also recommend bringing along a journal to jot down notes and record your road trip adventures, and perhaps some cards or road-friendly games to play as you’ll be spending a lot of time in the car.
I would keep U.S. dollars on you at all times as many smaller business along Route 66 will only accept cash, especially for small transactions. For street parking along the road trip, it is a good idea to always have some coins with you for street parking to pay the parking meters.
Also, just note that if you are traveler from outside the U.S., your credit and debit cards may not work in automated machines such as at gas stations, many of which will require a debit or credit card with a U.S. billing address. Normally you can get around this by paying a person inside, but at night you typically can only pay outside at the gas pump by card.
For the vehicle, make sure you have a good spare tire (and way to change it), a GPS (optional but recommended), and a good road atlas or set of maps for each state. Remember that Route 66 is probably not going to be marked on your maps or GPS, so you’ll still need to use a guidebook or speciality maps to help direct you. You can order a road atlas or maps before you leave or pick them up along the way as they are readily available for sale in gas stations, convenience stores, and visitor centers.
There are Route 66 GPS downloads made by River Pilot that are designed to provide turn-by-turn directions; these are compatible with a limited number of GPS units and have mixed reviews so do some research before ordering.
If you have a rental car or RV, make sure you know how everything works (e.g., headlights, turning signals, heater) before you go and ask who you should contact in cases of a flat tire, accident, or mechanical failures.
I also recommend putting together a collection of Route 66 inspired music whether in CD, MP3, or other format for your road trip. See recommended songs and music compilations in the next section that can help you start to build the ultimate soundtrack for your Route 66 road trip!
Quick list of some items you may want to pack along for your Route 66 road trip:
- Sunscreen. We personally like Neutrogena products, and use this one for our faces and this one for the rest of the body. We recommend getting something with an SPF of at least 30, but really the higher the better.
- Sun protection such as hats and sunglasses, particularly if traveling in the summer.
- Insect repellent may be useful but depends on when and where you go. We weren’t bothered by insects much, but recommended for those who plan to do a fair amount of hiking in summer, especially in areas near bodies of water or forested areas. We like Avon’s Skin so Soft products.
- Something for rain, such as a travel umbrella, poncho, or rain jacket.
- We recommend a reusable water bottle for each person on the road trip. Coffee and tea lovers may also want a travel thermos like this one.
- Some snacks as it can be a bit of a drive between restaurants in some places. We recommend things like granola bars, trail mix, nuts, nutrition bars, etc. that will do well being in a hot car for several days.
- Those planning on taking along sandwiches, having picnics, and keeping soda cold will want to pack a cooler. You might also consider a cute shopping tote that doubles as a picnic basket. Picnics are a good way to save money on your travels, especially for families.
- We recommend keeping a pack of travel wipes or mini towels in the car to wipe hands and clean up spills. Great for messy kids.
- A travel journal, such as this one, to jot down memories and notes about your experiences.
- Keep entertained with car games, cards, word searches, sketching books, coloring books, and quiz games. There are plenty of car games and travel sized activities for both children and adults.
- If traveling in the summer, we recommend a car windshield shield that helps keep the car shaded and cooler. A lifesaver if you have leather seats.
- Need to charge electronic devices such as laptops, camera batteries, or tablets on the road? Consider a power inverter for cars; we used this one on our road trip. They plug into the cigarette lighters and allow you to charge devices with both AC electrical plugs and USBs in the car.
- If traveling from outside of the USA, you’ll likely need a travel adapter to plug in your electronic devices. We recommend a couple of universal adapters, we use these ones. Be sure to only bring electronics that will work with 110V.
- Route 66 guidebooks and navigational books. We used and can recommend the latest editions of the EZ66 Guide and Adventure Handbook. See our Route 66 Trip Planning Materials section for more information.
- A GPS navigation unit for the car. Many rental cars come with these or you can add one onto most rentals. You can also use your phone if you’ll have data instead.
- A good USA road atlas – we personally like the spiral-bound ones from Rand McNally or AAA for the United States.
- A spare tire and good car safety kit that includes things like reflective signals, jumper cables, flashlight, and first aid medical supplies.
- Route 66 music, such as this Route 66 inspired song collection, which is available in a variety of formats including CD, MP3, or streaming.
You can also see the majority of the products we recommend for a Route 66 trip above in a complete list on Amazon here for reference.
Inspiration for your Route 66 Road Trip
Here are some of my recommendations for media that contains cultural references to the famous Route 66. These are great for getting you excited prior to your road trip or can make for great reading, watching, and listening materials during the road trip. Also great for those who are not planning to drive Route 66, but interested in learning more about it. Those marked with asterisks are my favorites.
Novels
- Grapes of Wrath (novel) * – The 1939 Pulitzer-prize winning novel by John Steinbeck that traces the journey of the Joad family during the Great Depression as they travel west along Route 66. The most famous and greatest literary work that concerns Route 66, and this is where Steinbeck refers to Route 66 as the “Mother Road”. Not light reading but this American classic is highly recommended reading for anyone!
- On the Road (book)* – A 1957 novel by Jack Kerouac about a man from Sal Paradise who travels by road around the United States and meets members of the Beat Generation. The book is based on Kerouac owns years of traveling the U.S. While only a small part of it takes place on Route 66, it does provide a good snapshot into the postwar Beat Generation and is a classic American road trip novel.
Films
- Grapes of Wrath (film) *- A 1940 film adaptation of Steinbeck’s novel directed by John Ford. A great film; however, it removes characters from the novel and is a more optimistic and less controversial depiction compared to the novel.
- On the Road (film) – A 2012 film adaption of Jack Kerouac’s novel. Not the best reviewed film, but there is a lot of time spent on the road. Note there is quite a bit of nudity and sexual and drug-related content.
- Cars (animated film)* This 2006 animated film by Pixar and Disney, tells the story of a popular race car who unexpectedly ends up stranded in the small town of Radiator Springs located along historic Route 66. The family-friendly film makes clear and constant references to Route 66, its history and its decline due to the U.S. federal interstate system, as well as references to specific people and places along the route. Fun to watch both before and after your road trip, as you notice so many more things after your trip.
- Easy Rider (film) – The famous 1969 biker film that has Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper traveling through parts of the American Southwest and South by motorcycle. Only parts of it take place on Route 66, but great for those hoping to see Route 66 by motorcycle.
- Thelma & Louise (film) – A 1991 crime film about two women who set out on a 2-day road trip that ends with deadly consequences. Again, only parts actually take place on Route 66, This is the film that really introduced Brad Pitt to the world.
- Little Miss Sunshine (film)* – A 2006 American comedy/drama film about a dysfunctional family who drives their 7-year-old daughter Olive from Albuquerque, NM to Redondo Beach, CA for a beauty pageant in an antique Volkswagen bus.
- Bagdad Cafe (film)* – A 1987 West German film about a woman running an isolated run-down cafe and motel in the California desert frequented by truck drivers and drifters. A bit odd and slow to get going but we enjoyed it. The filming location can still be visited in Newberry Springs, CA which is located on Route 66.
- Paris, Texas (film) – A 1984 French-German film about a man who has been wandering the the desert and comes back to reunite with his brother and son. He and his son then travel in the American Southwest to find this wife. This film is loosely related to Route 66.
TV Series
- Route 66 (TV series) – American TV show of the early 1960’s follows the travels of two men as they drive around the United States. This show popularized the idea of driving Route 66 in a Chevrolet Corvette (Chevrolet was a sponsor of the show). Oddly, very little of the actual show takes place or was filmed on location along Route 66 although it provides an interesting look at America in the 1960’s nonetheless.
- Bagdad Cafe (TV Series) – A 1990s short-lived TV sitcom based on the film of the same name, starring actresses Whoopi Goldberg and Jean Stapleton.
Music
- (Get Your Kicks on) Route 66 (song)* – This rhythm and blues song written in 1946 by Bobby Troup popularized the highway and is by far the most popular song about the highway. First recorded by Nat King Cole, it has been sung by everyone from Jerry Lee Lewis to the Rolling Stones. This is the one must-have song for your Route 66 road trip sound track!
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Route 66 – Songs From The Mother Road (music collection) – A audio CD of Route 66 related song sung by the Road Crew.
- Three Route 66 song collections by producer David Sanger*:
- The Songs Of Route 66: Music From The All-American Highway (music collection)
- More Songs of Route 66: Roadside Attractions (music collection)
- Even More Songs Of Route 66: From Here To There (music collection)
Route 66 Road Trip Planning Materials
This section covers helpful suggested resources to help in planning and enhancing your Route 66 trip, including Route 66 guidebooks, maps, and useful websites.
Route 66 Planning Books & Maps
I’d recommend that all travelers invest in at least one guidebook to help point out and give some background on interesting highlights and attractions along the route. Also since historic Route 66 is not well-marked and is not denoted on a regular map, you’ll also want a guide to help keep you on the route.
Paper maps and road atlases may seem dated to many young travelers, but I would highly recommend having them available even if you plan to primarily navigate using GPS. Given that things change regularly (probably daily) on Route 66, try to buy the most up-to-date guides and maps available. It can be quite disappointing to turn up to eat at a historic restaurant to find out it closed 2 years ago or find your chosen route blocked by a missing bridge.
