The Mother Road: Route 66
Top 3 places in each of the eight states along old Route 66, from east to west:
Chicago: Grant Park (eastern terminus of old Route 66), Berghoff Restaurant, and Lou Mitchell’s
Wilmington: Gemini Giant at the Launching Pad Drive-In
Springfield: Cozy Dog Drive-In and Land of Lincoln sites
Saint Louis: Chain of Rocks Bridge (crossing the Mississippi River between Illinois and Missouri), Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, and the Donut Drive-In
Lebanon: Munger Moss Motel and Wrinks Market
Joplin: Woody’s Wood-Fired Pizza
Galena: Cars on the Route/old Kan-O-Tex Service Station & Diner
Riverton: Eisler Brothers General Store and the Marsh Rainbow Arch Bridge
Baxter Springs: Baxter Springs Independent Oil and Gas Service Station
Catoosa: Blue Whale
Oklahoma City: Oklahoma City National Memorial, National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Bricktown, Myriad Botanical Gardens, State Capitol, Gold Dome, Milk Bottle Grocery, etc.
Erick: Sandhills Curiosity Shop
Shamrock: U-Drop Inn
Amarillo: Big Texan Steak Ranch, Cadillac Ranch, and Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Adrian: Midpoint Café
New Mexico – New Mexico Route 66
Santa Rosa: Blue Hole and Silver Moon Cafe
Santa Fe: Santa Fe Plaza, Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Palace of Governors and New Mexico History Museum, Canyon Road Arts District, Loretto Chapel, Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, etc.
Albuquerque: Central Avenue’s many historic old U.S. Route 66 sites
Petrified Forest National Park – Painted Desert
Oatman
California – California Route 66 – Inland Empire & Los Angeles
Needles (Inland Empire): El Garces Hotel, Topock Maze, and Topock-Needles Bridge
Amboy (Inland Empire): Roy’s Motel & Cafe and the Amboy Crater
Santa Monica (Los Angeles area): Santa Monica Pier (western terminus of Historic U.S. Route 66)
Old Route 66, heading from east to west: