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How to Follow Route 66 Without Getting Lost: Maps, Stops, Hotels & Food
Driving historic Route 66 sounds simple, until you actually get out on the road. Before our trip, we knew Route 66 was no longer one continuous highway, we knew there were old alignments, bypassed towns, interstate sections, and different ways to follow the road. However, we still underestimated just how much effort it would take to stay on the historic route as we crossed the country.
We drove Route 66 from Santa Monica to Chicago, following every marked and open section of the historic road we could. Along the way, we used Google Maps, Apple Maps, Route 66 signs, local advice, and our own planning map to stay as close to the route as possible. Some sections were easy. Others felt like a puzzle. There were moments when Route 66 signs clearly pointed us in the right direction, and there were other times when we found ourselves sitting at a frontage road or intersection, checking two maps and still wondering if we were actually where we were supposed to be.
This post covers what it was really like to follow Route 66, where navigation became confusing, when the interstate made more sense, where we stayed, where we ate, which stops stood out, and what we would do differently if we drove the route again.
The Route We Followed & What We Drove
We drove Route 66 from west to east, starting in Santa Monica and ending in Chicago.
Our goal was to follow the historic route as closely as reasonably possible. We wanted to drive the old road, while still leaving room for closures, changing road conditions, weather, and the realities of a long road trip.
There are a lot of ways to drive Route 66. Some travelers try to cover every possible historic alignment. Others focus on the major roadside attractions, diners, motels, museums, and towns along the way. We were somewhere in the middle.
We wanted the road itself to be a major part of the trip, but we did not want to turn every missed turn or bypassed section into a failure. If a historic section had interesting scenery, strong Route 66 character, a memorable town, or a stop we wanted to see, we made an effort to follow it. If a section added significant time without adding much to the experience, we were more willing to be flexible. That approach worked well for us and kept the trip enjoyable instead of turning it into a checklist.
How We Navigated Route 66
Following Route 66 required more than entering Chicago into Google Maps and pressing start. We used Google Maps, Apple Maps, Route 66 road signs, our own planning notes, and sometimes a little trial and error to stay as close to the historic route as possible.
No single navigation source worked perfectly. Google Maps and Apple Maps were helpful for finding towns, restaurants, hotels, charging stops, attractions, and general directions, but they are designed to get you somewhere efficiently. On Route 66, that often means putting you back on the interstate. The best approach for us was to use navigation apps as one tool rather than the only tool.
Using Google Maps and Apple Maps
Google Maps was usually our starting point, while Apple Maps became a useful second opinion when something felt unclear. If one app routed us toward the interstate and the other showed a frontage road or older alignment nearby, we would zoom in and compare.
We also learned that routing stop by stop worked much better than entering the hotel as the destination at the beginning of the day. When we routed directly to the next hotel, the apps usually prioritized efficiency. When we navigated to specific towns, landmarks, and Route 66 stops along the way, we had a much better chance of staying on the historic road.
Even then, there were plenty of situations where the map alone was not enough.
Following Route 66 Road Signs
Sometimes the Route 66 signs were more useful than navigation apps. In states with strong signage, following the route felt almost relaxing. Oklahoma, for example, had many small green Route 66 signs pointing us in the right direction after Texola, even though the road continued to cross back and forth around the interstate. In other places, signage was limited, late, or incomplete. A sign might tell us to exit the interstate, but once we reached the frontage road, there was not always another sign telling us whether to stay there, turn through town, or merge back on. We experienced this several times in Texas near the Oklahoma border. Route 66 signs appeared very close to the exits, and once we exited, we sometimes had to cross-check the maps to figure out where the historic route continued.
The signs helped, but they were not something we could rely on by themselves.
Confusing City Sections
Some of the hardest sections to navigate were actually in and around cities. Before the trip, we expected the remote desert portions of Route 66 to be the most difficult. Instead, large cities and suburban corridors often required more attention.Southern California was one of the clearest examples. From Santa Monica through Los Angeles County, Pasadena, and toward San Bernardino, Route 66 runs through active city streets, traffic, businesses, and neighborhoods. Signage was inconsistent, and the road often felt like an ordinary city street rather than a historic highway. Oklahoma City, St Louis, and Chicago required similar attention. Route 66 can change names, cross highways, move through commercial areas, and blend into normal city traffic. Those were some of the places where knowing the general alignment ahead of time helped the most.
