How Do I Find and Stay on Route 66?
Bad news is that you can’t just go to Chicago and follow Route 66 signs westward to California. Since the route was decommissioned in 1985, the signs were removed and the route was removed from official maps. The road is also no longer contiguous as parts of the old Route 66 are now closed, deteriorated, or paved over. Some states have kept the 66 designation for parts of the highway, but only as state roads.
Good news is that as time goes on, more signs are being put up along the route to denote the Historical Route 66 and some maps are including parts of Route 66 as a tourist or scenic highway. However, these sorts of signs and denotations are not consistent along the route, and are sometimes conflicting and confusing, so the best way to find the route and stick to it is with the help of a good guidebook or Route 66 specific map. We highly recommend the EZ66 Guide and some good street maps (see our list of Planning Resources towards the bottom of the post).
For the vehicle, make sure you have a good spare tire (and way to change it), a GPS (optional but recommended), and a good road atlas or set of maps for each state. Remember that Route 66 is probably not going to be marked on your maps or GPS, so you’ll still need to use a guidebook or speciality maps to help direct you. There are Route 66 GPS downloads made by River Pilot that are designed to provide turn-by-turn directions; these are compatible with a limited number of GPS units and have mixed reviews so do some research before ordering. You can order a road atlas or maps before you leave or pick them up along the way as they are readily available for sale in gas stations, convenience stores, and visitor centers.
Route 66 Planning Books & Maps
I’d recommend that all travelers invest in at least one guidebook to help point out and give some background on interesting highlights and attractions along the route. Also since historic Route 66 is not well-marked and is not denoted on a regular map, you’ll also want a guide to help keep you on the route.
Paper maps and road atlases may seem dated to many young travelers, but I would highly recommend having them available even if you plan to primarily navigate using GPS. Given that things change regularly (probably daily) on Route 66, try to buy the most up-to-date guides and maps available. It can be quite disappointing to turn up to eat at a historic restaurant to find out it closed 2 years ago or find your chosen route blocked by a missing bridge.
Then before the journey, we purchased the EZ66 Guide for Travelers, the Route 66 Dining & Lodging Guide, the Route 66 Adventure Handbook, and the Here It Is Route 66 maps. We also took along and picked up an assortment of national, state, and regional maps during our journey. See our suggestions below, ones we personally own and use are marked with an asterisk.
The Illustrated Route 66 Historical Atlas by Jim Hinckley – A illustrated guide to Route 66 that includes lots of historical information, photos, and maps. This is a great read for those looking for pre-planning information or those just wanting to learn more about the route, but probably not the best day-to-day guide during the trip. Jim Hinckley is an expert on the road and has written a number of Route 66 books and reference guides about Route 66
Here It Is! The Route 66 Map Series* – A set of 8 hand-drawn maps of each state along Route 66 that provide both eastbound and westbound directions driving directions and the most popular attractions are listed on the map. We found the maps useful to get a sense of each state, the ordering of the towns and attractions, and for knowing the exit numbers. However we found the driving directions in the EZ66 Guide for Travelers easier to follow. Not essential but very useful. Be sure to get the latest edition!
Once you’ve decided on the destinations you want to visit and where you’re starting and ending your Europe trip, you can determine the best route for your itinerary. Look at a map of Europe to avoid backtracking on your route- it wastes both time and money.
A new consortium of rail operators called RailTeam has published a handy map of high-speed rail lines throughout Europe, which you can see on the left. Click it to make it readable. Be aware that this map does not include the high-speed Eurostar Italia lines in Italy.
Hi, I am looking for an easy app to plot places of interest on a map for an upcoming trip, and then plan a daily itinerary. Would like something that works offline, can add my own restaurant choice (not only from a pre-defined list), and has additional information such as opening hours. I believe there are some that can optimize the itinerary if you add places and plan the day accordingly...but I am happy to plan my own day. Just want all the information handy. Looking at Triphobo, and CityMaps, My Maps in street Maps. Any other ideas? As always, thanks for any input!
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