You can get your kicks on Route 66

[The Postman]

America’s Longest Small Town: Why Route 66 Is The Quintessential American Experience

Historic U.S. Route 66 is America's longest small town — a 2,400-mile neighborhood that one historian calls the "quintessential American experience."…

cowboystatedaily.com

Route 66

View details about Route 66 in Williams, AZ United States on Apple Maps. Address, driving directions, images, nearby attractions and more.

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[Tour 931]

Ive driven Route 66 from Kansas to the the California border a few times. Once pulling a Little Guy trailer. Loved the trip and hated the teardrop. Well I loved it the first two years before it fell apart. Guess that’s why i bought a CI.

 

[Carl U]

I’ve driven parts of the route through Springfield IL out to CA. Around Petrified Forest, Oatman AZ and along the Interstate where you can see the old route.

In Springfield they left some of the original cobblestone road.

 

[jasleen]

I’ve always been curious which stretches still give you the strongest sense of the old Route 66 rather than just feeling like a modern highway trip. If you were planning it for the first time and couldn’t drive the whole route, which section would you consider the must-do?

 

[Tour 931]

It depends on what you want. If its lots of stops then anywhere after Illinois. If its long stretches of the old highway then after Albuquerque. I’ve driven 90% of it multiple times and never get tired of it. To be able to get a real sense of it plan on a week to go 300 miles or about eight weeks to do the entire highway. Also there are many realignments so to do the entire route you need to double back a dozen times and take a different alignment.

 

[The Postman]

I’ve always been curious which stretches still give you the strongest sense of the old Route 66 rather than just feeling like a modern highway trip. If you were planning it for the first time and couldn’t drive the whole route, which section would you consider the must-do?

I would honestly suggest you search on a couple of the Rte 66 specific web-forums or articles you are looking for really specific ideas.

I've done bits of the southwest and its bitter sweet to see the Americana, thats fast fading...to mythic status. Its such a personal experience that its almost like taking the fun out to say "you must do this" imho.

If you have read about tear drop history its intermixed, and the CampInn is retro second gen...see the archives here and you'll understand more how the folk art is entwined with culture...but that's just a teaser...

So my advice is just GO!

I'm the kind of wanderer that doesnt mind turning down side roads when I see something interesting...You'll see as you go.

So if you are on a limited schedule you should take it in sections. If you have unlimited time just start at the beginning...