Road trip along Route 66 from Tulsa to Oklahoma City



Road Trip on Route 66 From Tulsa to Oklahoma City

Historic Route 66 in OklahomaVintage postcard showing the location of Route 66 across Oklahoma

As Route 66 left Joplin, Missouri, it was only a short distance westbound thru extreme southeast Kansas to the Oklahoma border. It quickly entered Commerce, and headed southwest through Miami, Afton, Chelsea, Claremore and Tulsa. The road continued west through Sapulpa, Davenport, Chandler and Arcadia to Oklahoma City.

From there, it was a straight shot west through Yukon, El Reno, Hydro, Clinton and Elk City.

The nation's longest drivable stretch of Route 66 crosses Oklahoma, making its way past charming towns, roadside diners and quirky attractions.

Map of Historic Route 66 from Tulsa to Oklahoma City
Map of Historic Route 66 from Tulsa to Oklahoma City

 

East Meets West: Symbolic Route 66 Midpoint

The Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza is named for the Tulsa resident who is known as "The Father of Route 66". It is located at the east entrance to the historic Route 66 bridge near downtown Tulsa.

The scene in Centennial Plaza in Tulsa depicts the Avery family riding west in a Motel T Ford, meeting an eastbound horse-drawn carriage. The sculptures are the work of Robert Summers.

Centennial Plaza is located at the east entrance to the historic bridge at the intersection of Southwest Boulevard and Riverside Drive.

Hotel at Cry Baby Hill to highlight Route 66
Tulsa Public Radio - 10/03/2024

 

East Meets West: Symbolic Route 66 Midpoint, in Tulsa, Okalahoma

 

Route 66 Historical Village

This open-air museum is a unique experience to educate visitors about Tulsa's history in the oil, refining and transportation industries. The Visitor’s Center is a replica of a 1920’s Phillips 66 gas station.  The tallest oil derrick in North America is a favorite with visitors. Located at 3770 Southwest Boulevard.

Route 66 Historical Village website

Sign at the Route 66 Historical Village near Tulsa, Oklahoma Route 66 Historical Village near Tulsa, Oklahoma

Sapulpa, Oklahoma

Sapulpa is the county seat for Creek County and is located in northeast Oklahoma’s Green Country, about 14 miles southwest of downtown Tulsa. The city is located on old U.S. Route 66, now SH-66 and Historic Route 66 (a/k/a the West Ozark Trail), through town. For more information, visit ...

City of Sapulpa website

Main Street Sapulpa website

Sapulpa Chamber of Commerce

Sapulpa at the TravelOK website

Mural in Sapulpa, Oklahoma

Gasoline Alley Classics in Sapulpa

Gasoline Alley Classics, a longtime manufacturer of game room, garage, and man cave automobilia décor, has launched its first retail shop in a former Model T assembly plant and dealership on Route 66 in Sapulpa. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on September 9, 2022, with the grand opening on September 10.

Gasoline Alley has quickly become a "must see" stop for Route 66 travelers in the Sapulpa area. Roadtrippers enjoy checking out the signs, Route 66 memorabilia and vintage Ford autos inside, and take advantage of the many photo ops at "The Official Home of Lady Luck"!

It is located at 24 N. Main Street in Sapulpa, and also offers an extensive online store featuring apparrel, signs, stickers, oil cans and so much more.

Read more ... website of Gasoline Alley Classics and Gasoline Alley Classics on Facebook ... phone 918.806.1000

Interior view of Gasoline Alley Classics in Sapulpa, Oklahoma Sign at Gasoline Alley Classics in Sapulpa, Oklahoma ... the Official Home of Lady Luck

Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum

The Museum in Sapulpa features the world's tallest gas pump, at 66-foot-tall, a prominent Route 66 landmark. It also includes an extensive indoor collection of historic automobiles and other historical treasures.

The Museum is on the grow, with an all new expansion planned for 2023. See photo below right, courtesy of Reed Architects, the designers of the new expansion. This will be a 60% expansion to boost its visibility, exhibit space, and revenue streams. The project includes 5,000 square feet under roof and a 2,400-square-foot outdoor plaza. It promises a dramatic increase in the museum’s 36-vehicle inventory and other exhibits. This expansion parallels a neighboring park development by the city of Sapulpa. The Route 66 Rock Creek Park will provide a tourist-friendly playground and rest stop connected to the museum.

The Museum is located at 13 Sahoma Lake Road, Sapulpa, OK 74066. For more information, phone 918.216.1171, or visit ....

The Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum website and The Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum on Facebook

The world's tallest gas pump ... at the Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum in Sapulpa, Oklahoma The Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum in Sapulpa, Oklahoma ... expansion plans for 2023

Welcome to Stroud, Oklahoma, on Historic US Route 66

Stroud and the Rock Cafe

The Rock Cafe in Stroud, Oklahoma was established in 1939, built with rock unearthed during the paving of Route 66. It has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Cafe is located at 114 S. Main Street in Stroud, and remains an area icon.

