Get Your Kicks Across America as Route 66 Turns 100
From Chicago to LA, the iconic ’Mother Road‘ still inspires RVers to hit the road
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You can trace the route back thousands of years. Migrating animals were its first travelers, then Native Americans on horseback, then stagecoaches, trains, and eventually cars. But it wasn’t until 1926, when the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads gave it its iconic designation, that the long-traveled highway between Chicago and Los Angeles truly cemented its place in American culture: Route 66. The Mother Road. America’s Main Street.
The beginning of Route 66 in Chicago. Photo: AlphaBeta135.
Long synonymous with the open road, wind-in-your-hair escapism, and that exclusively American style of freedom that can only be experienced from the front seat of a Chevy convertible while the radio blares, Route 66 quickly became known as one of the world’s great highways. Now, a century later, the 2,500-mile highway, which crosses eight states, is having a birthday worthy of its inimitable stature. (Sure, they didn’t actually pave it until a dozen years later, and it wasn’t exactly a cultural touchstone until 1946 when songwriter Bobby Troup encouraged Americans to “get their kicks” at stops along the way in “Route 66,” sung by Nat King Cole, but who’s counting?) This year, Route 66 celebrates its 100-year birthday and the festivities are going to be grand.
The Blue Swallow Hotel in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Photo: SMHartt
Nostalgic Attractions
In its early days, Route 66 was designed to connect mostly small Midwestern and Southwestern towns to the greater economic wealth of the big cities along the way. A few of those towns are now bustling with culture and crowds in their own right, but many of the small towns remain. And luckily for us, so do the quirky, kitschy roadside attractions that have sprung up over the years. The flickering neon of the famous Blue Swallow Motel still illuminates the night in Tucumcari, New Mexico, and you can still explore the art deco façade of the truly unique U-Drop Inn in Shamrock, Texas. (As it turns out, both of these hotels inspired the creators of Disney’s Cars movie franchise). Even the weirder offerings are still standing.
Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas. Photo: Richie Diesterheft
The world’s largest roadside rocking chair is still creaking back and forth in Fanning, Missouri, while the nose deep autos of Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo continue to awe and inspire passersby with a strange, yet comforting, sense of nostalgia. Other must-see stops include the Standin’ On the Corner sculpture in Winslow, Arizona, the Native American art at the Yellowhorse Trading Post in Lupton, Arizona, and grabbing a cup of joe at Lou Mitchell’s Diner at the route’s origin in Chicago. Throughout the coming year, centennial celebrants can expect these landmarks and other hot spots to host art and mural exhibitions, motorcycle rides, dances, parades, and more. (Though if you do plan on spending a night in one of the route’s iconic hotels, get your reservations in early.)
Mr. D’s Route 66 Diner in Kingman, Arizona. Photo courtesy of Mr. D’s.
Unbeatable Landscapes
After leaving Chicago, Route 66 aficionados have only unmatched beauty before them. Indeed, the entire mile route is dotted with the kind of natural wonders that need to be seen to be believed. The Meramec Caverns in Missouri are stunning both for their towering stalagmites and their history as the preferred hideout of the Outlaw Jesse James, while the stretch of road that winds through the Texas panhandle serves up otherworldly red rock formations at Palo Duro State Park. Of course, that’s to say nothing of the road’s western half, where the Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest National Park, and the Mojave National Preserve combine to create one of the most awe-inspiring 500 miles of highway on the planet. In the old days, farmers and ranchers would simply let tourists in motorhomes camp on their properties for a small fee. Nowadays, the campgrounds along the way are more plentiful (and a lot better resourced), but the majesty of the American West is still come one, come all.
Petrified Forest National Park. Photo: Leon Wu
Fun-filled Festivities
Many of the planned 2026 celebrations highlight Route 66’s spirit of the open road. On April 30th, the national centennial kickoff event takes place in Springfield, Missouri, and will feature entertainment, cars, food, and more at the Missouri State University stadium, while larger sites like Tulsa, Oklahoma, will play host to record-breaking events like the largest classic car parade ever, a weekend-long birthday bash with music and food set for late May. California is opening up a Centennial Song Contest, with a $10,000 prize for the songsmith who most accurately captures the highway’s welcoming, yet rugged appeal. There are also parades and car culture celebrations along the Pasadena stretch of the highway throughout the summer months. The biggest festivities, however, are reserved for the November 11 anniversary of Route 66’s formal establishment as one of the country’s first federal highways. Nearly every state along the way has organized epic, double-billed Veteran’s Day and Birthday Bash spectaculars with A-list stars headlining concerts, car shows, and more.
Route 66 terminus in Santa Monica. Photo Giuseppe Milo
Check goodsam.com/camping for RV parks along your way. They’ll welcome you and probably have many more local suggestions.
Greg Donahue
James Donahue is a writer and outdoors enthusiast whose travels have taken him to 45 states and nearly as many countries around the world. When he's not hiking, biking, or fly fishing (or writing about all three), you can usually find him exploring the beaches up and down the East Coast with his wife and daughter.