When Route 66 and the Interstate Run Together
Another major source of confusion was how closely Route 66 and the interstate sometimes followed each other. In some areas, the interstate replaced or closely follows the old road. In others, historic Route 66 runs beside it on a frontage road, crosses over it, moves through a nearby town, and then returns again. This was especially noticeable in Oklahoma and Missouri, where Interstate 44 and historic Route 66 frequently felt intertwined. On a map, it was not always obvious whether we should stay on the highway, exit onto a frontage road, or continue through a town.
Dead Ends, Detours, and Multiple Alignments
Route 66 is also not one single historic road. Depending on where you are, there may be multiple alignments, business loops, frontage roads, bypassed towns, dead ends, gravel sections, and roads labeled “Old Route 66.” We noticed this in Arizona, particularly on the western side of the state and around Williams, where some older Route 66 labels appeared to lead toward gravel roads, questionable side roads, or dead ends. That forced us to make decisions about how literally we wanted to follow the route. Some travelers may want to drive every possible alignment. For us, the more useful question became whether a section was accessible, enjoyable, and worth the additional time.
Which States Had the Best Route 66 Signage?
Signage varied considerably from state to state. California had some of the most frustrating signage for us, particularly through the Los Angeles area and toward San Bernardino. New Mexico was not necessarily difficult to navigate, but signs were limited enough that we frequently checked the maps. Arizona was mostly manageable, although transitions around places like Oatman, Kingman, and Williams required more attention.
Oklahoma had some of the most helpful small green Route 66 signs, but the constant interaction with the interstate still made the route confusing in places. Missouri and Illinois were generally manageable, although Route 66 continued to feel much less direct than simply staying on the interstate. The biggest lesson was that road signs could make following Route 66 much easier, but they could not be our entire navigation strategy.
When the Interstate Was the Better Option
There were also times when taking the interstate simply made more sense. Some historic alignments were closed, rough, poorly marked, repetitive, or added significant time without adding much to the experience. Other times, we had already spent most of the day exploring and needed to reach the next hotel, charging stop, or destination before dark.
We usually chose the interstate when the historic route became unclear, when a detour would have added unnecessary miles, or when staying on the old road would have meant giving up time at a stop we cared about more. That did not make the trip feel less like Route 66. The historic road was still the reason we were there, but the interstate became a useful tool when it helped us make the rest of the day work.
Our Favorite Route 66 Stops
There are far too many great Route 66 stops to fit into one short list. Some are famous roadside attractions, historic buildings that have survived from the road’s earlier years, and others are small towns or quick pull-offs that ended up being more memorable than we expected. These are not necessarily the “best” stops on Route 66. They are the places that stood out most to us on this trip, whether because of the history, the photos, the atmosphere, or the people. Some were places we spent an hour or more, while others were ten-minute stops that still felt worth making.
Iconic Roadside Stops and Photo Opportunities
Route 66 is full of places that make you want to pull over. Santa Monica Pier was the symbolic start of the trip for us, even though leaving the coast and heading into Los Angeles traffic did not exactly feel like the open-road. The route became much more interesting as we moved inland. In California, places like Elmer’s Bottle Tree Ranch, Barstow, the Mojave, and Roy’s Motel & Cafe gave us more of the roadside character we had pictured before the trip. Roy’s was especially memorable because of the lit up neon sign, and it became one of those stops where timing mattered almost as much as the stop itself.
Oatman was one of the places that immediately reminded us why people still love Route 66. The drive into town already feels different from the busier city and suburban sections farther west, winding through the Black Mountains before dropping into what feels like an old Western ghost town. The historic buildings, wooden storefronts, mountain backdrop, and burros wandering freely through the street, make Oatman feel unlike anywhere else we stopped. The burros were our favorite part, and definitely the most memorable! They roam right through the center of town, sometimes blocking traffic, or walking up to visitors, which gives Oatman a personality you cannot recreate at a normal roadside attraction. The town also still leans heavily into its mining and Old West history, so even though it is touristy, it feels like an actual destination rather than just a quick photo stop.
