Guffalo Posted March 2, 2023 Posted March 2, 2023 (edited) We were kicking around some ideas for a vacation. Watching some different documentaries and came across "Passport to the world : Route 66" and wondered if anyone has done the drive from Chicago to Santa Monica via the old route 66. Lots of interesting restaurants and nostalgic sites along the way. Anyone tried it? Is it worth the drive? Tips for best things along the way? Edited March 2, 2023 by Guffalo Quote
ArdmoreRyno Posted March 2, 2023 Posted March 2, 2023 Rock Cafe in Stroud, Oklahoma is a must stop for food. The writers of the movie "Cars" spent a lot of time in that place coming up with the script. (I'm from Oklahoma, never driven the whole Route 66) But it sounds like fun! Just make sure you don't leave the dog tied to the bumper 1 Quote
ExiledInIllinois Posted March 2, 2023 Posted March 2, 2023 (edited) I have been to Wilmington, Illinois and drove past the "Gemini Giant"... "Launching Pad Restaurant." Is kinda neat... Antique shops in Wilmington, nice little town on Kankakee River... Edited March 2, 2023 by ExiledInIllinois Quote
BillsPride12 Posted March 2, 2023 Posted March 2, 2023 Never done it before but it does sound like fun. I think you should go for it and then come back and give us a report on it ☺️ 1 Quote
ExiledInIllinois Posted March 2, 2023 Posted March 2, 2023 I am Will County... If you find yourself there, you can check out the tall grass prairie... They have a herd of N.American bison: https://www.fs.usda.gov/midewin 3 minutes ago, BillsPride12 said: Never done it before but it does sound like fun. I think you should go for it and then come back and give us a report on it ☺️ We want the full Congressional reports in 3 years, by the winter of ole '26... Pics of Meriweather Lewis much obliged too.. 1 Quote
plenzmd1 Posted March 2, 2023 Posted March 2, 2023 1 hour ago, Guffalo said: We were kicking around some ideas for a vacation. Watching some different documentaries and came across "Passport to the world : Route 66" and wondered if anyone has done the drive from Chicago to Santa Monica via the old route 66. Lots of interesting restaurants and nostalgic sites along the way. Anyone tried it? Is it worth the drive? Tips for best things along the way? would love to do it, but you being an old codger with nothin but time , you should drive The Lincoln Highway (rt-30) to Illinois and then catch RT 66 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Highway 2 Quote
ExiledInIllinois Posted March 2, 2023 Posted March 2, 2023 30 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said: would love to do it, but you being an old codger with nothin but time , you should drive The Lincoln Highway (rt-30) to Illinois and then catch RT 66 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Highway I live a few miles... Word of advice: Drive really, REALLY FAST through Ford Heights, Illinois! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Heights,_Illinois "...Often viewed as one of Chicago's most impoverished suburbs and at one point the poorest suburb in the United States,[9] Ford Heights has experienced high levels of political corruption, decaying infrastructure, and an elevated crime rate. In 2008, the Cook County Sheriff's Department took over law enforcement duties for the village.[10] Between 1980 and 2010, the population of Ford Heights declined by more than 48%." 1 Quote
\GoBillsInDallas/ Posted March 2, 2023 Posted March 2, 2023 https://www.google.com/maps/@37.8288419,-92.1058331,3a,15y,149.95h,86.01t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sa7107D4ds9thwc5ZLjoBxQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192 Quote
LeGOATski Posted March 2, 2023 Posted March 2, 2023 Stay at the Wigwam Hotel in Holbrook, AZ. Where they still don't know that they're called tipis. Quote
Johnny Hammersticks Posted March 2, 2023 Posted March 2, 2023 Do you get your “fix” or your “kicks” on Route 66? Quote
Simon Posted March 2, 2023 Posted March 2, 2023 I've driven across this country many, many times and you'd have to pay me a lot of money to take that route. I think it would be painfully boring with nothing to see or do but look at cheesy billboards, eat overpriced eggs in worn-out diners and wish you were making time on the interstates that run right next to it for most of the way. 1 1 Quote
Wacka Posted March 2, 2023 Posted March 2, 2023 2 hours ago, ArdmoreRyno said: Rock Cafe in Stroud, Oklahoma is a must stop for food. The writers of the movie "Cars" spent a lot of time in that place coming up with the script. (I'm from Oklahoma, never driven the whole Route 66) But it sounds like fun! Just make sure you don't leave the dog tied to the bumper Watch that whole scene to where they pan out to the whole area. Filmed in LA. There are palm trees visible. 44 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said: I live a few miles... Word of advice: Drive really, REALLY FAST through Ford Heights, Illinois! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Heights,_Illinois "...Often viewed as one of Chicago's most impoverished suburbs and at one point the poorest suburb in the United States,[9] Ford Heights has experienced high levels of political corruption, decaying infrastructure, and an elevated crime rate. In 2008, the Cook County Sheriff's Department took over law enforcement duties for the village.[10] Between 1980 and 2010, the population of Ford Heights declined by more than 48%." How is that different from today? Quote
ExiledInIllinois Posted March 2, 2023 Posted March 2, 2023 1 hour ago, Wacka said: How is that different from today? Probably not much different. Maybe worse. But there's less people! 😏 Quote
T&C Posted March 3, 2023 Posted March 3, 2023 This is the one I'd take... goes through Buffalo/Lancaster too. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_20 1 Quote
Just Jack Posted March 3, 2023 Posted March 3, 2023 Bookmark this, or get the app. It'll show you all the quirky road side attractions. Roadside America - Guide to Uniquely Odd Tourist Attractions 1 Quote
Tierlifer Posted March 3, 2023 Posted March 3, 2023 Rte 6 is another good cross country American 2 lane highway. Cape Cod to just about Death Valley. Quote
T&C Posted March 3, 2023 Posted March 3, 2023 35 minutes ago, Just Jack said: Bookmark this, or get the app. It'll show you all the quirky road side attractions. Roadside America - Guide to Uniquely Odd Tourist Attractions That is exactly the kind of stuff we avoid. Quote
ExiledInIllinois Posted March 3, 2023 Posted March 3, 2023 2 hours ago, T&C said: This is the one I'd take... goes through Buffalo/Lancaster too. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_20 Galena, Illinois is a nice town to stop in. Old Northwest. Had the largest hotel in the west, IIRC correctly @ 7 stories (since lowered to 3), when Lincoln stayed there, the DeSoto House Hotel... https://desotohouse.com/hotel-history/ The driftless zone kinda unique geography... Untouched by glaciation. So it's kinda hilly, looks unlike the rest of upper midwest. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driftless_Area Old mining area, lead mines... Almost all the Union lead during the Civil War came out of that area of Iowa, Minnesota, & Wisconsin... Dubuque, Iowa still has a shot tower. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shot_Tower_(Dubuque) The saying in Galena was: "Galena is the city, Chicago just the town." 😆 Quote
Bad Things Posted March 3, 2023 Posted March 3, 2023 I've heard that the old route 66 has gotten to become quite a sad place in recent decades. Just sayin'. 1 Quote
Draconator Posted March 3, 2023 Posted March 3, 2023 I've been on many parts of Route 66 in California and Arizona. My favorite part is it runs through Oatman, AZ where wild donkeys come down from the surrounding hills and roam the streets. Oatman is a working ghost town, meaning it was big during the gold rush days, but then the gold dried up, and the town went away. Some folks moved back into the town now it has a Main St will a few shops, food stores, and a restaurant with rooms for rent above it. Quote
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