Best stretch of old Rt 66 (motels, live, restaurants)

[mike0421]

For you Route 66 aficionados: what state along the route holds the most interesting and best maintained areas of the old Rt 66?

[Boston14]

Illinois

[DOUBLE H]

New Mexico by far! If you want nostalgia, get off I-40 at the first Tucumcari exit. I lived there over a year and LOVED it! There are a lot of motels still hanging in there business wise and the Blue Swallow is one of my favorites! Was just through there not long ago. Another cool place is the Big Sombrero restaurant and that sombrero over the restaurant is big! A good place for eats is Del's diner, been there for over 50 years.It has its own huge steer over the restaurant.

Santa Rosa has a fair amount of motels and restaurants as well. And, of course, Albuquerque with Central Ave.

Am NOT discounting Oklahoma, there are some nifty places there, including a COOL Route 66 museum in Clinton!

Good thread Mike!

[ajf131]

You know that Route 66 ran through Kansas as well right?

[catfancier]

I haven't been on it, but I thought the "best" stretch of old 66 is supposed to be in/around Kingman, AZ?

[Coolhand68]

AZ and NM for me.

[Merlander]

Originally Posted by DOUBLE H

Am NOT discounting Oklahoma, there are some nifty places there, including a COOL Route 66 museum in Clinton!

Definitely agree with this. The stretch from Stroud, through Chandler to Warwick is pretty nice too.

[exlexisnexis]

The longest remaining stretch of rt 66 starts in Ashfork AZ at exit 139 off rt 40

[pw72]

Tucumcari is indeed quite interesting. I would also offer that there is a stretch just west of Oklahoma City that still offers some of the old motels, gas stations. (well, atleast a decade ago, I have not been back since!...hope they are still there.) Rapidly decreasing, perhaps need to be preserved.