I personally bought a copy of Route 66: The Mother Road prior to our journey and found it a great book to read or skim through for history, funny and touching travel stories, profiles of people who work along Route 66, etc. It also provides some good tips and points you to many highlights, but I found it better for background reading than actual trip planning.
Then before the journey, we purchased the EZ66 Guide for Travelers, the Route 66 Dining & Lodging Guide, the Route 66 Adventure Handbook, and the Here It Is Route 66 maps. We also took along and picked up an assortment of national, state, and regional maps during our journey. See our suggestions below, ones we personally own and use are marked with an asterisk.
Pre-Trip Planning / Armchair Travels:
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Route 66: The Mother Road 75th Anniversary Edition by Michael Wallis* – This book gives a good overview of Route 66’s history as well as personal stories and attraction highlights. Highly recommended for a pre-road trip read for those interested in the history of Route 66 and the people who worked (and are still working) along it.
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The Illustrated Route 66 Historical Atlas by Jim Hinckley – A illustrated guide to Route 66 that includes lots of historical information, photos, and maps. This is a great read for those looking for pre-planning information or those just wanting to learn more about the route, but probably not the best day-to-day guide during the trip. Jim Hinckley is an expert on the road and has written a number of Route 66 books and reference guides about Route 66
On the Road Route 66 Guides & Resources:
- Our 2 Week Route 66 Itinerary – We recommend checking out our free suggested Route 66 itinerary to use both in pre-planning and during your road trip. It provides a suggested route split over 14 days, attraction highlights, and suggested places to eat and drink along the route each day. We recommend it be used in conjunction with the EZ66 Guide (to keep you on Route 66), good maps or an USA atlas, and an attraction guide (such as the Route 66 Adventure Handbook to give you more context and more attraction suggestions).
- EZ66 Guide for Travelers by Jerry McClanahan* – This guide help you easily find the route and stay on it almost turn-by-turn during the full 2,400 mile journey. It was our day-to-day bible to our journey when we were driving Route 66. The guide also lists attraction highlights, historic details, and provides general maps. You can even visit Jerry in his art studio in Chandler, OK and get your guide signed by the author like we did. Highly recommended for anyone wanting turn-by-turn sort of advice on driving Route 66 and those wanting to be as faithful to staying on the route as possible. Be sure to get the latest edition!
- Route 66 Dining & Lodging Guide by the National Historic Route 66 Federation* – An objective guide of over 500 places to eat, drink, and sleep along Route 66. We found this very useful when looking for places to eat or stay along the route, it is also great for locating historic, unique, and atmospheric options along the route. Highly recommended and proceeds go to supporting the National Historic Route 66 Federation preservation efforts. NOTE: Sadly the 17th edition in 2015 was its final edition, and it is has recently become difficult to find a copy of this guide.
- Route 66 Adventure Handbook by Drew Knowles* – This book provides a good guide to driving Route 66 (although not a turn-by-turn guide) and an excellent overview of all the roadside attractions along Route 66 as well as some advice on motels and dining options. The highlights for us were the lists of attractions along the route as well as additional side trips that one could take near the route which are not often included in other guides and were helpful when we were spending more time in a location. This book also provides a unique section teaching you how to identify old sections of Route 66. Recommended for almost anyone interested in attractions along the route, both Route 66 specific and those a bit further afield. Be sure to get the latest edition.
- Route 66: Guided Tour Book by David Knudson – This is the newest guide to Route 66 and was edited by the National Historic Route 66 Federation. We haven’t used this one but the guide is meant to provide attractions and activity recommendations along the route and to be used in conjunction with the EZ66 Guide for Travelers. It also is meant to fill in more dining and lodging recommendations with the discontinuation of the Dining & Lodging guide; however, those listings are not as comprehensive as they were in that guide.
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Here It Is! The Route 66 Map Series* – A set of 8 hand-drawn maps of each state along Route 66 that provide both eastbound and westbound directions driving directions and the most popular attractions are listed on the map. We found the maps useful to get a sense of each state, the ordering of the towns and attractions, and for knowing the exit numbers. However we found the driving directions in the EZ66 Guide for Travelers easier to follow. Not essential but very useful. Be sure to get the latest edition!
- A USA Road Atlas*- There are many road atlases available, just make sure that you buy one that goes into sufficient detail, covers all the states, and has been recently updated. I can personally recommend the Rand McNally road atlas for road travel in the United States and I have also used ones by AAA. If you don’t get a road atlas, I’d recommend picking up state maps as you go along (often you can get pick these for free or low cost at visitor centers or buy one at gas stations and convenience stores).
- A motorcycle-focused guide to Route 66 – I can’t personally recommend any of them but bikers may want to consider one of several motorcycle-focused guides to Route 66. This one appears to be comprehensive and recently updated. Note that many of these have not been updated so be sure to check the date of publication and read recent reviews.
Helpful Route 66 Road Trip Planning Websites
Here are some Route 66 related website that may be helpful to planning your Route 66 trip.
National Route 66 Websites:
- National Historic Route 66 Federation – National non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Route 66, check it out for latest information, preservation news, and a good Route 66 online store: http://www.national66.org
- National Park Service, Route 66 – Great information on history of Route 66, some maps and itinerary ideas, and great website resources: http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/route66
- Historic Route 66 – This long-running Route 66 website includes helpful information, travel tips, resources, maps, and even a helpful travel forum for those planning to drive Route 66: http://www.historic66.com
- Route 66 News – Provides helpful information and tips as well as recent news related to Route 66: http://www.route66news.com/
- Updates for those using the EZ66 Guide for Travelers: http://mcjerry66.com/
Camping and RV Route 66 Resources:
- Partial listing of campgrounds and RV parks along (or near) Route 66: http://www.route66news.com/campgrounds/
- Database and map of U.S. public campgrounds: http://www.uscampgrounds.info/
- List of RV parks throughout the U.S.: http://www.rvparksusa.com/
- Our Route 66 itinerary includes camping recommendations for each day of the suggested itinerary route
- Listings of private campgrounds and RV parks in U.S.: http://www.gocampingamerica.com/
- Check out All Stays for helpful website and phone apps that help locate RV parks, hotels, RV dump sites, free places to camp, rest areas, WalMarts that allow overnight parking, and more: http://www.allstays.com/
State Specific Route 66 Websites:
- Route 66 Association of Illinois: http://www.il66assoc.org/
- Route 66 Association of Missouri: http://missouri66.org/
- Kansas Historic Route 66 Association: http://kshistoricroute66.com/
- Oklahoma Route 66 Association: http://oklahomaroute66.com/
- Texas Route 66 Association http://rt66oftexas.com/
- New Mexico Route 66 Association: http://www.rt66nm.org/
- Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona: http://azrt66.com/
- California Historic Route 66 Association: http://www.route66ca.org/
- Also check out the U.S. National Park Service “Learn More” section for a detailed website list of attractions by state: http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/route66/learnmore66.html
We hope you have found this guide to a Route 66 road trip helpful! Is a Route 66 road trip on your bucketlist? If you’ve driven any part of Route 66, feel free to share any tips or advice you have from your own trip! As always, all questions and comments are welcome.
**Disclosure: We drove Route 66 during a RV trip in partnership with JUCY who covered most of the costs associated with our awesome campervan rental; however, all thoughts and opinions are our own. Food, lodging, fuel, and other trip costs were paid for by us. **
FBS Post author
Awesome Route 66 blog post. Thank you so much for sharing this insightful piece. It’s been really informative and helpful.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Thanks FBS for taking the time to leave a comment! Do let us know if you have any questions as you plan your Route 66 road trip.
Best,
Jessica
Caius Wallen Post author
Great photos and blog
I’m putting together a picture quiz where people have to guess the states of America from a photo, and a google search turned up your image of Route 66 and an oil well for Oklahoma. Can I use it in my free quiz if I give you credit (I can’t pay). I understand that you are a professional, so if not, no worries!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Caius,
Glad you enjoyed our Route 66 guide and photos we took along Route 66.
For questions about using/buying photos, please email us directly, thanks!
Best,
Jessica
Bill Westlake Post author
I am only interested in RT 66 ideas, routing and attractions
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Bill,
Glad you are interested in driving Route 66 and Route 66 attractions. Just let me know if you have any questions if you are planning an upcoming trip. We have several Route 66 articles across our two travel blogs and more to come which cover all the basics. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask here!
Best,
Jessica
George Chandler Post author
Hey there. You guys did a great job on your Rte 66 itinerary. Our family did this trip back in August of 1969. I can remember my Dad driving on the two lane road (66) for many miles. I drive a tour bus thru out Canada and the US and have been doing it for 40 years. Have done many tours from Toronto, Canada to California. I’m planning on doing the Rte 66 from Chicago to LA in 2022. I’m gonna follow your itinerary as much as I can which I plan on doing in 14-15 days. Do you think doing this trip is better in May or September? Also what maps are the best ones to get to follow 66 as much as I can? I have the EZ66 one. Again you two did a great job and thx for doing this so everybody can enjoy The Mother Road. Look forward to your reply.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi George,
So glad you are finding our Route 66 guide and 2 week itinerary helpful in planning your 2022 trip!
