The Mother Road: Classic Route 66 Cross-Country
A nostalgic 14-day odyssey across eight states, tracing the 2,448-mile ribbon of asphalt from the neon lights of Chicago to the Pacific breakers of Santa Monica, featuring iconic diners, vintage motels, and mid-century Americana.
Chicago -> St. Louis -> Oklahoma City -> Santa Fe -> Williams -> Santa Monica
- Lou Mitchell's
- Route 66 Association Hall of Fame
- Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
- Meramec Caverns
- Blue Whale of Catoosa
- Pops 66 Soda Ranch
- Cadillac Ranch
- Santa Fe Plaza
Chicago Beginnings and Neon Lights
Route 66 Begin Sign
Route 66 Begin Sign, Chicago, Illinois, US
Lou Mitchell's
Lou Mitchell's, Chicago, Illinois, US
Buckingham Fountain
Buckingham Fountain, Chicago, Illinois, US
Giants and Murals of Illinois
Gemini Giant
Gemini Giant, Wilmington, Illinois, US
Route 66 Association Hall of Fame
Route 66 Association Hall of Fame, Pontiac, Illinois, US
Cozy Dog Drive In
Cozy Dog Drive In, Springfield, Illinois, US
Crossing the Mighty Mississippi
Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, St. Louis, Missouri, US
Gateway Arch National Park
Gateway Arch National Park, St. Louis, Missouri, US
Ted Drewes Frozen Custard
Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, St. Louis, Missouri, US
Caverns and Ozark Hills
Meramec Caverns
Meramec Caverns, Stanton, Missouri, US
Elbow Inn Bar & BBQ
Elbow Inn Bar & BBQ, Devils Elbow, Missouri, US
Munger Moss Motel
Munger Moss Motel, Lebanon, Missouri, US
Kansas Corners and the Blue Whale
Cars on the Route
Cars on the Route, Galena, Kansas, US
Blue Whale of Catoosa
Blue Whale of Catoosa, Catoosa, Oklahoma, US
Buck Atom's Cosmic Curios
Buck Atom's Cosmic Curios, Tulsa, Oklahoma, US
Oklahoma Icons and Soda Pops
Route 66 Interpretive Center
Route 66 Interpretive Center, Chandler, Oklahoma, US
Pops 66 Soda Ranch
Pops 66 Soda Ranch, Arcadia, Oklahoma, US
Oklahoma City National Memorial
Oklahoma City National Memorial, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, US
Texas Panhandle and Art Cars
U-Drop Inn
U-Drop Inn, Shamrock, Texas, US
Big Texan Steak Ranch
Big Texan Steak Ranch, Amarillo, Texas, US
Cadillac Ranch
Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, Texas, US
The Midpoint and New Mexico Adobe
Midpoint Cafe
Midpoint Cafe, Adrian, Texas, US
Blue Hole of Santa Rosa
Blue Hole of Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa, New Mexico, US
Santa Fe Plaza
Santa Fe Plaza, Santa Fe, New Mexico, US
High Desert Culture and Route 66 Diners
Old Town Albuquerque
Old Town Albuquerque, Albuquerque, New Mexico, US
66 Diner
66 Diner, Albuquerque, New Mexico, US
El Rancho Hotel
El Rancho Hotel, Gallup, New Mexico, US
Painted Deserts and Tepees
Petrified Forest National Park
Petrified Forest National Park, Holbrook, Arizona, US
Wigwam Motel
Wigwam Motel, Holbrook, Arizona, US
Jack Rabbit Trading Post
Jack Rabbit Trading Post, Joseph City, Arizona, US
Standing on the Corner in Winslow
Standin' on the Corner Park
Standin' on the Corner Park, Winslow, Arizona, US
Meteor Crater
Meteor Crater, Winslow, Arizona, US
Historic Downtown Williams
Historic Downtown Williams, Williams, Arizona, US
The Birthplace of Route 66
Seligman
Seligman, Seligman, Arizona, US
Hackberry General Store
Hackberry General Store, Kingman, Arizona, US
Oatman Highway
Oatman Highway, Oatman, Arizona, US
Across the Mojave Desert
Roy's Motel & Café
Roy's Motel & Café, Amboy, California, US
Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch
Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch, Oro Grande, California, US
Wigwam Motel #7
Wigwam Motel #7, San Bernardino, California, US
End of the Trail at the Pacific
Fair Oaks Pharmacy
Fair Oaks Pharmacy, South Pasadena, California, US
Route 66 End of the Trail Sign
Route 66 End of the Trail Sign, Santa Monica, California, US
Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, California, US
- Book historic motels like the Wigwam or Blue Swallow at least 6-9 months in advance for 2026.
- Route 66 is decommissioned; follow the 'Historic Route 66' brown signs and use a dedicated GPS app.
- Many vintage gas stations are now museums; keep your actual fuel tank above a quarter in desert stretches.