66 Things to See on Route 66 (2024)

Whether you’re inspired by Jack Kerouac’s On the Road or National Lampoon’s Vacation, a road trip is easily the best way to see the real America. And there’s none more iconic than the historic Route 66.

Built in 1926 between Chicago on the east coast and California on the west, Route 66 spans 2,448 miles (3,940 km) through eight states and three time zones. Immortalized as the Mother Road in John Steinbeck’s epic The Grapes of Wrath, the legendary highway has ignited a century-long passion for the Great American road trip.

Steeped in nostalgia, a tour of Route 66 is all about the cool kitsch Americana, from quirky roadside attractions like the Blue Whale of Catoosa and the Gemini Giant to vintage drive-in theaters, low-slung retro diners and neon-lit motels. And while much of the original road was decommissioned by 1984, it doesn’t stop drivers and dreamers coming to conquer America’s golden highway. Here are the must-see highlights of Route 66.

Illinois

From muffler men to vintage gas stations, these highlights of Route 66 offer a nostalgic road trip through the Illinois landscape.

1.BEGIN sign, Chicago

Start the all-American road trip at the Historic Route 66 BEGIN sign on East Adams Street.

2. Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket, Willowbrook

Opened in 1946, Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket promises the “Best Fried Chicken in the Chicagoland Area” according to the Chicago Sun Times.

3. Standard Oil Gasoline Station, Odell

The pitched roof and clapboard sidings of the Standard Oil Gasoline Station is a snapshot of 1930s life during the heyday of Route 66.

4. Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum, Pontiac

For motor merch and Instagram opportunities, spend an afternoon in the Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum.

5. Gemini Giant, Wilmington

The Gemini Giant is the first of four ‘muffler men’ – the oversized fiberglass statues used as advertising icons – still left on Route 66.

6. Ariston Cafe, Litchfield

The Ariston Cafe is the oldest diner on the Mother Road, sating hungry drivers with Southern soul food and sandwiches for almost a century.

7. Paul Bunyon, Atlanta

Standing 19 feet (5.8m) tall since 1966, the hotdog-brandishing muffler man is based on the American folklore lumberjack Paul Bunyan.

8. Route 66 Drive-In Theater, Springfield

Operating since 1974, you can still catch a movie at the Route 66 Drive-In and live out your Grease dreams.

Missouri

Crossing the first state border, Route 66 in Missouri winds through some of the cutest small towns in America.

9. The Route 66 Rocker, Fanning

Once the largest rocking chair in the world – it’s since been overshadowed by a rocker in Illinois – the Route 66 Rocker in Fanning towers 42′ (12.8m) high over the Ozarks.

10. Wagon Wheel Motel, Cuba

Built from Ozark stone in 1936, the Wagon Wheel Motel’s cabins still have the original wooden doors and the blinking neon sign.

11. 66 Drive-In Theater, Carthage

The oldest drive-in theater on Route 66, 66 Drive-In, opened in 1949 to service movie-loving vacationers traveling cross country.

12. Route 66 Rail Haven, Springfield

Opened in 1938, the restored neon-lit motel has an Elvis-themed suite, complete with half a Cadillac, where The King allegedly stayed.

13. Gillioz Theatre, Springfield

In its heyday, the Art Deco-style Gillioz Theatre showed silent movies and vaudeville shows accompanied by a Wurlitzer pipe organ.

14. Munger Moss Motel, Lebanon

One of the few proper ‘mom and pop’ motels on the Mother Road, the Munger Moss Motel opened in 1946 to offer a classic Route 66 stay.

15. Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, St Louis

A mile long and 24 feet wide (7.3m), the Old Chain of Rocks bridge crosses the Mississippi River border between Illinois and Missouri.

16. Big Chief, Wildwood

Feeding vacationers since 1929, Big Chief is one of the oldest eateries on the original Route 66, and counts Babe Ruth and Al Capone as former diners.

17. Meramec Caverns, Sullivan

One of the largest cave formations in the world, legend says that outlaw Jesse James used Meramec Caverns as a hideout spot.

18. Gary’s Gay Parita, Ash Grove

This authentic replica 1930’s Sinclair gas station is as American as apple pie and a highlight of Route 66.