In terms of maps, the EZ66 book is the best in terms of directions. It is not so much a map as a turn-by-turn set of directions with accompanying drawn maps and travel tips. This is by far the best resource if you want to stay faithful to the route and is best when you have a co-navigator with you to tell you the turns before they come up. We’d also recommend the Here It Is Map set (great for looking at when setting off each day to get a sense of where the route goes, not for actual navigation) and a good up-to-date USA road atlas.
There are a couple of Route 66 route maps that you can buy, such as this one. I bought this one last year on the route, but can’t really recommend it. It is not very helpful for actual navigating or directions given its lack of detail and scale, but can be useful more for trip planning if you want just a map that shows the route.
The road signage has gotten much better in recent years for the Historic Route 66 route so it is easier to follow than it was just a few years ago, and you can now see parts of the route even on Google Maps and other online and GPS mapping which it did not show before. Signage differs by state.
Hope that helps!
Jessica
Alaa Post author
Reading your BLOG tooks me to mid (2015) when I rode route 66 with a group of friends.. it was an unforgettable 15 days motorcycle trip from Chicago to Santa Monica LA.. all that wonderful memories came back to my mind.. I wished that your blog was there before I started that trip for the huge and rich informations, details and explanations you mentioned.. THANK YOU SO MUCH !!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Alaa, Glad you enjoyed our blog post and thanks for sharing a bit about your 15-day Route 66 adventure by motorcycle — sounds like a wonderful trip with friends! Best, Jessica
larry charles Post author
I enjoy reading your comments on driving the route 66. we live in east tx and planing to take the trip in Sept or october. you gave me a lot of information what to take on the trip.i have a lot information I have received from the chamber commerce for my travel to the west part of the trip from each state. we are taking 3 weeks to do it. we are retired and no hurry to do the trip.as of today we are concern obout the virus that we are having right now and concern obout places to stay and eat that will be open.do you know how things are right now with the business on route 66. could I do this trip on 5000.00 with gas, food, motel and souvenirs.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Larry,
Glad you are enjoying our articles on Route 66. Yes, we recommend at least 2 weeks on Route 66 if you are doing the full route and 3 weeks will allow you to do it at a slower pace which is nice, especially if you plan to do it soon.
The COVID-19 situation is different in each state along Route 66 and changes regularly. I would recommend checking the state public health websites for each of the 8 states and many also have specific coronavirus websites for the latest infection rates, measures, and for what is open.
Unfortunately, right now is probably not the best time to travel in certain states, especially Arizona, Texas, and California which have all seen sharp rises in COVID-19 infections and some businesses that had reopened along the route, have now reclosed. I know in California, indoor restaurants, bars, wineries, theme parks, museums, and other attractions are closed throughout the state and a stay at home order is in place. So you may want to watch the situation and consider delaying your trip or changing the itinerary.
But once you are able to do the trip safely, I do think that you could easily travel Route 66 with a budget of $5000 for 2 persons sharing a room for 3 weeks. It just requires some pre-planning and sticking to a budget. Over a 21 day trip that is about $238 per day which should be enough to cover your gas, food, motel, and souvenirs. Your biggest expense will be lodging so I’d try to book that in advance to ensure you stay in budget. If you keep lodging to an average of around $100 per night then that would give you about $140 per day for food, gas, and any souvenirs/incidentals. If you are driving your own car, you probably can calculate your own cost of fuel and can then set your budget accordingly for food and souvenirs.
Hope that helps and wishing you safe travels!
Jessica
Mary Post author
In Sept 1965 I drove from Detroit to LA mostly on Route 66. I drove by myself in a car with no air conditioning. I had to keep the windows down. My left arm got sunburned. Whenever I stopped at a restaurant or motel someone always said “ you must be driving West”. ?
Great article!!!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Mary,
Sounds like you had a great Route 66 road trip back in 1965 😉 Thanks for sharing your memories.
I remember a similar road trip as a teen with a friend from Ohio to Georgia in summer without A/C and getting a painful sunburn on half my upper body. Lesson learned to always wear sunscreen!
Best,
Jessica
tracy dines Post author
i dont have long and would like to see part of rt 66
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Tracy,
It will depend on how many days you have to see Route 66 and what section most interests you? Where do you plan to start? Are you planning to drive or take a tour?
We list some suggestions above for driving certain sections of the route by interest and theme above in the post that might be helpful. But happy to give advice if you want to give us more details about your trip plans and what you are most interested in seeing along Rt 66.
Best,
Jessica
aditii Post author
Wow…What an excellent post. They are nice article. I was planning a road trip in next months. This is such a comprehensive and super helpful guide. Thanks for sharing your information.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Aditii,
You’re very welcome and wishing you a wonderful Route 66 road trip!
Best,
Jessica
Emily Rose Post author
Wow this is by far the best article I’ve come across on Route 66!! I’ve driven most of the route 5 times now but just haven’t done the beginning part from Chicago. I’m looking to go back and do it this summer and your guide is fantastic! Thank you!!!
Xo,
Emily Rose
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Emily,
Glad you enjoyed our guide to planning a Route 66 trip, and hope you get a chance to do the beginning section of Route 66 in Illinois later in the year! Just let us know if you have any questions.
Safe travels,
Jessica
Roland Whitney Post author
wow, what a great resource. we’re planning on a route 66 trip in my ’79 corvette. now that’s an adventure. thanks for noting all your research.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Roland, That does sound like a grand adventure! Glad you are finding our blog helpful in planning your Route 66 trip, just let us know if you have any questions. Best, Jessica
Miguel c castro Post author
Hellow everyone great memories comes to my mind reading all this about 66. Was the year of 1964, while on the army at fort Bliss that we went from El Paso Tex to NY by car. Of course, we used the road in new Mexico to Indiana and from there to the east on hway 70. Well, how long ago was that? I was 18 years old, today I am almost 75. No, I have not forget this adventure as it was my first long road trip I ever had. Recently I went from Benton Il to Kentucky, and you know what? I traveled part of the same original route as the good old days. Who knows? Will I have another chance to go back to it? Maybe time will tell….
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Miguel,
Sounds like you have some very happy memories driving along Route 66 and other American highways. Glad you were able to travel a part of that route again recently, and I hope you get a chance to have another road trip again soon 😉
Best,
Jessica
Mark Post author
Hi Jessica
Before I ask my question just like to say excellent post lot of reading but worth it ,really envy you and Laurence experience of route 66, myself and my partner have always said we would like to do route 66 for my 60th which is now only 3 years away my question to you is is it still doable and can it be done on a motorcycle , the full route from Los Angeles to Chicago.
Fantastic post (big fan)
Mark & Charmaine
From Birmingham UK
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Mark & Charmaine,
Glad you are finding our Route 66 articles helpful. Yes, Route 66 can be done on a motorcycle and many people do the route, or part of it, by motorcycle.
Route 66 hasn’t been an official highway for a long time, but much of the original road/route still exists. It is believed that over 80% of the original road is still there, although sections have now been paved under as part of the interstate and such. So yes, you can get between Los Angeles and Chicago by taking Rout 66, but there is no way to stay on the original highway the entire time. But most of the time you can and I’d recommend getting the EZ 66 Guide to help as it gives turn by turn directions. Just note that it will be more challenging to follow a guide or map on a motorcycle, so you may want to have a more relaxed plan rather than trying to be exact about following it.
Also if you have the chance to do the route westward from Chicago to Los Angeles (instead of eastward) I’d definitely recommend doing it east to west to follow the original route and development of the road (and westward expansion of people from the midwest to west coast).
Hope that helps, and just let us know if you have further questions as you plan your 60th b-day trip!
Jessica
Sarah Post author
Hi,
Thanks for the amazing post! lost of very helpful information, and it sounds like you had a great time. I’m just starting to put together an itinerary for when we go, but had planned to take about 5 weeks, do you think that is too long? We are going to do all / almost all of the side trips, but do you think we would end up with too much ‘free’ time in smaller stops along the way?
Thanks!!
Sarah
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Sarah,
I think 4 weeks is a pretty perfect amount of time for traveling the route slowly, 5 weeks may be too long for some people but it really depends on how much you plan to do and what you like to do. It, of course, will give you lots of time to spend more time in each place, do side trips, and detours.
So it really depends a lot on your interests. For instance, Laurence and I can easily spend a day exploring small towns or doing a hike but for some people, that might be pretty boring. So you know yourself best about how well you enjoy small town and rural attractions. If you enjoy them, there are lot of options along Route 66, but there are also a number of cities (of varying sizes) as well. Our itinerary has a good mix of cities and towns of varying sizes, but since you have more time, you can add more time to the types of places you enjoy most.
I’d definitely turn some of the overnight stops into 2 night stops to give yourself extra time in places to avoid having to move each night. If you enjoy cities, then you could easily spend 3 days or more in both Los Angeles and Chicago so that could be an extra week just there. Then detours to places like the Ozarks, Grand Canyon, and Las Vegas could be another week.