Jack Rabbit Trading Post is an example of the opposite kind of Route 66 stop. Although we spent days seeing the distance grow shorter and shorter on the roadsigns, we only spent a short amount of time at the actual trading post. There is a giant jack rabbit out front for photos, a small gift shop inside, and a spot to stretch your legs after a long drive. Even though this was not a long stop, it was still worthwhile! We could pull over, take photos, look around, grab a postcard or souvenir, and continue down the road. Route 66 has room for both kinds of experiences: towns like Oatman that can become destinations themselves, and small roadside stops that are memorable precisely because they only take a few minutes.
Historic Gas Stations and Preserved Route 66 Buildings
Some of the historic gas stations and preserved roadside buildings ended up being among our favorite stops because they made the history of Route 66 feel more tangible.
The Cucamonga Service Station in Rancho Cucamonga, California was another stop that helped make the history of Route 66 feel more tangible. The station was originally built in 1915 as a refueling and service stop for motorists, before Route 66 was even officially established, and it was later restored to reflect its appearance as a 1930s Richfield station. Today, the building operates as a small museum filled with local and Route 66 history, and extremely sweet and knowledgable staff.
Roy’s Motel & Café in Amboy, California was one of the most memorable preserved Route 66 stops of the entire trip. It originally began as a gas and service station in the late 1930s and grew into a café, motel, and 24-hour roadside stop as Route 66 traffic increased. Its huge Googie-style neon sign was added in the 1950s and became one of the most recognizable landmarks in the Mojave. What made Roy’s especially interesting for us was its location.
Amboy sits alone in the Mojave between Barstow and Needles, so seeing the old gas station, motel cabins, café, and neon sign surrounded by desert made it much easier to picture how important places like this once were for travelers crossing Route 66. When Interstate 40 bypassed Amboy, much of that traffic disappeared, and the town declined dramatically. Today, Roy’s is being preserved and restored, so the stop feels almost like a physical snapshot of what happened to many Route 66 communities after the interstate era began.
The Filling Station in El Reno, Oklahoma was another stop we really enjoyed. It is a restored former Texaco station at the intersection of Route 66 and U.S. 81 that reopened as a visitor center in 2025. The vintage pumps, neon details, classic-car displays, Route 66 souvenirs, and nearby “Crossroads of America” mural make it feel like a modern visitor stop built around preserving the look of an old roadside filling station.
Lucille’s Service Station near Hydro, Oklahoma was one of the stops that best showed us how personal Route 66 history can be. The station was built in 1929, and Lucille Hamons began operating it with her family in 1941. She became so well known for helping travelers that she earned the nickname “Mother of the Mother Road.” Lucille continued running the station for decades, even after Interstate 40 diverted traffic away from the old highway. As we took photos someone even stopped to share a few personal stories about Lucille, and how important she was to the community!
Boots Court Motel in Carthage, Missouri made that history feel even more real because we actually stayed there. The motel opened in 1939 and was designed in the Streamline Moderne style, with carports beside the rooms and the original promise of a “Radio in Every Room.” The front office even incorporated an earlier service station on the property. Staying there felt completely different from simply photographing a restored roadside building. We were sleeping in a property that had been serving Route 66 travelers for decades, which made the overnight stop feel like part of the experience rather than just a place to end the day.
Route 66 Stops That Inspired Cars
One of the best parts of driving Route 66 for us was recognizing places connected to Pixar’s Cars. Pixar’s team traveled Route 66 while developing the movie, and the towns, roadside businesses, landscapes, vehicles, and people they encountered helped shape the world of Radiator Springs. What makes that connection so interesting is that Radiator Springs was not copied from one real town. It was built from pieces of Route 66 spread across several states.
Seligman, Arizona is one of the clearest examples. The town’s story closely mirrors one of the main ideas behind Cars: a Route 66 community that lost traffic after the interstate bypassed it, then worked to preserve the old road and bring travelers back. Today, Seligman fully embraces that identity with colorful storefronts, old cars, murals, roadside displays, souvenir shops, and businesses that feel like they could fit naturally into Radiator Springs.
Cool Springs Station in Arizona added another layer to that connection for us. The restored stone service station sits along the winding stretch of Route 66 between Kingman and Oatman, surrounded by the Black Mountains and desert scenery that helped shape the visual world of Radiator Springs. Driving this section, with the old service station, rugged mountains, sharp curves, and desert landscape all around us, was one of the moments when the setting of Cars felt especially recognizable. Pixar’s fictional town pulled heavily from the look and atmosphere of the Southwestern Route 66 corridor, and this stretch of Arizona makes that influence easy to understand.
