10 Best Attractions on Route 66

An iconic Route 66 pitstop, Lou Mitchell’s Diner has been enticing hungry Illinois road trippers since it first flung its doors open in the early 1920s. Come here for the hefty breakfasts and lunches in an interior that’s decked out with Mid-Century furnishings like diner booths, Formica tables and communal U-shaped counters.

On the menu, you'll find all-American classics like country eggs with crispy bacon, silver dollar pancakes, baked meatloaf with hand-cut French fries and Reuben sandwiches on homemade rye. Visit on Tuesdays and Thursdays for Lou's special Turkey Dinners which come with creamy mashed potatoes and lashings of delicious gravy.

Famed for its 190-metre stainless steel monument, Gateway Arch National Park was first established in 1935 to pay homage to former President Thomas Jefferson’s ambitious vision of a transcontinental America. Since then, this urban green space has expanded to include an impeccably restored federal courthouse with a glorious jade-hued dome, as well as gently sloping lawns that are perfect for picnics.

Spend the day here, taking in the park’s majestic arch of silver before wandering scenic paths and stopping by the reflecting ponds. We recommend boarding the Tom Sawyer, a replica 19th-century riverboat that sails down the Mississippi River. Book tickets to the Skyline Dinner Cruise for an enchanting meal at sunset.

Showcasing a bucolic picture-book aesthetic, Nelson's Old Riverton Store charms with its vintage signage, white farmhouse windows, and wagons filled with colourful flowers and bright orange pumpkins. Dating back over 75 years, this little Kansas grocery-store-come-deli is the perfect place to pull the car over for supplies, refreshments and fun little knickknacks.

Stop by for pickle loaf and cheddar cheese sandwiches, hanging baskets filled with bright geraniums and kitschy Route 66 souvenirs from the venue's feel-good gift shop. Splash out on coffee mugs, collector's pins, t-shirts and baseball caps before heading to the soda fountain for an old-time Sarsaparilla.

Instantly recognizable thanks to its curved glass frontage, vintage car and typographic neon sign, Oklahoma’s Route 66 Museum is a must-visit for anyone interested in old-school Americana. Inside, you’ll find the World's Largest Curio Cabinet which is filled with memorabilia from this legendary US highway that extends from Santa Monica, California to Chicago, Illinois.

Opening its doors in the mid-1990s, the museum has flourished into the nation’s largest collection of Route 66 objects, spanning the Roaring 20s through to the 1980s. Peruse exhibits featuring vintage jukeboxes, gas stop signs, Coca-Cola dispensers and a hippie campervan. Check out the great little on-site shop that’s stocked with eclectic keepsakes.

Palo Duro is one of the largest canyons in the United States and is celebrated for its geological formations (like Lighthouse Rock). They look particularly glorious at sunset when the last rays hit the sediment. This breathtaking state park features a 245-metre descent from the rim of the canyon to its expansive desert floor, making it a haven for photographers and experienced hikers.

To fully appreciate the park’s awe-inspiring terrain and array of stratified colours, horseback ride along 50 km of picturesque trails with cowboys from the Old West Stables. You’ll pass Sad Monkey Mesa, the Catarina Caves, as well as flowering cacti and wildflowers.

Stretching 27 km along Albuquerque’s breathtaking West Mesa, Petroglyph National Monument is home to one of the biggest rock carving collections in North America (circa 1000 BC to AD 1700). Spend the day here, marvelling at over 20,000 Native American symbols that have been etched into the region’s boulders in canyons like Rinconada, Piedras Marcadas and Boca Negra.

This 7,239-acre park might be expansive but its designated trails will help you navigate the rugged terrain, whether you’re a novice hillwalker or a veteran hiker. Photographers interested in geology will also have a field day thanks to the park’s many cinematic vistas including its five volcanic cones and the Manzano Mountains.

As the last of its kind in all of New Mexico, Tee Pee Curios rears up on the dusty boulevard. It's like a nostalgic apparition that best belongs in the Swinging Sixties. You can't miss it. The outside is decorated with a giant tipi-shaped building, a mural of a buffalo and Native American iconography like Kokopelli, the fertility deity.

Step inside this roadside relic to shop desert-themed mementos like indigenous kachina dolls, Spaghetti Western cowboy hats, chunky turquoise rings and hand-painted Navajo pottery. It's also the perfect place to pick up Route 66 memorabilia to take home to the family like postcards, highway signs and Wild West fridge magnets.

A legendary eatery located on America’s coolest highway, Delgadillo's Snow Cap first launched in the 1950s and has since become a popular rest stop serving indulgent fast-food classics. Swing by for the small-town hospitality, vintage cars parked out in the yard and an interior that's heavily papered with dollar bills and Polaroids.

The menu offers mouthwatering fare to hungry Route 66 motorists like double patty cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets and French fries, and hotdogs loaded with onions and slathered in ketchup and mustard. End your meal with a dreamy ice cream sundae or a delicious banana split, before taking an Instagram selfie on the toilet inside the payphone.

A former 19th-century mining town in San Bernardino County, Calico Ghost Town draws visitors with its riveting prospector history. You'll find an array of replica buildings to visit like the courthouse, general store and old saloon. Come for the gunfighter stunt shows and the river panning experiences. Stick around long enough and you might just find gold.

What sets Calico apart from other non-habitable ghost towns is its number of working eateries that are peppered about the place. We love Calico House Restaurant for its rustic wooden porch and a menu that teems with American classics like the Big Buckaroo Burger and the juicy Philly Cheesesteak.

One of the Mother Road's most famous landmarks, the Route 66 Sign at Santa Monica Pier is a must-visit. If you're serious about following this fabled American highway from start to finish, why not end or start your iconic journey through the country here?

The Santa Monica Pier is home to a video arcade, Ferris wheel and vintage merry-go-round. The historic coastal marker is popular with Instagrammers. When you've taken a selfie with the sign, grab a bite to eat at the Mexican restaurant Maria Sol, which is conveniently situated at the end of the pier. Enjoy views of the Pacific Ocean, strolling mariachi bands and dishes like Crab Enchiladas and Tres Amigos Fajitas.