I’d start with our itinerary (the route is pretty set in terms of Route 66) and then add days to overnight stops where you want to spend more time, add overnight stops in places you want to stop but aren’t included on the itinerary (e.g., perhaps you’d like to spend the night also in St. Louis, Santa Fe, and/or Williams), add in the time for detours you want to make, and then see how many extra days those additions will take. That should give you a good idea if the 5 weeks is too much or not for you!
Hope that helps and just let us know if you have more questions as you plan your Route 66 road trip!
Jessica
alexandre calixto Post author
hi thx for post this will try next vacation, but first have to get my visa to USA!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Alexandre, Glad you enjoyed the post, and yes getting your visa and travel documents in order is definitely a good first step if you are coming from outside the USA! Good luck, Jessica
DOUGLAS JACK Post author
Dear Jessica and Laurence, Apologies – I feel a bit silly! Forget my previous comment about the length of Rte 66 (except for the bit about how brilliant your blog is). I have discovered that the driving distances site for the US that I have been using for years has suddenly started to give distances in miles that are actually Kms. All is explained. As an aside, (my having been in Edinburgh all my school and university days), your Edinburgh blog is spot on! Douglas
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Douglas,
Ah, yes, I just replied to your other comment earlier today and I guessed that it might be that you were looking at it in kms instead of miles. We are often doing km to mile translations ourselves so totally understandable, and it makes sense what your distance calculator calculations were so wildly off!
So glad you enjoyed our Edinburgh content as well. Yes, we lived near Edinburgh for about 5 years until just a few months ago actually 😉
Just let us know if you have any questions as you continue to plan your Route 66 trip!
Best,
Jessica
Carl Post author
Fantastic information thank you so much for all your time and effort to do this. We are from Australia and planning the 2 week drive in April/May 2020. Is it possible to download your Guide as a PDF so it can be referenced on the iPad during our drive or Heaven forbid printed out on paper ? !
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Carl,
I am very happy to hear that you are finding our Route 66 articles helpful in planning your trip. We don’t have any of our articles available as a downloadable PDF file or as a printable format at this time. We have had several similar requests for our articles, so we are looking into some solutions so contact us next year and we may have some options.
If you are subscribed to our monthly newsletter or part of our Facebook group, that is a good place to see our announcements and updates. It is something we are hoping to have a solution for by 2020.
Let us know if you have any questions as you plan your road trip!
Best,
Jessica
stu johnson Post author
in 1947 my dad moved our family from Michigan to California via US66. I know we did not travel the entire route.
I was only 9 years at the time, so I do not remember much it. But the one thing that I have always remembered was spending Christmas in Texas. Later in the early 50’s we drove back to Michigan and came back via US66.
My dad was a WWII Marine and was stationed in Camp Pendleton, CA.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Stu, Yes, a lot of families and military personnel traveled Route 66 around that time and it is great that you have at least some memories from that trip out West. Are you planning to drive Route 66 again yourself now? Best, Jessica
Tom Lombard Post author
Beautifully written. Best summary we’ve found. We are retired folks who did the first third of old Route 66 a few years ago and will do the middle third next week. Your summary has helped us prepare. Thanks.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Tom, So glad to hear that and love that after doing the first third, you are coming back to do the middle third of Route 66 next week. Have a great road trip! Best, Jessica
Dave Loughner Post author
Love your itinerary. Is there a paper copy available for purchase? Not a big internet user. Planning on 66 trip next spring.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Dave,
Unfortunately, we don’t have any paper copies or books of any of our blog content at this time. We are looking into possible solutions in the future, but right now all our Route 66 content is just on our travel blogs. Feel free to check back with us in the Spring before your road trip.
Best,
Jessica
Bethany Williams Post author
Hi 🙂
As everyone has already stated, this blog has been my official guide for planning our trip at the end of the month. It’s exceptional and I couldn’t have imagined planning the journey without constantly referring back to it. My biggest concern for when we go is that we’re going to struggle with the map reading, I’ve purchased the EZ66 guide by Jerry McClanahan as you recommended, however growing up in a generation where we’ve never needed to following road maps and alternatively rely on sat navs/iphones I have a feeling we might struggle. I’ve recently been looking at an app that I can download to my phone (Route 66 Navigation) for £35 with a pre-planned route of historic Route 66. What are your thoughts on this and are there any other apps/downloadable maps for sat navs you’d suggest?
Thanks in advance! 🙂
Bethany
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Bethany,
So glad to hear that our Route 66 guide has been useful in planning your trip!
We have not personally used the Route 66 Navigation or any other navigation apps (such as the one by River pilot which you can see here). The app you mention has some pretty mixed reviews online as you can see in the Google App store and such. So I would read over those to decide if that might be a good idea or not for you. Some people have said it was good and others terrible.
We personally used a combo of the EZ66 guide, an actual map, and our GPS. We never ran into any major issues. It is easier if you are going east to west so you don’t need to reverse directions or put extra thought into it. One of us drove and the other would keep track of the EZ66 guide as needed. We’d kept the GPS on to check the road we were on, look for upcoming roads, and navigate to specific places nearby (e.g., restaurant or hotel) or off the route. The map was useful to be able to plan, see the full route for the day, and see what was coming up next.
If you are using the EZ66 guide and/or our detailed day-by-day itinerary, that should also help as you know which town is coming up next and can always navigate to that if you get a little off track or feel you need to use your GPS.
I hope that helps and I think you’ll be OK even if you don’t use the navigation, and getting a little lost is just part of the journey. It is hard to get really lost as you can always use your GPS or phone maps to get you back to the route.
BTW, we’d love to have you come back and post and let us know about your trip and any tips you have from it!
Happy travels,
Jessica
Patrick Breheny Post author
Hi Bethany
My wife and I are currently doing route 66 and we are using the Route 66 Navigation . Once we had the maps downloaded on our phone we could then use them off line. We have found it to be very helpful leading us to attractions and through the towns and cities along the route. We have used this post during our planning of the trip (we are from Ireland) and have found it very helpful. We also refer back to it every evening for advice.
dawn stevens Post author
Hi I just wanted to say how informational your posts are! I’m planning a road trip for me and my husband May of 2021 ( I knw that’s a ways off) but I like to plan ahead. we will just be doing the Texas to California portion on our 2 weeks We plan on spending more time in California. thanks again for all the very valuable info it will be a life saver….
Dawn
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Dawn, Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and let us know that our article has been helpful in planning your Route 66 trip! The Texas to California section is a good section of the route and will allow you to see a lot. We just spent a couple of weeks in California over the summer and there is lots you can do during/after your Route 66 trip. You could consider driving up the Pacific Coast Highway to San Francisco (we have an article on that) after you arrive in LA if you wish. But there are also loads of other places to visit in CA, just let us know if you have any questions. Enjoy! Jessica
Federico Post author
Hi Jessica & Laurence
After found this blog I haven´t realized that this Route would take that long to see it, because we where planning to see it in the way to LA from Williams in one day. As we already have booked everything there´s nothing that we can do to get more time, so it will be invaluable if you give us advice of what to visit in the way, we love landscapes like the Painted Desert, also authentic places like the Cadillac Ranch, Old CoffeShops, Hotels, with neon signs, etc..
Thanks in advance,
Federico.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Federico,
It is too bad you did not read our Route 66 guide before booking your trip. Yes, unfortunately, you are not going to have much time to explore Route 66 as it is about 7 hours of driving (quickest route, not Route 66) to get from Los Angeles, CA to Williams, AZ. You won’t really have time to faithfully follow the route on this trip as it would require a lot more time as we’d recommend at least 3 days for this part of the route.
So I would choose one or two attractions you really want to see on the way between LA and Williams and then you can take time to explore the Route 66 attractions in Williams itself since you’ll have more time to relax and explore there if you are staying overnight. You can check our detailed Route 66 itinerary and see what is between those two cities (look at Days 14, Day 13, Day 12, and part of Day 11). There are loads of places you could stop, but you will have limited time so I’d choose a couple of things you really want to see.
The Painted Desert is located east of Williams and Cadillac Ranch is located in Texas so unless you are continuing along the route you won’t be able to stop there. Are you continuing on to Chicago? If so, you might want to check out this 1 week itinerary that may be useful.
Hope that helps, and wishing you a good trip!
Best,
Jessica
Federico Post author
Hi again Jessica,
Thanks a lot for the advice, because of it we are trying to add one more day, at least, to the circuit.
BTW Awesome blog, it´s very detailed and helpful.
Best,
Federico.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Enjoy Federico, and just let us know if you have any further questions after looking at the guide and itinerary. Hope you have a great visit to the USA! Best, Jessica
Johnny Post author
Hey Jessica & Laurence,
I’ve just finished reading through your absolutely amazing Route 66 Guide. All I can say is ‘Wow!’ what an amazing thing you did! – and to share it so eloquently, well, you must both be congratulated on it! 🙂
My friend and I were ruminating over a pint a few nights ago (we’re English) when we somehow got onto a conversation that neither of us have been to The States, and how much we would one day love to. Then, in a kinda ‘light bulb’ moment – I asked him whether he’d ever thought about driving Route 66. Well, he had not but now, we both can’t stop thinking about the possibility of doing so!
Things in both our lives will have to line up first; a bit like stars in the sky, before this idea can become a reality. But now that the notion of it is fixed in my brain, who knows what the future will bring!
