Route 66
Road Trip
The classic American road trip: about 3,900 km from Chicago to the Santa Monica pier through eight states, diners, neon motels and roadside oddities. Allow around two weeks.
Chicago to Oklahoma
Route 66 starts in downtown Chicago and runs south-west through Illinois and Missouri. Much of the old road survives as frontage roads and small-town main streets, so expect to follow signs and a good map rather than one continuous highway.
St. Louis is the natural first overnight, with the Gateway Arch and its riverfront. Beyond Missouri the road crosses a corner of Kansas and reaches Oklahoma, where Tulsa and the Blue Whale of Catoosa make good stops.
The Texas panhandle and New Mexico
West of Oklahoma City the land flattens. Cadillac Ranch, a row of cars buried nose-down in a field outside Amarillo, is free to visit; bring a can of spray paint, as visitors are expected to add their own layer.
In New Mexico the old road passes through Tucumcari and Albuquerque. Santa Fe sits off the final alignment but is worth the detour for its adobe old town.
Plan for distance, not speed
The full route is about 2,400 miles (roughly 3,900 km). Many people allow two weeks so they can stop at diners, motels and roadside attractions along the way.
Arizona
Flagstaff is a good base for the Grand Canyon, about an hour and a half away, and Winslow has its famous street corner. West of Kingman the road climbs through the Black Mountains to Oatman, where wild burros wander the main street.
The Mojave to the Pacific
The last stretch crosses the Mojave Desert, where services are far apart and summer heat is serious. Carry plenty of water. The road finishes at the pier in Santa Monica, where a sign marks the end of the trail.
Cadillac Ranch
Ten cars planted in a Texas field and repainted by every visitor.
Roadside diners
Old-fashioned diners and pie stops in the small towns along the way.
Vintage motels
Neon-signed motels from the road's heyday.
Start Your Story
Adventure is out there, waiting on the next bend of the road. Use our tools to map, plan and share your journey.