The Ultimate Guide To Route 66 - Living With The Wolf

Here is a big guide to Route 66, the great Mother Road! A guide that will help you navigate along the old historical road, with all my favourite stops along the way!

You will find every Route 66 guide you read will be slightly different. Each and every guide will recommend slightly different stops, ‘must-sees’, etc. But that’s the great thing about this route, you make it your own! No two trips along Route 66 will be identical. There is no right or wrong way to do the route!

Planning Route 66 from scratch can be daunting. You know the route starts and finishes in either Chicago or Los Angles, and you know roughly where the route heads across America, the states you will pass. But that is it! You don’t know how miles to drive each day, which cities to spend the night in, how long it’s going to take, and how much time you need to explore each place. Hopefully, after reading my guide, you will have a better understanding and will be on your way to planning your ultimate road trip along Route 66!

First of all, here are some answers to some common questions:

How Long Do I Need?

How long you need is different for everyone. Two weeks is recommended for driving Route 66. We actually took 3 weeks to do Route 66. However, we did a lot of detours along the way. Detours to Sedona, Grand Canyon National Park, Palo Dure Canyon State Park, Las Vegas, Red Rock Canyon, Monument Valley, Page, and Palm Springs.

Personally, I feel like we tried to fit slightly too much into the 3 weeks. If you have 3 weeks spare to do Route 66, I recommend doing some of the detours we did, but maybe not as many as we did. Our days were very long on the road, which lead us to get to our hotels late at night! If you have 4 weeks spare, I recommend each and every one of the detours we did! As they are all incredible places to see!

What is the best time of year to drive Route 66?

The best time to do Route 66 is either May or September. We did the route in May and the weather was perfect! The only worry is, it is tornado season. Part of Route 66 does go through tornado alley. However, the chances of you being caught out in the tornado are very low, so don’t let this put you off! Just be mindful of the weather, and if there are tornado warnings, get yourself off the road.

Personally, I wouldn’t recommend driving Route 66 in the summer months, as it would just be too unbearably hot. Especially, in Arizona and California. In Winter, some roads might be shut due to snow as parts of Route 66 travel high above sea level.

Which way round should I drive Route 66?

Which way round should you drive Route 66 is a personal choice. There’s no right or wrong way!

We did it from Chicago to Los Angles. Personally, this way felt right for me, due to the history. The road was originally used for holidaymakers, travelling from the city of Chicago to the coast in Los Angles for their summer holidays.

How much money will I need?

How much money will you need all depends on how much you want to spend. Depending on what car you hire, what type of accommodation you choose to stay in, and how much you spend on food and activities. Honestly, you can make it as cheap or as expensive as you want!

Safety on Route 66

We felt pretty safe the whole time driving Route 66. But just like anywhere, you do have to be aware and take extra caution when needed.

Here are some of my safety tips:

Don’t drive after dark on Route 66, as the roads are very remote.
If you break down, stay inside your vehicle and keep doors locked.
When your car is parked, don’t leave valuables on show.
When booking the hotel/apartment/motel/campsite, check what the area is like. Ask yourself if it is safe to stop the night. Is a different area of the city better to stay in? I.e. there are parts of Albuquerque I would not recommend staying in. I will talk more about where to stay further down in this guide.
Don’t leave anything in your vehicle overnight.
Be aware of the weather forecast. You will be passing through areas that are prone to tornados, dust storms, wildfires, flash flooding, and lighting storms. Stay alert and up to date with the news/forecast. If there is a warning in place, you’re likely to get a message sent to your phone from the state with advice. Follow their advice to stay safe. We had an alert sent to us in Santa Fe, due to the wildfires in the area. The message looked like this:

Ok, now I’ve answered some of the most common questions I get asked, let’s get onto the best bits, the route! As I said above, there is no right or wrong way to do Route 66. So this is just our version of Route 66. How we did it, with all the stops, the millage we drove, and the detours. You can plan your route the same, change stops around, add bits, or do whatever you want!

