Travel Guide to Historic Route 66: The Mother Road

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Above: Historic Route 66 in California. At a steady pace, it is possible to travel between 200 and 300 miles a day on seven hours stints (pauses and driver changes - ideally every two hours- excluded), considering that the U.S. Road network is particularly comfortable (especially on Interstate highways). Even on secondary roads, you rarely come across a succession of hairpin bends and the. A new, and Carbonized, version of Route 66 is now available for the Mac. Route 66 Route USA 2001-2002 for Macintosh offers up-to-date maps, over 2,600,000 streets in the USA, and more than 725,000.

Route 66 was one of the United State's first continuous stretches of paved highway, and served as a major path for those who migrated west.

'The Mother Road' was established on November 11, 1926, and ultimately stretched 2,448 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles.

From its beginning in Chicago, Route 66 headed south through Illinois and Missouri, and a small section of southeast Kansas.

From there it turned in a more westward direction through Oklahoma and Texas, with the final stretches in New Mexico and Arizona before its termination point in Los Angeles.

Alignments of the road changed often over the years, as improved sections of highway were constructed. In the early years many sections connected only one small town to the next, and had no official federal route number. Over time the route was formalized as a Federal Highway numbered as 'U.S. 66'.

We've had the pleasure of driving in all eight states along Route 66, The Main Street of America!

Included on this website are photographs, personal experiences, commentary and travel recommendations on the various segments of the Mother Road. We hope that this site will help planning your next vacation or holiday, and get Route 66 checked off your bucket list of destinations!

The Lore of Route 66: The Main Street of America

Route 66 became one of the most famous roads in the United States, outdistancing others such as the Lincoln Highway.

It is popular lore in movies, songs, books like 'The Grapes of Wrath', and TV shows.

The legendary highway was known far and wide for its variety of 'mom and pop' motels, neon lights, drive-ins, quirky roadside attractions, flat tires, cars with no air conditioning, dangerous curves, steep hills, and narrow lanes.

The movie 'Easy Rider' was filmed at several locations along Route 66. The move 'Thelma and Louise' also featured Route 66 references and scenes.

The popularity stuck, and continues to grow today!

Route 66 Map from Chicago to Santa Monica

Map of Historic Route 66 from Illinois to California

Route 66: The TV Show

A popular television show during the early 1960s bore the road's name: 'Route 66'. Starring George Maharis as Buz, and Martin Milner as Tod, the two young adventurers drove the road in their Chevrolet Corvette for 116 episodes.

Despite the name of the series, most episodes did NOT take place on the historic road, but in 25 different U.S. states.

The show was filmed mostly on location, and became known for its cinematography. A long list of well-known actors and actresses appeared on the series.

The show ran from October, 1960, through March, 1964, and created a huge following.

The interest in the show continues today by 'Baby Boomers' who remember the original showings, and new generations of viewers fascinated by the show who watch it on DVD.

Road Trip Travel Guides for Various States Along Route 66

Planning a road trip on Route 66? Here are the travel guides and reviews by state...

Road Trip Travel Guides for Popular Route 66 Segments

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List of Route 66 Mileage by State (1926 Alignment)

The Demise of Route 66

Route 66 underwent many improvements and realignments during its lifetime.

The passage of the Federal Highway Act of 1956 sounded the death knell for the old road, and gradually segments were replaced with new, safer and faster superhighways.

Its final demise was the completion of the Interstate Highway System. The last town by-passed by the Interstate system was Williams, Arizona, on October 13, 1984.

Subsequently, U.S. Route 66 was officially removed from the United States Highway System on June 27, 1985.

Route 66 was replaced by five Interstates: I-55 southbound from Chicago, I-44 across Missouri and Oklahoma, I-40 in Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, I-15 and finally I-10 into Los Angeles.

Route 66 Today

Today, several states recognize the historical significance of the road, and have it marked with '66' in the state highway number. 'Historic Route 66 Associations' are active in several states.

The road is also a major tourist attraction, so many states openly market attractions and lodging along the old route.

The old road still traverses dozens of small towns with vintage gas stations, quirky tourist attractions, diners, 'Mop & Pop' motels, historic sites & museums, stunning vistas, and gift shops

Touring Route 66 by Auto, Bus, or RV

Different people choose different modes of transportation to tour the Mother Road. While some elect guided bus tours, or drive their own vehicles, others seek new destinations in their RV or motor home.

And for those that don't own an RV yet, companies like Cruise America, El Monte RV Rentals, Road Bear RV Rentals, and Camping World offer a variety of RV sizes and rental plans.

Touring Route 66 by Motorcycle

Get your motor running! Get out on the highway!

Many travelers on Route 66 rent motorcycles to seek new open-air adventures on their USA road trip!

A variety of motorcycle rental plans are available, such as those from Eaglerider Motorcycle Rentals.

Out West, your motorcycle can be picked up at a number of rental locations in Nevada, California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. If you are starting your Route 66 trip further north, motorcycle pickup locations in Illinois are available.

Model options are plentiful, and cycles from manufacturers such as Harley-Davidson and Indian are available. Trikes can also be rented.