In Galena, Kansas, we stopped at Cars on the Route, a restored Kan-O-Tex service station with one of the most recognizable connections to the movie. Outside is a rusty 1951 International Harvester boom truck known as Tow Tater, one of the direct visual inspirations for Mater. Pixar’s team also met Dean “Crazy Legs” Walker in Kansas, who was famous for being able to twist his feet backward and walk in reverse. That unusual talent helped inspire Mater’s ability to drive backward.
The Rock Cafe in Stroud, Oklahoma has another memorable connection. Pixar visited the cafe during its Route 66 research, and owner Dawn Welch became one of the inspirations for Sally Carrera. That makes Rock Cafe more than just a historic place to eat. It became part of the character development behind one of Radiator Springs’ central residents.
In Adrian, Texas, the Cars connection continues around Midpoint Café and Dream Maker Station. Midpoint Café sits at the halfway point of Route 66 between Chicago and Los Angeles, and its longtime owner Fran Houser helped inspire the character of Flo. The café itself also influenced the spirit of Flo’s V8 Café. Just next door, Dream Maker Station occupies the former Sunflower Station, another historic Route 66 service-station property once owned by Houser. Today it has been restored as a Route 66 gathering place and souvenir stop, so the area still feels connected to the roadside culture Pixar was trying to capture.
The Tower Station and U-Drop Inn in Shamrock, Texas has one of the strongest visual connections to the movie. Its dramatic Art Deco tower, geometric shape, and neon design helped inspire Ramone’s House of Body Art in Radiator Springs. This was one of those stops where the resemblance was immediately obvious once we saw the building in person.
Small Towns Worth Slowing Down For
Some of the most memorable parts of Route 66 were the small towns along the way.
Williams felt like a destination. The downtown still has the neon signs, historic buildings, Route 66 storefronts, restaurants, and old-road atmosphere we were looking for, but Williams also has another major identity: it is one of the main gateways to the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon Railway departs from Williams and carries travelers directly to the South Rim, which gives the town a natural connection between Route 66 and one of the biggest attractions in the Southwest. We actually used Williams as our base for visiting the Grand Canyon, which made it one of the more practical overnight stops of the trip as well as one of the more enjoyable towns to walk around. Williams is also significant in Route 66 history because it was the last Route 66 community bypassed by Interstate 40. That combination of Route 66 history, the railway, restaurants, shops, neon, and access to the Grand Canyon gives it more depth than a town you simply drive through.
Winslow, Arizona is also a stand out town along the route. It is forever tied to the Eagles and Take It Easy. The famous Standin’ on the Corner display gives you an easy reason to get out of the car, take a few photos, and walk around downtown. It is one of those Route 66 stops where music, pop culture, and road-trip history all come together.
Tucumcari stood out for a different reason. Parts of town felt worn around the edges, but its vintage motel signs, neon, murals, and old Route 66 businesses gave it a character that felt closely tied to the road. The town was once heavily promoted with the slogan “Tucumcari Tonite, 2,000 Motel Rooms,” and that motel history is still one of the biggest reasons to stop.
Two of the best-known examples are the Blue Swallow Motel and Motel Safari. The Blue Swallow opened in the 1940s and is known for its classic neon sign, attached garages, and preserved motor-court layout. It is one of the strongest surviving examples of the kind of motel travelers would have encountered during Route 66’s heyday.
We stayed at Motel Safari, which opened in 1959 and still leans heavily into its mid-century Route 66 style. Its camel neon sign, retro architecture, murals, and restored interiors made the overnight stay feel much more connected to the trip than a standard roadside hotel. That was what made Tucumcari memorable for us. Even if you are just passing through, the neon, surviving motels, and old roadside businesses make the town feel like one of the places where Route 66’s motel culture is still alive, rather than something you read about in a museum.
That variety was part of what made Route 66 so fun to explore. Some towns felt lively and welcoming, others felt quieter or a little faded, but each added something different to the trip.
Quirky Route 66 Stops We Were Glad We Made
Some Route 66 stops are memorable precisely because they are strange, oversized, playful, or a little ridiculous. Those were often the places that broke up the drive and reminded us that Route 66 has always had a sense of humor.
