So You Wanna Drive Route 66…

Even I, as someone who’s been on my fair share of road trips, learned quickly that driving Route 66 comes with its own set of unique quirks. Considering it’s technically been a decommissioned highway since the 1980s, traveling the Mother Road isn’t as easy as plugging in coordinates on a map app and following along. There’s a lot to consider if you want to embark on this cross country journey! Since I spent three seasons driving the entire 2,448 miles from Illinois to California, I’m sharing all my advice below.

Route 66 Travel Tips

Know just how long it takes to drive the whole thing.

It goes without saying but Route 66 is a long road trip. It covers nearly 2,500 miles (4,000 km) and runs through eight states. You do not want to shortchange your experience by trying to cover too much in too short of time.
I would say figure out how long you have to drive and note anything you absolutely must see and do. If you only drive a max of 3-4 hours a day, see what you can reasonably cover within that time and then figure out your start and finish.

When exactly should you drive?

Another big thing to consider is what time of year you should plan this road trip. While the idea of a massive summer adventure sounds fun, you’ll be battling some intense sun and hotter than hot temperatures. Arizona especially is a challenging state to explore in the middle of July.

On the flipside, it’s not exactly fun to try and drive through Illinois in the dead of winter!

Weatherwise, I’d say your best bet is to plan for the shoulder seasons. April through May should be lovely as should September through early November.

Westbound or Eastbound?

Another big question – which way to go? The classic route is westbound, so if you really want to be as true to the Route 66 journey as possible, start east and head west.

Car vs. RV?

Unless money is an issue, I’d highly recommend planning your road trip with a car. RVs are great if you’re trying to save on accommodation, but if you go via RV you miss out on one of the best parts of Route 66 – the quirky roadside motels!

We stayed in and visited so many fantastic motels from ones with those classic neon signs to ones that have been completely renovated, and I loved every single one of them. 

Car Safety and Insurance

As always make sure you’re squared away in terms of car safety and insurance. If you’re driving your own car, just pay a visit to your local mechanic to make sure it’s up to driving thousands of miles across the country through various terrain. If you’re renting a car, likewise make sure you rent a car up to all sorts of conditions. 

Check my general road trip tips guide for more details on what you should pack in your car and have on hand in case of emergencies!

You do not want to just rely on Google or Apple Maps.

As I mentioned above, Route 66 is a decommissioned highway. This means you can’t just plug “Route 66” on Google or Apple Maps and expect to find a clean line from Chicago to Santa Monica. While a lot of the highway coincides with US Route 40, often it does not. Sometimes you’ll find yourself on a dirt road and on one occasion you’ll be stopped at a literal US military base and unable to drive through!

I highly recommend going old school and using paper maps. I relied heavily on the EZ66 Guide for Travelers. Jerry McClanahan quite literally covers every possible stop and side journey imaginable!

Be aware of changing climates and time zones.

Most Americans will already know this but if you’re coming from out of the country, please know that this country is physically massive. Route 66 goes through eight states and three time zones. Whatever weather and climate you experience in Illinois and Missouri will be vastly different than what you find in California and Arizona. If you plan on traveling through all states, just make sure you pack accordingly.

And also elevation changes.

This is also where I warn you about massive elevation changes! For example, Chicago, IL is just under 600ft above sea level. Flagstaff, AZ is 7,000ft. If you’ve never experienced traveling through higher elevations, I highly recommend looking up advice for acclimating. It can be quite the shock to just suddenly ascend thousands of feet. One member on my crew even had a low level headache the entire time we were in Arizona!

Keep your daily driving to 3-4 hours max.

Don’t underestimate how tiring driving for long hours can be. Part of what makes Route 66 such a fun journey is how often you’ll want to stop off to admire the view, visit a unique attraction, and just explore small towns. If you try to fit in hours of driving, you’ll run out of time to stop off and find yourself exhausted at the end of each day. Ideally keep it to 2-3 hours but truly do not do more than 3-4 unless you want to battle fatigue.

Research the fun quirks of Route 66 so you know they’re coming.

While I do think part of the appeal of Route 66 is allowing yourself to discover all the different stops along the way, as a planner I do love having some idea of what I’m going to encounter! Do some research (like watching our show ;)) and make note of what’s coming.