Visit the Rock Cafe on Facebook

The Rock Cafe in Stroud, Oklahoma Route 66 Roadside Attraction: The Rock Cafe in Stroud, Oklahoma

 

Davenport, Oklahoma

Welcome to Davenport, Oklahoma, on Historic Route 66
Welcome to Davenport, Oklahoma, on Historic Route 66

One of the many classic murals in Davenport, Oklahoma, on Historic Route 66

One of the many classic murals in Davenport, Oklahoma, on Historic Route 66


 

Chandler, Oklahoma

The Route 66 Interpretive Center at 400 E 1st Street takes participants through a visually entertaining “drive” from the 1920s through current-day Oklahoma.

Route 66 Interpretive Center, Chandler, Oklahoma, on Historic Route 66

Phillips 66 Service Station, Chandler, Oklahoma, on Historic Route 66
Phillips 66 Service Station, Chandler, Oklahoma, on Historic Route 66

Lincoln County Museum of Pioneer History

Founded on April 26, 1954, the Lincoln County Historical Society and Museum of Pioneer History is dedicated to the preservation of local history and the education of future generations in our shared heritage. The collections within the museum include county-wide photographs and artifacts from families dating back to before the land run of 1891.

Located at 719 Manvel Avenue in Chandler, OK 74834

Lincoln County Museum Website

Lincoln County Museum of Pioneer History in Chandler, Oklahoma

McJerry's Route 66 Gallery in Chandler

While in Chandler, be sure to stop and visit McJerry's Route 66 Gallery at 306 Manvel (Highway 18), just off OK 66, north of downtown. The Gallery is operated by Jerry McClanahan, the award-winning artist and Route 66 historian/writer of the popular EZ 66 Guide for Travelers.

Phone 405.240.7659 for more information and opening times, and visit the McJerry66.com website.

Seaba Station Motorcycle Museum

The Seaba Station Motorcycle Museum is located at 336992 E. Highway 66 in Warwick, Oklahoma, west of Chandler.

Seaba Station was built in 1921 by John and Alice Seaba, five years before historic Route 66 would be certified. This building's life started out as a DX station, and has now been restored and operated as a popular motorcycle museum.

Seaba Station Motorcycle Museum website and Seaba Station on Facebook,
or phone 405.258.9141

Exterior view of the Seaba Station Motorcycle Museum in Warwick, Oklahoma, on Historic Route 66 Motorcycles on display at the Seaba Station Motorcycle Museum in Warwick, Oklahoma, on Historic Route 66

Wellston, Oklahoma

Located between Warwick and Luther in Lincoln County on Route 66 is the town of Wellston, established in 1898. In 1932 State Highway 66 was constructed one mile south of Wellston, threatening the town's survival. After a dispute with the state highway department, "Wellston Gap" (a bypass) was paved through town. Shown below is a lovely mural at the corner of Birch Street and 2nd Street (Highway 66B) in Wellston.

Mural in Wellston, Oklahoma


Threatt Filling Station and Family Farm

The historic Threatt Filling Station is located near the intersection of Route 66 and Pottawatomie Road, about 3 miles east of Luther, Oklahoma. The station provided African Americans a place to purchase food and fuel, as well as an opportunity for a respite from their travels during times when segregation was still in place. It offered a variety of services, including gas, oil, automotive accessories, groceries, cold beer and oil changes.

The station building and a nearby bar were built by Allen Threatt Sr. on about 150 acres of property he purchased in 1915, land that the Threatt family still owns. The filling station was closed in the 1970s.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation has included the Threatt Filling Station and Threatt Family Farm on its list of the 11-Most Endangered Places in America, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, in 2023, the station is being restored.

The historic Threatt Filling Station on Route 66 near Luther, Oklahoma

For more information about the history of the station and the family, visit the Threatt Filling Station Foundation website and Threatt Filling Station on Facebook.

Also, learn more about the Threatt Filling Station at the National Park Service (NPS) website

More information about restoration efforts and progress

Preserving the Threatt Filling Station on Route 66
National Trust for Historic Preservation - 09/19/2023

Family, preservationists work to rescue endangered "safe haven" along Route 66
CBS News - 08/12/2023

Group of volunteers works to revive historic filling station along Route 66 in Luther
KOCO News 5 - 06/14/2023


Arcadia, Oklahoma

Just east of Oklahoma City ... Home of the Round Barn

Arcadia Round Barn website

Built in April of 1898 by William Odor on his farm. Restored in 1992.
Route 66 Roadside Attraction: The Round Barn in Arcadia, Oklahoma
The Historic Richardson Building, since 1923, in Arcadia
The Historic Richardson Building, since 1923, in Arcadia, Oklahoma
The Arcadia Round Barn, on Historic Route 66 in Arcadia
The Arcadia Round Barn, on Historic Route 66 in Arcadia, Oklahoma

John's Place

While in Arcadia, you don't want to miss John Hargrove's OK County 66 Place at 12441 E. Highway 66. It has soooo much Route 66 memorabilia, artifacts, cars, bikes, signs, antiques, and miniature models of many Mother Road attractions. He even has a replica of the Catoosa Blue Whale on his pond!