Kansas

Vast empty prairies nipped by roadside communities, the Kansas stretch of the Mother Road is packed with small-town charm.

19. Nelson’s Old Riverton Store, Riverton

Little has changed in this roadside store since it opened in 1925. You can still pick up a smoked turkey on rye and a copy of Blum’s Farmer’s and Planter’s Almanac.

20. The Rainbow Bridge, Riverton

Built in 1923, Brush Creek Bridge is known as Rainbow Bridge thanks to its rainbow-shaped concrete arches.

21.The Williams’ Store, Riverton

Opened in 1925, the longest-running Route 66 store once featured a croquet court.

22. Kan-O-Tex Service Station, Galena

Now a roadside diner and souvenir shop, the Kan-O-Tex gas station is best known for the 1951 International boom truck which inspired the Mater character in Cars.

23. Galena Historic District, Galena

For a flashback to Route 66’s glamorous heyday, cruise through Galena’s redbrick historic district.

24. Baxter Springs Independent Oil and Gas Service Station, Baxter Springs

Make filling up an Instagrammable moment at this restored vintage gas station from the 1930s.

25. Fort Blair, Baxter Springs

Part of a Civil War Battleground, Fort Blair is an interesting stop for history fans wishing to see Route 66.

Oklahoma

Where arid plains meet the Wichita mountains, some of the best-preserved stretches of Route 66 lie across Oklahoma.

26. Oklahoma Route 66 Museum, Clinton

Covering more than sixty years of 66 history, learn about the nation’s most revered highway in this neon-lit emporium.

27. Pops 66, Arcadia

One of Route 66’s more modern attractions, this roadside diner and illuminated giant pop bottle has one of the largest soda collections in America.

28. The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City

Swap horsepower for horses and learn about cowboy culture in the American West.

29. Dairy King, Commerce

Feast on soft-serve ice cream and handmade Route 66 cookies in America’s only Dairy King.

30. Ed Galloway’s Totem Pole Park, Foyil

Want to see the world’s largest concrete totem pole? At 90 feet (27.4m) high, it’s hard to miss it.

31. The Blue Whale of Catoosa

Built by a zoologist for his grandchildren, grab a rare opportunity to walk through a 280-foot-long (85.3m) concrete blue whale.

32. Coleman Theatre, Miami

Opened in 1929, the Spanish Colonial Revival theater hides a gloriously gilt-trimmed Louis XV-style interior.

33. Braum’s Grocery Giant Milk Bottle, Oklahoma City

Oklahoma loves an oversized advertising icon, this time it’s promoting a milk-themed grocery store.

34. Skyliner Motel, Stroud

A USA road trip wouldn’t be the same without staying in a retro roadside motel like Skyliner.

Texas

The Texas stretch of Route 66 snakes through the desert and kicks up attractions like Cadillac Ranch and the U-Drop Inn.

35. The CONOCO Tower Station, Shamrock

Built in 1936, the Tower Station and U-Drop Inn cafe heralds the true glory of America’s Art Deco architecture.

36. The Leaning Tower of Texas, Groom

Catch it while you can. This lopsided water tower is one of the most photographed icons on Route 66.

37. Midpoint Cafe, Adrian

“When you are here, you’re halfway there.” Exactly 1139 miles (1833km) from Chicago and Santa Monica, the Midpoint of Route 66 is commemorated with a sign and a retro café.

38. Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo

A monument to the Golden Age of the American automobile, the ten Cadillacs buried nose deep in the ground is a classic Route 66 attraction.

39. Slug Bug Ranch, Panhandle

Paying homage to the Cadillac Ranch, the Slug Bug Ranch has the graffitied skeletons of five VW Beetles in a similar pose.

40. Devil’s Rope Museum, McLean

Housed in an old bra factory, the Devil’s Rope museum is a tribute to barbed wire. That’s right, barbed wire.

New Mexico

New Mexico’s Great Plains and buff desert landscape are the perfect backdrop to see these Route 66 highlights.

41. Blue Swallow Motel, Tucumcari

Stay in this beautifully restored vintage motel with classic neon signage.

