Epic Route 66 Road Trip

The famous Route 66 goes through barren landscapes and desert regions only to finish in beautiful Santa Monica. This sign marks the end of the line and also an end to the myth that Route 66 only goes through...

Hidden away in a room above a senior center is this early 20th Century Camera Obscura--a true gem of antiquated technology. You'll need a key to enter the room which you can get using your drivers license as...

Established 1915 this former Richfield gas station in the Inland Empire is remarkably maintained. The city of Cucamonga has preserved the station well and restored it to its original appearance from a centur...

All right, so this motel chain is reminiscent of the days when silly on-screen portrayals of Native Americans that “smoke’m peace pipes” were rampant, but the business was established in 1933 after all. Toda...

This odd “museum” is not officially owned by McDonald’s corp, but by another restaurant called Juan Pollo, purveyors of rotisserie chicken. Although this is the site of the first McDonald’s restaurant owned ...

This interactive museum, housed in a nondescript boxy building, covers about 4,500 square feet of space. When you step inside, you understand why the museum needs so much space - to showcase a '50s diner, a ...

A string of antique stores on Route 66 housed in an Old-West style building is frequently cited as one of the best shopping stops in the area. There are all kinds of antiques to be found here - from shabby c...

In 2000, Elmer Long welded a metal tree bedecked with colored class bottles to catch the California sunlight on Route 66. That tree turned into an enchanted forest made, not only of metal pipes and soda bott...

While Route 66 shields are peppered all over the National Trails Highway, this well preserved shield is conveniently located right off of U.S. Route 40 in Barstow, CA. Plus, it's in a spot that doesn't get t...

Life imitates art! This cafe was once known as the Sidewinder Cafe but to capitalize on its fame as the setting for the 1987 movie starring CCH Pounder, the name was changed to its namesake. Plenty of memora...

Off historic Route 66 is this extinct volcano believed to be about 80,000 years old. Located in the midst of a plain that was once the bottom of a prehistoric sea, the crater measures about 1,508 feet in dia...

Located in the heart of the Mojave, Amboy is a legit abandoned town that was made obsolete once our U.S. highways were fully developed from coast to coast. A few films have been shot here and the cafe has op...

No one knows where these solid marble Chinese guardian dogs came from. They seem to have appeared out of nowhere. They stand five feet high not counting their cinder block pedestals. Weighing more than a ton...

Oatman was first established as a tent city in the early 1900s. The town was a mining camp until two miners struck it rich. After that hundreds of settlers came to town and the population swelled to 3,500 re...

Oatman's best sightseeing activity are the cute, small donkeys that walk around. Perhaps these are the happiest donkeys in the world. They only roam about and are hand fed pellets and carrots by the tourists...

This Old West-style building has walls and ceilings covered in dollar bills signed by tourists. If you get there at the right time, you might find yourself dining next to an outlaw and witness a Wild West sh...

Cool Springs belies the dry landscape of Kingman. This stone station built in the 1920s serviced motorists making their way across Route 66. For them Cool Springs was definitely an oasis on a long stretch of...

Located in Kingman's Historic Powerhouse this museum is one of the more noteworthy Route 66 stops. Everything from the beginning of this culturally significant thoroughfare to its current status is found on ...

Bubblegum-pink seating and a black-and-white checkered floor make the perfect setting for a retro diner. The fare is what you'd expect - hamburgers and milkshakes - but it's good. Some famous faces have stop...

Reminiscent of the giant sculptures on Easter Island this green larger-than-life head was fashioned out of metal, wood, Styrofoam, and chicken wire. It was created in 2004 by New Jersey-native, Gregg Arnold ...

Doing business on Route 66, this mercantile is a throwback to the days when a gas station attendant pumped your gas for you and a glass bottle of soda cost whatever change you had hiding between your seats. ...

The Grand Canyon Caverns have had many names over the years since they were discovered in 1927 (you can quiz the tour guide as to how many times the caverns have been renamed). This is a dead cavern with a c...

As the name suggests the people who would have the best time here are hearty meat-eaters. Enjoy your catfish or charbroiled burger while gazing upon the taxidermized bodies of various animals. The fare is ty...