There’s only one right thing to do when driving Route 66, drive actually on the old Mother Road. Don’t take the Interstates. As you drive across America, you will notice often the Interstates running parallel to Route 66. The only time you want to be on that road is when you have no choice! Unfortunately, there are small sections of Route 66 where you do have to use the Interstates.

Buy The EZ66 Guide

When driving Route 66, do not use Google maps, or other SatNavs. They will just lead you onto the Interstates. My biggest advice from me to you is to purchase the EZ66 guide. It’s not cheap but it will be your bible on Route 66. It has the whole route from Chicago to Los Angles, both directions, with every turn, junction, roadside attraction, you name it!

Here is a link to the EZ66 guide: https://amzn.to/3T9uAGN

(Please note it is an affiliate link. It means I earn a small commission per sale.)

One Last Bit Of Advice

One last bit of advice: get up early every day and make the most of the days out on the Mother Road!

If you are interested in seeing our trip in action, we have a full YouTube series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwhb76AdPL5UPV6EwiRJWFu24j3bR7cvl

Day 1 – Chicago to St Louis

Day 1, Chicago to St Louis. A day you be traveling the full stretch of the state of Illinois. However, don’t rush out of Chicago! Book yourself a hotel in Chicago and spend a couple of days exploring the windy city, before starting the route across to Los Angles. Chicago is one of my favourite American cities and it would be a shame for you not to see it!

To have a read on what to do in Chicago, check out my guide: 48 Hours in Chicago

Starting point: 65 E Adams Street, Chicago, 60603

Finish: St Louis

Parking is difficult along E Adams Street, especially during the day. If you are spending a bit of time in the city before starting the route, I recommend getting the photo then. If not, get up early and there should be some parking available. When I say early, I mean around 6 am! If not you can pay to park in a car park, but they are not cheap! Plus getting early, means you’ve got more time on the Mother Road!

Driving from Chicago to St Louis will take you the full day! Here are some of the best stops along the way, in order:

Gemini Giant, Launching Pad Drive-In, Wilmington – One of the most iconic spots on the Illinois stretch of Route 66! A great spot to stop for a drink and a bite to eat.
Ambler’s Texaco Gas Station, Dwight
The Standard Oil Gas Station, Odell
Route 66 Association of Illinois, Pontiac – This is where you will see the famous Bob Waldmire’s yellow bus, and lots of Route 66 murals.
Bunyan Giant, Atlanta – I giant holding a giant hot dog!
World’s Largest Railsplitter Covered Wagon, Lincoln
Cozy Dog Drive-In, Springfield – The perfect spot for tea! Home of the first-ever corndog!
The Chain of Rocks Bridge, St Louis – The sharp bend in the middle, made it too dangerous for cars, and now is used as a pedestrian bridge only, over the River Mississippi.
Ted Drewes, St Louis – End the day with a famous scoop of frozen custard!

As you arrive in St Louis, have a little potter around the beautiful Gateway Arch National Park. The only Urban National Park in America! It’s a beautiful National Park, located in the centre of St Louis.

We actually visited the National Park on day 2 in the morning as we spent too long pottering around the Walmart and ran out of time! This made day 2 a very long day and personally, I wouldn’t recommend it hence why I’ve put it in on day 1.

For a full guide on the National Park, check out my blog: Incredible Gateway Arch National Park, St Louis

Spend your first night in St Louis, Missouri. If you are staying in a hotel, I recommend staying in either Downtown St Louis or Forest Park. We stayed in the Drury Plaza, Downtown St Louis.

Gateway Arch National Park, St Louis, Missouri

Day 2 – St Louis to Joplin

My best advice for today, day 2, St Louis to Joplin, is to get up early and get off early! You will be driving almost the full stretch of the state of Missouri!

