The historic Route 66 was one of the first and longest U.S. highways, running for 2,448 miles, and beckoned people to drive west from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California.
The “Mother Road” opened in 1926 and quickly become famous, as people traveled for work, migrated, visited family, took vacations or headed off to war. Hundreds of small businesses sprang up along the highway to offer meals, groceries, accommodation, fuel, souvenirs and guided tours to the thousands of travelers who passed through their towns.
By the 1950s and 1960s, large interstate roads began to replace smaller highways, bypassing many towns, which fell into decline. Route 66 was decommissioned in 1985 but has once again become a popular tourist route. Exactly what should you see along the famous route? These are the 30 best Route 66 attractions you won’t want to miss.
Historic Route 66 Map
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Before we get to the list, we wanted to note that, since Route 66 is officially decommissioned, the highway won’t show up on modern GPS systems. You’ll have to use an old-fashioned map or a guidebook, such as EZ66.
If you’re traveling Route 66, allow at least two to three weeks to drive the entire length — even longer if you plan to make side trips or stay in some of the small historic towns you pass through. You can drive your own car, hire a one-way rental car or join a bus tour.
Our list of Route 66 attractions takes you on a road trip that starts east in Illinois and takes you west all the way to California, stopping through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona along the way.
Why You Should Stop at The Gillioz Theatre
The Gillioz Theatre was built in 1926 in the Spanish Colonial Revival Style, lavishly decorated with terracotta tiles, plaster cherubs and stained-glass windows. The theater houses a Wurlitzer organ, played during the silent films that screened here until 1928 when talkies were introduced.
During the Great Depression and World War II, the theater hosted community song contests. By 1970, attendance dropped as people preferred going to cinemas in suburban malls, and in 1980, the theater closed. In 1990, a local preservation group launched a campaign to restore the Gillioz, and it reopened as a concert and event venue in 2006. Historical tours of the theater are offered monthly.
Why You Should Stop at Maisel’s Indian Trading Post
Maisel’s Indian Trading Post, located in downtown Albuquerque, sold Southwestern jewelry, pottery, baskets and art. Maurice Maisel originally opened the store, built in a Pueblo Revival style, in 1939. Maisel’s architect, John Meem, hired a number of young American Indian artists to paint murals on the storefront.
By the 1940s, the store was Route 66’s largest trading post and provided jobs for 300 native craftspeople. The mural painters went on to become famous artists, and their work is held in major museum collections. The store is on the National Register of Historic Places and closed in 2019, but the murals can still be seen from the outside.
Why You Should Stop at the Acoma Pueblo
The Acoma Pueblo (called Sky City) is the oldest continually inhabited place in the U.S. The Pueblo, with its traditional mud-brick construction, was first built in the 12th century atop a sandstone mesa, or bluff, which gave the site a natural defensive position. Only about 50 residents still live here. The San Estevan del Rey MIssion Church, built in 1640, forms part of the complex. The mission and the pueblo are Registered National Historic Landmarks.
Sky City has a new RV park for people traveling Route 66 in recreational vehicles. Local guides offer tours, and facilities include a museum, cultural center, casino, hotel and cafe.
Why You Should Stop at Barringer Crater
Lying west of Winslow, and 6 miles south of Interstate 40, is a massive crater. Known as Barringer’s Crater (or Meteor Crater), this was where a massive meteor, weighing over 60,00 tons, fell to Earth about 50,000 years ago.
In the 1940s, astronomer D.M. Barringer built an observatory here and charged travelers 25 cents to view the crater through a telescope. The Barringer family maintains a visitor center with a space museum and theater at the rim, and guided tours are included in the price of admission.
