United States
Route 66
Chicago to Santa Monica on the Mother Road: diners, neon motels, the Ozarks, the Texas plains and the Arizona desert.
- Approximate distance
- ≈ 2,448 mi
- Stops
- 16
- Suggested nights
- 18
- Best season
- May, June, September, October
May–June and September–October. Summer is scorching in the Mojave Desert.
Warnings for large vehicles
- Sitgreaves Pass (Oatman, Arizona): tight switchbacks with no shoulder, not advised for big RVs or trailers. Take I-40 via Topock instead.
- Some original stretches are gravel or closed: follow the “Historic Route 66” signs and hop back on the interstate when needed.
These routes were written from memory: double-check distances, seasons, rules and closures with official sources before you go.
Stops
- Chicago Departure
- Springfield (Illinois) 1 night
- St. Louis 1 night
- Springfield (Missouri) 1 night
- Tulsa 1 night
- Oklahoma City 1 night
- Amarillo 1 night
- Tucumcari 1 night
- Albuquerque 2 nights
- Gallup 1 night
- Holbrook (Petrified Forest) 1 night
- Flagstaff 2 nights
- Williams 1 night
- Kingman 1 night
- Barstow 1 night
- Santa Monica 2 nights
Simplified line: straight lines between stops. The planner works out the real road.
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