Anyone Here a Route 66 Fan?

[jaywa]

Not the song, and not the TV show, but the actual road (or what's left of it), and everything that goes (or went) along with it.

It's really captured my fancy and it's something I've been researching casually the last few years in hopes that some future year I can take two weeks off, get in a car and drive the whole thing. Would love to hear from anyone who's actually done that.

[Bob Lee (QSC)]

I've dreamed of doing that some day.

I've also wanted to drive the Trans-Canada Highway from one coast to the other, too.

[MatticusMania]

Im more of a fan of Ol Highway 39

[Tat2dHeart]

I've been down 66 a number of times. There's some cool stuff - and a lot of memories of things that aren't there anymore.

Are you wanting to start at the Chicago end or the LA end? There are definitely some "don't miss" things to be seen and done along the way.

[blendermassacre]

my friend / photographer Steve Giangreco did this coffee table book of Route 66

It's really awesome, and worth the money. You can see some of his stuff at route66forever.com

[jaywa]

Originally Posted by Tat2dHeart

I've been down 66 a number of times. There's some cool stuff - and a lot of memories of things that aren't there anymore.

Are you wanting to start at the Chicago end or the LA end? There are definitely some "don't miss" things to be seen and done along the way.

Most likely fly to Chicago, rent a cool car for the actual drive, and fly back home from L.A. when the road trip's done.

[Hawaii Islander]

In 2008. I drove on several parts of Route 66 as I travelled east along Highway 40. I saw several areas that looked almost like modern ghost towns. One place in Texas, there was a feed processing plant still open for business and a general store open and everything else was empty or boarded up.

[Tat2dHeart]

I'm putting you together a list of my favorite stops - but it's starting to look like all I ever did was eat. LOL. I'll post it when I have it finished.

[MatticusMania]

Ive been on the west end of 66 millions of times. In the city of Azusa, they had a theater with $3 matinees!

[EricF]

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

Ive been on the west end of 66 millions of times. In the city of Azusa, they had a theater with $3 matinees!

Around here, we just call Route 66 "Foothill Blvd."

[Mike M.]

I've always equated the whole Route 66 vibe with post-war America. For some reasons the years of 1945 thru 1960 utterly fascinate me. Never been down that road but from the pictures I've seen I feel as if I had.

[ShredderMaximus]

Drove it with my grandparents years ago. Somewhere along the the the way, we stopped a tourist trap thing and I saw a mummy. It was cool. And dead.

[Tat2dHeart]

Okay - here goes...

Route 66 stuff you can’t miss

Illinois
Chicago – Snuffy’s Diner
Funk’s Grove/Shirley – Funk’s Grove Maple Sirup (call before you go, they are seasonal)
Lincoln – Ghost Bridge
Springfield – Lincoln’s Home
Springfield – Cozy Dog Drive In
Raymond – Our Lady of Highways shrine
Hamel – Meramec Caverns barn
Madison – Chain of Rocks bridge

Missouri
St. Louis – Ted Drewes Frozen Custard
Times Beach – Route 66 State Park (Times Beach has some interesting history)
Rolla – Rolla Motors
Devil’s Elbow – Elbow Inn (cool biker/road bar)
Lebanon – Munger Moss Motel – stay here if you can, it’s one of the historic originals
Strafford – Exotic Animal Paradise
Kansas
Riverton – Eisler Brothers General Store

Oklahoma
Miami – Waylan’s Ku-Ku – if you’ve never tried them, have the fried green tomatoes
Catoosa – Blue Whale
Arcadia – The round barn
Bridgeport – Pony truss bridge
Erick – West Winds Motel


Texas
Shamrock – U-Drop-Inn
McLean – Devil’s Rope Museum
Amarillo – The Big Texan (one of the best places in the world to pig out – can you eat the 72 oz steak?)
Amarillo – Cadillac Ranch

New Mexico
Tucumcari – Blue Swallow Motel (I NEVER miss this place)
Tucumcari – La Cita (the restaurant is shaped like a sombrero)
Between Santa Fe and Albuquerque – stop to see La Bajada Hill, you can hike on some of the old highway
Albuquerque – Stay overnight – there must be 12 million neon lights in this city. Stay at the Monterrey.
Gallup – El Rancho Hotel

Arizona
Lupton – Chief Yellowhorse’s Trading Post
Just before Holbrook – the Painted Desert – have lots of batteries for the camera. This is especially beautiful at sunrise or sunset.
Holbrook – Wigwam Motel
Joseph City – Jack Rabbit Trading Post (try the cherry cider)
Winslow – Who doesn’t want a “standin’ on a corner” picture here?
Seligman – Sno-cap and Angel’s Barbershop
Oatman – wild burros

California
Needles – Wagon Wheel
Needles to Barstow – miles and miles and miles of Mojave desert and not much more
Newbery Springs – Bagdad Bob’s
Barstow – Route 66 Mother Road Museum
Victorville – New Corral Motel
Rancho Cucamonga – Bono’s Historic Orange
Pasadena – Fair Oaks Pharmacy – old fashioned soda fountain last time I was there
Santa Monica – what else – Santa Monica Pier and fish tacos

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by EricF

Around here, we just call Route 66 "Foothill Blvd."

Yup, and it aint nothin to marvel at in these parts. Unless youre going to The Hat for some chili fries. Tat2d, you should add The Hat to your list.

[Phalex]

My sister and her husband drove it in his 65 Mustang. He had a great time, I think she came pretty close to filing for divorce.

[Tat2dHeart]

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

Tat2d, you should add The Hat to your list.

Hadn't ever tried there before- consider it added. Good chili fries are hard to find. Thanks for the tip!

[Relic]

would looooove to take a RT 66 trek. I'm an Americana junkie

[MatticusMania]

So long as you dont make the trek while Im on vacation you get the pleasure of hanging with some cool TBers when you get to the west end!

Which one a youse is on the east end! Speak up!

[jaywa]

Originally Posted by Tat2dHeart

I'm putting you together a list of my favorite stops - but it's starting to look like all I ever did was eat. LOL. I'll post it when I have it finished.

Cool. Eating will definitely be a big part of it for me!

[jaywa]

Originally Posted by Phalex

My sister and her husband drove it in his 65 Mustang. He had a great time, I think she came pretty close to filing for divorce.

LOL... my wife has already informed me I will be making this trip solo. If I ever do...