Route 66 Top Ten Attractions

State-by-State List

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Our State by State "Top Ten" U.S. Route 66's best stops, attractions, and sights webpage.

Arizona - Top Ten Spots

California ¦ Arizona ¦ New Mexico ¦ Texas ¦ Oklahoma ¦Kansas ¦ Missouri ¦ Illinois

Arizona has plenty of classic Route 66 motels, gas stations, and trading posts; and the bonus of some of its most stunning natural landmarks such as the Grand Canyon, the Petrified Forest National Park, or the Meteor Crater at Barringer.

Our "Top-Ten Route 66 sights" in Arizona are:

Jack Rabbit Trading Post

Twin Arrows, Route 66, Arizona

Route 66's Top Ten in Arizona

1. Barringer Crater (Barringer Crater)
2. Historic Wigwam Motel (Holbrook)
3. Twin Arrows Trading Post (Twin Arrows)
4. Town of Oatman
5. Petrified Forest National Park (Holbrook)
6. Grand Canyon National Park (Williams & Flagstaff)
7. Hackberry Store (Hackberry)
8. the Jack Rabbit Trading Post (Joseph City)
9. Rainbow Rock Shop (Holbrook)
10. Standing on a Corner in Winslow Arizona

Map of Route 66 in Arizona

> > See our Route 66 Map in Arizona

Bonus: Historic downtown and Urban Route 66 in Williams and Seligman, the birthplace of Historic Route 66.

Yes, to be fair, we must admit that the Grand Canyon is not located on Route 66, but it would be a shame to be so close to it and not visit it. It is only 59 miles north of Williams, AZ, a one-hour drive.

More "Top 10" Route 66 Sights

California's Top 10 US 66 sights

California ¦ Arizona ¦ New Mexico ¦ Texas ¦ Oklahoma ¦Kansas ¦ Missouri ¦ Illinois

In California Route 66 crosses the Mojave Desert, the San Andreas Fault, and Hollywood; it reaches the sandy beaches of sun-kissed California on the Pacific Ocean. It is the "End of the Road".

Roy's Cafe & Motel, Amboy, California
Photographers nature

The Top-Ten of Route 66 in California

1. El Garces (Needles)
2. Wigwam Village #7 (San Bernardino)
3. Santa Monica Pier (Santa Monica)
4. Bagdad Cafe (Newberry Springs)
5. Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch (Helendale)
6. Aztec Hotel (Monrovia)
7. Cucamonga Richfield Service Station (1915)
8. Roy's Cafe and Motel (Amboy)
9. Broadway Theater and Commercial District (Los Angeles)
10. El Rancho motel (Barstow)

Illinois Top Ten Stops

California ¦ Arizona ¦ New Mexico ¦ Texas ¦ Oklahoma ¦Kansas ¦ Missouri ¦ Illinois

Route 66 starts in the "Windy City" of Chicago on the shores of Lake Michigan and winds its way across "The Land of Lincoln" to the Mississippi River with many interesting sights along the way.

Our choices for the Top 10 Route 66 attractions in Illinois are these:

Mural in Pontiac, Illinois. Ivo Shandor

Illinois Ten Don't Miss Attractions

1. Route 66 starting & ending point signs (Chicago)
2. Ambler's Texaco Gas Station (Dwight) Historic Site
3. Historic Standard Oil Gasoline Station (Odell) Historic Site
4. Murals in "Mural City" (Pontiac)
5. Sprague's Super Service (Normal) Historic Site
6. Ariston Café (Litchfield) Historic Site
7. Lauterbach Muffler Man (Springfield)
8. Soulsby’s Shell Service Station (Mt. Olive) Historic Site
9. Historical Chain of Rocks Bridge (Madison) Historic Site
10. Historic Largest Catsup Bottle in the World (Collinsville)

Four extra Bonus attractions in Illinois:

1. The Guinness World Record World’s Largest Covered Wagon in Lincoln.
2. The Gemini Giant (Wilmington)
3. Historic Brick Road (Auburn)
4. Route 66 Girard to Nilwood (Nilwood)

Kansas Route 66 Top Attractions

California ¦ Arizona ¦ New Mexico ¦ Texas ¦ Oklahoma ¦ Kansas ¦ Missouri ¦ Illinois

Read all about the things to see and do on Route 66 in Kansas.

Independent Oil & Gas Service Station. Kevin

Kansas and its Top Ten Route 66 sights

1. Kan-O-Tex (Galena)
2. Independent Oil & Gas (Baxter Springs) Historic Site
3. National Cemetery (Baxter Springs)
4. Williams Store - Eisler Brothers Old Riverton Store (Riverton) Historic Site
   The oldest continuously operating store on Route 66
5. Historic Rainbow Bridge (Riverton) Historic Site
6. Fort Baxter site (Baxter Springs) Civil War battleground
7. Galena Historic District (Galena) Historic Site
8. The shortest alignment of Route 66 (13 miles in Kansas)
9. Cafe on Route 66 (Baxter Springs)
10. Litch Historical and Mining Museum (Galena)

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Missouri - Best Route 66 sights

California ¦ Arizona ¦ New Mexico ¦ Texas ¦ Oklahoma ¦ Kansas ¦ Missouri ¦ Illinois

From St. Louis to Joplin, the Mother Road goes through many towns with plenty of interesting Route 66 classic icons. Below is the list of those who made it to our Top Ten attractions.

The Top 10 icons in Missouri

66 Drive-In Theatre, US 66, Carthage MO

1. The World's (second) Largest Rocking Chair (Fanning)
2. Meramec River US 66 Bridge (Eureka) Historic Site
3. Big Chief Hotel (Wildwood) Historic Site
4. Red Cedar Inn (Pacific) Historic Site
5. Wagon Wheel Motel, Cafe and Gas Station (Cuba) Historic Site
6. Historic Rock Fountain Tourist Court Motel (Springfield) Historic Site
7. 66 drive-in theater (Carthage) Historic Site
8. Circle Inn Malt Shop (Bourbon).
9. Munger Moss Motel (Lebanon).
10. Gillioz Theatre (Springfield) Historic Site

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New Mexico & its Route 66 Top-Ten

California ¦ Arizona ¦ New Mexico ¦ Texas ¦ Oklahoma ¦ Kansas ¦ Missouri ¦ Illinois

Visit our New Mexico Route 66 webpage for full details on Route 66 in NM.

Our List with the Top Ten Attractions on US 66 in NM

Historic Place: Oldest Church in the US, San Miguel Mission, Santa Fe. A. Whittall

1. Saint Joseph Church (Laguna Pueblo) Historic Site
2. San Miguel Mission oldest church in the U.S. (Santa Fe) Historic Site
3. Blue Swallow Motel (Tucumcari) Historic Site
4. De Anza Motor Lodge (Albuquerque) Historic Site
5. Kimo Theater (Albuquerque) Historic Site
6. Acoma Curio Shop (San Fidel) Historic Site
7. Barrio De Analco (Santa Fe) Historic Site
8. Whiting Brothers Service Station (Moriarty)
9. Ruins of the Whiting Bros. Gas Station (San Fidel)
10. Roy T. Herman's Garage and Service Station (Thoreau) Historic Site

Bonus Sights

Don't miss these two Bonus New Mexico attractions: the Red Top Valentine Diner (Edgewood) and the Musical Highway (Carnuel)

Bar in Suwanee. A. Whittall

Clines Corners Sign, Alan Levine

Credits

Banner image: Hackberry General Store, Hackberry, Arizona by Perla Eichenblat.

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