POPS in Arcadia, Oklahoma is one of the best examples. It is a modern Route 66 diner, gas station, and “soda ranch” built around a massive 66-foot soda bottle that lights up after dark. Inside, there are hundreds of different sodas lining the shelves, including plenty of flavors you probably would never think to try at home. We stopped for coffee and snacks, but it is the kind of place where the attraction itself is the reason to pull over.
Atlanta, Illinois was another stop that perfectly fit Route 66’s oversized roadside attraction personality. The town is home to giants, like the 19-foot Bunyon Giant, a classic Muffler Man holding an enormous hot dog instead of the usual axe or muffler. The statue originally stood outside Bunyon’s Hot Dog Stand in Cicero before being moved to Atlanta in 2003, and today it has become one of the town’s most recognizable Route 66 landmarks. Atlanta also has the American Giants Museum where you can see 6 giant muffler men, and learn more about their history along Route 66.
Uranus, Missouri was probably the least subtle stop of the entire trip, which is exactly why it works. Uranus is a full roadside attraction built around the joke in its name, with a fudge factory, gift shop, sideshow-style attractions, mini golf, and plenty of signs and souvenirs designed to make you laugh. It is intentionally over-the-top, and that is part of the appeal. We stopped for fudge and souvenirs, and it felt like a modern version of the kind of roadside business Route 66 has always been known for: giving travelers something weird enough that they have to stop and see it for themselves.
These types of stops kept the drive from becoming too serious. Route 66 has plenty of history, but it also has a long tradition of roadside businesses doing whatever they can to convince travelers to pull over. Giant signs, odd attractions, themed gift shops, unusual buildings, and exaggerated roadside humor are all part of that experience. Not every stop needs to be historically important to be worth making.
Stops That Combined Food, History, and a Break From Driving
Some of our favorite stops worked because they gave us several things at once.
Midpoint Cafe in Texas was memorable not just as a food stop, but because it also serves as the midway point of Route 66 and has photo opportunities out front. Rock Cafe in Stroud had a similar appeal: it gave us somewhere to eat while still feeling connected to the trip itself. Kingman was the perfect balance, we were able to explore the visitors center, grab lunch at a retro 50's diner, and take advantage of the many photo ops.
Those combination stops became especially valuable on longer driving days. When one place could give us a meal, a bathroom break, a photo opportunity, some Route 66 history, and time out of the car, it made the day easier without feeling like we were sacrificing the experience. We cover more of the restaurants we liked later in this guide, but these were some of the places where the stop itself felt like part of Route 66 rather than simply somewhere we happened to eat.
Where to Stay Along Route 66
Where you stay can change the rhythm of a Route 66 trip. Some nights, we wanted the hotel or motel itself to feel connected to the road. Other nights, convenience mattered more.
Over the trip, we stayed in a mix of chain properties, practical roadside hotels, and historic Route 66 motels. That balance worked well for us. Not every night needs to be iconic. Sometimes you want neon and history. Sometimes you want an easy hotel near the route, reliable parking, and a simple start the next morning.
How We Chose Hotels
Location was usually our first consideration. Route 66 days can get long quickly once you add roadside stops, meals, traffic, old alignments, photos, museums, and unexpected detours. A hotel that looks close enough on a map can become much less convenient if it requires backtracking or puts you on the wrong side of a city the next morning. That mattered most around larger cities like Los Angeles, Albuquerque, St. Louis, and Chicago, where traffic, parking, and getting back onto Route 66 required more thought. In smaller towns, it was usually much easier to stay close to the historic road and continue the next morning without adding much extra driving.
We stayed at a number of practical chain hotels along the way in places like Norco, Needles, Amarillo, El Reno, the St. Louis area, Springfield, Illinois, and near Chicago. Those stays were not necessarily the ones we talked about most afterward, but they served an important purpose. They gave us predictable accommodations, convenient locations, and opportunities to use hotel points when it made sense. The properties we remember most, though, were the ones that became part of the Route 66 experience themselves.
Motel Safari in Tucumcari gave us the classic neon-motel experience we had pictured before the trip. Its retro design and Route 66 atmosphere made the overnight stay feel connected to the town instead of separate from it. We booked a themed "Rockabilly" suite, and enjoyed all of the details in the room; from Elvis memorabilia, to a Wanda Jackson mural, and even a guitar mounted to the wall no expense was spared.
