“Get your kicks on Route 66,” Bobby Troup wrote in his 1946 song, and hundreds of artists from Nat King Cole to Depeche Mode have been singing it ever since. Before the interstate highway system, Route 66 was the most popular way to drive across the country. It was established in 1926 and was the first U.S. highway to be completely paved in 1938. Though officials removed it from the U.S. Highway System in 1985, Route 66 remains an inspiring road trip destination for anyone who wants to see “the real America.” Instead of following the high-speed, multi-lane ribbons of super asphalt, consider a trip down memory lane. While many towns and villages along Route 66 have faded or even disappeared, some of the vistas and streetscapes along the route evoke a quieter, less generic time.
Some of the factors that led to Route 66’s fade from prominence have changed over time. The rise of the Internet, work-from-home, and online shopping, for instance, have made the idea of small-town living more attractive and possible for many people, bringing renewed life to towns once deemed unlivable. Modern life moves in to preserve and enliven even the quietest places, enriching nostalgia with fresh hope. Route 66 is an ever-changing road, drawing travelers for repeat visits with its transformations.
Route 66 stretches from the shores of Lake Michigan in Chicago, Illinois, to the beaches of the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica, California, a total of 2,448 miles from end to end. As the song says:
“You go through Saint Looey,
Joplin, Missouri,
And Oklahoma City is mighty pretty.
You see Amarillo,
Gallup, New Mexico,
Flagstaff, Arizona.
Don’t forget Winona,
Kingman, Barstow, San Bernandino.”
Allow for at least five days of driving on your Route 66 tour if you want to travel the entire route. A more leisurely trip of up to two weeks would be even better.
For the most authentic experience, consider driving from east to west. Start in Chicago, one of America’s great cities. While Best Western® Hotels & Resorts has multiple locations in and around Chicago, the Best Western Plus Hawthorne Terrace Hotel is right in the heart of the city on North Broadway Avenue near Halsted in the popular Lakeview Terrace neighborhood. This hotel is a great home base to explore the city’s museums, architecture, and public parks. Just steps from Lake Michigan and a short ride to the famous Lincoln Park Zoo and world-renowned Steppenwolf Theatre, you’ll be right in the thick of things from morning to night.
The first stop on your Route 66 road trip is in downtown Chicago, and it’s a must to make your road trip official. At the intersection of S Michigan Avenue and E Adams Street, you’ll find signs marking the beginning of “Historic Route 66.” The authorities have posted several markers in the intersection, higher than might be expected of a usual highway marker. Walk over from your hotel, or park on a nearby street and walk to the signs for photo opportunities – it’s too congested with traffic to take a picture safely from your car. You can now proceed on your official road trip.
One of the great things about a Route 66 road trip is the opportunity for multiple side trips. How can you go through Saint Louis (“Saint Looey”) and not visit the Gateway Arch? How can you drive through Amarillo, Texas, and not try to take the 72-ounce steak challenge at The Big Texan Steak Ranch? Planning types will want to chart and map out these side trips, while adventurers will want to follow their noses. Both approaches are acceptable.
Elvis fans will need to make a stop in Springfield, Missouri and stay at the Best Western Route 66 Rail Haven. Book the suite with the one king bed, and this bed is definitely fit for The King of Rock & Roll. In unique and kitschy fashion of Route 66, the room pays homage to Elvis and is one of the best secret themed rooms in the country.
No Route 66 road trip is complete without visiting at least one Route 66 museum. A dozen or more museums welcome tourists along the route at various times of the year and range from one-room displays to dedicated academic facilities. If you only stop at one, make it the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton, Oklahoma. It does a great job of putting Route 66 into a historical context, highlighting the “ideas, images, and myths of the Mother Road” with experiential displays and special exhibits.
Take another detour by visiting Enid, Oklahoma, your home base for access to adventure. Located on the historic Chisholm Trail, you can rent an ATV and cruise the 1,600 acres of sand dunes at the Little Sahara State Park or go splunking at the Alabaster Caverns State Park. Make sure to book your stay at GLō Best Western Enid OK Downtown/Convention Center Hotel.
The final stretch of Route 66 leads drivers to Santa Monica, California. A worthwhile detour on the way to the ocean is the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park. Not only is the facility a fascinating scientific site with 60 exhibits and a fantastic planetarium, but it is also a world-class viewing point where (on a clear day) you can see from downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Ocean. Hundreds of film and television shows have used the Observatory as a location, most notably the classic “Rebel Without a Cause,” James Dean’s breakthrough film. Spend a little time in Griffith Park, the largest urban-wilderness municipal park in the United States. Reflect on your Route 66 road trip before the final push to Santa Monica.
At the end of the rainbow, Santa Monica can delight and fascinate even the most jaded visitor. Best Western® Hotels & Resorts has multiple locations in the greater Los Angeles area. Consider staying at the Best Western Redondo Beach Galleria Inn-Los Angeles LAX Airport Hotel, just a few miles south of Santa Monica. The hotel is located a few miles from the ocean and close to the beautiful Redondo Beach pier, with multiple dining and entertainment opportunities all around.
Now that you’ve moseyed from Chicago to L.A. on your Route 66 Road Trip, why not turn around and try it again in the other direction? Discover all the Best Western Hotels® & Resorts along Route 66, and get your kicks.