Thanks again for making the possibility of it, seem even more real!
Kind regards,
Johnny
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Johnny, So happy you have found our Route 66 guide to be helpful and inspirational 😉 I hope that you and your friend both get a chance to visit the U.S. some day soon and to do the drive along old Route 66 – I am sure you would enjoy it! Feel free to reach out in the future if you get to the stage of trip planning with any questions. Best, Jessica & Laurence
DaMommas Post author
Thank you for such a great post! I am considering making the trip next year from Chicago, as I will be turning 66 shortly. Kind of getting my kicks at 66. 🙂 I hadn’t realized the signs were removed when it was decommissioned, very good to know!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi there, Driving Route 66 to celebrate turning 66 sounds like a great idea 😉 Yes, since the original Route 66 signs were official road signs, they had to be taken down as the sections were decommissioned. However, there are now brown historic Route 66 signs along many sections of the route now. But since the route itself is not signed in many places, you’ll want a guide to keep you on the route. Best, Jessica
sal desanto Post author
HI, I AM A RETIRED TEAMSTER AND HAVE DRIVEN TRACTOR-TRAILERS FOR OVER 30 YRS. I AND MY WIFE HAVE BEEN LOOKING TO TRAVEL 66 FOR A WHILE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INFO ON THIS TRIP. NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD FOIND SOMETHING LIKE THIS. WE HAVE LIVED IN VEGAS FOR A FEW YEARS SO WE ARE FAMILAR WITH THE SOUTHWEST. I AM THINKING NEXT YEAR STARTING IN AUGUST BY LEAVING FROM CHI-TOWN. I WILL READ YOUR INFO AND COPY IT FOR REFERENCE TO START WITH. WE WILL FLY INTO CHIGAGO AND RENT A VEHICLE TO DRIVE OUT THEN FLY BACK. WE HAVE DRIVEN ACROSS TWICE BEFORE BUT NOT ON 66. THANK YOU, REGARDS. SALVATORE.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Sal, Glad you are finding our Route 66 guide helpful in planning your road trip from Chicago. Just let us know if you have any questions as you plan your trip! Best, Jessica
Tiffany Post author
Where did you find the large route 66 sign on the actual highway? Would there be any between Albuquerque and Santa Fe?
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Tiffany, There are a number of places along Route 66 where people have painted Route 66 shields on the highway but these change over time (wear off, get paved over) and are not official so it is hard to give you a location. I think all the locations in the photos (most are from a few years ago) in our posts come from California and Arizona, which are two states where I think we saw the most shields and also were taken in places where there was no traffic making it safe to photograph them. But we saw them in just about every state, including Kansas! If you drive the route (or a longer stretch of it), you’ll likely run across them in a number of places.
There are almost always shields on the highway at the Midway Point in Adiran TX (near the NM border) which is one of the more popular places to see and be able to photograph them so you are pretty guaranteed to see them there. We recently (a couple weeks ago) saw some Route 66 shields on the road in California near Amboy so I know there are 2 there at the moment in good shape.
I don’t know of any shields on the highway between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. But they have installed a Route 66 neon sign near 6411 Central Ave NW in Albuquerque that is over the highway. It is close to the Western View Steak House and looks great at night when the neon is lit. There is still a number of nice Route 66 era neon signs in Albuquerque.
Hope that helps!
Best,
Jessica
Amara Post author
It’s really helpful for me to get such information to guide to plan for road trip. i really like to go on rte 66 road trip on highway, it’s really feel so amazing .
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Amara, Glad you found our Route 66 guide helpful and I do hope you get a chance to take this road trip. Just let us know if you have any questions. Best, Jessica
Herb Shartle Post author
Just stayed at the El Vado in Albuquerque on 66 and within walking distance to the old town square. It has been recently renovated and worth the slightly higher cost per night…
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Herb, Glad you had a good stay at El Vado in Albuquerque, we were there last year. The motel was actually closed back in 2008 but the building was restored and reopened in August 2018. It is a hotel plus dining area and shops. You can read more in our guide about Route 66 attractions in Albuquerque. Jessica
Steele Honda Post author
Thanks for pointing out that in Arizona, you might want to make a pitstop at Wild West Junction in Williams, Arizona. My husband and I are thinking about taking a road trip down Route 66 this summer. I think it would be fun to stop and see some of the unique things like that pitstop along the way to help make our trip even more fun.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Steele, Yes, it is a good potential stop for those interested in western and cowboy stops along Route 66. Wishing you and your husband a great road trip! Jessica
Tom & Catherine Post author
Hi just finished reading all the info on your site and really found it informative. We are getting ready to have a family trip (eight of us) using a crusing van. We plan on renting it from Florida where we will be based from and then doing stops in Nashville and Branson, Mo to see some sites before getting on 66. Since we do not have time to run the whole route our thoughts are to pick it up in Mo…possibly Springfield and then go as far as Arizona since we plan on heading up to Vegas from there. Based on that itinerary how many days would you think we need to be able to travel the route as close to original as possible and still see some of the great sites between those two points? Any thoughts or suggestions by anyone would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Tom & Catherine
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Tom & Catherine,
Yes, if you are visiting Branson Missouri, Springfield, MO is a good place to start your Route 66 journey. This falls in the middle of Day 3 of our suggested 2 week itinerary. Then to detour to Las Vegas and end your Route 66 road trip, I’d recommend either Kingman, AZ (Day 11 of our itinerary) or Needles, CA (day 12 of our itinerary) depending on the time you have.
So for that sort of itinerary and following the route closely (using our suggested itinerary) I’d recommend 8 or 9 days along Route 66 (add extra time if you are making any major detours). Going at a slower pace, 10 days. If limited on time, you can do it in fewer days, you’ll just take highway to speed up between major attractions.
Since you are traveling as a big group, I’d also take into consideration how interested each person is in the Route 66 aspect. If some travelers are less interested than others, then you may want to speed up some sections by taking sections of the highway as some attractions do require some interest in Route 66 to appreciate 😉
Hope that helps!
Jessica
Dave K Post author
This is an awesome sight, guys! Thank you so much for it. You rock!!!
In 2009, we ventured from Richmond, Virginia & picked up 66 in NE Oklahoma & drove to Santa Rosa on our way to see our kids @ Holloman AFB in Alamogordo, NM. Had a lot of fun with the blue whale and the “Cars” places in Shamrock TX. Enjoyed a night @ the Big Texas Steak Ranch. Stayed at the motel with the fake cowhide bedspread. A real hoot! Have been to the Cadillac Ranch twice; although, I think it is losing its allure.
We now live in Colorado Springs and this past weekend we picked up part of the Santa Fe leg just below Las Vegas, NM (SR 84). We enjoyed the stretch of Historic 66 from Moriarty, NM all the way through Albuquerque finishing at Enchanted Trails RV Park. Took the route up to Santa Fe & had a lovely evening in a bungalow @ El Rey Inn.
I’ve only read your planning guide, but will read the actual 2-wk site in the next few days since we hope to get the rest of NM & AZ in next month. Kinda worried about the weather in early March though.
I’ll write more later, but THANKS AGAIN!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Dave, Glad you have enjoyed your time so far on Route 66 and have found our planning guide useful! El Rey and the Big Texan are both classic places to stay 😉 I am sure you’ll enjoy the rest of NM & AZ – Arizona has a lot of Rte 66 treasures.
The weather can be unpredictable in March but it certainly should not be busy. I’d just check the weather and pack accordingly and take it slow. Let us know if you have any questions once you check out our suggested Route 66 road trip itinerary and look forward to hearing how you enjoy the next part of the route.
Best,
Jessica
Howard Penn Post author
I drive from Detroit to Tucson yearly. I’ve been on many parts of 66, I’m always seeing something new. It’s an amazing journey. Take your time and explore!! This is a great website as well. See you on the road!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Howard, Happy to hear that you have enjoyed driving along parts of Route 66 and hope you get to continue to see more on future trips. Thanks for taking the time to comment and glad to hear you enjoyed our road trip planning guide. Best, Jessica
Andrew Post author
There is an easy way to avoid the heavy one way fees for car rental – do the route in reverse – price for car rental from Chicago to LA I got quoted yesterday £1,500, same company quoted me £480 to go from LA to Chicago. This is because everyone is going from Chicago to LA so they have a load of cars needing to be taken back to Chicago.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Andrew! Thanks for that great car rental tip for Route 66. I think that if people are flexible in the direction they are going, it is definitely worth checking out the rates going from both direction to see which is lowest! Best, Jessica
Susana Post author
This website is really amazing! The details are awesome!
I have been dreaming this trip for more than 20 years and it’s still hard to believe I will make it next year May/2019 with your help.
Unfortunately I only have two weeks… but I am not discouraged! Flying Dubai-Chicago and then Los Angeles-Dubai so really travelling from far to travel the Mother Road.
Anyway, thank you for getting your kicks in the Route 66 and share it with us!
Going to check your suggestions for renting the car! 🙂
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Susana,
So happy that you found our Route 66 information helpful and I hope it will help you plan your upcoming road trip in May!
