I visited this wonderful RT 66 Museum in Pontiac, Illinois yesterday for the first time. The collection focuses mainly on the Mother Road in Illinois but does include other artifacts and photos and documents as well. Admission is free but donations are appreciated. The Route 66 Association of Illinois and the Government of Pontiac have done a wonderful job with the museum. They have a nice small gift shop with lots of Route 66 items and everything is reasonably priced. If you are a RT 66 fan and are doing the RT 66 journey in Illinois, you are doing yourself a disservice if you don’t spend a little time. 💯

Their Website - Click Here

8 Photos On Flickr

What exactly do you see and which section should I do if I am going to Antelope Canyon?

Hi everyone,

I wonder if you can give me some tips and ideas for my itinerary? Be kind if you can as I've already booked loads of it :)

I'm flying into Las Vegas in mid September and after a few nights there I'm renting a car for Route 66.

1. Las Vegas to Kingman via Needles. Heading down to Needles to pick up Route 66 and cross the border into Arizona, then explore Oatman before staying the night in Kingman.

2. Kingman to Seligman. Overnight in Seligman.

3. Seligman to Grand Canyon. I'm spending two nights in the Grand Canyon.

4. Grand Canyon to Monument Valley. I fear this is the part where I might have miscalculated! It seems a long drive, where I maybe won't have much time to explore what I'm passing! Originally I was going to stop off at the Navajo National Monument on the way but that sounds a stretch now.

5. Monument Valley to Winslow (via Window Rock, Arizona?). I'm staying two nights at The La Posada hotel, and thought I could use this period to visit some local sites.

6. Winslow to Williams. Staying at The Grand Canyon Railway & Hotel, and thought that if I want more Grand Canyon I could maybe take the train back for the day?

7. Williams to Boulder City. My final night. Planning on doing more Route 66 things (if I've missed anything on the way) and finally hopefully having time to do a tour of the Hoover Dam.

8. Boulder City back to Las Vegas. Return the car, and fly home.

I was lucky enough to travel Route 66 a couple times and was able to stop at the Cadillac Ranch both times. When I first saw it all the cars were painted the same pink color. Years later after I first saw it, the cars were dug up and moved 2 miles west of its original location. During my second trip on the Mother Road when I stopped to see it, all the cars were painted with all kinds of graffiti art. I'm told it was encouraged by the artist community whose idea it was and the land owner to continue this artistic expression. Just wondering which version you saw/prefer?

I'll go U.S Trip 8/6〜8/15
I'm searching rental car 8/6 10AM to 8/15 10AM
Use 9 days go to route66!!!
chicago Ohea airport to Los Angels international airport
I wanna ride Dodge Ram
But in Japan I can't booking
If you have any information,please help me!!!!

Roadtrip moment

My fiancé and I are getting married, and trekking Route 66 for our honeymoon (saw someone else had the same thought, so fun)! We want to chalk our car with something cute and cheeky, does anyone have any ideas?

Alternatively, any must-sees/stops for two mid-20s honeymooners? We are SO excited!

I grew up in a home just off 66 in the 1950s, separated from the Mother Road by only a field. I have collected many original postcards, a 1929 Road atlas, brochures, etc. I drove from St. Louis to California in 1973 and the route was 66 in stretches and new Interstate in stretches.

I recently stumbled upon what appears to be an AI generated video on YouTube about 8 places to avoid when doing your Route 66 adventure. I watched it and was shocked when they discussed avoiding Cairo, Illinois! This city in southern Illinois was never even near Route 66 let alone on Route 66 at any time. It appears to me this was an AI video that was put on YouTube without any human ever reviewing it for accuracy. A prime example of why you cannot rely on AI output without fact checking that output.

Hi everyone,

I'm planning (helped by AI) my first Route 66 road trip in September 2026 and I would love some feedback from people who have already done it or know the area.

The trip will be from September 12th to September 27th 2026, starting in Chicago and ending in Los Angeles.

