Route 66

A collection of 53 posts

Destinations

The End of Route 66—Santa Monica, CA

All good things must come to an end. When motorcycling through Route 66, the road ends in Santa Monica, CA. Or that could be where your journey starts, depending on which way you’re going. We started our ride in Illinois, though, so Santa Monica is where we put the

Accommodations

Review: Blue Swallow Motel—Tucumcari, NM

Arriving at the Blue Swallow Motel is like riding into the past. Only, this motel has been lovingly restored, neon-lit, and made perfectly comfortable for modern-day motorcyclists.  We stayed here last summer on our Route 66 trip, and it was one of the most memorable stops of the entire journey.

Destinations

Santa Fe, NM—The City Different

Santa Fe is an old city. It’s also a different city. That’s at least what the city’s official nickname, “the City Different,” claims. For once, the tagline thought up by the local tourism authority isn’t an empty promise. Motorcyclists looking for a wholly unique city would

Destinations

Leave Your Mark on Cadillac Ranch

Cadillac Ranch is one of Route 66’s most unconventional roadside attractions. It’s a landmark that refuses to blend into the landscape, even though it rises from it like some automotive Stonehenge dreamt up during a late-night fever brainstorm. Created in 1974 by a group of San Francisco artists

Destinations

The Heart of Historic Route 66—Kingman, AZ

Kingman, AZ, if known among motorists by the not-so-humble moniker of the Heart of Historic Route 66. The city has certainly earned the nickname, as almost its entire history revolves around the Mother Road. Our story begins before the city even existed. In 1857, Lt. Edward Fitzgerald Beale arrived in

Destinations

Dead Man’s Curve: The Perils of Towanda’s Route 66

Dead Man’s Curve earned its name the hard way.  Long before Route 66 was widened and straightened, the highway squeezed through this tight, blind bend outside Towanda, catching countless drivers off guard. Cars approached at speed, met a sudden kink in the pavement, and too often ended up in

Destinations

Route 66 Traditions at Lou Mitchell’s

If you’re aiming your front wheel down the spine of America, there’s an unwritten rule seasoned riders will nod to without saying a word: your Route 66 journey doesn’t begin at the “Begin Route 66” sign. It begins one block earlier—at Lou Mitchell’s. Tucked into

Destinations

The Biggest Route 66 Pit Stop—Tulsa, OK

You might want to add Tulsa to your destination list, OK? Especially if you’re traveling through on Route 66. It’s the kind of city where a quick pit stop can easily turn into a full day of exploring. Known as the Oil Capital of the World in the

Destinations

Amarillo, TX—The Yellow Rose of Route 66

Amarillo is the largest city on the Texas stretch of Route 66. No motorcyclist roaring down the Mother Road should miss taking a break at the Yellow Rose of Texas. After all, Amarillo earned a place in Bobby Troup’s “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66.” That alone should convince

Destinations

Conoco Tower Station— Shamrock, TX

The Conoco Tower Station, also known as the U-Drop Inn, is one of Route 66’s most iconic stops. Built in 1936, this art deco structure served as a gas station on one side and a cafe on the other, immediately becoming a hub for travelers.  Its most striking feature

Destinations

Seligman, AZ—Quirky Historic Route 66

Seligman is a town of roughly 450 residents, located in the arid flats of northwestern Arizona. Despite its small size, Seligman is hugely important for motorcyclists. After all, it’s the birthplace of Historic Route 66. No, not Route 66. Just the “historic” part. Seligman and Route 66 fans (no

Destinations

Oatman, AZ—Donkeys and Danger on Route 66

Oatman, AZ, is a ghost town. Don’t tell that to Oatman, though. Despite having technically been abandoned, Oatman is still bustling with motorcyclists and other motorists traveling on Route 66. This small hamlet in the western Black Mountains of Arizona is known primarily for two things—danger and donkeys.

