Historic U.S. Route 66 Trip Planner



Route 66 Trip Planner

Planning a Road Trip Along Route 66

Route 66 Road Trip Website

A trip on Route 66 can truly be a trip of a lifetime! But the road is long, at 2,448 miles. It traverses eight states. It passes through the flat, mid-western plains and cornfields to dry, arid areas in the west, from near sea level in California to the 7,000 foot peaks along the Continental Divide. There are literally hundreds, actually thousands, of interesting stops and attractions along the way.

So, that said, planning a Route 66 trip can be overwhelming, but getting out on that historic road is so much fun and rewarding.

Our staff has driven Route 66 in all eight states, and has accumulated a significant archive of photos and travel experiences. There have seen fun days in Catoosa, Cuba, Glenrio, Gallup, Oatman, Pontiac, Barstow, Tucumcari and Seligman. We remember those road trips to Holbrook, Winslow, Amboy, Joplin, Shamrock, Elk City, Galena and Springfield ... and so many more.

Included here are experiences, tips and advice to help you plan your Route 66 trip! Whether you are planning on self-driving in a car, selecting an escorted group tour, or traveling by RV or motorcycle, we hope this info is of use to you in designing your trip.


Map of Historic U.S. Route 66

Map of the entire Historic U.S. Route 66, from start to finish, from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California

Route 66 Mileage by State (1926 Alignment)

State - Miles

Illinois - 301
Missouri - 317
Kansas - 13
Oklahoma - 432
Texas - 186
New Mexico - 487
Arizona - 401
California - 314

TOTAL - 2,448 Miles

It's time to stop for a "selfie"!
The arch in Grants, New Mexico on Route 66
The arch in Grants, New Mexico on Historic Route 66 ... a great place to stop for a "selfie"!

How long does it take to drive Route 66 from start to finish?

This question is asked often ... but is difficult to answer. Total time to drive the route, assuming no stops, is in the 32-38 hour range. But we would never recommend doing that. On some of our road trips across the USA, we drive 500 miles a day, or more. At that rate, we could drive the entire Route 66 in about 5 days. But we would never do that!

We like to take it slow, stop to visit attractions, and catch all those great photo ops on The Mother Road! As an example, on our recent road trip in 2022 on Route 66 in Oklahoma, Google Maps estimated travel time on our trip from Tulsa to Joplin, Missouri, to be 1:45 ... but in actuality, it took us 8 hours! For leisurely trips on Route 66, many experienced travelers recommend planning for 200 miles a day, at least on those stretches with lots of attractions, like Illinois and Arizona. At that rate, the trip across the entire length of Route 66 would take 10-12 days.

Ideally, plan on a minimum of 10 days to make the trip from Chicago to Los Angeles. However, for a more leisurely and complete trip you might want to plan for 14-21 days, or longer. It all depends on how many stops you take along the Route, side trips like to the Grand Canyon, and of course the weather.

When is the best time to travel Route 66, weatherwise?

Route 66 travels through vastly different climates, from the mid-western plains and cornfields to dry, arid areas in the west, from near sea level in California to the 7,000 foot peaks along the Continental Divide. Thus, weather conditions are diverse, and sometimes unpredictable.

Travelers will on occasion experience snow storms, dust storms, thunderstorms, flooded roads and high winds. So watch the weather forecasts, and adjust your itinerary appropriately.

Driving Route 66 in winter, with snow and ice! Driving Route 66 in a dust storm out west


All factors considered, the most ideal weather for the trip is in the spring, from March into early June. Likewise, the fall months of September, October and November are typically pleasant and offer good driving conditions. Winter months in the north can produce ice and snow storms, while summer in the desert areas of the great Southwest can be hot, and often above 100 degrees.

Read more about Route 66 Weather

 

Which Way to Travel ... West or East?

The beginning point for a Route 66 road trip could be either Chicago or Los Angeles, depending on the direction of the trip. Most travelers seem to start their journey on Route 66 in Chicago, and head westbound, the direction taken by those leaving the Dust Bowl and those seeking a new life in the West. That is the direction we take on this website.