2 weeks is a great amount of time and should allow you to see the full route and most of its highlights. For a day-to-day guide is our 2 week Route 66 itinerary.
For the rental car, just be sure to check to see if there are extra one-way fees sine you will be renting in one city and dropping off in another. Also check to see if you will need an International Drivers License or not, always a good idea, and you’ll need to apply for that in advance from your home country.
Just let us know if you have any questions as you plan your Mother Road road trip!
Best,
Jessica
Monika Vaičiūnaitė Post author
Hey, Jessica and Laurence,
I have been looking for a way to plan Route 66 trip for a long time. I believe your post is the best thing on the internet!
I am planing the trip with my dad (as this father-daughter thing) but as we are from Europe it’s hard to understand the way road trips work in America. This was exceptionally helpful. We are hoping to experience the classic feel of America through the whole country (with us renting a Mustang and listening to classic rock 🙂 ).
Though I do have one question. I understand that the financial part of the trip is very personal depending of what we’ll see, eat and where we’ll sleep, but excluding the plane tickets and the car rental, what would be the approximate amount of money spent on this kind of trip (as we have no understanding of prices in America). Or a better question- what would be the best way to calculate the vacation budget? if you have any tips, that would be greatly appreciated!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Monika,
So happy you are finding our Route 66 road trip guide so helpful in planning your father-daughter road trip!
Yes, the cost will be very depending on the types of places you want to stay, eat, and visit. Also on how long your trip lasts (e.g. a 12 day trip is going to cost a lot more than a 20 day trip). The things you’ll want to factor for are your car rental, fuel, food, entrance fees/tours/activities, and lodging. Also souvenirs if you plan to do some shopping.
Note that if you want to drive a Mustang, the rental car price for that type of car will be 2 to 3 times that of a regular car and you’ll have limited rental options. If you are traveling on a budget, you might want to consider a regular compact or economy car.
Prices will depend on where you are along the route (Los Angeles and Chicago have much higher average lodging prices than say OKlahoma or Kansas) and fuel is normally much more expensive in California than in other states. It will also depend on what type of lodging and restaurants you like. But you can stay in 1 room (2 people) at budget to lower mid-range motels, inns, and hotels along the route, on an average, for USD $70 to $90/night along many parts of the route. If you are not sharing 1 room and need 2 rooms, I’d say USD $125 to $180 per night. You’ll need to increase that price if you want to stay at nicer hotels.
For food, you can get free breakfast at many motels and hotels (check when booking), and easily eat for around $15/person for lunch and $20/person for dinner (no alcoholic drinks) at diners, fast food places, delis, and cafes. Even less if you want to and you can of course also make sandwiches, cook your own meals, etc. to save money. But of course if want to eat at nicer restaurants, you’ll need to increase that budget. Restaurants in cities like Chicago, Santa Fe, and Santa Monica can be very expensive.
Fuel prices fluctuate a lot so I’d check the prices ahead of your trip, such as here or here.
Here is a post about costs of travel in the USA that might help.
But the best way is to just start looking at the kind of lodging and restaurants you want to eat at. I’d go through and check some of the lodging prices and menu prices for some of the places listed on our Route 66 itinerary to get a better idea. You can often save money and better stick to a budget by booking your lodging in advance.
Hope that helps give you an idea, and please feel free to ask any further questions as you continue to plan your road trip!
Best,
Jessica
Leo Post author
Hey guys, great guide, you did cover everything anyone needs to make this trip.
I do have one request though…can you please make some comments about fuel availability? Perhaps there are stretches that may be better to drive them with a full tank, or maybe there are sections with not much gas stations (or non at all).
And what about tolls? Did you find Toll by Plate booths all the way? Did you pay cash? How did you deal with this? Is there an estimate amount of money spent on tolls that you can share?
Thanks a lot!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Leo,
Glad you are finding our Route 66 road trip guide helpful in planning your trip!
It is probably always a good idea to keep your tank at the 1/4 mark or above when driving Route 66 as it can be a fairly long drive to the next gas station along some stretches of the route. The route becomes more rural with fewer towns as you get further west, but there is almost always a gas station within a 30 to 60 minute drive. The only stretch though that would be a real concern is the Mojave Desert stretch in California as it is the most desolate stretch with the fewest services. To get a better idea of the route, you can check out our suggested 2 week Route 66 itinerary as it will give you an idea of the number of towns/cities along each stretch.
BTW, as mentioned in the article if you do NOT have an American credit card with an American address, you may not be able to get fuel at automatic stations without an attendant. Many require you to put in the zip code attached to the credit card. So if that is the case, I’d be sure to always fill up during the day at stations with an attendant or store attached in case you need to go inside to pay.
Sounds like you have traveled in a state (Florida maybe?) where there are a lot of road tolls and the tolls-by-plate system is in place. As far as I know and can remember, there are no road tolls along Route 66. However, you may encounter them as you drive around to explore the larger cities along the route like Chicago and Los Angeles. But you are unlikely to encounter many, if any, road tolls and I don’t think this is something you really need to factor into your budget. If you do encounter tolls, you can pay cash.
Hope this helps!
Jessica
Goncalo P Post author
Hi Jessica & Laurence,
Nice blog about Route 66 experience. I am planning to do it in soon…
How much does it cost to rent a car (pick Up Chicago and Drop at LA) for 15 days ? All companies apllies the “one way drop off” fee, and i Can´t find any economy/medium car (2 people) for less than 1500 USD ! Can you please give some tips.
Thanks, Goncalo
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Goncalo,
Glad you are finding our Route 66 planning guide helpful, and excited to hear that you are planning to do the route this summer.
There are a lot of major rental car companies that have offices in both Chicago and Los Angeles and allow one-way rentals, but as you are finding, most charge a hefty one-way rental fee. Rental car prices depend a lot on time of year as well.
Here are some tips for finding the lowest price car rental for Route 66:
Hope this helps and let us know if you have further questions as you plan your Route 66 road trip!
Best,
Jessica
Shawn Post author
Wow, this is amazing!! Great practical advice in your planning guide and a very useable detailed Rte 66 itinerary. 100X better than any of the other travel websites out there and 10X than any of the actual guidebooks I have checked. We will be using this to guide our Route 66 road trip next month, we are only doing about 1/2 of the route this time but know we’ll be back next year to do the rest and using your wonderful guide. Thank you for taking the time to put this excellent resource together for the benefit of the rest of us!!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Shawn, Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, and we are very happy that you are finding our planning guide and itinerary helpful in planning your Route 66 road trip! We do put a lot of time and effort into our travel blog and always love to hear when we have helped someone. Do let us know if you have any questions as you plan your trip, and feel free to report back on your own Route 66 trip! Best, Jessica
Perri Wilson Post author
I wanted to thank you for all the information in your blog. We are planning a Coast to Coast trip next year following I-40 from Barstow to the east coast (not sure where) then on to the Florida Keys. it’ll be 5 motorcycles with chase truck for most of the trip, so I’m looking to use US66 to keep us off the highways to probably western Missouri. I plan on checking out your itinerary, mainly to see if there were parts of the road that were not motorcycle friendly – too deteriorated parts of the road. And I have followed a couple of your links to guides on Amazon. The book – The Route 66 Party Guide sounds like it’ll be just the guide to have. Thanks again for a wonderful afternoon of road trip research!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Perri, So glad your found our Route 66 guide and the itinerary will also likely come in handy for the sections you want to drive.
Sadly, the specific motorcycle guides have come and gone and for whatever reason don’t seem to come out in regular new editions but the Party Guide is still the most popular for bikers. Based on our experience, motorcycles can still follow most of the ~ 80% of the road still available and you are typically only a few miles from the Interstate if you do decide a road is a bit too rough. I would probably also recommend the latest version of the EZ 66 Guide as Jerry typically has the latest road information (he does the route in a car each year but many motorcyclists use his guide as well) and you can visit his website to learn more about road closures, floods, detours, etc. that have occurred since the latest book.
If you are looking for a historic route to the east coast you might consider U.S. Route 30 which today still closely follows the Lincoln Highway – it was the first transcontinental road for automobiles in the U.S (in 1913!). It stretches from California to New York, and from 66 could connect from say Illinois (it goes through Joliet, IL). I have driven only sections, so can’t stay anything for motorcycles or traffic, but it may be one route to consider.
The Keys are fantastic and a great way to end such an epic cross-country road trip! So many great towns and cities you can visit on the way south as well. Feel free to reach out if you want any recommendations as you continue your planning!
Best,
Jessica
Rachel Green Post author
My great-grandfather used to tell my father his stories of Route 66, about the experienced he had with his friends. These fun stories have created curiosity in my mind that even I want to experience Rte 66 once in my life at least. I really liked how you explained everything in such detail you made me remember all those stories I heard when I was a kid.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Rachel, Thanks for your comment and I hope you have a chance to do a Route 66 road trip some day and see some of the things that your great-grandfather spoke about to your father! Best, Jessica
David Post author
Before undertaking Route 66 I started researching online. There was a lot of information out there, much of it not very helpful so the first task was to work out which sites provided information and suggestions which were relevant to the trip I wanted to do. Yours was the best by what Australians would call “a country mile”: helpful, well written and current with no hint of partisanship (apart from the JUCY sponsorship which you declared quite openly).