Full of miscellaneous collectibles and located in one of Seligman's oldest structures built in 1905, this is the town's only gift shop and coffee bar. Even though many towns along Route 66 were abandoned Sel...

The owners are local activists - they led a movement to save the historic and culturally significant Route 66. As a testament of their love for the "Main Street of America" this diamond in the rough shop is ...

A stop here is kind of like stepping into the "Twilight Zone"; at any moment you expect to hear Rod Serling do a voiceover. Around 20 strangely dressed showroom dummies are relaxing around this little souven...

Built on the legendary Route 66 in the 1950s, this highway stop has been largely decorated by the travelers who have stopped here. It has been a landmark for people traveling the longest stretch of this road...

You don't have to be a car buff to enjoy this gas station, you only need an interest in the history of Route 66. While most gas stations from this era are abandoned this one has started a second life as a so...

Not far from the south rim of the Grand Canyon lies the Canyon Motel. What's so interesting about that you ask? Well, the Canyon Hotel offers you some adventure by having you sleep in one of two 1929 Sante F...

This drive-thru animal park houses around a dozen bears wandering around and doing what bears do, so keep those cars a movin' if they get too close! Open 7 days a week, Bearizona opens at 8:30 am and closes ...

Not a typical petting zoo but surely an interesting one! First purchase a cup of food and proceed past the parrot which may be a hit or miss - sometimes you see him, other times not. Then, enter the enclosur...

The self-styled "Home of Pluto" is a well-deserved name. This is where the dwarf planet/not-a-planet was discovered on February 18, 1930. Since then the debate is ongoing about Pluto and how to classify it. ...

It's housed in the Flagstaff Station which opened in 1926 and used to be a depot for the Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. Located on the famous Route 66, this Visitor Center is the go-to for info on Flagstaff an...

This hiking spot is remarkable for not only its prehistoric geological features but also for its cliff dwellings which the Sinagua people inhabited from approximately 500 CE to 1425 CE. Even though the Sinag...

The town was originally called Canyon Lodge, made prosperous by the Cundiff family in the 1920s. They made a deal with the devil who was disguised as an unscrupulous man named Harry Miller. He set up a busin...

Formerly known as Canyon Diablo Crater and simply "Meteor Crater" (because the United States Board on Geographic Names commonly derives geographic names by use of the nearest post office's name which, in thi...

A life-sized bronze statue posing with his guitar on a street corner in front of a large trompe-l'oeil mural painted by John Pugh characterizes this tribute to the Eagles. The name of the statue (created in ...

This much beloved Route 66 trading post seems to (according to some reports) have changed its name. The sign no longer reads Jack Rabbit Trading Post - the sign now identifies it as "Stop n' Go." I like Jack...

Wigwam Village No.2 was opened in 1937 in Kentucky with a smaller prototype (No.1) also built in Kentucky but bulldozed in 1982. An Arizona motel owner bought the rights to that design and built four more Wi...

The small yard of the Rainbow Rock Shop in Holbrook has visitors. Visitors in the form of dinosaur statues congregate there, as they do in the whole town which has a reputation of being a town filled with di...

From the interstate you can see why Charles Stewart is doing such good business. He's populated the entrance to his modest rock shop business with a number of large handmade dinosaurs. Some of the dinosaurs ...

This United States national park is situated in Navajo and Apache counties in northeastern Arizona. It is named as such because of its large petrified wood deposits. You'll also find many fossils in the area...

A wide expanse of 93,500 acres, the Painted Desert stretches from the edge of the Grand Canyon to the Petrified Forest to the Wupatki National Monument Indian Ruins. As the name suggests this desert is a col...

Founded by Frank Yellowhorse of the Navajo tribe this trading post is right next to the Arizona/New Mexico border. Plenty of handmade jewelry crafted by local artisans and the best tamales in the Southwest a...

Some call this muffler man the "Dude Man." He's a fiberglass statue wearing a cowboy hat on the roof of John's used car dealership. He can be seen from about 1/2 block away from the main street going through...

El Rancho is a famous Route 66 hotel that is known for hosting the movie stars of the western genre (apparently a lot of western films have been made in and around the surrounding area). One thing is certain...

