[pnwguy2]

I want to do this...on my bucket list. Want to take some time to explore the remaining sites. My understanding is Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico are prime areas. Does anyone know some good sources on how to plan a trip like this? I want to do it right! And, is it worth it today for a highway/motel/roadside attraction geek?

[grampaTom]

I grew up on Route 66 in NE Oklahoma. A good starting point would be Baxter Springs, Kansas and head west.
I remember watching them film a "Route 66" tv episode just outside my hometown in the 60's.
Parts of it will be pretty 'off the beaten path' now.

[eddie gein]

I live a block or two from 66 and there is a pretty good 66 museum in this town. There are about 4-5 66 museums in Oklahoma alone. Oklahoma has more miles of route 66 than any other state and strongly markets the road. One of the more interesting things about Oklahoma's stretch is that if you enter from west Texas you will have crossed the barren high plains and into wide open western Oklahoma. When you hit OKC and move to the east side of Edmond (OKC) you will suddenly find yourself in the crosstimbers and the ride to Tulsa will be rolling and forested with the short, thick species of oak that make a stark contrast to when you started in the western part of the state. East of Tulsa there is the Will Rogers Museum in Claremore and that strip of 66 has a lot of kitsch up to Miami, OK. Just north of Miami, OK is Commerce, OK which is the hometown to MLB icon Mickey Mantle.

I think all the states on the route have something to offer and I am always fascinated by the different landscapes as you move across the country.

[pnwguy2]

Thanks for those tips! The best trips are planned well ahead of time, and I am just in the early phase of planning this.

[Threestep2]

https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/route66/maps66.html

[GAngus]

https://www.roadsideamerica.com/location/


There is some Route 66 stuff in this link. Enjoy your trip.

[prerunner1982]

There was a documentary on PBS called Route 66: The Mother Road by Michael Wallis.
I can't find it available online to watch though, but found it enjoyable and thought it would give you some ideas on places to stop though there are obviously a lot more along the way than they could put in the documentary.

Though I have traveled west on I-40 I have never done so on Route 66, however I do prefer to take Route 66 to Tulsa.

[Howest2008]

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

I want to do this...on my bucket list. Want to take some time to explore the remaining sites. My understanding is Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico are prime areas. Does anyone know some good sources on how to plan a trip like this? I want to do it right! And, is it worth it today for a highway/motel/roadside attraction geek?

The best of Route 66 can be found in Chicago Illinois , Tulsa Oklahoma , Oklahoma City Oklahoma , Albuquerque New Mexico and the termination of Route 66 in Los Angeles at the ocean.


My opinion is that the best of Route 66 is in the City of Albuquerque New Mexico , I really enjoyed it in the city of Albuquerque.

[Peester]

Left Cleveland Ohio for Riverside California in 1955, parents, 3 sisters and me, youngest sister was two years old. I was eight.
1949 Ford coupe, no A/C, in August. Nine days on the road. Many break-downs,
No McDonalds, no franchise motels. No freeways. Two lane blacktop and 45-50 mph all the way.
Had my ninth birthday in Oklahoma. I tell people we were so slow, I left Ohio when I was 8, didn’t get to California till I was 9. Great memories, fun times.

[DOUBLE H]

Originally Posted by Howest2008

The best of Route 66 can be found in Chicago Illinois , Tulsa Oklahoma , Oklahoma City Oklahoma , Albuquerque New Mexico and the termination of Route 66 in Los Angeles at the ocean.


My opinion is that the best of Route 66 is in the City of Albuquerque New Mexico , I really enjoyed it in the city of Albuquerque.

Agreed. The Albuquerque one is very impressive. The smaller ones in Oklahoma I like as well, I've been to the ones in Clinton and Elk City, though it's been several years.


One that doesn't get a lot of print is the Route 66 museum in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Tucumcari has some new additions to offer, the museum is part of the Tucumcari Convention Center. Another is Mesalands Community College. The last time I was through there was 5 years ago and I noticed a bunch of wind turbines on one of the mesas south of town. They also sport Route 66 days in mid June. They call it "Rockabilly on the Route." I wished I would have gone to it 5 years ago as country star and Oklahoma native Wanda Jackson did a concert there. I would have loved to see her perform! There is a 27 minute youtube of her in concert with her band, Whisky Kiss.


add----she was 76 years old when she did this show.