Route 66, or “the Mother Road” is the most iconic American road trip, and for good reason. Starting in Chicago and ending in Santa Monica it passes through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona covering a total of 2,448 miles.
Next year sees the 100th anniversary of the highway and, while you can expect plenty of celebrations to mark it, this also provides agents with opportunities to highlight it to clients.
As well as popular destinations, the route also passes through a plethora of lesser-known sites, sounds, tastes and experiences, as Travel Counsellor Jodi Kerr discovered on last year’s Midwest Memories MegaFam itinerary. Here she shares some of her top tips for booking trips on Route 66.
1. Less is more
You don’t have to do it all. My MegaFam itinerary was just the first 103 miles of Route 66 and we packed so much in. We started in Chicago and travelled down to St Louis. Typically you fly into either Chicago or Los Angeles.
It is miles and miles and would take weeks to do everything, so it’s better to focus on shorter chunks. You need to plan it out carefully if there are specific things you want to see.
2. Two wheels or four?
Many people want to do the trip by motorbike – my friend and her husband are hoping to do that soon. Campervans are also a popular option. Whichever mode of transport clients opt for, it can also be a great thing to do as a group if they all travel along together.
3. Music to their ears
There are sections of the route that are brilliant for music fans – the mid-section of the route especially. Joliet is where The Blues Brothers movie was filmed and they hold festivals there that bring country and Blues fans together – the actual Blues Brothers have turned up previously too.
4. Start at the beginning
Chicago is the start of the route. There is an official marker by the Art Institute of Chicago, right across from the iconic Chicago Bean sculpture. One highlight is Chicago 360 where daredevils can try TILT. Here brave visitors can stand on top of the building and hold on to a glass panel that tilts forward around 30 degrees so they get a birds’ eye view of the city.
5. The overarching highlight
The real highlight for me was St Louis. It was really unexpected. We went up the Gateway Arch which was incredible. It takes around two to three hours to do and there is a museum below it too.
I also enjoyed the Budweiser Factory which has the most mind-blowing architecture. We saw the Clydesdale horses that are used to promote Budweiser too.
Another must do is the City Museum, which is like a huge children’s playground. It is eight floors of pure chaos with a pencil that is an entire floor long and a bus and slide on the roof!
For a fun space to enjoy a sundowner, 360 Rooftop is a great spot that overlooks the ballpark with city views. Finally you can’t miss the old school Ted Drewes Frozen Custard ice cream parlour.
6. Keep it kitsch
I love how much kitsch memorabilia you can find along the way. We visited Ace Sign Company in Springfield where they do all the lights and signs for the whole of Route 66 and the Las Vegas sign. The company is 100 years old and you can do a tour of the museum.
In Atlanta, Illinois we went to the American Giants Museum where they have collected those huge statues that you sometimes see outside shops. They have around six of them and some have been found in dumps and restored.
7. Dine out on the stories
We ate at a restaurant called Old Route 66 Family Restaurant in Dwight, Illinois that has been there for 100 years. It’s very old world and traditional and outside there are lots of fancy old vehicles. Across the road is Ambler’s Texaco Gas Station which was built in the 1930s.
8. Hilltop highs
In Grafton, Illinois we stayed at Aerie’s Resort which was an unusual spot. You can’t drive up to the resort so you park up by the river and a 4x4 takes you up to the hilltop where there is a restaurant, winery and chalets that you can stay in. There were some great wineries in Grafton and excellent food too.