It looks more like a portal to another dimension. However, after driving through you'll discover you're still in Grants, NM. Built in 2016, the LED-lit sign commemorated the 90th birthday of this historic ro...

Petroglyph National Monument, along Albuquerque, New Mexico's West Mesa, stretches 17 miles across a volcanic escarpment dominating the city's western horizon. The monument is managed by the National Park Se...

This animal conservation museum is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico in Old Town. The American International Rattlesnake Museum is devoted to snakes, especially rattlesnakes, and rattlesnake education. The ...

When you see the 66 Diner look at the wall of the building just across the parking lot just to its west. There you'll see the bright display of vintage road signs which make a great photo opp. So put on thos...

A violent 2013 windstorm took his arms right off but this dude's burly arms were finally restored in 2019. The long wait was due to the high cost of his new bionic limbs and ax. He's back in business and gua...

Octopus Car Wash is a family owned and run business that began in the late 1950s. The founder pioneered the brushless system. At this location, on AMC's "Breaking Bad," you might notice Octopus as being the ...

Wildlife West Nature Park is 122-acres of rescued wildlife featuring over 20 species of native New Mexican animals. The zoo features cougars, wolves, bear, elk, deer, javelina, fox, raptors, and more. Overni...

No, it is not a mirage. This miraculously blue swimming hole is calm on the surface but hides a maze of mysteries. It is not only a place to cool off and relax but it is also the entrance to a system of unde...

This dismal-looking structure with its broken neon sign had its heyday in the 1950s. Just as dilapidated but a little more interesting is an old Chevy truck with a strange covered bed. No one is sure when th...

The La Cita Restaurant features a high-peaked sombrero resting atop the restaurant and is lit in neon at night. Don't know if this was an original landmark on retro Route 66 but it really doesn't matter - th...

This peach-colored motel is a throwback to the days before chain inns when all a traveler had was a lonely little room for the night. The rooms are even appointed with items and furnishings from the early 19...

This fun specialty shop is your one stop shop for gag gifts, souvenirs, and a bit of Route 66 history. Some cool exhibits such as a Falcon and a "skeleton truck" are great photo opps. Don't forget to purchas...

Glenrio was a bit unique straddling the border of two states. When Route 66 was the only major route from L.A. to Chicago Glenrio thrived along with it. With the decline of Route 66 the small town also withe...

Cadillac Ranch may not really be a ranch, but it really is a resting place for non-functional Cadillacs! Created in 1974 by Chip Lord and Hudson Marquez, the un-ranch features Caddies manufactured from 1949 ...

Are you an RV aficionado, or do you simply like vintage motor vehicles? Jack Sisemore's RV Museum and Traveland will satisfy everyone with an eye for collectibles from a bygone era. You can even step inside ...

Naturally you've heard that Texans do everything bigger and better. The Big Texan Steak Ranch does everything bigger, better, and crazier - it was even featured on The Food Network's Craziest Restaurants in ...

Update: The Slug Bug Ranch is temporarily closed as it moves to its new location in front of the Big Texan RV Ranch. The grand opening is scheduled for mid-June 2024.

The Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo has sp...

This gas station opened to customers in September of 1929. For more than 50 years people stopped here to fill up their cars while traveling on Route 66. The orange pumps have the distinctive Phillips 66 trad...

You learn something new every day - such as discovering that barbed wire is informally called "devil's rope." A Route 66 stop, this McLean, TX museum is also a store, where you can purchase bundles of barbed...

A meticulously restored historic Route 66 gas station has three well-preserved gravity feed gas pumps. Like many gas stations and businesses along Route 66 Magnolia Gas Station became obsolete when Interstat...

It was the Cadillac of Conoco gas stations, beautifully designed in the Art Deco style and completed in 1936. It seemed more like a glamorous nightclub rather than a stop for petrol. Today, the City of Shamr...

Harley, the owner, loves to serenade his guests with some guitar music. While you listen to his strumming you can wander around his little shop taking in all the vintage knick-knacks. There are hundreds of a...

