A lot of us dream about going on a road trip someday, and there’s no better place to do so than on Route 66 – or ‘the Mother Road’. I can’t imagine anyone not wanting to do this, but I’ve put together a list of the top reasons to drive it to help you work out if this is the kind of break you’re looking for.
1) To have the ultimate American road trip experience
Now, America is undoubtedly the ultimate road trip destination. And, within America, Route 66 is king. So, I think the top reason to drive it is the fact that it’s such an iconic road and has such an important place in US history, as well as so many amazing attractions dotted along the way.
Driving it, you can follow in the footsteps (or tyre tracks!) of countless Americans, who used the road to travel from the mid-west to California back in the day before the interstates arrived. Having been immortalised in songs, books and films, the Mother Road really does provide the quintessential American road trip experience.
2) To get a taste of the country’s history
Given that it’s such an iconic road, you’ve probably guessed that Route 66 has a great history – and this is the next top reason to drive it. Dating back to 1926, this 2,448-mile journey was one of the original highways, allowing people to travel all the way from Chicago to Los Angeles on just one road. And they did in great number, especially during times of social change, such as when the Great Depression hit back in the 1930s and loads of farming families used it to trudge eastwards to find new work.
3) To experience a cross-section of American life
The next reason – and, in fact, one of the very best things about the road itself – to hit Route 66 is that it gives you the chance to experience a real cross-section of American life. You see, you’ll get to drive through everything from big cities and natural wonders to cowboy country and small town America.
Matching the culture shifts, the landscape will change around you too. The US is famous for its diversity, and I reckon there’s pretty much no better way to really understand just how much variety there is here than driving Route 66.
4) To see amazing attractions
Lastly, Route 66 is packed with awesome attractions. There’s just so much to see and do along the way, especially if you count all the places you can reach with little detours (the Grand Canyon is, understandably, a popular favourite!).
You can’t really go on holiday to Route 66 and not go into a classic American diner for a cup of joe (aka coffee) and some calorie-laden food. One of the best places is the Cozy Dog drive-in, the home of the ‘cozy dog’ – or a hotdog on a stick to you and me. This is where the snack was actually invented, and the diner has its own secret recipe!
Diners aside, there are also some brilliant tourist attractions en route. Actually, before you even get started, you can check out the Willis Tower in Chicago, the third tallest building in the world. Visit Skydeck on the 103rd floor and you can walk out on to one of the ledges, which are glass boxes extending just over 4 ft out of the tower. There’ll be nothing between you and the pavement hundreds of feet below but a sheet of glass!
Also well worth a visit is the Gateway Arch in St Louis, which at 630 ft is the nation’s tallest monument. If you head up to the top, you can see for up to 30 miles on a clear day.
Have you driven the Mother Road before? What was the best thing about it, and what attractions would you recommend?
