This year (2026) marks the 100th anniversary of the legendary Route 66. In 1926, the "Mother Road" was built from Chicago to Los Angeles winding its way through America. Along the way there were hotels, cafes, kitschy statues and art works, gas stations, and more.
Then in 1956, President Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act which began the construction of an official interstate. If you've ever watched Disney's Cars movie you will know that the interstate bypassed the old road and many of the towns and businesses dependent on Route 66. The last section to be bypassed was Williams, Arizona ("The Gateway to the Grand Canyon").
Even sadder, Route 66 was officially removed from the U.S.Highway system in 1985. Today you can drive along portions of the route and stop by some of the still-standing businesses and art.
This small book divides the route into 3 main sections - Western, Central, and Eastern. Amazingly, each section takes almost a week to complete if you plan to stop and look around at the towns. Page 6 has a really great colorful map showing the three paths.
Flip to page 8 for some Route 66 Highlights including a few neon signs.
There are two pages dedicated to Chicago and Los Angeles complete with "Getting Around", "Parking" (very limited in these densely urban locations), "Where to Eat", "Where to Stay", "Useful Websites" and more.
Page 12 gives a broad overview of traveling in the U.S. - seasons, rental cars, eating, sleeping, money, general operating hours, and more.
The rest of the book is divided into two main sections. The first section covers the three main travel routes - Eastern, Central and Western. The second section deep dives into the cities along the way with suggestions on what to see, where to stay, what to eat, etc. The suggestions are not necessarily part of the Route 66 history. At the end of the book is a Driving in the US guide and a pull-out colorful map.
The Eastern Route 66 tour is 1050 miles long and takes up to 7 days and encompasses Chicago to Oklahoma. The major stops include Springfield, St Louis, Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Look for the detour box for the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge and the Top Tip box. Be sure to get a photo of the route's beginning sign in Chicago.
The Central Route 66 tour is 900 miles long and takes up to 7 days and encompasses Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. This stretch is probably the hardest because you will need to drive through desert-like conditions with few gas stations between stops. Always fill up when you can and bring snacks along. There's a little call out for a Santa Fe detour. Interestingly, Santa Fe was a major spot on Route 66 until the route was changed in 1937 to shorten the length in New Mexico. Page 33 has a little "History of the Mother Road" call out.
The Western Route 66 tour is 350 miles and takes up to 4 days and encompasses California. Be sure to take a picture at the end of the road sign in Santa Monica.
The rest of the book is dedicated to "Destinations" or all the cities along the routes. They have simple, colorful maps for the major stops. Most of the stops have suggestions for where to stay, what to do, where to eat, shopping, and where to get more information. The bigger cities, like St Louis and Las Angeles, have nifty foods-to-try call out boxes.
Overall, a great compact book if you plan to stop at any location along Route 66. Try to find it at your local library.
Title: Lonely Planet Best Road Trips Route 66
Author: Lonely Planet Authors
ISBN: 978-1787016378
Pages: 128
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