For a 7-day Route 66 trip, you’ll need to keep moving, but you can still experience many of the road’s most iconic sights. Expect some long driving days of 300-450 miles, balanced with memorable stops along historic stretches of the route.
Day 1: Chicago, IL → Springfield, MO
Approx. 450 miles
Highlights
- Route 66 Begin Sign in Chicago
- Pontiac Route 66 Museum
- Springfield, Illinois
- Chain of Rocks Bridge near St. Louis
- Meramec Caverns
Overnight: Springfield, Missouri
Don’t miss: Dinner at a classic Route 66 diner and an evening stroll through downtown Springfield.
Day 2: Springfield, MO → Oklahoma City, OK
Approx. 300 miles
Highlights
- Carthage historic square
- Rainbow Bridge (Kansas)
- Miami, Oklahoma
- Blue Whale of Catoosa
- Tulsa’s Route 66 attractions
- Arcadia Round Barn
- Pops 66 Soda Ranch
Overnight: Oklahoma City
Best photo stop: The Blue Whale, one of Route 66’s most recognisable landmarks.
Day 3: Oklahoma City → Amarillo → Tucumcari
Approx. 350 miles
Highlights
- Clinton Route 66 Museum
- Shamrock’s U-Drop Inn
- Cadillac Ranch
- Amarillo Historic District
- Tucumcari’s famous neon motels
Overnight: Tucumcari, New Mexico
Evening: Drive the neon-lit main street after dark for the classic Route 66 atmosphere.
Day 4: Tucumcari → Santa Fe → Albuquerque
Approx. 250 miles
Highlights
- Midpoint Café in Adrian, Texas (if missed previous day)
- Historic Route 66 alignment through Santa Fe
- Santa Fe Plaza
- Turquoise Trail scenery
- Old Town Albuquerque
Overnight: Albuquerque
This is one of the most scenic and culturally rich sections of the journey.
Day 5: Albuquerque → Holbrook → Flagstaff/Williams
Approx. 330 miles
Highlights
- Continental Divide
- Gallup
- Petrified Forest National Park
- Painted Desert
- Wigwam Motel in Holbrook
- Winslow’s “Standin’ on the Corner” Park
- Historic Flagstaff
Overnight: Williams, Arizona
Williams has one of the best-preserved Route 66 downtowns.
Day 6: Williams → Seligman → Kingman → Barstow
Approx. 360 miles
Highlights
- Seligman, birthplace of Route 66 preservation
- Hackberry General Store
- Kingman
- Oatman’s wild burros
- Mojave Desert crossing
Overnight: Barstow, California
This day includes some of the most authentic surviving stretches of the original road.
Day 7: Barstow → Pasadena → Santa Monica
Approx. 150 miles
Highlights
- Elmer’s Bottle Tree Ranch
- San Bernardino Route 66 landmarks
- Pasadena’s historic sections
- Beverly Hills and Los Angeles boulevards along the route
- Santa Monica Pier
Finish
Take the traditional photo beside the “End of the Trail” Route 66 sign overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
If You Have Time for Only 5 “Must-See” Stops
- Route 66 Begin Sign (Chicago)
- Blue Whale of Catoosa (Oklahoma)
- Cadillac Ranch (Texas)
- Petrified Forest & Painted Desert (Arizona)
- Santa Monica Pier (California)
Estimated Trip Totals
- Distance: ~2,450 miles
- Driving Time: ~40-45 hours
- Recommended Season: May-June or September-October
- Ideal Daily Start: 8:00 AM to maximize sightseeing and avoid night driving
This itinerary captures roughly 80-90% of the most significant surviving historic Route 66 attractions while remaining achievable in a single week.