Armed with the information from your site, I was able to target my further research without wasting time and effort.
In the end, I opted for three weeks on the Route (not including my 3 and 1/2 days in Chicago – a city full of pleasant surprises) and my last day in LA before flying back to Australia. Apart from two nights in Santa Fe, every night was in a different place because if I was to complete the trip in the three weeks I’d allowed myself, there wasn’t time to dilly-dally too long. I chose to follow the actual Route as far as possible and if where there was more than one alignment, I would always take the older alignment if it was available and driveable.
I think your advice to not over-plan the trip is critical. This is not characteristic of my holiday planning, but in the end, I just decidedt to go with the Road and stop at the end of the day. Sure, there was so much more I could have spent time seeing, but I’ll be back another day.
For those contemplating Route 66, heed the advice of the Travel Cats and buy a copy of ‘EZ66’ (or something equally as comprehensive) but make sure you get the latest edition. I know Jerry McClanahan is intending to update that publication but I doubt that will be on the bookshelves for another year at least). The ‘Here it is’ maps were invaluable, as was Drew Knowles ‘Route 66 Adventure Handbook’. Yes, you need lots of information and you’re constantly cross-referencing, but it’s worth the effort.
So many sights, experiences and now memories. I loved it and am so glad I had the opportunity to experience Route 66 first-hand. The fact that you’re on this web site is a great start to your own journey – travel safely. And a very big ‘thank you’ to Jessica and Laurence for their invaluable help.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi David,
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and share about your Route 66 road trip experience after the trip!
Sounds like you had a great Route 66 trip – 3 weeks allows you to really explore and see a lot. We are also happy to hear you used our Route 66 articles to help plan your road trip and sightsee along the way! We spent a lot of time on those posts and are always very happy to know that they have helped other travelers 😉
Happy travels!
Jessica
Joanne Cameron Post author
WOW!!!!! This was such a great sight to get to know the Route 66 and all that it has to offer. Our family, when we were kids, and there were 5 of us and our parents drove from NJ to CA back in the 60’s in a Rambler and remember the old road that we drove and the newer highways that offered a faster pace. Thank goodness my dad stopped at some of the Historical towns and sights. My 66th Birthday is this May and thought I would make that trip. Looking so forward to it. Thank you for all your great info. :}
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Joanne, Glad you have fond memories of being in the car with your family along Route 66 back in the 1960’s 😉 I am so happy you are enjoyed our Route 66 guide and happy that you are planning a Route 66 trip for May. Hopefully our guide and our Route 66 itinerary will help you plan your trip, but do let us know if you have any questions as we are happy to help! Best, Jessica
JD Byous Post author
Love your articles… especially this one. As a child my family traveled Route 66 each year to visit family in Eastern Oklahoma. Your excellent writing and photos bring back many good memories.
JD Byous
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi JD, So glad you enjoyed our Route 66 travel guide and I am glad it brought back some good memories for you. I hope you get a chance to travel the road again in the future 😉 Best, Jessica
Karen Taylor Post author
Hi, We are thinking of traveling Route 66 next year, just read your blog, very informative and helpful, thank you!
I was wondering about safety on the route? My other worry was breaking down but you have already covered that. One part of me loves the thought of being on the open road of the route, the other worries about the dangers you could encounter? Standing out as obvious tourists with regards to robberies etc?
Regards
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Karen,
I am glad that you found our Route 66 article helpful!
Yes, there are many ways to be prepared for car related issues or accidents such as having proper insurance, subscribing to a roadside assistance program, making sure you have the proper gear in your car (e.g., extra tire, extra headlight bulbs, safety vest), etc.
The safety question is a good one and I will add some of this information to the main article for future readers who may also have concerns.
In terms of safety, I think you’d want to basically do what you’d do in any other area of the USA or really any country. Crime rates vary considerably along the route from big cities like LA, Chicago and Albuquerque where there is higher crime to small little towns in Oklahoma or Arizona that may experience almost no crime. A lot of crime, especially violent crime, happens late at night or early in the morning so completing your sightseeing by dinner time (most things are closed by then anyway) and heading off to your accommodation for the night may make you feel safer. We felt very safe on our trip, particularly during the day but I has also been to many of the states before and had lived in both CA and NM.
I think the biggest concerns are probably theft (of valuables and car) and here is some of our general safety advice we give to people when traveling (applies to Route 66 or really anywhere!). Keep your valuables hidden, car and hotel doors locked, and be cautious about opening motel or hotel doors to people you don’t know. If you are wearing a purse, I’d wear a cross body one that is difficult for someone to snatch. Have copies of important phone numbers, IDs and credit cards stored in a separate place (physical and/or online) in case your purse and/or phone are stolen. Keep your cell phones charged and carry a spare battery or charger. Always have a bit of cash on you ($20 to $50) but don’t carry large amounts of cash in case you are robbed. Let other people not on your trip know your general plans. Some people also like to carry pepper spray.
If you are camping, I’d stay at proper campsites with staff on-site and avoid camping off by yourself out of sight of others. If staying in budget motels or rented rooms (e.g., Airbnb), I’d be sure to read reviews and check on the area a bit (especially in larger cities) to try to avoid high crime areas. It can also help to make sure you have your lodging booked ahead at least a day or two in advance so you are never scrambling to find lodging late at night. We did not have any safety related issues during our trip but I think you should definitely watch out for yourself like you would anywhere else and if you are new to these areas, it is always good to be a little extra cautious.
Hope this helps, and wishing you a wonderful (and safe) Route 66 road trip if you do decide to do it!!
Best,
Jessica
Aaron C. Post author
Excellent article! I like how thorough and detailed it is. One thing that scares me with long road trips like this is car trouble. Something as little as a flat tire or bad fuel injector can throw off the entire trip. Thanks for writing.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Aaron, Thanks, glad you enjoyed our Route 66 road trip article and thanks for taking the time to comment. Yes, a long road trip can be a bit scary as things can go wrong with your car. In fact, we just had a flat tire and problems with our clutch on a road trip in the past couple of weeks. But there are ways that you can be prepared for some issues such as having insurance, subscribing to a roadside assistance program, making sure you have the proper gear in your car (e.g., extra tire, extra headlight bulbs, safety vest), etc.. Even though we’ve had significant car problems this trip, it has not ruined our trip at all as we had roadside assistance and were able to always get issues sorted same day or next day. But definitely something you should think about, especially if going to less populated areas where you may not be close to service stations. Best, Jessica
Blaine Tamayo Post author
This article really helps! Thank you for sharing this guide on planning a roadtrip on Route 66.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Blaine, You’re very welcome, glad you found our Route 66 planning guide helpful! We had a wonderful time traveling Route 66 and wishing you a similarly wonderful Route 66 road trip! Best, Jessica
Louise Post author
I enjoyed reading about your thoughts and experiences on Route 66. We’re a Kiwi and Japanese couple who just came from a our own Route 66 odyssey–well, half of it. Now that our kids are self sufficient, we took the time to do a couple’s trip. Due to work schedules, we only had 10 days to get over there from Tokyo and back again, so we did half the route, from Chicago to Adrian, TX. We look forward to doing the other half in a year or two, hopefully by Harley next time. (My husband is a biker. I am the decorative partner who rides on the back.) All the best to you guys and your cats–we have three of our own. Three kids, three cats.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Louise, Glad you enjoyed reading our guide to Route 66, and it sounds like you had a great trip if you plan to return to do the rest of the route. Yes, and congrats on doing exactly half of it as Adrian, Texas (to those readers who don’t know) is considered the exact midpoint of Route 66 😉 The second half is quite different to the first and very scenic, especially from New Mexico to the California desert. Wishing the best to you as well and hope you get a chance to return in the next few years! Best, Jessica
Vickie Good Post author
Thanks for the great information, I want to buy a gas card for a friend who is driving the complete route this month. What national brand companies are most prevalent along the route. Thanks!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Vickie, Along Route 66 there are a lot of different gas station brands (Exxon, BP, Philips, 7-Eleven, Texaco, Shell, Chevron, Sinclair, Speedway, Marathon…not to mention the giant gas station brands of WalMart & Costco) as it spans over 8 states and there are a lot of regional and local gas stations. In some places you just don’t have much choice (many towns just have one or two stations). The vast majority allow you to pay with a credit or debit card, so I would suggest instead of a gas card for a specific company getting at pre-paid credit or debit card for your friend to be able to use to purchase fuel as well as other essentials along the route (food, supplies). For instance there are pre-paid VISA gift cards that you can use anywhere that VISA is accepted (VISA and Mastercard are accepted just about everywhere credit cards are in the USA). You can purchase these cards online or via certain stores (I think stores like WalMart carry them). Hope that helps! Best, Jessica
April Yap Post author
I like the photos and the adventure of your Route 66 trip!
travelcats Post author
Hi April, Thanks, Route 66 was a great road trip, probably our favorite of the many road trips we have taken so far! ~ Jessica
Lori E Post author
As a blogger who is, at the moment, not blogging much anymore due to lack of time, I appreciate the enormous amount of work you have put into this post.! Well done. I will heading from Vegas to Santa Fe in a couple weeks and really enjoyed your experience. We are just going to cruise along and see what we can see. Of utmost importance to us is good food and interesting sites. You have given me a lot to look into. I absolutely love your photograph of the street in Calico. I would frame that and hang it on my wall. It is great art!
travelcats Post author
Hi Lori, I am glad you found our article helpful and I hope you have a great trip along that section of Route 66. There are some great places to visit in Arizona and New Mexico along Route 66. I am a big fan of New Mexican food and highly recommend trying lots of New Mexican dishes and green chile burgers. Be sure to check out MeowWolf in Santa Fe if you haven’t been there; we just went last week and loved it. Thanks, glad you like our Calico ghost town photos (definitely worth a visit!). Any of our photos are available to our readers for printing, just email us for details. Have a great road trip! Best, Jessica
Jenny Post author
We are planning to drive out to CA, to see our children. We are making this an adventure and of course, must drive on Route 66!
