Drive on Route 66

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Famous in literature, film and song, US Route 66 originally covered the ground between Chicago, Illinois and Los Angeles, California, a distance of nearly 4,000 kilometers. Route 66 served as the path for those fortune seekers hoping to improve their lives as they migrated west toward California from the Midwest of the United States. As the US Interstate Highway system evolved with faster roads that could handle more automobiles the original road was removed from the system. Parts of that original road have been retained and are now referred to as “Historic Route 66” and designated as a National Scenic Byway. Travelers seeking a little nostalgia to go along with their desire to visit some of the outposts of western migration in the United States include all or portions of Route 66 in their driving itineraries. Traveling west to east, the possibility exists to motor from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, Nevada to examine the Mojave Desert and towering mountains in between and then sample the offerings of “Sin City”. From Las Vegas, the next frequently considered segment terminates in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This leg includes the ability to visit Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, Alpine forests in Northern Arizona, the Grand Canyon and the New Mexican landscape with its historic towns steeped in Native American culture. From New Mexico, the next leg of the trip takes the travelers through the arid Texas Panhandle and the lush Ozark Mountains in Missouri to the shores of the Mississippi River and the terminus of the original routing in Chicago, Illinois, the largest city in the United States’ Midwest. All along the famous route are quintessential diners, roadside motels, local historical landmarks, unique natural monuments and plenty of open space. Your dream of seeing the route migrants to the American West travelled seeking a better way of life would not be complete without wheeling yourself along Historic Route 66. Add this adventure to your list today and consider renting or borrowing a convertible to make the trip. It will be worth it.

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