John Hargrove's OK County 66 Place in Arcadia, Oklahoma

John Hargrove's OK County 66 Place in Arcadia, Oklahoma John Hargrove's OK County 66 Place in Arcadia, Oklahoma

Pops 66 in Arcadia features a 66-foot tall soda bottle sculpture, diner, gas station, and tons of sodas!

Pops 66 in Arcadia, Oklahoma

 


Edmond, Oklahoma ... The Murals, and Much More

Edmond is home to championship golf courses, indoor/outdoor food halls, downtown street festivals and local shopping galore. Cruise Route 66 to camp at Arcadia Lake, tour historic sites and snap selfies. Explore acres of parks, 270 public art pieces and 250 restaurants, then relax in your choice of 15 hotels and more than 50 vacation homes.

Read about more Edmond Tourism and Attractions 

Mural in Edmond, Oklahoma

Route 66-America Mural in Edmond, Oklahoma

 

Milk Bottle Grocery

The Milk Bottle Grocery is located on a small triangular piece of property at 2426 N. Classen Avenue in Oklahoma City along Historic Route 66.

The grocery was built in 1930, and the giant milk bottle was added in 1948. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Today, it is adorned with a milk bottle from Braum's, the well-known Oklahoma-based dairy in Tuttle. On one side of the grocery is the "Oklahoma City ... Where the Thunder Rolls" mural.

The Milk Bottle Grocery in Oklahoma City with the Braum's bottle on top Oklahoma City - Where the Thunder Rolls mural at the Milk Bottle Grocery in Oklahoma City on Classen Avenue

 

Lodging Options Along Route 66 in Oklahoma

Hotels in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Hotels in Oklahoma City

TripAdvisor

 

Earlier Times: Vintage Views along Route 66 in Oklahoma

Earlier times on Route 66 in Oklahoma: Bishop's Driv-Inn, Tulsa, OK

 

We have included below a sampling of our collection of vintage travel postcards dealing with Oklahoma and Route 66.

What was Route 66 like in its earlier years, as visitors drove through and around Oklahoma? What did all the service stations, motels and public buildings look like when they were new?

What did the traveling public experience on the Mother Road? We wonder such things when we travel Route 66 today.

Those earlier times in the 1930s, 40s and 50s were not always captured on film. But the use of colorful postcards was common in those decades.

These portray the historic road in its prime and help us to visualize, and appreciate, "earlier times" as we drive Route 66 today around Oklahoma.

Matlyn Court - Oklahoma City
Matlyn Court, US 66, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
De Luxe Courts - Oklahoma City
De Luxe Courts, 4500 NW 39th Street, U.S. Highway 66, Oklahoma City Oklahoma
Cooks Court - Tulsa
Cooks Court in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Nu Homa Motel - Oklahoma City
Nu Homa Motel - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Classen Cafeteria - Oklahoma City
Classen Cafeteria, where U.S. Highway 66 crosses the famous Classen Boulevard at 23rd Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Will Rogers Motor Court - Tulsa
Will Rogers Motor Court on U.S. Route 66 in Tulsa, Oklahoma
The Major Court - Oklahoma City
The Major Court at 3200 NW 39th Street in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Royce Cafe - Edmond
Royce Cafe in Edmond, Oklahoma on U.S. Route 66
Flamingo Motel - Oklahoma City
Flamingo Motel on Highways 66 and 77, just north of the State Capitol, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

MORE 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


More About Travel in Oklahoma

More Things to Do on Route 66 - at the Oklahoma Tourism Department

Oklahoma Route 66 Passport

The Official Oklahoma Route 66 Passport

The Oklahoma Route 66 Passport from the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department helps Route 66 travelers find new destinations to explore and document their progress along the way. A new updated passport (yellow) is being offered beginning in 2023.

The Route 66 Passport, which is available free at TravelOK.com, features 66 of the state’s memorable Mother Road attractions. It includes iconic stops like Catoosa’s Blue Whale, Stroud’s Rock Cafe and Clinton’s Oklahoma Route 66 Museum along with many newer favorites.

Get your passport stamped at each stop, then take it to a Tourism Information Center to be verified and earn an exclusive Route 66 coin.

Both the new yellow and previous red Route 66 Passports are now available in a digital format. Download the official TravelOK Trip Planner app on the Apple App Store or Google Play to get started. When you get to each stop, you'll find a code displayed that you can enter to digitally check in.


Travel Guides for Other States Along Route 66

Planning a Road Trip on Route 66? Here are trip planners for all eight states on The Mother Road ...

Route 66 Road Trips in Illinois Route 66 in Missouri Route 66 in Kansas Route 66 Road Trips Across Oklahoma
Route 66 in Texas Route 66 Across New Mexico Route 66 Across Arizona Route 66 Across California