Columns

My Route 66

There’s magic in abandoned roads. Their secret histories, hidden in woods and deserts, tug at our imaginations.  As a child, while on road trips, I loved tracing lost highways; sections of deserted roads that wind back and forth across the efficient paths of modern highways. Sometimes, they circle off

Travel Guide

Route 66: The Real-Life Inspiration Behind The Movie Cars

When Pixar released Cars in 2006, audiences of all ages fell in love with the quirky town of Radiator Springs, a place frozen in time where Route 66’s spirit thrived.  Although it’s a fictional town, every corner of Radiator Springs was inspired by the real-life communities that flourished

Destinations

The Crossroads of America—Vinita, OK

The city of Vinita is a crossroads. It’s known as the Crossroads to the Green Country, as it sits at a location where the forests of the Ozarks gradually fade into prairie.  It’s also called the Crossroads of America, as this is where three significant cross-country roads meet.

Destinations

Gateway to California on Route 66—Needles, CA

In the 1930s and 1940s, Dust Bowl refugees rumbled across the country on Route 66 toward a better life in California. Crossing the Colorado River marked their entry to the state of their dreams, and Needles was the first Californian city they arrived at. Ever since its founding in 1883,

Destinations

Stop by for a Barn and Pop in Arcadia, OK

Although this is a Destinations article, Arcadia, OK, isn’t a destination. It’s not a place you specifically go to because—I’ll be honest with you—there’s not much to go to. No, Arcadia is a place you stop by to grab lunch on your motorcycle tour

Accommodations

Review: Historic El Rancho Hotel—Gallup, NM

Riding into the sunset, we followed freight trains into Gallup, NM. The tracks run alongside Route 66 for miles, and we chased them to the soft glow of El Rancho Hotel’s red neon lights. El Rancho Hotel is a true spaghetti Western legend. Built in 1936–37 by R.

Destinations

Plunge Deep into the Wonders of Uranus, MO

Picture yourself riding along the Missouri stretch of Route 66. It’s a beautiful day, the weather’s perfect, and the miles just roll by. But suddenly, you realize your motorcycle has entered Uranus. Just a heads-up, if Uranus contains a stick instead of a whole heaping helping of juvenile

The Great American Road Trip

Part 3: California Dreamin'

“I’ve got five miles of range left on reserve,” I muttered nervously through the helmet comms to Florian and Caleb as we passed a sign that said the next fuel stop was 24 miles away. “Crap, I’ve got seven,” Caleb chimed in. I still don’t know how

Travel Guide

8 Unique Attractions on Route 66

An essential part of a road trip down Route 66 is visiting the various fascinating and kooky roadside attractions along it. But the Mother Road is long, and you likely won’t have time to stop at each and every thing begging for your attention. So, where should you stop?

Accommodations

Review: Historic Route 66 Motel—Seligman, AZ

Staying in Seligman is a must if you’re traveling on Route 66. This town is special because it's widely considered the birthplace of the Route 66 revival movement.  When Route 66 was officially decommissioned in 1985, Seligman’s own Angel Delgadillo, a barber and lifelong resident, spearheaded

Travel Guide

RoadRUNNER’S Favorite Attractions Along Route 66

Route 66 and roadside attractions go hand in hand. At 2,448 miles in length, the Mother Road sure has plenty of wild, wonderful, and weird sights to see. In fact, there might be a few too many. One of the most difficult parts of planning a ride on Route

Destinations

Have a Whale of a Time in Catoosa, OK

If you want to see whales, I suggest you take a boat or motorcycle tour in Alaska. That, or you could motor down Route 66 to Oklahoma. In the Sooner State, you’ll find the city of Catoosa and its blue whale. This whale isn’t flesh and blood, though.

Accommodations

Review: Western Motel—Shamrock, TX

We rolled into Shamrock, TX, weathered from a week on the road in the sweltering heat of summer and ravenous appetites.. We pulled our Harley-Davidsons into the shade of the welcome awning at the Western Motel, which from the outside is decorated in a typically western theme. As we stripped