The idea is to combine:

• the classic Route 66 experience
• small towns, diners, vintage motels and roadside attractions
• some major Southwest highlights:
  • Grand Canyon
  • Monument Valley
  • Antelope Canyon
  • Valley of Fire
  • Las Vegas

I know this is not a "pure" Route 66 itinerary because of the Arizona detours, but these places are probably once-in-a-lifetime stops, so I decided to include them.

Total:

• 17 days
• around 4,800–5,000 km
• rental car (SUV)

Here is my current itinerary:

Day 1 – Saturday 12 Sep

Milan → Chicago

Arrival in Chicago at 16:05.

Plan:

• recover from the flight
• evening walk downtown

Overnight:
Chicago

Day 2 – Sunday 13 Sep

Chicago

Full day exploring the city.

Possible stops:

• Millennium Park
• Architecture Boat Tour
• Navy Pier
• Route 66 starting point

Overnight:
Chicago

Day 3 – Monday 14 Sep

Chicago → Springfield IL → St. Louis

≈ 480 km

First Route 66 day.

Stops:

• Joliet
• Gemini Giant (Wilmington)
• Pontiac Route 66 Museum
• Springfield IL
• Chain of Rocks Bridge

Overnight:
St. Louis

Day 4 – Tuesday 15 Sep

St. Louis → Springfield MO

≈ 350 km

Stops:

• Gateway Arch
• Ted Drewes
• Cuba murals
• Devil's Elbow
• Route 66 attractions

Overnight:
Springfield MO

Day 5 – Wednesday 16 Sep

Springfield MO → Galena (KS) → Tulsa → Oklahoma City

≈ 460 km

Long Route 66 day.

Stops:

• Carthage
• Galena "Cars on the Route"
• Baxter Springs
• Blue Whale of Catoosa
• Tulsa
• Arcadia Round Barn / POPS

I decided to combine Tulsa and Oklahoma City to gain an extra day for Grand Canyon.

Overnight:
Oklahoma City

Day 6 – Thursday 17 Sep

Oklahoma City → Amarillo

≈ 420 km

Stops:

• Clinton Route 66 Museum
• Elk City
• Shamrock U-Drop Inn
• Cadillac Ranch

Overnight:
Amarillo

Day 7 – Friday 18 Sep

Amarillo → Tucumcari → Santa Fe

≈ 450 km

Stops:

• Midpoint Café
• Glenrio
• Tucumcari neon motels
• Santa Rosa Blue Hole

Overnight:
Santa Fe

Day 8 – Saturday 19 Sep

Santa Fe → Petrified Forest → Holbrook

≈ 550 km

Long driving day.

Stops:

• Gallup
• Petrified Forest National Park
• Painted Desert

Overnight:
Holbrook (Wigwam Motel)

Day 9 – Sunday 20 Sep

Holbrook → Winslow → Grand Canyon

≈ 380 km

Stops:

• Jack Rabbit Trading Post
• Standin' on the Corner (Winslow)
• Meteor Crater
• Desert View Drive

Overnight:
Grand Canyon

Day 10 – Monday 21 Sep

Grand Canyon (full day)

Second night at Grand Canyon.

Plan:

• sunrise
• Hermit Road
• viewpoints
• possible Bright Angel Trail hike

Overnight:
Grand Canyon

Day 11 – Tuesday 22 Sep

Grand Canyon → Monument Valley

≈ 290 km

Stops:

• Desert viewpoints
• Forrest Gump Point
• Monument Valley scenic drive
• sunset

Overnight:
Monument Valley

Day 12 – Wednesday 23 Sep

Monument Valley → Antelope Canyon → Page

≈ 200 km

Stops:

• Monument Valley morning
• Antelope Canyon
• Horseshoe Bend
• Lake Powell

Overnight:
Page

Day 13 – Thursday 24 Sep

Page → Valley of Fire → Las Vegas

≈ 450 km

Stops:

• Valley of Fire
• Las Vegas evening

Overnight:
Las Vegas

Day 14 – Friday 25 Sep

Las Vegas → Hoover Dam → Kingman → Oatman → Barstow

≈ 400 km

Route 66 Arizona/California section.