Start: St Louis

Finish: Joplin

Driving from St Louis to Joplin will take you the full day! Here are some of the best stops along the way, in order:

Route 66 State Park, just before Eureka – A great place to see an old stretch of Route 66, which you can no longer drive on. Plus, a museum and gift shop to have a potter around.
Missouri Jickory Bar BQ, Cuba – A great stop for lunch! The food was incredible! Also, Cuba is home to the famous Wagon Wheel Motel and a place full of great murals. So get out of your vehicle, and have a potter around!
Giant Rocking Chair, Fanning
Devils Elbow – It’s basically a bend in the river, where logs get jammed!
Munger Moss Motel, Lebanon – visit the gift shop, or even stay the night for a true Route 66 experience!
Springfield – A perfect stop for tea! It is also a popular spot for the night on Route 66. However, we decided to carry on to Joplin. If you are interested there is a Route 66 Car Museum, murals, Route 66 Visitor Centre, and the world’s largest folk!
Old Sinclair Gas Station, Ash Grove – an old gas station just past Halltown.
66 Drive-In Theatre, Carthage Municipal Park – It is a famous, historic drive-in theater, that shows weekly shows, at certain times of the year. Here’s a link to see what’s on and when: http://66drivein.com/. Sadly, the day we were there, nothing was showing!

Day 3 – Joplin to Oklahoma City

Day 3, Joplin to Oklahoma City is the only day on Route 66 you will be travelling through three different states in just one day! You may only drive through just 12 miles of Kansas. It’s 12 miles not to be missed!

It’s another long day on Route 66! So again, my advice is to set an alarm, get up early, and out on that road!

Start: Joplin

Finish: Oklahoma City

Driving from Joplin to Oklahoma City will take you the full day! Here are some of the best stops along the way, in order, by state:

Missouri:

Grand Falls – If you like waterfalls, then I recommend a visit to Grand Falls. It’s the largest continuously flowing natural waterfall in Missouri. It’s just a 14-minute detour off Route 66, south of Joplin.
Pearl Brothers True Value Hardware Store and Route 66 Mural Park
Red Oak II, Carthage – a little town of red houses and an old petrol station

Kansas:

Route 66 mural, Galena
Muffler Man Freckles, Galena
Kan-O-Tex Service Station, Galena – This is where Walt Disney go his inspiration, for the movie Cars!
Nelson’s Old Riverton Store, Riverton – Oldest supermarket on Route 66!
Rainbow Bridge – Constructed in 1923, it’s the only remaining Marsh Arch Bridge on Route 66.
Baxter Springs – The visitor centre here, is a restored cottage-design Phillips 66 Service Station.

Oklahoma:

Allen’s Conoco Fillin’ Station, Commerce
The World’s Largest Totem Pole, Chelsea – Was completed in 1948. It is 27.4 metres (90 feet) tall and 2.7 metres (9 feet) wide at its base.
The Blue Whale of Catoosa – It’s a 6-metre (20-foot) tall iron and cement Blue Whale, built in the 1970s. Watch out for snakes and turtles in the water!
Golden Driller Statue, Tulsa – The 6th tallest statue in the United States! He is 23 metres (76 feet) tall, and weighs 22 tons!
Space Cowboy Muffler Man, Tulsa
Mother Road Market, Tulsa – A big food court. A perfect stop for an early tea!
Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza, Tulsa – The East meets West. It’s not the halfway point on Route 66, it’s to do with the highway systems in America. The landmark is dedicated to Cyrus Avery who is known as the father of Route 66. He was one of the creators of the national highway system. Here, is where the highways travelling from both directions would meet.
Round Barn, Arcadia
Pops 66 Soda Ranch – Home to over 700 different flavours of soda!

Day 4 – Oklahoma City to Amarillo

Day 4, I recommend spending the morning having a potter around beautiful Oklahoma City, before hitting Route 66, to Amarillo. It’s a great city, full of great architecture, history, and quirky eating places.

