Should i take route 66

Each of them had great stories to tell of their lives that are so far removed from our own. The picture below is of me with Gary and Lena. Rather worryingly, Lena and I had matching shoes! You can check out their website here and you may just spy some of our other photos from our visit with Gary there too! There are so many quirky roadside attractions! This is a picture of the Largest Rocking chair.

That little town. This coffee shop. With more than 2, miles of classic neon, motels, larger-than-life roadside attractions, museums, diners, and countless colorful characters, it should be obvious why the allure of Route 66 is as strong as ever. With that in mind, focus on accessibility and multi-functional items. A small overnight bag should contain everything you need after a long day of driving—think sleepwear, toiletries, and a good book.

Route 66 starts in downtown Chicago and ends at the Santa Monica pier in California. It is a prime lesson in the art of the road trip: A sudden change in direction, an abrupt end to the pavement, and a few wrong turns are all welcome parts of the adventure rather than an inconvenience. Typically, travelers will plan no less than two weeks for the entire Mother Road road trip. But if you want to savor the entire experience—strolling historic downtowns, sipping a root beer float at a soda fountain, and sleeping at a retro motel with a blinking neon sign—you could spend up to a month or longer.

Will you go from Chicago to Los Angeles or vice versa? The best time to take a road trip on Route 66 is from late April to early October. Be prepared for remnants of ice and snow during the early spring and thunderstorms in late spring and early summer. During July and August—peak travel months—expect sometimes sweltering temperatures, over-crowded attractions, and higher rates for lodging.

Come late October and into November, you might see snowfall on parts of the route. Soon you will need to use Roadpass to sign in to your Roadtrippers account. Learn Why. Your account is connected to Roadpass. Moving forward, please use your Roadpass to sign in to Roadtrippers. We couldn't find an existing Roadtrippers account using that service. Please try signing in with another option or create a new account with Roadpass.

We need your email address to send you trip itineraries and other updates. Last updated October 11, Route 66 is the quintessential embodiment of the road and all its greatest promises: freedom and serendipity, kitsch and living history, and a case study of the very particular way Americans have moved and multiplied. Order Roadtrippers' Route 66 book Our brand new Route 66 book will help you find every classic, quirky, and fun stop along the Mother Road.

Buy the book. Oro Grande, California Route 66 mural. Route 66 map Ready to get started? Santa Monica Pier Whether you call it the starting or ending point of the Mother Road, the Santa Monica Pier is the perfect spot to stretch your legs or snap photos of the ocean before embarking on a 2,mile trip east.

Route 66 history Although it only existed as a unified, legally codified road for 59 years—between and —Route 66 became a great symbolic trailway of human civilization. Route 66 beginning in downtown Chicago. Route 66 Illinois Chicago, Illinois, is the eastern terminus of the Mother Road—depending on which way you travel, you will either start or end your trip across from Grant Park and Lake Michigan.

This westward migration created new opportunities, as the government invested billions in California in part because of its popularity. Businesses saw this opportunity, too. A huge variety of stores and companies sprouted up along Route Whether gas stations, motels, or restaurants, those businesses and their employees owe their livelihoods to Route President Dwight Eisenhower, who led the Allied forces against Nazi Germany, was impressed by the German highway system when he visited the country.

Eisenhower asked Congress to help improve the American highway system, which led to the end of Route In , the government began building the interstate system we use today. From playing country music to performing magic tricks, they feel a bit like a variety show, and are usually very patriotic. The countryside is flat and green as you make your way to Oklahoma City. Four hours from Branson, this compact metropolis is a highlight of Route 66 for me.

During your stay, we can arrange for you to watch the Oklahoma City Dodgers. Unlike the big-name teams, like the Yankees, where much of the crowd are visitors, almost everyone here is a local supporter. It means you get to cheer shoulder-to-shoulder with true fans. I suggest getting there in time to experience the national anthem before the game, when the whole stadium erupts into song. Throughout the match, hot dog and popcorn sellers pace the stands, people clink bottles of beer and giant foam fingers are jabbed excitedly in the air.

Heading into the Texas Panhandle, the prairies of Oklahoma give way to a drier landscape. This five-hour section of the drive is a touch uninspiring and I recommend jumping on the freeway to eat up the miles. Ten graffiti covered Cadillacs are buried nose first in the ground. What started as an art installation has become legendary along Route 66 and travellers, armed with their own spray cans, will leave a lasting reminder of their stop here.

Entering Santa Fe, you feel touched by the Mediterranean as you contrast the city with Amarillo. The Spanish-influenced old town square and Pueblo-style adobe architecture provide a setting that contrasts widely with the cities further east.

From Albuquerque, you travel into Arizona as you make your way to Winslow. En route, you pass through the Petrified Forest National Park, site of numerous palaeontological discoveries. The South Rim is the most accessible from the route and has the best viewpoints; although that does make it the most popular with visitors.

There are several walking trails, or you could take to the air on a helicopter tour , flying over the green Kaibab National Forest. It takes around three hours to reach the South Rim from Winslow, a little longer if you make a stop at Meteor Crater just outside the town of Flagstaff.