If you don't want to ride independently, choose from one of many guided motorcycle tours. Self-drive tours often include rental of the motorcycle, hotel reservations and detailed tour route information.

Some companies offer one-way rentals, hotel pickups, luggage storage, helmets and other amenities.

Route 66: The Song

The song 'Get Your Kicks on Route 66' was composed by songwriter Bobby Troup in 1946.

It was first recorded by Nat King Cole, and sung by other singers over the years including Chuck Berry, Perry Como, and the Rolling Stones.

If you ever plan to motor west,
travel my way, take the highway that is best.
Get your kicks on Route sixty-six.
It winds from Chicago to LA,
more than two thousand miles all the way.
Get your kicks on Route sixty-six.

Now you go through Saint Looey
Joplin, Missouri,
and Oklahoma City is mighty pretty.
You see Amarillo,
Gallup, New Mexico,
Flagstaff, Arizona.
Don't forget Winona,
Kingman, Barstow, San Bernandino.
Won't you get hip to this timely tip:
when you make that California trip
Get your kicks on Route sixty-six.

Highlights of Attractions and Cities Along Route 66

Along the length of Route 66, there are hundreds, probably thousands of attractions. And there are dozens of cities and towns.

Different travelers have different interests, so we can't list everything. But here are a few favorites! Let's get on the Road ... starting in Chicago, Illinois, and heading west through eight states to Santa Monica, California.

Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame & Museum in Pontiac, Illinois

The museum is a repository for thousands of pieces of historic memorabilia from the glory days of the Mother Road.

This is a great place to learn the history of Route 66 in Illinois, see images of the road's wonderful history, and hear a few great stories about life in America when Route 66 was the most important highway in the nation.

It is located at 115 W. Howard Street in Pontiac.

Joplin, Missouri

The mural at Pearl Brothers Hardware in downtown Joplin, Missouri

Cars on the Route in Galena, Kansas

Cars on the Route is located in a restored Kan-O-Tex service station at 119 North Main Street in Galena.

Formerly known as '4 Women on the Route', the attraction sells sandwiches, antiques, Route 66 memorabilia and work by local artists.

It has connections with the movie 'Cars' featuring the rusted tow truck 'Tow Tater' and other restored vehicles on display.

Lucille's Service Station and Roadhouse, in Hydro, Oklahoma

Lucille's Service Station, a classic gas station built in 1929 along Route 66 near Hydro, is one of only two upper-story, out-thrust porch style stations left on Oklahoma's stretch of Route 66.

In 1941, the Hamons family took over the operation of the station and Lucille Hamons, ran the business for 60 years.

Lucille, who quickly became known for her friendly assistance to motorists, earned the nickname 'Mother of the Mother Road.'

Phillips 66 Gas Station in McLean, Texas

Dozens of old gas stations were located along Route 66 ... like this one. Shown here is a vintage Phillips 66 Service Station in McLean, Texas. The early Philliips stations, like the one in McLean, were designed in the 'Cottage Look' to blend with local residential neighborhoods.

Located at 218 West First Street.

Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas

Route 66 is known for its quirky and unusual attractions. Shown here is one of those, the Cadillac Ranch, just west of Amarillo, on present-day I-40.

Access is from the service road on the south side of the interstate. Park and walk across the field ... free admission.

And be sure to bring a can of spray paint!

A Texas Ghost Town

Sitting directly on the Texas - New Mexico border at Exit 0 is the abandoned ghost town of Glenrio.

The townsite still has noticeable traces of Route 66 and the motels and restaurants that used to thrive there before the arrival of I-40.

Today it includes the Glenrio Historic District listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. The district emcompasses the Route 66 roadbed and 17 abandoned structures.

Remains can still be seen of an old motel, cafe, service station, the post office, and a few other buildings, as well as the old Route 66 roadbed.

Tucumcari, New Mexico

The 'Dodge and Cowboy' mural in Tucumcari, New Mexico

Angel & Vilma's in Seligman, Arizona

In 1972, Angel Delgadillo moved his barber shop so that he could take advantage of the traffic on the new alignment of Route 66 through Seligman.

Business was good until September of 1978, when I-40 bypassed Seligman.

To stimulate tourism, Angel, his wife Vilma, and other shop owners in northwest Arizona established the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona. The Association was located in Angel's Barber Shop & Pool Hall.

His work helped make Seligman 'The Birthplace of Historic Route 66'.

Elvis and friend take a break along Route 66 in Seligman, Arizona

Amboy, California

Roy's Motel and Cafe in Amboy, California

Santa Monica, California

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The original terminus of U.S. Route 66 was at 7th and Broadway in downtown Los Angeles. However, over the years, and decades, Route 66 has had several “official” and “unofficial' ending points.

The route was later extended to the intersection of Lincoln and Olympic boulevards in Santa Monica, about one mile from the Pacific Ocean. This is often referred to as the official ending point of Route 66.

Since this locale can be disappointing after the long journey from Chicago, the Route 66 Alliance partnered with the Santa Monica Pier Restoration Corporation in 2009 to mount an unofficial “End of the Trail” sign on the pier, seen below in 2020.

Popular Stops and Attractions Along Route 66

More Route 66 and Travel-Related Resources