Route 66: The Nostalgia and Beauty
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Last summer, Sean, Jackson, Lucy, and I journeyed west, from Atlanta to the Pacific Ocean. In planning our trip, one of the highlights was cruising Route 66. While on Route 66, we came across many surprises and appreciated the Main Street of America.
Why the Nostalgia?
Many nostalgic thoughts come to mind in longing for simpler days of times passed in America. Apple pie, blue jeans, and baseball are all reminders of America’s yesterday. However, nothing says the U.S.A. more than Route 66. Referred to as the Main Street of America or the Mother Road, Route 66 symbolizes joy and hope for what is to come.
Much of the nostalgia of Route 66 comes from the road’s magnitude. Route 66 touched so many lives, from those who lived along the 2,448 mile stretch to those who traveled it. The road is magnificent when considering its historical significance.
The History of the Route
Route 66 was commissioned in 1926 to cross America’s vast terrain. The new route was the intercontinental railroad of automobiles. Route 66 was fully paved in 1938 by the hands of unemployed men during the Great Depression.
The road symbolized life and freedom during the latter part of the 1920s when the economy was booming and people purchased vehicles.
However, life drastically changed after the stock market crashed in October 1929. In the early 1930s, the Boll Weevil turned soil to dust and destroyed crops across the plains and the Southeastern United States. Route 66 symbolized hope for those migrating to California searching for a better life. During the Great Depression, Route 66 carried the hopes and dreams of so many Americans.
In the 1940s, California became a World War II industrial hub. Many traveled along the Mother Road to support the war effort. Caravans of soldiers journeyed across Route 66 for basic training and eventually to ship out for duty in Europe and the Pacific. Many soldiers never returned. Those who did once again traveled Route 66 to return home.
After World War II and the Korean War, the economy in the United States recovered. Prosperity abounded, and families hopped into station wagons and vacationed in towns and cities dotted along the route.
Life happened along Route 66; America happened along Route 66.
If you ever plan to motor west
Travel my way, take the highway that is best
Get your kicks on Route sixty-six
-Lyrics by Bobby Troup
The End of the Road
The physical end of the road is in Santa Monica, California. However, the end of the road for Route 66 was in 1985 in Williams, Arizona.
The Santa Monica Pier signifies the end of the trail. Actually, the pier sign is really for tourism, symbolizing that only the ocean prevents the road from continuing. The actual end of Route 66 is where Lincoln and Olympic Boulevards intersect, a few blocks from the Pacific.
With the construction of the Eisenhower Interstate System during the 1950s, Route 66 and other American highways were bypassed for more direct routes in the form of interstates. During his service in World War II, Eisenhower was significantly impacted by Germany’s Autobahn Highway System, where massive amounts of people and goods traveled over long distances. In America, towns such as Glenrio, Texas, and Newkirk, New Mexico, became ghost towns because tourists no longer visited the cities once the interstate system was established.
Gradually, Route 66 became a decommissioned U.S. highway. Williams, Arizona, fought the interstate from coming through their town because the citizens saw how devastating the decommissioning was to other cities along the route. The town of Williams actually battled in court for Interstate 40 to detour their city, but in October 1984, it finally conceded. The last section of Route 66 was decommissioned in 1985.
Steinbeck’s Route 66
HIGHWAY 66 IS THE main migrant road. 66—the long concrete path across the country, waving gently up and down on the map, from the Mississippi to Bakersfield—over the red lands and the gray lands, twisting up into the mountains, crossing the Divide and down into the bright and terrible desert, and across the desert to the mountains again, and into the rich California valleys.
66 is the path of a people in flight, refugees from dust and shrinking land, from the thunder of tractors and shrinking ownership, from the desert’s slow northward invasion, from the twisting winds that howl up out of Texas, from the floods that bring no richness to the land and steal what little richness is there. From all of these the people are in flight, and they come into 66 from the tributary side roads, from the wagon tracks and the rutted country roads. 66 is the mother road, the road of flight.
-John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 12
Trekking the Mother Road
Although we only traveled half of Route 66, I can’t emphasize how massive the road is. Route 66 spans eight states, from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California. Along the 2,448 mile span, the route will take you across some of the most diverse terrains that our country offers.
In dreaming of our trip, I envisioned our family pulling our camper along Route 66 through the great American west. We traveled great open roads on our trip, but rarely were they on the Mother Road. In fact, you cannot travel the route in its entirety at all. In many towns, Route 66 is signified by plaques where the highway once ran. However, when the opportunity arose, we took the scenic route on Route 66 as much as we could.
A neat aspect of our trip was that although we planned on visiting Route 66, we “bumped” into the road or what used to be the road in unsuspecting cities. We actually drove through or visited 12 towns where Route 66 previously passed through.
“You will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart always will be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place.”