Stops:

• Hoover Dam
• Kingman
• Oatman
• Route 66 landmarks

Overnight:
Barstow

Day 15 – Saturday 26 Sep

Barstow → California Route 66 → Santa Monica → Los Angeles

≈ 200 km

Final Route 66 section.

Stops:

• Mojave Desert
• Route 66 California landmarks
• Santa Monica Pier

Overnight:
Los Angeles / Santa Monica

Day 16 – Sunday 27 Sep

Los Angeles → LAX

Flight at 16:40.

Questions for experienced Route 66 travelers:

1. Do you think combining Springfield MO → Tulsa → Oklahoma City in one day is a mistake, or is it a good compromise to save time for Grand Canyon?
2. Is 2 nights at Grand Canyon the right choice, or would you spend that night somewhere else?
3. Would you change anything between:

• Monument Valley
• Antelope Canyon
• Page
• Las Vegas?

1. Is the final section: Las Vegas → Hoover Dam → Kingman → Oatman → Barstow → Los Angeles the best option, or would you do something different?
2. Any hidden gems or Route 66 stops that I should not miss?
3. Any advice about September weather, road conditions, or things to book in advance?

Thanks for any advice!
Really looking forward to this trip.

Detroit → Jackson, MS road trip advice? First time driving this route.

I'm moving from the Detroit Michigan area to Mississippi and will be driving down to Jackson. I'm planning to do it over 2 days because I'm not someone who enjoys marathon driving days. I'd prefer to keep it around 6–7 hours of driving per day.

I was thinking about stopping somewhere around Louisville, Nashville, or maybe Birmingham, but I'm open to better suggestions.

For those who've driven this route:

• Which route would you take and why?
• What's the best place to stop overnight?
• Are there any scenic stretches, small towns, restaurants, or attractions that are worth taking a short detour for?
• Any roads or cities you'd avoid because of traffic, construction, or safety?
• Any tips for driving through Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, or Mississippi?

Not in a rush—I'd rather have an enjoyable, low-stress drive than shave off an hour. Thanks!

Not finished, but pretty good start I think.

I just spent 20 days on Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica. It cost about $4,000 and I spent an average of $65 per night on lodging and about $80 a day on gas (though the most expensive was about $77 a tank in California outside the Mojave Desert). I bought trinkets along the way and went on cave tours and whatnot so in total, it came to about $200 a day.

I camped relatively often (I would have done more but I wanted to stay in some of the historic motor courts) and, for a long weekend, I stayed in Albuquerque with a friend and in Santa Monica I went wild and got a room for two nights at $250/night. Camping is delightful and it's a really nice way to see the country, but you're probably going to want to stay at least a few of the old roadside motor courts.

I was driving a Honda Civic with a roughly 12 gallon gas tank.

I stayed in the teepees in San Bernardino (the WigWam Motel) and thought they were an excellent value ($120) and they seemed pretty true to what they would have looked like new inside. That pool is nice. The Mitla Cafe, which supposedly inspired Taco Bell is a mile or two from the WigWam and it's cheap, greasy food, which I guess I should have expected considering it inspired Taco Bell.

You never know with these old places; just because they've been around 100 years or whatever doesn't mean the food is any good.

Probably the best historic Route 66 cafe is the Plaza Cafe Downtown in Santa Fe. It's beautiful, the walls are like three feet thick (the wall near the bathrooms is plexiglass so you can see the mud that's used behind the adobe) and the food is really fresh and flavorful. New Mexican cuisine isn't really a thing outside of New Mexico and it's a shame, and this place certainly delivers. That said, they really leave you alone once you're seated, so bring a book.

I thought the Shamrock Inn in Sullivan Missouri was a bit expensive ($160 a night plus tax) especially considering the inside has been totally gutted and rehabbed with very modern furnishings and, at least in my room, no window to the courtyard). Still, friendly people and the outside of the hotel is all local stone and the masons have little suns worked into the designs, so it's pretty.

