10 Best Landmarks on Route 66
Where To Go on Route 66?
With hundreds of quirky and historic sites to explore along the way, it might be hard to choose the best landmarks on Route 66. The fabled highway spans 2,400 miles (3,800 km) of the United States from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California. The Route, which John Steinbeck immortalized as the “Mother Road” in his 1939 novel The Grapes of Wrath, served as one of the earliest routes connecting the east and west coasts during America’s Western expansion.
You can no longer drive the entire route, but the preserved parts of it are a wealth of amazing sites and experiences. It remains America’s quintessential road trip and a symbol of its history and culture.
1. Gateway Arch
The world’s tallest arch
Categoría: Familias, Aventura, Fotos
Gateway Arch, St. Louis, Missouri, is an iconic stop on Route 66. The stainless-steel-clad tower opened in 1967 and still looks futuristic today. It is 630 feet in both height and width, and famously built in the shape of an inverted catenary arch, like a hanging chain suspended at 2 ends and flipped upside down.
You can take a tram car to the top of Gateway Arch, the tallest arch in the world. The cars are snug, squeezing in 5 people maximum. You can see one at the entrance before you commit to ascending in case you find it claustrophobic. Once you reach the top there are great views of downtown St. Louis and the Mississippi River.
Ubicación: 11 North 4th Street, St. Louis, MO 63102, USA
Horario: Normal: daily from 9 am to 6 pm. Summer: daily from 9 am to 8 pm
Teléfono: +1 877-982-1410
Gateway Arch
2. Meramec Caverns
Expansive series of limestone caves
Categoría: Fotos, Aventura, Viajes diferentes
Meramec Caverns, one of the biggest attractions on Route 66, is a 4.6-mile-long (7-km) and 7-story-high series of caves in the Ozarks, Missouri. Sculpted by the gradual erosion of vast limestone deposits over millions of years, the caves are famous for their natural beauty. They’re also noteworthy because outlaw Jessie James was said to have used them as a hideout in the 1800s.
You can take a guided tour to see some of the largest and most extraordinary cave formations on Earth at Meramec Caverns, including the ancient “Wine Table,” the world’s rarest cave structure, which formed completely underwater.
Ubicación: 1135 Hwy W, Sullivan, MO 63080, USA
Horario: Hours vary by season
Teléfono: +1 573-468-2283
Meramec Caverns
3. Blue Whale of Catoosa
Iconic whale monument on Route 66
Categoría: Familias, Fotos
The Blue Whale of Catoosa pond is a famous historic stop on Route 66 where families traveling west would stop to have a picnic and go fishing and swimming. The whale was built by Hugh Davis as a 34th wedding anniversary gift for his wife Zelta, who was fascinated with whales. He pictured it as a family retreat, but the giant smiling whale quickly became popular, and he opened it to the public.
After Hugh and Zelta passed away and the whale fell into disrepair, locals raised funds to restore the whale and travelers can again stop by to see the historic site and enjoy the whale and the picnic area. Swimming is no longer permitted.
Ubicación: 2600 OK-66, Catoosa, OK 74015, USA
Horario: Daily from 7 am to 6 pm
Teléfono: +1 918-266-2505
Blue Whale of Catoosa
4. Lou Mitchell’s diner
Munching on donut holes at Chicago’s most iconic diner
Categoría: Historia, Gastronomía
Lou Mitchell’s has marked the start of Route 66 since it opened in 1923. With a classic American diner ambience, it transports you back to the Jazz Age when it became popular with commuters from nearby Union Station. This restaurant has long been a Chicago institution, even flourishing during the Depression, and remains immensely popular today.
Lou Mitchell’s serves generous portions of freshly made comfort food such as banana pancakes, fluffy jumbo omelets, sloppy joes, and fresh-baked pies. Its iconic status means it can get busy, but service is efficient and the long lines move fast. Plus, they are famous for serving donut holes while you wait.
Ubicación: 565 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60661, USA
Horario: Wednesday–Friday from 6 am to 2 pm, Saturday–Sunday from 7 am to 2 pm
Teléfono: +1 312-939-3111
Lou Mitchell's diner
5. Oklahoma Route 66 Museum
Getting your kicks on America’s Mother Road
Categoría: Familias, Historia
Explore the rich history of America’s iconic highway at the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum. This acclaimed museum offers a unique, fun, and interactive experience, taking visitors on a journey back in time and through the decades along America’s Main Road.
It retraces the footsteps of the thousands who traveled westward during the challenging times of the Dust Bowl and Great Depression in the 1930s. You experience firsthand the hopes and struggles of migrants seeking a better future on this historic route.