Boots Court Motel in Carthage felt like going back in time. We stayed one night at this neon motel, and loved every minute of it. We were able to park in the garage attached to our room, fell asleep to sounds of the radio, and took photos under the glow of neon. This restored hotel took us back in time and gave us a better idea of what driving Route 66 would have looked like decades ago. Staying in a preserved Route 66 motel made the lodging itself part of the trip rather than simply the place where we stopped driving for the night.
Williams, Arizona showed us another way to choose where to stay. We used Williams as our base for visiting the Grand Canyon, and the town worked especially well because the Grand Canyon Railway departs from there for the South Rim. Staying in Williams let us combine two experiences without completely abandoning Route 66 for a separate side trip. We could spend time walking the historic downtown, enjoy the Route 66 restaurants and neon at night, and take the train to the Grand Canyon the next day before returning to the same base.
That was one of the biggest lodging lessons from the trip: a good Route 66 hotel is not always the most historic one. Sometimes the best choice is the property or town that makes the next part of the trip easier or lets you combine Route 66 with something else you already wanted to do.
What We’d Do Differently Next Time
If we drove Route 66 again, we would build in a few more nights where the lodging itself was part of the experience. The historic stays added more to the trip than we expected. Places like Motel Safari and Boots Court Motel made it feel like Route 66 continued even after we parked the car for the night. We would be more intentional about looking for that kind of property in towns where historic lodging is still part of the local identity.
We would also spend more time thinking about the town around the hotel, not just the room itself. Williams worked well because staying there gave us Route 66 at night, restaurants and shops within town, and easy access to the Grand Canyon Railway the next morning. Other nights, a practical hotel close to the route was exactly what we needed because we wanted to get back on the road quickly. So next time, we would probably divide our stays into two categories: nights where the hotel is part of the Route 66 experience, and nights where the location makes the next day easier. You do not need every overnight stop to be historic. But we would choose each one based on how it fits into the trip rather than simply where we expect the driving day to end.
Where to Eat Along Route 66
Food was one of the easiest ways to make Route 66 feel more connected to the places we were driving through. Not every meal was memorable. We had plenty of fast food, snacks, coffee, and whatever happened to be convenient near the hotel. But some of our favorite meals were the ones that gave us another reason to slow down and experience the town we were in. We also learned pretty quickly that you cannot make every meal a destination. On a road trip this long, there has to be a balance between the places worth stopping for and the meals that simply keep the day moving.
Classic Route 66 Food Stops
Some meals felt like part of Route 66 itself rather than simply somewhere we happened to eat. 66 Diner in Albuquerque was one of the clearest examples. The retro diner atmosphere, Route 66 décor, neon, and classic American diner menu were exactly what we we wanted to experience on this trip. Albuquerque has a strong Route 66 identity already, so stopping somewhere that leaned into that history made the meal feel connected to the road rather than just another restaurant stop.
We also stopped at a Route 66 diner in Gallup, which gave us another taste of New Mexico’s old-road diner culture. This retro red and white diner has a lot of character, and was the perfect breakfast stop as we made our way through Gallup.
Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner in Kingman was another favorite. Its bright retro exterior and classic diner atmosphere fit perfectly with Kingman’s Route 66 character, and its location across from the visitor center made it easy to combine lunch with sightseeing, shopping, and a few photos before continuing east.
Rock Cafe in Stroud, Oklahoma was memorable for the food as much as the history. I ordered a slice of Poor Man’s Pecan Pie, which was made with oats instead of pecans, and it ended up being one of the more memorable desserts of the trip. It had that same sweet, rich filling you expect from pecan pie, but the oats gave it a slightly different texture.
Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas was another stop where the location mattered as much as the meal. The café sits near the geographic midpoint of Route 66 between Chicago and Los Angeles, so stopping there gives you that satisfying feeling of having officially reached the halfway point. Its connection to Cars and longtime Route 66 history made it feel like much more than just somewhere to grab food.
Then there was The Big Texan in Amarillo, which is touristy, oversized, and completely unapologetic about it. That is also why it works. Between the giant signs, Western theme, famous steak challenge, gift shop, and sheer spectacle of the place, it embraces the theatrical side of American road-trip culture. Part of Route 66 is leaning into places that are a little ridiculous and memorable because of it.