– Miriam Adeney
Santa Monica, California
We began our Route 66 journey on the iconic Santa Monica Pier. While walking towards the Pacific Ocean, you will come across a sign indicating that the highway has ended.
Los Angeles/West Hollywood, California
While visiting Los Angeles, it was hard to fathom all the people arriving in California in the early twentieth century looking for a new life. Today, traveling through Los Angeles for tourists is about Hollywood’s sights, bright lights, and tourist attractions such as Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Pasadena, California
Pasadena was a must on our trip, but not because of Route 66. It is neat that the road ran through the area, but it was Jackson’s dream to eat at CaliBurger and have Flippy the Robot make his burger. So we explored Pasadena thoroughly, and the Flippy dream was conquered.
Barstow, California and Kingman, Arizona
We traveled through Barstow on our way out of California to Las Vegas. We passed through Kingman, Arizona, on the way out of Las Vegas. Although many people associate iconic Las Vegas with Route 66, the city of neon sits six miles to the north and was missed during the construction of the route.
Williams, Arizona
If you are traveling out west, Williams is THE stop of all those seeking the nostalgia of Route 66. We were so excited to arrive in Williams, the town that refused to die after the creation of I-40. In Williams, you can travel up and down the streets and visit all kinds of retro restaurants and gift shops.
One of my fondest memories in Williams was when we met a young couple standing in line at an ice cream shop. The couple was from Europe and had a distinct accent, so of course, I piped up a, “Where are y’all from?” So we began talking, and it turns out that the English couple was on their honeymoon and decided to tour parts of America that they had only heard about while growing up, one being Route 66.
I want to note that when visiting the southern rim of the Grand Canyon, Williams is a great place to stay!
Flagstaff, Arizona
While visiting Flagstaff, we drove parts of Route 66. Flagstaff has so much to offer. While there, we visited Sunset Crater and Wupatki National Monuments. Sunset Crater is a volcano that erupted in the year 1085. You can feel the ash and see the significant change in terrain while in the park.
At Wupatki, you can visit the remains of an ancient Pueblo village.
Meteor Crater
We stayed in Meteor Crater, Arizona, to visit the famous Barringer Meteor Crater and enjoy the night sky. Little did we know that the road we stayed on was once Route 66.
Winslow, Arizona
Who doesn’t want to stand on a corner in Winslow, Arizona? We sure did! Although the Eagles coined the famous music lyric, it was indeed a fun opportunity to ride Route 66 and stand on the corner. Thanks to the Eagles, the town has a fantastic tourism business.
Holbrook, Arizona
We vacationed out west for almost two months, and many people asked us about our favorite destinations. Although there was so much to see and do, I always revert to the Painted Desert.
The Painted Desert is primarily accessible through a section of the Petrified Forest. While at Sunset Crater in Flagstaff, you can see glimpses of the Painted Desert; there is nothing like its beauty.
A 1932 Studebaker sits where Route 66 used to run through the Petrified Forest.
Visit or stay at one of the last two Wigwam Motels (the other is in San Bernadino).
*Note- the pictures of the Painted Desert don’t do it justice. It is one of the most magnificent works of God’s hand that I have ever seen!
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is a beautiful city if you have the chance to visit. No matter how you travel or where you lodge, be sure to celebrate Route 66 by stopping by the Enchanted Trails RV Park. This was at the top of Sean’s list of all the places we stayed while on vacation. Although we pulled our own camper, Enchanted Trails has vintage campers that visitors can rent along the old Route 66. The campers each have matching tow vehicles that take you back as if traveling the route in the 1940s or 50s.
Amarillo, Texas
Our last stop along Route 66 was Amarillo, Texas.
In celebration of the road, you can visit Cadillac Ranch and leave your mark on a car… at least until the next painter comes along.
We loved visiting Jack Sisemore’s RV museum. The museum gave us such an impression of family’s traveling in times passed on Route 66 with their campers in tow.
While in town, be sure to visit the Big Texan Steak Ranch and Brewery. Let the long-horned limo pick you up… for free!
The steakhouse is an attraction unto itself. While eating, be entertained by those brave enough to take the 72-ounce steak challenge. If the participants finish their steak and accompanying sides, they receive their $72 meal free!
Where One Road Leads
Our Route 66 adventures will continue later through Oklahoma and onto Chicago. To see the road in its entirety during one vacation is a massive undertaking. I recommend, whether traveling Route 66 all at one time or breaking it up into shorter trips, definitely purchase a guide that provides specific details about the route. This will ensure that you don’t miss any of the uniqueness found on the Main Street of America.
Are you interested in vacationing in Williams, Arizona, and visiting Route 66? Check out Trip Advisor for fantastic lodging deals in the area!
Have you ever traveled Route 66? Do you have a story? We would love to hear from you. Please drop us a line in the comment section below.
Interested in other iconic travel destinations? Check out Savannah, Georgia, and Muscle Shoals, Alabama!