You have provided great information!
Thank you so much!
travelcats Post author
Hi Jenny, Glad you found the Route 66 information helpful. Sounds like you have a fun trip planned and glad you get to incorporate Route 66! Thanks for taking the time to comment 🙂 Happy travels, Jessica
Mark Anderson Post author
A fantastic and comprehensive article. Any advice on driving and navigating the big cities for a United Kingdom driver like me who drives on the left hand side of the road with steering wheel on right side of car. Would definitely consider driving Route 66 with my wife and three kids.
travelcats Post author
Hi Mark! Thanks so much, we are glad you found the article to be comprehensive! Yes, it can be a great family trip, even if you just choose to do a portion of Route 66. My husband is British so I definitely understand your question as we are currently living in Scotland. Here is a link to an article on tips for driving in the USA and another helpful articles that were specifically written for the British driver’s first time driving in the U.S. that outlines many of the main driving differences, laws, and things to consider: UK beginner driving tips for USA,
Note that there are differences in traffic laws by state (speed limits, whether U-turns are legal, fines for cell phone use) but most traffic laws are similar across the states and similar to those in the UK. Many of the traffic signs will be familiar or make sense to you. It will take you a bit of time to adjust to driving on the opposite side of the road and the opposite side of the car and I would suggest picking up your rental car in a smaller town or city to give you more time to practice driving in an easier place rather than picking it up in a congested city like Chicago, L.A., or San Francisco which can be stressful places to drive even for native drivers. Or pick it up at a major city’s airport and directly head to a smaller town or suburbs for a couple days of driving and exploring before tackling the big cities. After a couple days of driving people often start feeling more comfortable.
Also most American rentals are automatic which my husband actually now prefers as he found it much easier not having to worrying about changing gears all the time. But if you are used to a Standard/manual car, you may want to request one of them so at least that would be the same. Note that Americans use miles for distance and gallons for fuel/gas.
A great thing right now is that fuel prices in the U.S. are much lower than in the UK! Please let me know if you have any specific questions about traffic laws or planning a Route 66 road trip after checking out those links and we are happy to answer them. Happy travels! ~ Jessica
Joy Macarthur Post author
Hi, I have just read you blog .. It’s amazing with so much information … Thank you so much! We have 2 guide books now, The Adventure Handbook and Tom Snyder Route 66..which I am in the process of reading cover to cover..But now we think we might buy the Ez66 book as well .. We are planning our trip ,well we have booked our trip for mid June of this year .. We are hoping to buy a bike and ride 66 but we have limited room …..We would like to get the dining and food one but we might have to just go with what we find along the way .. We haven’t got anything planned .. But do know we will probably do 320 to 400 km a day on our trip.. I have written everything down so thank you so much ..by the way we are from New Zealand – Joy
travelcats Post author
Hi Joy, I am glad that you found our Route 66 post useful and I hope it helps you plan your upcoming Route 66 road trip! I would strongly recommend the Route 66 EZ66 Guide in addition to The Adventure Handbook you already own. If you have limited room, I would choose these two plus a good road map/atlas over both the Snyder guide (it is less up-to-date) and the Dining & Food guide. There are some recommendations for food in the other guides, they are just more limited. Another idea is to purchase the Route 66 Dining/Lodging guide and just write down or photocopy some of your favorites to take with you or make any special motel reservations in advance as we did find the guide’s recommendations to be quite useful, especially for food. There are some motorcycle guides to Route 66 out there as well, I included a link to them in the post, but the issue with most of these is that they are not that regularly updated so you are probably best to stick with the other guides. As you keep planning, I’d also love to hear more about where you choose to rent your motorcycle and general issues around that to help future readers finding this post, since our experience was in a car/RV. Happy travels! ~ Jessica
Leigh Blochlinger Post author
Hi! We are from South Africa….having been planning a trip to the US since 2012! needed to wait for our youngest Grandson to reach “Disney” height…the year has arrived! So seven of us are booked to leave Johannesburg for Orlando on 7th December! We have planned to spend spend a week in Orlando and then hiring two RV’s to drive through to Las Vegas….preferably using Route 66. Little concerned re: your comments about travelling in December…unfortunately, we do not have much choice as in SA December is the longest vacation time for all major professions and schools! So….what is your advice?
travelcats Post author
Hi Leigh, I am very excited for you and your family’s USA road trip! I would not be too concerned about driving in December but I would be prepared for cold temperatures and possible poor road conditions, especially in the mountain areas of both New Mexico and Arizona. You may need to make detours if the weather is bad (especially if driving larger RVs) and some places may be closed or have limited winter hours; however the great news is that there won’t be a lot of other travelers on the Route, you won’t have to deal with the really hot weather in the desert, and it is easy to get road updates online or by phone. If you are detouring to the Grand Canyon I would make RV spot reservations at least 3 months in advance as it is busy all year. So obviously you can’t drive the full Route 66 route given your trip stopping and ending points, but if driving from Orlando I would suggest starting Route 66 around Oklahoma City, OK, and then driving westward through Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and then leaving Route 66 to go north to Las Vegas around the Arizona/California border. If you are driving Route 66, Las Vegas is convenient from around Needles, California and the Grand Canyon is convenient from either Williams, AZ or Flagstaff, AZ. I would definitely get one of the recommended books to help guide your Route 66 drive. Also I am not sure how much time you have, but it is a very long drive from Orlando to Las Vegas, and taking Route 66 will only make it slower. If you need to shave time off of your trip, I’d recommend booking a domestic flight from Orlando to a more convenient location (e.g., Los Angeles, CA; Tulsa, OK, Albuquerque, NM, or Oklahoma, City, OK) to drive a section of Route 66 to Las Vegas. Hope this helps and let me know if you have any further questions, also check back for further Route 66 posts coming up this year before your trip. Happy travels! ~ Jessica
Stephen Garone Post author
That’s a terrific article. I’ve always wanted to drive this route. You’ve given me new inspiration!
travelcats Post author
Hi Stephen, thanks! Yes, Route 66 is a great route to drive in the U.S. The country is just great for road trips in general and Laurence and I are actually back in the U.S. right now doing another road trip in the southeast part of the country. ~ Jessica
Corinne Post author
Jessica, What an excellent post, and of course I always drool over your’s and Laurence’s images! I’ve driven much of Route 66, but never altogether. It’s a must-do for sure!
travelcats Post author
Hi Corinne! Yes, I think driving the full route at once can really be a different and great experience, as you are not really focused on a destination, just on things along the route. But I think most people don’t have the time to drive Route 66 from end to end and driving a section can still be a great experience. ~ Jessica
budget jan Post author
An excellent resource for Route 66. We’ve yet to explore the States and I think that driving this route would be a good way to start. This post can be our guide and inspiration. Thanks for including so many details and suggestions. The photo of yourself leaning against the coke machine – I remember those coke machines being in use when I was a kid in Australia.
travelcats Post author
Hi Jan, glad you found the guide to be useful & inspirational:) Route 66 is a fun place to see all sorts of American things you remember from your childhood and that of your parents:) I think Route 66 is a great way to see part of the U.S.! More posts on Route 66 to come over the next few months so check back and Laurence is also doing an 8-post series of photo essays (one for each state) over at htttp://www.findingtheuniverse.com – we just took so many photos from our trip!
Roshan Post author
Great blog post- very detailed. We went around New Zealand in a Jucy van- best mode of transport ever! Also loved the little bit of Route 66 we got to see from LA to Vegas.
travelcats Post author
Hi Roshan, thanks glad you found the post helpful! Yes, JUCY is much better known in Australian and New Zealand but the company is starting to become better known on the West Coast of the U.S. — it is hard not to notice the bright green and purple vans! Glad you got to see a bit of Route 66 on your L.A. to Las Vegas trip:)
Kathryn Hastedt Post author
My husband and I did the Historic Route 66 mid August. Your guide was a huge help. My husband was impressed that each night our accommodations were right close to the route. That was thanks to your 2 week planner. We also made sure we didn’t miss any attractions.
It was an awesome trip!!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Kathryn,
So glad to hear that you had a great Route 66 trip and that you found our guides helpful! So happy to hear you had such an awesome road trip. We love to hear that our blog has been helpful to people in their travels 😉
Best,
Jessica