Regional Food Stops We Were Glad We Made
Not every memorable meal had to be a historic Route 66 diner. As we moved across the country, some of our favorite stops were places that gave us a taste of the city or region we were passing through. Salt + Smoke and Ted Drewes helped make St. Louis feel like an actual destination rather than just another point on the route. By the time we reached Chicago, places like lulus hotdogs and Lou Mitchell’s gave the end of the trip its own food identity. Those meals were different from the nostalgic Route 66 diners, but they made the road trip feel connected to the places we were traveling through.
Quick Stops vs. Sit-Down Meals
We also learned that some days simply were not built for a long meal. A sit-down lunch can easily turn into an hour or more once you add parking, ordering, eating, and getting back on the road. When the day already included historic alignments, attractions, photos, charging, and a hotel several hours away, that time mattered. That is where places like Buc-ee’s, Wally’s, convenience stores, coffee shops, grocery stores, and quick fast-food stops became useful. They were not always the meals we remembered afterward, but they helped protect time for the stops we cared about more. Some days, the right decision was a diner or barbecue restaurant. Other days, it was coffee and something quick so we could keep driving while there was still daylight.
Our Biggest Food Takeaway
If we drove Route 66 again, we would still mix memorable meals with practical ones. Trying to make every breakfast, lunch, and dinner iconic would make an already long road trip exhausting. Instead, we would aim for at least one food stop each day that felt connected to the place we were in, then let the rest of the meals be as simple as needed. That balance gave us the best of both worlds: enough memorable food to make the trip feel local without letting every meal take over the itinerary.
The Route 66 Passport and Souvenirs
One of the parts of Route 66 we ended up enjoying more than expected was collecting passport stamps, postcards, stickers, magnets, and other small souvenirs along the way.
The Route 66 passport gave us another reason to stop in places we might otherwise have driven past. Some stamps were at museums or visitor centers, others were inside shops, restaurants, or small Route 66 businesses. There was something satisfying about watching the passport fill up as we moved from state to state. It also made the trip feel more interactive. Instead of simply stopping for a photo and leaving, the passport often encouraged us to go inside, talk to someone, look around the shop, and usually buy something while we were there.
The Passport Gave Us a Reason to Stop
There were plenty of places where the passport became part of the decision to pull over.
A stamp might lead us into a visitor center, trading post, museum, diner, or gift shop that we may not have prioritized otherwise. Once we were inside, we often ended up learning something about the town, buying a postcard or souvenir, or spending more time there than we originally planned. That was one of the things we liked most about the passport. It turned the drive into a collection of small goals without making the trip feel like a checklist.
The souvenirs worked the same way. A postcard from a trading post or a small Route 66 magnet may not seem significant at the time, but by the end of the trip those little things became reminders of very specific places and moments.
Limited Hours Were the Biggest Frustration
The biggest problem with collecting stamps was simply that many participating locations had limited operating hours. Route 66 days do not always fit neatly into a traditional tourism schedule. Long drives, bathroom breaks, traffic, navigation problems, meals, and unexpected detours can easily push an arrival later than planned. We encountered places that opened later than expected, closed early, or had already shut down by the time we reached town. That was frustrating when the passport stamp or attraction had been one of the reasons we planned to stop there in the first place. We also met other travelers dealing with the same problem. This became especially noticeable on days when we were trying to visit several towns. Being behind schedule by 15 or 20 minutes could mean missing a passport stamp, our free souvenirs, and not getting to see an attraction.
Check Passport Stops Before You Build the Day Around Them
If collecting Route 66 passport stamps matters to you, check the hours of the locations you want to visit before planning your day. Most passport spots were only open from around 10AM-4PM, and because of the limited hours we ended up missing multiple stamps. Smaller Route 66 businesses may have seasonal hours, limited staffing, or schedules that change throughout the year. We recommend prioritizing the stops that matter most to you earlier in the day, and treating anything extra as a bonus.
We Still Loved Collecting Them
Even with the occasional missed stamp or closed location, we would absolutely buy the passport again! It added another layer to the trip and gave us a reason to stop and interact with places rather than simply driving through them. The stamps, postcards, stickers, and small souvenirs became part of how we remembered the road. For us, Route 66 was not just about reaching Chicago. It was about collecting little pieces of the trip along the way, and the passport ended up being one of the easiest ways to do that.