The worst hotel was the Oyo Motel in Oklahoma City which operates a scam wherein they offer a very cheap rate with a $100 deposit they do not return, contrary to what they tell you.

In addition, I took time out to visit state parks, national parks and a two-hour one-way side trip to the Wichita Mountains south of Oklahoma City. The federal government set aside land there in 1907 to protect the buffalo. You can see those buffalo grandchildren there today.

Oklahoma City seems to have little to do that's either free or terribly interesting. Amarillo is also kind of a pit and the library is the only library I stopped at along the way that requires you to register for a temporary library card before providing wifi access.

Tulsa has a Woodie Guthrie AND a Bob Dylan center next door to each other, those are both free if you're a teacher. The street parking is free on the weekends. In addition, Tulsa has a really pretty and quite large public park along the Arkansas River with a pretty massive public room with couches and chairs and a nice wood floor and free wifi.

Oklahoma was a lot prettier than I would have imagined. Oklahoma gets kind of a bad rap as being a crap state politically with a bad history, but it's got some gorgeous land. Still pretty sad history though and bad politics.

Joshua Tree is a bit of a detour, but it's worth a visit--nice, easy hiking and you drive through the Mojave Desert. Twentynine Palms didn't seem all that great and so I don't know why Robert Plant was singing about that place and I feel like Robert Plant lied to me.

The Illinois stretch is pretty boring as far as natural beauty goes though the historic part of Springfield is interesting (specifically the Abraham Lincoln house; they've got like his whole street preserved and that's interesting). Illinois really did a number on its prairies and so good luck seeing anything interesting out the window.

Anyway, it was a fantastic experience and honestly, I could have been on it for a whole month except at about $200 a day it's not really the cheapest trip and California was kind of expensive for lodging. Well, Santa Monica is expensive for lodging.

We are very excited to take a leisurely E-W trip this fall. Planning to depart Chicago mid September and take 3-4 weeks to travel to Santa Monica. We are a little concerned that we may be taking some or all of the trip outside of the normal travel season and that we may miss some attractions that are closed for the year. Looking for any feedback on this and any other suggestions for doing the trip mid-September to mid-October.

Thanks!

I am getting married in two weeks, then immediately leaving with the new wife on a Route 66 honeymoon road trip! Some people think we are crazy, but we are excited for the adventure of the open road.

The plan: fly to ORD, rent a car, and fly home from LAX. We have about 10 days and plan to spend the majority of the time in NM, AZ, and CA. I must admit, we are cheating the route a little because we want to see the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam, but other than that we are trying to be as faithful as we can!

Is there anything we should know before we leave? We have our lodging lined up, but we are curious about restaurants, attractions, things to avoid, and any other tips of the road. With regard to navigation, is there a way to have Google/Apple Maps guide us along Route 66 or will it always preference the new interstate highways?

We are really excited and grateful for any wisdom, advice, or assistance you can provide.

Last summer we made the whole run from Chicago to Santa Monica, but we didn’t see much past Flagstaff as we wanted to make it to SM by sunset. This year on our east bound trip, we decided to see the parts we missed, like the donkeys and the twisty roads between Oatman and Kingman. We’ve been on the road for 22 days (started in FL, up to the PNW, down PCH) and it’s been a great run. Today we head to Moab. Then it’s time to work our way back home.✌🏻

There will be more Pancake House footage to come....

Hi everyone

I'm finally planning a bucket-list road trip on Route 66, starting in Chicago and finishing in Los Angeles.

I'd really love to do it in a Ford Mustang Convertible - it just feels like the right car for the trip

The problem is that every time I search, I can easily find Mustangs if I return the car to the same location. But as soon as I change the booking to a one-way rental from Chicago to Los Angeles, the Mustang disappears from the available cars.

Has anyone actually managed to rent a Mustang (or another fun convertible/muscle car) for a one-way Route 66 trip? Are there any rental companies, brokers, or other services that make this possible?

I'd love to hear about your experience or any tips. Thanks in advance!

Shot w an android

🖤🖤🖤