Start: Oklahoma City

Finish: Amarillo

Here is my full guide to a morning exploring Oklahoma City: A Morning In Oklahoma City

Driving from Oklahoma City to Amarillo will take you the full afternoon. Here are some of the best stops along the way:

The Old Route 66 Bridge, Lake Overholser – The bridge got too congested from the amount of traffic travelling along Route 66. So a new, bigger bridge had to be built in replacement.
VFW Post 382, El Reno – A retired airplane that was used in World War II.
Sid Dinner, El Reno – This is a ‘must’ stop! They do the famous, original onion burgers, the Depression Burger. When there was a shortage of beef, it became very expensive. Since the onions were cheap, they mixed them with the beef to make it go further. Honestly, these are one of the best burgers I’ve ever had! You must try one!
Lucille’s Historic Highway Gas Station – Since 1941, Lucille Hamons and her husband used to run this gas station along with the tourist court. Sadly, she passed away in the year 2000, after earning her nickname, ‘Mother of the Mother Road’. Before she passed, she would spend so much time with each and every traveler who came through here.
U-Drop Inn, Shamrock – Used as inspiration for the 2006 Disney Cars movie Radiator Springs.
Phillips 66 Station, McLean
Leaning Tower of Texas, Groom – A water tower deliberately placed in a tilted position.
Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ Ministries, Groom – The giant cross is 58 metres (190 feet) tall and roughly the height of a 20-story building!
VW Slug Bug Ranch, Conway – Inspired by the Cadillac Ranch, which you will visit on day 5!

Day 5 – Amarillo to Tucumcari

Day 5, a detour off Route 66, exploring Palo Duro Canyon is a ‘must-do’! You don’t need a full day on Route 66. My advice is to spend most of the day exploring the incredible State Park, then rejoin Route 66 mid-afternoon driving the route from Amarillo to Tucumcari.

Start: Amarillo

Finish: Tucumcari

Palo Duro Canyon is the 2nd largest canyon in the United States. Located just south of Amarillo, you will be blown away by the scenery the Texas State Park has to offer! If you are a hiker, here is the one walk I recommend you do: Palo Duro Canyon: Hiking The Lighthouse Trail

Driving from Amarillo to Tucumcari will take you just under half a day. Here are some of the best stops along the way:

US Route 66, Sixth Street Historic District, Amarillo
Giant 2nd Amendment Cowboy, Amarillo
Cadillac Ranch – There is a truck where you buy yourself a can of spray paint and freely decorate the Cadillacs with your own artwork.
MidPoint Cafe, Adrian – Marks the halfway point on Route 66!
Ghost Town, Glenrio – An abandoned town on Route 66. Since the Interstate was built, people no longer travelled along Route 66, which passed through Glenrio. Over time, this sadly caused the town to become a ghost town. It’s heartbreaking to see!
Neon Lights, Tucumcari – Driving down the main street at night is a must! All the famous motels have bright, neon lights outside, including the famous Blue Swallow Motel.

Day 6 – Tucumcari to Albuquerque

Day 6, Tucumcari to Albuquerque to only a short day on Route 66. But it’s the day you get to drive the famous Santa Fe Loop. The loop which takes you up into the mountains, and provides views for miles and miles!

Start: Tucumcari

Finish: Albuquerque

Driving from Tucumcari to Alberqueue will take you a full day if you are including a stop in Santa Fe, a hike up in the mountains, or a visit to Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument. Without the stops, only half a day is needed!

Here are some of the best stops along the way:

Newkirk – Ruins of an old motel and gas station.
Route 66 Auto Museum, Santa Rosa
Santa Fe – Grab a bite for lunch and have a potter around the cool Adobe Architecture houses. There are also lots of good hiking trails nearby in the Santa Fe National Forest too if you fancy a hike.
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument – Unfortunately, we couldn’t stop her as it was temporarily closed due to the pandemic. If it is open when you visit, the 3-mile Canyon Trail is apparently incredible to do!
Giant Red Arrow, Albuquerque
Giant Lumberjack Axe-Man, Albuquerque
Nob Hill, Albuquerque – A mile-long stretch of the iconic Route 66 packed with brewpubs, taquerias, hookah bars, and pizzerias.
Dog House, Albuquerque – One of Albuquerque’s first-ever fast food restaurants.

