RVing Route 66 - travel guide

If you’re looking to travel along Route 66 with your RV here are some of our favorite stops, sites and features from the iconic Mother Road. We were surprised at how many of the iconic features of Route 66 are still here today. Further, there seems to be growing interest in bringing back the culture and style of the Mother Road. And it’s a great piece of Americana to enjoy in your RV.

Route 66 stretches from Los Angeles to Chicago (some say it goes the other way but we know better) so we started all the way at the beginning from the Santa Monica Pier and headed east.

U.S. Highway 66 — popularly known as Route 66 — embodies a complex, rich history that goes well beyond any chronicle of the road itself. An artery of transportation, an agent of social transformation, and a remnant of America’s past, it stretches 2,400 miles across two-thirds of the continent. The road was officially decommissioned in 1984 but a lot of interest and passion by volunteers kept it in the public eye.

In 1990, the United States Congress passed Public Law 102-400, the Route 66 Study Act of 1990, recognizing that Route 66 had “become a symbol of the American people's heritage of travel and their legacy of seeking a better life." As a result of the law, the National Park Service conducted the Route 66 Special Resource Study to evaluate the significance of Route 66 and to identify options for its preservation, interpretation, and use. This study led to the enactment of Public Law 106-45 to preserve the cultural resources of the Route 66 corridor and to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide assistance.

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Landmarks

There are a few collections of Route 66 history along the way which have been very well done. Many of these have repurposed older buildings for these displays. Some of our favorites include:

The Power House Museum in Kingman, Arizona is a tribute to the Mother Road in a former power plant and is very well done.

Oatman, Arizona is a unique place locked in time. It might be best known for the donkeys that roam the streets and have since the days of mining. But we have nine things to do in Oatman, Arizona.

One of the keynote landmarks on the Mother Road is the Cadillac Ranch where a fleet of Fleetwoods are buried in the desert and folks spray paint them. Seriously.

One of the landmarks in Missouri, which is underground, is Meramec Caverns. Known as the hideout of Jesse James this was well worth the stop.

One of the hallmark landmarks on Route 66 is the Blue Whale of Catoosa near Oklahoma City. But that’s also near Pop’s Soda Ranch and Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios.

If you’re in St. Louis, even if you don’t like beer, visiting the Anheuser-Busch Brewery is a tribute to American prosperity.

Route 66 goes from Chicago to LA, as the song goes. On the Chicago side you can start at Navy Pier.

Where to Eat

One of the places we always stop is at Mr. D’s Route 66 Diner. Not only is the food good but the atmosphere is just the kind of kitschy style you would hope for.

The Big Texan Steak Ranch is both a place to enjoy a good steak and a place to stay. We’ve stayed in the hotel, stayed in their RV park and enjoyed several steaks there. Amarillo is now a must-first-stop on our first night out of our home base in New Mexico.

We have a whole collection of places to eat on Route 66 at the bottom of this page here.

Places to stay in your RV

We are huge fans of Harvest Hosts and one of our favorites of all time has been Keepers of the Wild. This animal sanctuary for large animals is not only a great place to stay but has an incredible collection of animals that they take care of and the tours are fun.

There are lots of anonymous RV places we slept but one of the highlights was in New Mexico where we stayed at Enchanted Trails RV Park.

More to see on Route 66

There are a lot of things that have been restored along the Mother Road, but there are also some new things that are a nod to the history and culture of Route 66. Here are a few highlights:

What is a Muffler Man and how does this tie-in to Route 66?

Illinois

• Our visit to Atlanta, Illinois and the Muffler Man Museum

California

• The iconic Richfield gas station in Rancho Cucamonga

• The unofficial McDonald’s Museum in San Bernardino, CA

• Elmer’s Bottle Tree Ranch in Oro Springs, CA

• Calico Ghost Town

• The murals of Barstow

• An incredible place - The Bagdad Cafe on Route 66

• The nearly ghost town of Goffs, CA

Places we’ve camped on Route 66

California

• LA is tough (like all big cities) but Malibu Creek State Park is relatively central and affordable

• In California’s Inland Empire Rancho Jurupa Regional Park is pretty great

• San Bernardino/Mojave we enjoyed Calico Ghost Town Campground

• If you’re a member of Harvest Hosts you can camp at the world-famous Roy’s in Amboy

Arizona

• A great central spot near Kingman and Oatman is Tradewinds RV Park in Golden Valley, AZ

New Mexio

One of our favorite spots is Enchanted Trails RV Park near Albuquerque

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