Enjoy a very authentic glimpse into the period of time when Route 66 enjoyed its place as the most important route from the west. An old schoolhouse, chapel, and train caboose, the largest Route 66 sign ever...

The historic but defunct Route 66 is memorialized in great detail at this small museum. Pictures, artifacts, and stories bring back an era where big-band music was the rage. But it wasn't all kicks - there w...

Right off the interstate this Route 66 landmark is a great place to learn some history while stretching your legs. Lucille Hamons owned and operated this gas station from 1941 until her death in 2000. Unlike...

Before the Europeans settled in Oklahoma, this state park was home to the Plains Indians such as the Comanche and Lakota. Today, it is a family-friendly place with a playground, fishing pond, campsites, and ...

Get your Native American-themed apparel, moccasins, and hand-beaded jewelry here. There are also some great photo opps with life-sized buffalo and an Indian Muffler Man. Vintage farm equipment, cool artwork,...

An immersive, interactive museum has plenty of nooks and crannies for kids and adults to explore. Start your experience by finding your way through a giant ear canal to enter the exhibit hall. After creeping...

This state capitol was built in 1919 in the style of the nation's capitol just like many other U.S. state capitols. It was built with domestic materials such as Indiana limestone and Oklahoma pink and black ...

The soda bottle with the inserted straw, stands 66 feet tall and looks suspiciously like Mountain Dew. No need to worry - it's not glass; the shape is constructed from numerous yellow steel rings on which LE...

This Route 66 historic attraction was built by William Harrison Odor in 1898. He designed and shaped the dome himself from softened timber. Today the barn is an important local landmark but it is also a grea...

The World's Tallest Gas Pump is also an observation deck. Built as a giant replica of a 1920s pump it was finished in 2017. The height is a fitting 66 feet with an oversized Route 66 sign perched on top. Thi...

A gift to his wife who loved whales, this mammoth mammal was built by Hugh Davis. He was purposefully set in a large pond with a slide jutting out from his side and a diving board affixed to his posterior - ...

Ed Galloway was a true artist, self-taught but passionate. He created tall, magnificent totem poles from scratch, a sandstone and metal skeleton covered in concrete and painted by hand. His masterpiece, simp...

A 1920s filling station was built for passengers traveling on the newly paved Route 66. Today it is known as the "Hole in the Wall" Conoco Station, a Hansel and Gretel-style cottage built right into a brick ...

Built in 1923 this bridge is in the style of the Marsh arch. Its gleaming white color is due to the city's diligence in keeping the bridge fresh-looking and graffiti free. It's almost a hundred years old but...

A cute little shop with a brick facade is surrounded by flower pots and trees. Inside you'll find your usual mini-mart victuals and freshly made sandwiches from the small deli. You can also purchase a variet...

If you loved the movie "Cars," then you'll love this little restored gas station. A few vintage autos complete with "eyes" affixed to the windshields make this a must-see for little kids. There's a small sna...

One of the highest rated attractions in Missouri is a recreation of an early 1900s small Midwest town. It was designed by Lowell Davis who was often likened to Normal Rockwell for his bucolic depictions of p...

Built in the 1920s this little cottage made the normal gasoline stop feel like something special. It looks like, with its front facing gable and shingled red roof, something straight out of a German fairy ta...

Created, loved, and owned by Gary Turner (who passed away years ago), this Route 66 gas station is a 2014 recreation of the original one that was built in the 1930s. With great attention to detail the Sincla...

Very few of us are spelunkers and Fantastic Caverns is perfect for those of us who wish to explore the depths of the Earth from a motorized vehicle. A tram hitched to a jeep accommodates several passengers d...

AZA accredited, the Dickerson Park Zoo is home to approximately 500 animals representing almost 200 species. Not only is this park a zoo but also an wildlife rehab center where trained vets rescue injured or...

As you can imagine this candy shop is rife with puns of your nether regions - all intended, of course. Would we be party POOPERS to note that astronomers usually pronounce the seventh planet with a stress on...

The bridge is named for the bend in the river below and comes from the days when loggers would transport logs by floating them on the water. The loggers themselves would stand upon the floating logs, but the...

