There is no route quite like Route 66 which runs from Chicago, IL to Los Angeles California. Discover Route 66 attractions along the road. The route travels through some of the most beautiful places within the United States.
It’s a long journey roughly 2,448 miles but the ones who make the journey with you will establish an unforgettable bond going forward. What exactly will you see during your second part of the journey?
With beauty aside, these places all cover a lot of history from the moment that the Route started to take place in the 1920’s. Driving Route 66 is a memorable experience and is something you need to do once in your life.
Route 66 Attractions & Accommodations Along The Roadside Worthy Of A Pit Stop.
Driving on Route 66 Cadillac ranch is a must see – Let’s take a quick look starting with Texas.
Since the route is so small many people do not typically tour the cities however there are a few attractions along the way which have been around for years. If you’re looking to eat then visit the Big Verns´ Restaurant in Shamrock which is known for having a killer steak. Make a short break in Glenrio at the boarder of Texas/New Mexico to visit the ghost town and “Russell’s Truck and Travel Center” for his awesome collection of oldtimers to take some pictures.
New Mexico Route 66 attractions. New Mexico is awesome because the stretch is around 380 miles and while driving you will notice several unpaved portions which is so cool. These portions are from the original ground work of the Route 66 highway.
While driving this route, you’ll notice old wagon trials from the 1930’s and 40’s that brought much of the cement to the location for paving. You can visit the Blue Swallow which has been around from 1939 and has a museum inside it.
If you’re looking to spend a night I would also recommend the El Rancho because several years back many celebrities shooting movies would stay at the motel. If you’re looking to shop then visit Gallup which has the best shopping locations and is just in the middle of many Native American reservations and home to many tribes. Around the time you’ll be entering Arizona.
El Rancho, many celebrities shooting movies would stay at the motel.
Route 66 attractions in Arizona. Arizona is an awesome state and the road has been paved to perfection. They put a lot of effort into paving this part of the route. While driving Route 66 in Arizona it can be dangerous because the roads do curve up & down without anything on the sides to hold you from flying off.
Stay at the family owned Wigwam Motel with its native history.
You’ll be sleeping in a Teepee’s and this is an experience you won’t forget. The place has great music and awesome food plus not too far from there is a Museum club in Flagstaff which has been located on the route forever. The Petrified Forest, Painted Desert and The Meteor Crater are all breath taking stops not too far off the route around 10-15 minutes.
Driving old Route 66 don´t miss the Tepee Rock Formations at Petrified Forest.
If you’re looking to spend the night then staying at the Historical Route 66 Motel which is an unforgettable experience because of the history. Many celebrities have passed through this motel because Arizona is the last state before entering California.
California route 66 attractions. Once you enter California and on your way to Los Angeles you get to drive through the Joshua Trees and that is really cool. The best part is that the Joshua Trees are an exhibit that can be viewed from your car on route because they are right along Route 66.
Travel Route 66 through Joshua Tree National Park. Victorville, California has an awesome Route 66 Museum which basically covers everything along the Route 66 highway. They designed the museum to give people insight of the history of this highway before entering Santa Monica.
The Santa Monica Pier is where Route 66 ends even-though this was not the initial plan because they wanted to end it in Arizona. The popularity of California changed the plans and they extended it into Santa Monica, California.
Santa Monica - enjoy the ocean and mountains, or shopping and nightlife.
At the end of your trip driving Route 66 you should definitely spend some days in Santa Monica, because here you find unlimited possibilities to enjoy the ocean and mountains, or shopping and nightlife.
Roadside attractions, let’s summarize the main points of the trip.
How many miles is Route 66? When you complete your journey it would have been 2,448 miles which is approx 3,945 km. If you are driving route 66 and will like to stop over at some of the places mentioned within this article it is advised to prepare for 2 weeks driving. Many people have often stated that it would take close to 3 weeks however this does depend on the speed and how often you stop along the way.
Discover Route 66 attractions today – Finally how much can you expect to spend on your journey along Route 66 really depends on your stoppage. Be prepared either way to spend $1500-$2000 which 1/3 of it will be allocated for gas expense.
The remainder will be spent on accommodation in Route 66 motels and hotels and food along the route. Sight-seeing is awesome so you might want to allocate some for the museums which do have a cover charge to enter.
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