Day 7 – Albuquerque to Winslow

Day 7, Albuquerque to Winslow takes you by one incredible National Park, Petrified Forest. Don’t just drive past it, take some time out of your day to explore it! Honestly, it’s one of the most incredible National Parks I’ve ever visited! It felt as though had travelled to a different planet for the day!

For more information on Petrified Forest National Park, head over to my guide: A Day In Petrified Forest National Park

Start: Albuquerque

Finish: Winslow

Driving from Alberqueue to Winslow will take you a full day, including a visit to Petrified Forest National Park.

Here are some of the best stops along the way:

Route 66 Arch, Grants – Drive under a neon arch and get a selfie with your vehicle!
Continental Divide, McKinley County – This is the highest point on post-1937 Route 66 at 2,214 metres (7,263 feet)! This is where Route 66 crosses the watershed that divides North America. It is known as the Great Divide. The water to the west flows to the Pacific Ocean, and the water to the east flows into the Atlantic Ocean. There are two toilets next to each other. One that flushes the water to the east, and one that flushes the water to the west.
Lariat Lodge, Gallup – A motel with a sign that displayed a cowboy with a lariat. Gallup is the Indian capital of the world!
El Rancho Hotel, Gallup – A motel used for the start to stay, while filming many western movies. People like John Wayne, Ronald Reagan, Errol Flynn, Kirk Douglas, Humphrey Bogart, Katherine Hepburn, and Spencer Tracy are just some of the stars who stayed here at El Rancho Hotel.
Colonial Motel’s neon sign, Gallup
Petrified Forest National Park, Painted Desert – If you pay a visit to the National Park, you will be able to see where the old Route 66 used to go before there shut off the area into a National Park, and built the Interstate around it.
Historic Wigwam Motel, Holbrook
La Posada Hotel and Gardens, Winslow – A fantastic railroad hotel! I recommend staying the night here!

Day 8 – Winslow to Flagstaff

Day 8, Winslow to Flagstaff is only a short day on Route 66! This is where we decided to detour off Route 66 for a few days, to explore some of the incredible parks that Arizona has to offer. We headed off Route 66 at Flagstaff and drove south to Sedona. If you do not want to detour off Route 66, or you are short on days, instead of stopping on day 8 in Flagstaff, I recommend driving on to Williams.

Start: Winslow

Finish: Sedona if doing detour (Williams without detour)

From Winslow to Flagstaff, we made a slight detour off the Mother Road to go and visit Grand Falls aka Chocolate Falls. It’s meant to be absolutely incredible to see when there’s water flowing. Sadly, on our visit, the waterfall was completely dried up! It is recommended you check the water flow before you head down the long dirt track to it!

Here’s how it looked on our visit:

Driving from Winslow to Flagstaff, here are some of the best Route 66 stops along the way:

The Eagles, ‘Standing on the Corner’, Winslow
Meteor Crater, West of Winslow – There is an entry fee to visit.
Twin Arrows, East of Flagstaff
Paul Bunyan, Giant, Flagstaff – The giant was outside the Granny’s Closet Restaurant, but it has now been moved to the Skydome at the Northern Arizona University (NAU). It is now known as the mascot of the NAU lumberjacks!
Flagstaff Visitor Center & Route 66 Shield, Flagstaff
Eat n’ Run Route 66 Cafe, Flagstaff – A great place for lunch!
Lookout for all the old motel signs, Flagstaff

The Detours

Day 9 – Spent the day hiking in Sedona, then drove on to Kayenta, a town near Monument Valley.

Here’s a link to the incredible hike we did in Sedona: A Bucket List Hiking Destination: Sedona

Day 10 – Spent the day in Monument Valley then headed on to Page.

Here’s a link to my guide on Monument Valley: A Complete Guide To Monument Valley

Day 11 – Spent the day exploring Lower Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. Mid-afternoon, we headed to the Grand Canyon National Park.

Here’s my guide to Glen Canyon: Glen Canyon’s Most Famous Spots

Day 12 – Spent the day hiking the Bright Angel Trail in the Grand Canyon National Park. Spent a second night in the Grand Canyon National Park.

Here’s my full guide to hiking the Bright Angel Trail: Hiking Grand Canyon’s Bright Angel Trail

Here’s my full guide to the Grand Canyon National Park: A Guide To The Grand Canyon

Day 13 – Rejoin Route 66 – Williams to Needles

On day 13, rejoin Route 66 and drive from Williams to Needles. If you’re following my route with the full detours, you will only be rejoining Route 66 for the day.

From the Grand Canyon National Park, you have two choices. Go back on yourself and rejoin Route 66 from Flagstaff. Or you can do what we did, and miss out tiny stretch of Route 66, and join the route at Williams.

Once you arrive in Needles, you can either detour off to Red Rock Canyon as we did, head to Las Vegas, or stay the night in Needles.

Start: Grand Canyon National Park (without detour, start in Williams)

Finish: Red Rock Canyon (without detour, finish in Needles)

Here are some of the best stops along the way on Route 66:

Williams – A great place for gift shopping and the famous Grand Canyon Railway.
Delgadillo’s Snow Cap, Seligman – Great stop for lunch!
Angel & Vilma’s Gift Shop, Seligman – Angel was the guy who brought Route 66 back on the map!
Route 66 Drive-In Photo Booth, Kingsman
Sitgreaves Pass, Black Mountains – A drive up a scenic mountain pass, taking you to 1,093 metres (3,586 feet) above sea level. Watch out for donkeys!
Donkeys, Oatman – Donekys freely roam the streets. You can buy food from the shops to feed them.

The Detours

Day 14 – Spent the day hiking in Red Rock Canyon and then drove on to Las Vegas.

Here is a full hiking guide to an incredible walk we did in Red Rock Canyon: Calico Hills: Best Hike In Red Rock Canyon

Day 15 – Spent the day and another night in Las Vegas.

Here is my full guide to Las Vegas: A Quick Guide To Las Vegas

Day 16 – Rejoin Route 66 – Needles to San Bernardino

On day 16, rejoin Route 66 and drive from Needles to San Bernardino. If you’re following my route with the full detours, you will only be rejoining Route 66 for the day.

Once you get to San Bernardino you can either stick on Route 66 and spend the night here or follow our detour to Palm Springs for a couple of nights.

Start: Las Vegas (without detour, start in Needles)

Finish: Palm Springs (without detour, finish in San Bernardino)

If you are coming from Las Vegas, stop by at the Seven Magic Mountains on your way down to Needles. It’s a fun bit of artwork to see in the middle of the Mojave Desert.

Here are some of the best stops along the way on Route 66:

Mojave Desert
Roy’s Dinner, Amboy
Amboy Crater – 4-mile out-and-back hike.
Western American Railroad Station, Barstow
Elmer’s Bottle Ranch, Oro Grande

The Detours

Day 17 – Spend the day exploring Joshua Tree National Park, then spend a second night in Palm Springs.

Here’s my full guide to Joshua Tree National Park: A Day In Joshua Tree National Park

Day 18 – Rejoin Route 66 – San Bernardino to Los Angles

On day 18, rejoin route 66 at San Bernardino and drive to the finish in Los Angles.

I recommend spending day 18 driving to Sant Monica Pier, to the end of Route 66. Then give yourself an extra day to explore LA!

Here’s my guide on the city of Los Angles: A Full Guide To LA

Start: Palm Springs (with detour, start in San Bernardino)

Finish: Santa Monica Pier, Los Angles

Here are some of the best stops along the way on Route 66:

McDonald’s Museum, San Bernardino – Home to the first-ever McDonald’s!
WigWam Motel, Rialto
Pasadena – Lovely place to have a potter around, see the famous Colorado Street Bridge and look out for the Bubble House.
Hollywood – Hike to the famous Hollywood sing. Here’s my full hiking guide to the best hike: No.1 Hike To The Hollywood Sign
Beverley Hills
Santa Monica Pier – Get a selfie at the finish sign!