jfos

We are from Australia and planning to drive Route 66 in April/May 2010 from Chicago to Santa Monica. Is three weeks long enough (or too long) to take on this road?
Is there places along the way that is worthy of staying more than 2 nights?
I have the books "illustrated guidebook to the mother road, route 66 dining and lodging and EZ66 guide third edition" plus the maps Here it is Route 66. Is there any other good reading around?
Thanks jfos

monpetit

Depends of your goal...
If the road is the only interest, so 3 weeks could be enough and you stop every evening where you are arrived...
But there are a lot to see around the raod...
Some take times(Meramec caverns,Saint Louis( rock bridges, indian mounds),Cadillac ranch and Palo Duro canyon,Tulsa(nice museum on the west), Oklahoma City(also a nice museum), Santa Rosa(Blue Hole) Albuquerque(plaza, indian center,museums,...),
Acoma pueblo, Gallup, Flagstaff and around...
And there are also to do with detours : Santa Fe and Las Vegas in New Mexico, Painted Desert and Petrified Forest in Arizona,...
And all the bridges, old parks, which made the specificity of the road(Devil's elbow,Blue whale prak, U turn cafe, ...).
So 6 weeks could be also a choice..
We've made the road 15 years ago in 3 years(12 days each year in 3 steps...Chicago/Oklahoma, Oklahoma City/Gallup, Gallup/Santa Rosa) and it worth the trips...
Erik

jfos

Thanks for that Erik,
We plan to be there for 4 weeks, but wanted to spend a few nights in Chicago before we start the road trip. We did Vegas a few years ago so this time not a high priority. Will look into all the things you suggested.
Jfos

garyt22

Santa Monica is also worth a few days at the back end of your trip... try to save some time so you can enjoy that area...

missypie

I would stay a bit more time in the Flagstaff Arizona area. There is a lot to see within an hours drive (Sedona, etc) and you should absolutely see the Grand Canyon if you never have. Flagstaff has a cool observatory, too.

Last year when my son was visiting colleges, I was delighted to find that two of them were along old Route 66. Alas, he didn't choose either.

I moved from Illinois to Texas in 1981 and have made that long drive though Missouri many times. Early on, there were a lot of the old motor courts and their cool signs still standing. Now, they are virtually all gone. Sad.

pdx

I'm from the Needles, California area. While there isn't much of anything left or Rte 66 it is nice to be on those old roads once in a while for the memories. It always meant we were going somewhere, even if it was with a bunch of squabbling kids and irritable parents.
We used to stop at Amboy to use the bathroom. It's a one building gas stop on the road and we were so happy to be able to get out of the car. There was always a potential for a soda from the machine (didn't happen often). Plus they had pay toilets, something we had never encountered before and didn't get to practice on as we were told to climb under the door. Hmmph.
Funny little insignificant memory but that's the first one that came to mind.
If you go past the tired little washed-out building say hi for me.

missypie

When we were in Arizona a few years back, one of those Tee-pee motels was still open (near Winslow, perhaps). If it is still open, that would be a fabulous place to stay - maybe not for three nights, but one would be so fun1

christy1

The National Park Service has a great new website on Route 66 travel planning:
http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/route66/

ElendilPickle

The Las Vegas monpetit mentioned is the original Las Vegas in New Mexico, not the tawdry pile of glitz in Nevada.

The teepee motel missypie mentioned is in Holbrook, Arizona.

Lee Ann