About This Route
Route 66, the "Mother Road," is perhaps the most famous highway in the world. Established in 1926, it was one of the original highways in the U.S. Highway System, connecting Chicago to Los Angeles and serving as the main artery for westward migration during the Dust Bowl era.
Today, driving Route 66 is a journey through American history. You'll pass through small towns that time forgot, dine at classic roadside eateries with checkerboard floors and chrome stools, and photograph neon signs that have glowed for generations. It's part road trip, part time machine.
The route takes you from the urban bustle of Chicago through the farmlands of Illinois, across the Mississippi at St. Louis, through the wide-open spaces of Oklahoma and Texas, into the high desert of New Mexico and Arizona, and finally to the Pacific shores of California. Each state offers its own distinct character and attractions.