For example, you’re going to start seeing little signs with a jack rabbit on them and some sort of number of miles away. You won’t have your answer until you’re all the way in Arizona.

In general, though, avoid a strict schedule.

While you save the stops you want to make, just also ensure you have plenty of time to wander, get lost, and even veer away from Route 66 to explore nearby places. This highway truly is about the journey not the destination, and if you regiment yourself down to the hour, you’ll miss out on a ton.

Be sure to build in rest days.

I will say the one thing to put in your schedule as a non-negotiable is rest days. Set aside at least one day for every week you plan on driving. It’s good to stay put in a hotel for more than one night, have a few hours to do laundry, and just know you don’t need to hop in a car for more than a few minutes. When we had our rest day in Flagstaff, I made sure to stretch my legs on a nice hike and then re-organize all my belongings.

Don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation!

They say Americans love to chat and nowhere is this truer than with folks along Route 66. Every person we met both for the show and in between was friendly and passionate about this highway. And that’s not even including other fellow road trippers from all over the world. Meeting people from all different backgrounds and hearing their stories is what really made this trip so special. You just never know who you’ll wind up making small talk with. This is not the trip to be shy!

That said, still practice normal safety precautions.

Be open to meeting new people but, as always, practice the same kind of safety you’d practice anywhere. If you’re road tripping alone, never tell a stranger that. Tell them you have a partner just in another shop or you’re meeting a friend from nearby for dinner. And if they ask where you’re off to next or where you plan on staying, just lie.

You should also always share your location with someone at home, and keep pepper spray in your glove department or in your purse just in case. Don’t venture out late at night if you’re unfamiliar with your surroundings, and always check with someone like your hotel front desk to make sure a trail is safe for you.

And, as always, trust your instincts. If something feels off, better safe than sorry!

Never leave anything visible in your car.

Another  general safety tip is to avoid leaving anything visible in your car. Route 66 does go through some bigger cities and while 99% of the time you’ll be fine, there’s always that 1% chance the wrong person comes across your car, sees something they want, sees the out of state plates, and decides it’s their chance to get away with a break in.

Better to not give them any incentive even if it’s something as innocuous as a sweater or pair of sunglasses.

Do not skimp on sun protection.

This is where I pull the mom card and remind you to protect your skin even inside a car! You especially want to apply and re-apply sunscreen to the back of your hands. Just think of how long they rest on the steering wheel in direct sunlight when driving.

Figuring out parking along Route 66

For the most part, you shouldn’t have any issues with finding free parking outside of the major cities. When it comes to the cities, though, I’d just do a little planning ahead of time so you know where you want to park and what apps to pre-download. If you want guaranteed parking and don’t mind paying, SpotHero is a great app to reserve ahead of time.

Navigating gas stations

Download the GasBuddy app for all the cheapest gas stations. And know that gas prices can vary wildly state to state. Whatever you do, make sure to fill up before you get into California. Those prices absolutely sky rocket.

And for non-American travelers, most pumps will require a zip code. Talk to your bank to see what you can do ahead of time or bring enough cash to pre-pay in the store.

Can you avoid tolls on Route 66?

Short answer – yes. If you follow Route 66 strictly, you should avoid tolls completely. There are two highways you might run into around Chicago and Oklahoma but if you navigate using the EZ guide I mentioned above, you won’t have to worry.

There are two Route 66s in New Mexico.

Okay, here’s a very specific bit of advice because I know it can be confusing. When it comes to New Mexico, there are two different Route 66s. They call them the original or pre-1927 alignment and the new or post-1927 alignment. The original is an S curve that goes through Santa Fe and down through Albuquerque while the new alignment goes straight from Santa Rosa through Albuquerque. You can drive both, and we opted for the longer route through Santa Fe.

The official (and spiritual) end of Route 66 vs…

Fun fact: there are two ends to Route 66. The official and spiritual one is at the Santa Monica Pier. Get your official completion certificate and visit the 66 to Cali kiosk for the very last stop mentioned in your guide. Don’t forget to take an epic photo with the End of Route 66 sign nearby and, hey, hop onto the famous roller coaster for one more celebration!

The actual end of Route 66

If you want to also visit the actual end of Route 66, visit Mel’s Drive-in about a mile inland from Santa Monica Pier. They even have a bell you can ring!

Have you driven Route 66? Share your tips below!