42. Acoma Pueblo, Cibola County

Known as Sky City, this 12th-century hilltop town is the oldest continuously inhabited community in the US.

43. Route 66 Auto Museum, Santa Rosa

A classic ‘mom and pop’ museum packed with vintage cars, hot rods and Route 66 memorabilia.

44. The Blue Hole of Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa

An oasis in the desert, this 81-foot-deep (24.7m) swimming hole filled with crystalline waters leads to a series of underwater caves.

45. San Miguel Chapel, Santa Fe

Originally built in 1610, the “oldest church in America” was partially rebuilt after the Pueblo Revolt of 1680.

46. Route 66 Monument, Tucumcari

Imitating a Fifties tail fin, this chrome sculpture pays beautiful tribute to the Mother Road.

47. Teepee Curios, Tucumcari

A perfect slice of kitsch Americana, this concrete and neon teepee gift shop dates back to the 1940s.

48. Route 66 Neon Drive-Thru Sign, Grants

Shaped like Route 66’s highway shield sign, this drive-thru portal lights shimmers in neon at night.

49. El Rancho Hotel, Gallup

Built in 1937, the historic El Rancho Hotel has welcomed Hollywood royalty from Katherine Hepburn to Troy Donahue.

Arizona

Combining red rock and Route 66, Arizona’s rugged desert landscape blends one-horse towns with ancient badlands.

50. Meteor Crater, Meteor City

Witness the mile-wide crater created by an asteroid colliding with Earth some 50,000 years ago, which gave the city its name.

51. Petrified Forest National Park, Holbrook

More than 200 million years old, the petrified wood and colorful badlands are a highlight of an Arizona road trip.

52. Painted Desert, Holbrook

Sandwiched between the Petrified Forest and the Grand Canyon, the colored rocks, cliffs, and hills look like they’ve been painted.

53. Wigwam Motel, Holbrook

Built in the 1950s, the kooky and kitsch Wigwam Motel has teepee-shaped rooms and classic cars parked out front.

54. Grand Canyon Caverns, Peach Springs

Lying 300 feet (91m) under Arizona, the Grand Canyon Caverns are a vast network of dry caverns, the largest in the US.

55. Jack Rabbit Trading Post, Joseph City

Opened in 1949, the Jack Rabbit Trading Post, with its original HERE IT IS sign, is the place for Route 66 memorabilia.

56. Oatman Ghost Town, Oatman

An Old West gold mining town, Oatman is as close to the Wild West as you’ll get in 2023.

57. Mr D’z Diner, Kingman

Renowned for its legendary homemade root beer and Americana decor, refuel at the retro Mr D’z Diner.

58. Arizona Route 66 Museum, Kingman

Kingman has the longest remaining stretch of the historic Route 66, celebrated in style with vintage automobiles and dioramas in this powerhouse museum.

59. Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In, Seligman

Opened in 1953, this gloriously kitsch diner has been entertaining Route 66 travelers with its fun puns and jokes ever since.

60. Glen Frey statue, Winslow

Take it easy with Glen Frey of The Eagles, a life-size statue of the singer to commemorate the lyric ‘Standing on a Corner in Winslow, Arizona.’

California

The Golden State boasts charming pit stops and museums, including one of the first fast food restaurants by you know who.

61. Cucamonga Service Station, Rancho Cucamonga

Built in 1915, this quaint lemon-hued gas station is now a museum packed with even more Route 66 memorabilia.

62. The Original McDonald’s Museum, San Bernardino

The site of the first McDonald’s, this cutesy museum is packed with memorabilia, including the original menu and a hamburger jail.

63. Calico Ghost Town, Mojave Desert

A thriving silver mining town in the 1800s, Calico Ghost Town, was abandoned for over a century and is now a Wild West attraction.

64. Elmer’s Bottle Tree Ranch, Helendale

Eccentric artist Elmer Long created hundreds of trees made from colorful glass bottles that sing in the wind.

65. Aztec Hotel, Monrovia

Opened in 1925, the quirky Mayan-themed property is said to be one of the most haunted hotels on Route 66.

66. Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica

You made it! After 2,488 miles (4,004km), you arrive at Santa Monica pier, the official western terminus of Route 66 and home of the End of the Trail sign.