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The Ultimate Mother Road: Route 66 Across America
Embark on the definitive American road trip from Chicago to the Pacific. This 20-day odyssey traverses eight states, capturing the neon nostalgia, quirky roadside kitsch, and dramatic western landscapes of the historic Mother Road.
20days
60stops
3119km
Day 1: Route 66 Begin Sign → Lou Mitchell's → Millennium Park
21min · 8.6km3 stops
Route 66 Begin Sign
09:00 – 11:00
12min · 5.4km
Lou Mitchell's
12:00 – 14:00
9min · 3.2km
Millennium Park
15:00 – 17:00
Day 2: The Gemini Giant → Route 66 Association Hall of… → Pontiac Murals
1h 49min · 167km3 stops
The Gemini Giant
09:00 – 11:00
1h 5min · 97km
Route 66 Association Hall of Fame
12:00 – 14:00
44min · 70km
Pontiac Murals
15:00 – 17:00
Day 3: Lincoln Home National Histori… → Cozy Dog Drive In → Ariston Café
1h 47min · 174km3 stops
Lincoln Home National Historic Site
09:00 – 11:00
1h 40min · 169km
Cozy Dog Drive In
12:00 – 14:00
7min · 4.2km
Ariston Café
15:00 – 17:00
Day 4: Old Chain of Rocks Bridge → Gateway Arch National Park → Ted Drewes Frozen Custard
1h 13min · 122km3 stops
Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
09:00 – 11:00
49min · 84km
Gateway Arch National Park
12:00 – 14:00
24min · 38km
Ted Drewes Frozen Custard
15:00 – 17:00
Day 5: Meramec Caverns → Wagon Wheel Motel → Cuba Murals
1h 29min · 137km3 stops
Meramec Caverns
09:00 – 11:00
1h · 95km
Wagon Wheel Motel
12:00 – 14:00
29min · 42km
Cuba Murals
15:00 – 17:00
Day 6: Devil's Elbow Bridge → Gay Parita Sinclair Station → Springfield Route 66 Park
2h 26min · 255km3 stops
Devil's Elbow Bridge
09:00 – 11:00
46min · 77km
Gay Parita Sinclair Station
12:00 – 14:00
1h 40min · 178km
Springfield Route 66 Park
15:00 – 17:00
Day 7: Cars on the Route → Rainbow Bridge → Blue Whale of Catoosa
1h 32min · 147km3 stops
Cars on the Route
09:00 – 11:00
1h 23min · 137km
Rainbow Bridge
12:00 – 14:00
9min · 10.0km
Blue Whale of Catoosa
15:00 – 17:00
Day 8: Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios → Arcadia Round Barn → Pops 66 Soda Ranch
1h 42min · 169km3 stops
Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios
09:00 – 11:00
20min · 26km
Arcadia Round Barn
12:00 – 14:00
1h 22min · 143km
Pops 66 Soda Ranch
15:00 – 17:00
Day 9: Oklahoma City National Memori… → Oklahoma Route 66 Museum → National Route 66 Museum
1h 46min · 173km3 stops
Oklahoma City National Memorial
09:00 – 11:00
25min · 34km
Oklahoma Route 66 Museum
12:00 – 14:00
1h 21min · 139km
National Route 66 Museum
15:00 – 17:00
Day 10: U-Drop Inn → Cadillac Ranch → The Big Texan Steak Ranch
2h 19min · 246km3 stops
U-Drop Inn
09:00 – 11:00
48min · 83km
Cadillac Ranch
12:00 – 14:00
1h 31min · 163km
The Big Texan Steak Ranch
15:00 – 17:00
Day 11: Midpoint Café → Glenrio Ghost Town → Blue Swallow Motel
1h 10min · 121km3 stops
Midpoint Café
09:00 – 11:00
49min · 85km
Glenrio Ghost Town
12:00 – 14:00
21min · 36km
Blue Swallow Motel
15:00 – 17:00
Day 12: Blue Hole of Santa Rosa → Santa Fe Plaza → Canyon Road
2h 46min · 271km3 stops
Blue Hole of Santa Rosa
09:00 – 11:00
57min · 96km
Santa Fe Plaza
12:00 – 14:00
1h 49min · 176km
Canyon Road
15:00 – 17:00
Day 13: Loretto Chapel → Meow Wolf Santa Fe → Old Town Albuquerque
17min · 9.0km3 stops
Loretto Chapel
09:00 – 11:00
5min · 2.1km
Meow Wolf Santa Fe
12:00 – 14:00
12min · 6.9km
Old Town Albuquerque
15:00 – 17:00
Day 14: KiMo Theatre → El Rancho Hotel → Richardson's Trading Co
2h 11min · 224km3 stops
KiMo Theatre
09:00 – 11:00
8min · 2.8km
El Rancho Hotel
12:00 – 14:00
2h 3min · 221km
Richardson's Trading Co
15:00 – 17:00
Day 15: Petrified Forest National Park → Painted Desert Inn → Wigwam Motel
2h 25min · 225km3 stops
Petrified Forest National Park
09:00 – 11:00
1h 44min · 183km
Painted Desert Inn
12:00 – 14:00
41min · 42km
Wigwam Motel
15:00 – 17:00
Day 16: Standin' on the Corner Park → La Posada Hotel → Lowell Observatory
34min · 52km3 stops
Standin' on the Corner Park
09:00 – 11:00
33min · 52km
La Posada Hotel
12:00 – 14:00
1min · 0.3km
Lowell Observatory
15:00 – 17:00
Day 17: Mather Point → Bright Angel → Williams
1h 42min · 133km3 stops
Mather Point
09:00 – 11:00
1h 33min · 129km
Bright Angel
12:00 – 14:00
9min · 3.7km
Williams
15:00 – 17:00
Day 18: Angel & Vilma Delgadillo's Ro… → Hackberry General Store → Oatman Ghost Town
1h 36min · 165km3 stops
Angel & Vilma Delgadillo's Route 66 Gift Shop
09:00 – 11:00
40min · 68km
Hackberry General Store
12:00 – 14:00
56min · 97km
Oatman Ghost Town
15:00 – 17:00
Day 19: El Garces Train Station → Roy's Motel & Café → California Route 66 Museum
1h 56min · 169km3 stops
El Garces Train Station
09:00 – 11:00
33min · 37km
Roy's Motel & Café
12:00 – 14:00
1h 23min · 132km
California Route 66 Museum
15:00 – 17:00
Day 20: First Original McDonald's Mus… → Fair Oaks Pharmacy → Santa Monica Pier
1h 38min · 152km3 stops
First Original McDonald's Museum
09:00 – 11:00
40min · 64km
Fair Oaks Pharmacy
12:00 – 14:00
58min · 88km
Santa Monica Pier
15:00 – 17:00
Heads Up
- 1. Purchase a detailed Route 66 atlas as GPS often redirects to modern Interstates.
- 2. Many historic gas stations and diners close early; plan to arrive before 5:00 PM.
- 3. Book historic motels like the Blue Swallow or Wigwam months in advance.
- 4. Be prepared for high-altitude desert driving in New Mexico and Arizona.