Route 66 Travel Planners for States and Cities Along Route 66

Here are trip planners and "must see" attractions for all eight states and many cities ... click any image or link for details!

ILLINOIS ROUTE 66

Route 66 Road Trips in Illinois

Route 66 road trip to Chicago, Illinois Route 66 Road Trip to Joliet, Illinois Route 66 Road Trip to Pontiac, Illinois Route 66 Road Trip to Bloomington and Normal in Illinois
Dwight, Illinois along Route 66 Route 66 road trip to Springfield, Illinois Route 66 road trip to Litchfield, Illinois

MISSOURI ROUTE 66

Route 66 road trips in Missouri ... click for details!

Route 66 road trip to St. Louis, Missouri Route 66 road trip to Lebanon, Missouri Route 66 road trip to Springfield, Missouri
Route 66 road trip to Carthage, Missouri Route 66 road trip to Cuba, Missouri Route 66 road trip to Joplin, Missouri
Route 66 Road Trip to Sullivan, Missouri Route 66 road trip to Rolla, Missouri Route 66 Road Trip to Webb City, Missouri

Route 66 hotel listings and traveler reviews

KANSAS ROUTE 66

Route 66 road trips in Kansas

Route 66 road trip to Galena, Kansas Route 66 road trip to Baxter Springs, Kansas

OKLAHOMA ROUTE 66

Route 66 Road Trips Across Oklahoma

Route 66 road trip to Miami, Oklahoma Route 66 road trip to Chelsea, Oklahoma Route 66 road trip to Catoosa, Oklahoma
Route 66 road trip to Tulsa, Oklahoma Route 66 road trip to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Route 66 road trip to Chandler, Oklahoma
Route 66 road trip to Yukon, Oklahoma Route 66 road trip to Weatherford, Oklahoma Route 66 road trip to Clinton, Oklahoma
Route 66 road trip to Elk City, Oklahoma Route 66 road trip to Sapulpa, Oklahoma Route 66 road trip to Erick, Oklahoma
Route 66 road trip to El Reno, Oklahoma Route 66 Road Trip to Vinita, Oklahoma Route 66 Road Trip to Arcadia, Oklahoma
  Route 66 Road Trip to Claremore, Oklahoma


TEXAS ROUTE 66

Route 66 road trips across Texas

Route 66 road trip to Shamrock, Texas Route 66 road trip to McLean, Texas Route 66 road trip to Amarillo, Texas
Route 66 road trip to Vega, Texas Route 66 road trip to Adrian, Texas Route 66 road trip to Glenrio, Texas

NEW MEXICO ROUTE 66

Route 66 road trip Across New Mexico

Route 66 road trip to Tucumcari, New Mexico Route 66 road trip to Santa Rosa, New Mexico Route 66 road trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico
Route 66 road trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico Route 66 road trip to Grants, New Mexico Route 66 road trip to Gallup, New Mexico

ARIZONA ROUTE 66

Route 66 road trips across Arizona

Route 66 road trip to Holbrook, Arizona Route 66 road trip to Winslow, Arizona Route 66 road trip to Flagstaff, Arizona Route 66 road trip to Williams, Arizona
Route 66 Road Trip to Ash Fork, Arizona Route 66 road trip to Seligman, Arizona Route 66 road trip to Kingman, Arizona Route 66 road trip to Oatman, Arizona

CALIFORNIA ROUTE 66

Route 66 road trip across California

Route 66 road trip to Needles, California Route 66 Road Trip to Goffs, California Route 66 road trip to Amboy, California
Route 66 road trip to Barstow, California Route 66 road trip to Victorville, California Route 66 road trip to San Bernardino, California
Route 66 road trip to Pasadena, California Route 66 road trip to San Santa Monica, California



Travelers Love These Route 66 Features

Route 66 maps of all eight states The murals along Historic Route 66 The time to drive Route 66 from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California
Route 66 store: books, maps, clothing, memorabilia and more! Route 66 Facts and FAQs The giant "muffler men" of Route 66