Route 66 Tips for First-Time Drivers
Route 66 is easier to enjoy if you go in with the right expectations. The route changes constantly. One hour you may be driving past neon signs and old motels. The next, you may be sitting in traffic, checking maps, or trying to decide whether a frontage road is really worth the detour. A little flexibility goes a long way.
Build in More Time Than You Think
Route 66 takes longer than it looks. The mileage between two towns may seem manageable, but the actual day can become much longer once you add photo stops, meals, museums, gift shops, charging, parking, traffic, and unexpected detours. We noticed this most on days when we had something planned toward the end of the day. Small delays that did not seem important in the morning became much more noticeable once we were tired and still trying to reach the hotel. If you want Route 66 to feel enjoyable, give yourself more time than the map says you need. The road is much more fun when you are not rushing through it.
Route Stop by Stop, Not Just Hotel to Hotel
One of the most useful things we learned was to plan the day around individual Route 66 stops rather than simply entering our next hotel into navigation. When we routed directly to the hotel, the apps naturally tried to put us on the fastest route. Routing to specific towns, attractions, diners, and landmarks along the way gave us a much better chance of staying close to historic Route 66. We still cross-checked Google Maps, Apple Maps, road signs, and our own planning notes when something looked questionable, but thinking stop by stop made the route much easier to manage.
Check Hours Before Planning Around a Stop
A lot of Route 66 attractions have shorter or more limited hours than you might expect. Museums, diners, gift shops, visitor centers, passport locations, and historic businesses may close earlier in the day, operate seasonally, or have limited staffing. That matters especially during summer, when there can still be hours of daylight left and the place you came to see has already closed. For example, Roy’s Motel & Cafe in California has a neon sign that lights up at night, but turns off at 9PM. Seeing the neon after dark was one of the highlights of our California stretch, but the timing window was narrow because sunset was late. If a stop is important to you, check the hours while planning and check them again shortly before your visit!
Decide What Kind of Route 66 Trip You Want
There is no single “correct” way to drive Route 66. Some travelers want to follow every possible historic alignment. Others care more about the classic diners, motels, museums, roadside attractions, and small towns. Some people want a slower trip with short driving days, while others are trying to fit the entire route into a limited vacation. Knowing what matters most to you makes the daily decisions much easier. For us, the goal was to stay close to the entire historic route while still leaving room for sightseeing.
Expect the Road to Change Constantly
Not every section of Route 66 feels the same. Some stretches are exactly what you picture: desert roads, neon motels, diners, old gas stations, and small towns. Others feel like suburban streets, frontage roads, industrial areas, or ordinary city driving. California was one of the clearest examples for us. The route became much more interesting as we moved away from Los Angeles, while Arizona and parts of New Mexico gave us more of the open-road Route 66 experience we had imagined. That contrast is part of the trip. Route 66 is interesting because it changes, not because every mile looks like a postcard.
Is Route 66 Worth Driving?
Yes. We would drive Route 66 again.
But we also understand why some travelers would choose not to follow every section of the historic route. Route 66 is not one uninterrupted scenic highway. It is a mix of old pavement, frontage roads, interstates, city streets, desert stretches, small towns, diners, neon signs, historic motels, museums, roadside attractions, and occasional moments when you are not entirely sure whether you are still on the route. That variety is part of what made the trip memorable, but it also means there is room to make the trip your own.
If you have limited time, you may decide that adding places like Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, or other nearby destinations matters more to you than driving every possible Route 66 alignment. That may mean skipping part of the historic road, but we do not think that makes the trip any less worthwhile. Some travelers will want to follow Route 66 as closely as possible from Santa Monica to Chicago. Others may use it as the backbone of a larger American road trip, leaving the route for a few days and returning later. We can see the appeal of both.
Some of our favorite moments were not the biggest attractions anyway. They were smaller things: a restored gas station we almost drove past, a milkshake at a retro 50's diner, a motel sign glowing after dark, or a conversation with someone who loves Route 66.
If we drove Route 66 again, we would give ourselves more time, build in more historic stays, leave more room for spontaneous stops, and worry less about driving every possible mile perfectly. The biggest thing we learned is that Route 66 does not have to be completed perfectly to be worth experiencing. Whether you follow it mile by mile or use it as the backbone of a bigger road trip, leave flexibility for the places you might find along the way.