Ubicación: 2229 West Gary Boulevard, Clinton, OK 73601, USA
Horario: Tuesday–Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm (closed on Sundays and Mondays)
Teléfono: +1 580-323-7866
Oklahoma Route 66 Museum
6. Cadillac Ranch
Iconic landmark and art installation
Categoría: Economía, Fotos, Viajes diferentes
Cadillac Ranch was created in 1974 by Chip Lord, Hudson Marquez, and Doug Michels, members of Ant Farm, a radical art collective. They intended Cadillac Ranch to be a temporary art installation, but it proved wildly popular and remains there today. You can spray paint your own graffiti on the 10 Cadillacs half-buried nose first, supposedly at the angle of the Pyramids of Giza.
Their vibrant colors constantly change, except on occasions such as in 2003 when they were painted black to honor the accidental death of Michels, not in mourning but because it was his favorite color. Cadillac Ranch is a ritual stop on Route 66. In time-honored tradition it remains free and isn’t marked on the highway.
Ubicación: 13651 I-40 Frontage Rd, Amarillo, TX 79124, USA
Horario: 24/7
Teléfono: +1 833-330-2650
Cadillac Ranch
7. Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive In
Kitsch American diner covered in weird and witty Route 66 memorabilia
Categoría: Viajes diferentes, Gastronomía, Historia
Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive In on Route 66 is a blast. Local eccentric Juan Delgadillo built it himself from scrap wood in 1953. To draw attention to his new business he cut the roof off a Chevrolet hardtop, decorated it flamboyantly and stuck it out the front.
Using memorable signs like “Dead Chicken” and joking around with his patrons, he aimed to make it a fun stop. A sign on the front door still says, “Sorry, We’re Open.” Inside the diner is covered in Route 66 memorabilia including dollar bills signed by celebrities. The founder passed away, but his children carry on his legacy serving up burgers, shakes, and other classic diner favorites at this iconic spot.
Ubicación: 301 AZ-66, Seligman, AZ 86337, USA
Horario: Monday–Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm, Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. Closes in winter
Teléfono: +1 928-422-3291
Delgadillo's Snow Cap Drive In
8. Petrified Forest National Park
Unique geology, fossilized trees and prehistoric ruins
Categoría: Historia, Fotos, Viajes diferentes
The Petrified Forest National Park is a vast landscape of semi-arid steppe and grassland with magnificent views and 800 fascinating archaeological sites. Driving through it takes about 2.5 hours, depending on how much you want to see.
In the south of the park, you’ll find beautifully preserved petrified trees from the Late Triassic, and the longest continuous section of Triassic-aged rocks in the world, deposited by enormous rivers between 208 and 225 million years ago. In the center of the park you’ll find the ruins of a prehistoric settlement and rock carvings called petroglyphs created by the ancestral Puebloan people who lived along the Puerco River between 650 and 2,000 years ago.
Horario: Daily from 8 am to 5 pm
Teléfono: +1 928-524-6228
Petrified Forest National Park
9. Standin on the Corner Park
Iconic park commemorating Eagles’ song “Take It Easy”
Categoría: Familias, Historia, Economía
Standin’ on the Corner Park is a popular stop in downtown Winslow, which bustled with traffic from Route 66 before the interstate highway was built. It’s not so much a park as an artistic tribute to the famous Eagles’ song Take it Easy and its lyrics: “Standin’ on the corner in Winslow Arizona, such a fine sight to see. There’s a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford slowin’ down to take a look at me.”
The park has a 2-story mural by John Pugh, a shiny red Ford flatbed truck, in reference to the song, and bronze statues of the song’s co-writers Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey.
Ubicación: Corner of Kinsley &, E 2nd St, Winslow, AZ 86047, USA
Teléfono: +1 480-326-3486
Standin on the Corner Park
10. Santa Monica Pier
The vibrant seaside finale of Route 66
Categoría: Familias, Fotos, Gastronomía
You can’t complete Route 66 without visiting the official terminus at Santa Monica Pier. Here you can celebrate the end of the journey on 1 of the 12 carnival rides including the lightning-fast rollercoaster or the solar-powered Ferris wheel. The street performers, restaurants, and old-school games arcade on the pier give it a vibrant family vibe.
If you prefer a quieter experience, you can fish off the pier (no license needed) or take in the incredible ocean views. Parts of Baywatch were filmed on the big sandy beach surrounding the pier, and beyond you can see Venice Beach to the south and Malibu to the north.
Ubicación: Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, CA 90401, USA
Horario: Daily from 6 am to 10 pm
Teléfono: +1 310-458-8900
Santa Monica Pier
Este artículo incluye opiniones del equipo editorial de Go Guides. Hotels.com compensa a los autores de los textos que aparecen en este sitio. Esta compensación podría incluir viajes y otros costos.