The Mother Road — 2,448 miles of neon signs, roadside diners, and the mythology of the American West. A multi-day journey tracing the path of Dust Bowl migrants, Beat poets, and every dreamer who ever pointed a car toward the Pacific.

Stops on This Tour (21)

1. 1
   Grant Park — Route 66 Begin Sign The historic "Begin" sign at the corner of Adams and Michigan marks mile zero of the most storied highway in America. Chicago's skyline towers behind you as you face west.
2. 2
   Pontiac, Illinois — Route 66 Hall of Fame The first major stop houses murals, memorabilia, and a VW Bug painted in psychedelic Route 66 livery. The small-town Main Street sets the tone for what lies ahead.
3. 3
   Springfield, Illinois — Lincoln's Tomb Abraham Lincoln's final resting place anchors a city steeped in presidential history. The Cozy Dog Drive-In nearby claims to have invented the corn dog.
4. 4
   St. Louis, Missouri — Gateway Arch Eero Saarinen's 630-foot stainless steel catenary curve frames the Mississippi River crossing. You are now entering the West, just as Lewis and Clark did two centuries ago.
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   Rolla, Missouri — Totem Pole Trading Post The Ozarks begin to roll beneath your wheels. Roadside attractions and family-run motels still operate much as they did in the 1950s along this stretch.
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   Joplin, Missouri Lead and zinc mining built this town, and Bonnie and Clyde once hid in an apartment here. The Ozark limestone gives way to the Great Plains just ahead.
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   Tulsa, Oklahoma — Blue Whale of Catoosa A beloved roadside curiosity — a giant blue whale built in the 1970s as an anniversary gift. Oklahoma's Art Deco heritage and oil wealth define this stretch.
8. 8
   Oklahoma City — Gold Dome The Gold Dome building gleams at the city's edge. The Oklahoma City National Memorial reminds travelers of the 1995 bombing that shook the nation.
9. 9
   Amarillo, Texas — Cadillac Ranch Ten Cadillacs buried nose-first in a cotton field, spray-painted by generations of travelers. The Texas Panhandle stretches flat to every horizon.
10. 10
    Tucumcari, New Mexico — Blue Swallow Motel The neon capital of Route 66. Over 2,000 motel rooms once served travelers here. The Blue Swallow's iconic sign has glowed since 1939.
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    Santa Fe, New Mexico America's oldest capital city sits at 7,000 feet, its adobe architecture glowing amber at sunset. The route detours through the historic plaza before continuing west.
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    Albuquerque, New Mexico — Central Avenue Neon motels and Route 66 diners line Central Avenue through the heart of New Mexico's largest city. The Sandia Mountains rise to 10,678 feet to the east.
13. 13
    Gallup, New Mexico Gateway to Navajo Nation and Pueblo country. Trading posts sell turquoise and silver, and the El Rancho Hotel hosted every Hollywood cowboy who filmed nearby.
14. 14
    Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona Ancient trees turned to stone over 200 million years dot a painted desert landscape. The route passes the park entrance — a geological wonder amid red badlands.
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    Winslow, Arizona — Standing on the Corner Park The Eagles made this corner famous in "Take It Easy." A bronze statue, red flatbed Ford, and mural draw travelers for the obligatory photograph.
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    Flagstaff, Arizona At 7,000 feet in the ponderosa pines, Flagstaff offers a mountain respite. Lowell Observatory here is where Pluto was discovered in 1930.
17. 17
    Seligman, Arizona — Birthplace of Historic Route 66 Angel Delgadillo's barbershop sparked the Route 66 preservation movement. This tiny town became the inspiration for Radiator Springs in Pixar's Cars.
18. 18
    Kingman to Oatman, Arizona The last great adventure of Route 66 — hairpin curves through the Black Mountains to Oatman, where wild burros wander Main Street.
19. 19
    Needles, California — Mojave Desert Crossing into California through the Mojave Desert. John Steinbeck called Needles "the gateway to the promised land" in The Grapes of Wrath.
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    Barstow, California — Route 66 Mother Road Museum The desert outpost where old Route 66 and the railroads converge. The Harvey House railroad hotel recalls the age of transcontinental rail travel.
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    Santa Monica Pier — Route 66 End Sign The "End of the Trail" sign stands at the edge of the continent. The Pacific Ocean stretches before you — 2,448 miles from where you started in Chicago.

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