Open since 1933 this mom 'n' pop shop has been serving travelers for decades. Small but interesting, at this trading post you can find all kinds of curios, antiques, snacks, and clean bathrooms. Pick up a ha...

Located at the Missouri University of Science and Technology this Stonehenge is a refined masterpiece with clean lines and smoothed surfaces. There are plenty of interpretive signs to give you information on...

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A giant mule neon sign tells you you're at the right spot. You can purchase souvenirs, snacks, and fireworks as well as tackle, knives, and swords! Friendly staff and interesting trin...

Standing 42 feet tall, this rocker has taken the title of World's 2nd Largest Rocking Chair. However, it's cooler than your average giant rocker especially with the iconic Route 66 emblazoned on the seat bac...

It's hard to miss this Route 66 stop - a giant rocking chair marks it. In fact, this is the largest roadside rocking chair on Route 66. Try some homemade fudge and popcorn but don't forget to check out their...

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Take a nostalgic step back into the mid 1900s and view the largest collection of Route 66 memorabilia in the Midwest! Vintage signs of old, forgotten brands, neon-lit signs, miniature...

Along with your usual American fare the Fourway serves up Mediterranean dishes such as hummus, gyros, and spanakopita (spinach pie). Even if you're not hungry this cozy cabin-style restaurant is a must-see i...

Formed from erosions of limestone deposits about 400 million years ago, the Meramec Caverns is a 4.6-mile cave system in the Ozarks. Rich in saltpeter, the cave was used by the Union forces to extract potass...

A gorgeous building, lots of history, and plenty of artifacts and exhibits - and all for free. The Old Courthouse was completed in 1864 but was the site of the famous Dred Scott case before its completion. O...

Are you tired of museums with stern docents who admonish you with every step you take? Then head to the City Museum where touching and playing with the displays is not only allowed but encouraged. Unlike stu...

A large pink trailer pulled by an equally large pink elephant draws the customers into this antique heaven. It's like an amusement park of antiques - where you can browse through aisles stuffed with old thin...

This Burr truss covered bridge is one of five such historic bridges in Illinois - and is the oldest of those five - being built at some point in the mid 1800s. It's not open to vehicle traffic but it is safe...

We all know Lincoln as the statesman, an accomplished orator who is regarded as one of the greatest presidents of the U.S. As historians delve into his life more, the man behind the greatness is coming more ...

This building, built in 1837, served as the state capitol from 1840 to 1876. A close distance from Abraham Lincoln's home, it is where he served as state legislator before being elected to the presidency. Li...

A.K.A. "The Bunyon Giant" this dude holds a hot dog in a bun which looks like a meal too large even for him. He used to be Cicero's Hot Dog Giant in better days.

The charming red building contains a fabulous collection of memorabilia from the legendary Route 66. License plates, photos, old filling tanks, and even some vintage cars are all stuffed inside. America's Mo...

A beautifully restored 1930s Texaco station helped countless travelers finish their journey on Route 66. It was known by two names - Ambler's Texaco and Becker's Marathon Gas Station. It is also known as the...

A nine-foot tall statue of the King of Rock 'n' Roll is molded and painted to resemble this legend in his prime. The mutton-chopped guitar hero stands on a platform outside the Polk-a-Dot Drive In beckoning ...

Update: Sadly, the Launching Pad Restaurant has closed and the Gemini Giant will eventually move to the Joliet Area Historical Museum located in Joliet, IL.

One of the more unique Muffler Men, he is suite...

Car-towing is never a pleasant experience for the person who is getting a car towed but at least the customer using Dick's Towing will have a nice little surprise waiting back at the service station. Dick's ...

One of the best movies in American filmmaking featured John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd as "Joliet" Jake and Elwood Blues. Two statues of this shades-wearing duo is frozen in mid-step atop a nondescript ice crea...

Is this the beginning or the end? If you were traveling westward, it would have been the beginning. But, if you came from the west, it would have been the end of your journey on Route 66. However, it is moun...

1,139 miles to Chicago and 1,139 miles to Los Angeles - Adrian, Texas is generally considered the midpoint state on the historic Route 66. The town itself has less than 200 permanent residents, but Route 66'...