Always Popular Stops on Route 66

The Blue Whale of Catoosa on Route 66 in Oklahoma Standin' on the Corner in Winslow, Arizona, on Route 66 Wigwam Village Number 6 in Holbrook, Arizona
The Round Barn in Arcadia, Oklahoma on Route 66 Cadillac Ranch just west of Amarillo, Texas Meramec Caverns in Missouri near Route 66
Old Chain of Rocks Bridge over the Mississippi River in St. Louis Ed Galloway's Totem Pole Park in Oklahoma Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Jack Rabbit Trading Post on Route 66 near Joseph City, Arizona - Here It Is! Elmer Long's Bottle Tree Ranch on Route 66 in California Angel and Vilma's Original Route 66 Gift Shop in Seligman, Arizona

Looking for a place to stay? Route 66 Hotel Listings and Traveler Reviews
TripAdvisor
Route 66 hotel listings and traveler reviews

Chicago, Illinois Joliet, Illinois
Pontiac, Illinois Bloomington, Illinois
Springfield, Illinois Litchfield, Illinois
St. Louis, Missouri Lebanon, Missouri
Springfield, Missouri Joplin, Missouri
Tulsa, Oklahoma Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Yukon, Oklahoma Weatherford, Oklahoma
Clinton, Oklahoma Elk City, Oklahoma
Shamrock, Texas Amarillo, Texas
Tucumcari, New Mexico Santa Rosa, New Mexico
Santa Fe, New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico
Grants, New Mexico Gallup, New Mexico
Holbrook, Arizona Winslow, Arizona
Flagstaff, Arizona Williams, Arizona
Seligman, Arizona Kingman, Arizona
Needles, California Barstow, California
Victorville, California San Bernardino, California
Arcadia, California Santa Monica, California


All about Route 66 tours and travel planning in 2025 ... click for details and tour options!


Interactive Map of Route 66 States, Cities and Points of Interest

Shown below is an interactive Google map of over 200 popular cities, attractions, motels and points of interest along Historic Route 66.

Is this all of them? Certainly not, as there are literally thousands of places to see along the Mother Road! Hopefully this map will help you plan your next Route 66 road trip.

Zoom / pan map for more detail, and click on icons for information on points of interest and photos.

Click on this icon Icon to list Route 66 attractions below to see a list of attractions and features in other map layers. 

You can enable/disable the following layers by checking/unchecking the layer in the left column of the map...

Icon to list Route 66 attractions
Route 66 cities and towns

Attractions and points of interest

Museums

Classic motels and lodging

Classic service stations

Classic drive-ins, cafes and restaurants


 

What time zone is Route 66 in?

Portions of Route 66 are in three time zones: Central, Mountain and Pacific, as shown in the map below. Daylight Savings Time (DST) is observed from the second Sunday in March until the first Sunday in November. Arizona does not observe DST, with the exception of the Navajo Nation, so check for local time depending on where you are in Arizona.

Route 66 time zones map


How can I find Route 66 segments today? What books & maps are available?

Many states have a system of well-marked signs, directing travelers on/off the segments. Also, there is a wealth of paper-based books and maps today that mark Route 66 segments, like the popular "EZ66 Guide for Travelers" and "Here It Is": The Route 66 Map Series" offered at Amazon and other outlets.

Popular Route 66 resources for your next road trip!

EZ66 Guide for Travelers (5th Edition)
by Jerry McClanahan


EZ66 Guide for Travelers ... buy at Amazon

Here It Is! Route 66 Series of 8 Maps
by Jerry McClanahan & Jim Ross

Here It Is Route 66 Map Series ... buy at Amazon
About These Products

The Route 66 Road Trip website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Amazon offers a commission on products sold through their affiliate links. There is no additional cost to you. Orders are processed by and shipped via Amazon.

The Route 66 Store ... click to shop now for books, maps, clothing, videos and more!