Planning a Route 66 road trip? I mean, if you don’t post any photos to Instagram, did you even drive the Mother Road? I’m just kidding! But, I did recently see that Hertz surveyed 2,000 Brits who said that Route 66 is the most Instagrammable Road Trip in the world and then I took a look at my Instagram feed and I’ve posted over 82 (!!!) photos from our Route 66 road trip! So yeah, they might be right! I don’t think I’ve even posted that many photos of my twin babies yet! (At the time of this writing, I’ve only shared 56 photos of them including my baby bump shots! Ha!) So, I’m sharing 21 of the Best Instagrammable Stops Along Route 66.
Here are my most insta-worthy stops along Route 66! They are NOT in order of my favorites ( which are basically everything from the little town of Tucumcari, New Mexico from which I think I shared a grand total of 8 photos), but rather they go in order in a Chicago to Los Angeles directional route.
Various Muffler Men
There are so many cool Muffler Men along Route 66, but right away on Day 1 out of Chicago, you hit two awesome Muffler Men, including this one, the Gemini Giant! Personal fun fact: back when my husband and I worked together (and we were just friends), we bonded over our mutual love for Muffler Men because there was one just around the corner from our office.
Want to see more? Here’s the link to Day One of our Route 66 Road Trip from Chicago to Springfield, Illinois.
Route 66 Drive-In in Carthage, Missouri
My husband had never been to a movie at a drive-in theater before and then he hit the jackpot by having his first drive-in movie experience at the Route 66 Drive-in in Carthage, Missouri! I made sure to plan the trip so we could stop in Carthage overnight and go see a movie. The place is super photogenic with the awesome huge hand-painted sign, not to mention the rainbow neon sign announcing the movies, and (not shown) an adorable little ticket booth!
Here’s the link to the in-depth blog post from Day 4 of our Route 66 Road Trip.
The Blue Whale of Catoosa in, you guessed it, Catoosa, Oklahoma
The Blue Whale of Catoosa is such an iconic Route 66 attraction. When planning the drive, I made sure we were driving through Catoosa during the day so we could stop and see the Blue Whale. Unfortunately, the weather was a little grey, but I still loved seeing this blue lady!
Here’s the link to the in-depth blog post from Day 5 of our Route 66 Road Trip.
U-Drop Inn in Shamrock, Texas
Ok, first of all, Shamrock is such a tiny, weird town, but thank god they’ve preserved this gorgeous old gas station/restaurant AND they light it up at night! As I noted in my Instagram post, the U Drop Inn also served as inspiration for Ramones Auto Body in the Disney movie Cars.
Here’s the link to the in-depth blog post from Day 6 of our Route 66 Road Trip.
Slug Bug Ranch in Conway, Texas
I don’t think I was prepared for Slug Bug Ranch like I was prepared for Cadillac Ranch. Obviously, it’s a parody of the iconic Cadillac Ranch. We didn’t even spray paint any of the cars. It was also a little bit shady and I didn’t know if someone was living in the building.
Here’s the link to the in-depth blog post from Day 7 of our Route 66 Road Trip.
The Big Texan in Amarillo, Texas
Oh, The Big Texan! This is a spot for a good Instagram Story if you decide to participate in the 72 oz. Steak Dinner Challenge! I say you do it!
Here’s the link to the in-depth blog post from Day 7 of our Route 66 Road Trip including some photos of a poor tourist attempting the 72 oz Steak Dinner Challenge.
Cadillac Ranch just outside Amarillo, Texas
As I pointed out in my above Instagram caption, funny story: as we were driving away, I looked up the Cadillac Ranch Wikipedia page to learn more about it and the artists who did it and discovered that one of my old film professors from UC Santa Cruz college was part of the art collective who made it. He definitely didn’t put off “cool back-in-the-day when I was burying and spray painting cars out in the desert” vibes.
Here’s the link to the in-depth blog post from Day 8 of our Route 66 Road Trip.
Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas
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Halfway between Chicago and LA on Route 66. #route66 #roadtrip #skeelo #iwishiwasalittlebittaller
This is my favorite photo from our Route 66 trip. The sign has a little camera holder set up across from it so you can take a self-timer image (yes, because we took our road trip in a time before selfie sticks) and my husband suggested that we stand up on the bench behind the sign for the photo. I agreed, he stood up behind the sign while I set up my camera with the self-timer, then I quickly ran and climbed up behind the sign. Yeah. I also made him take another with both of us beside the sign, but this one is truly my favorite of the entire trip. Also, the cafe has delicious pies! Stop for a bite!
Here’s the link to the in-depth blog post from Day 8 of our Route 66 Road Trip.
The entire town of Tucumcari, New Mexico
Get ready. I’ve shared over 8 photos from Tucumcari on Instagram. I loved this little town!
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I would totally love to go back to Tucumcari one day. If you love vintage neon signs and want to do just a little bit of Route 66, this is the place to visit!
Here’s the link to the in-depth blog post dedicated to our day spent in Tucumcari, New Mexico along with a billion more photos of more vintage signs!
Vintage signs in Santa Rosa, New Mexico
New Mexico might be my favorite state along Route 66. I just loved the desert vibes, all the old neon signs, and all the kitsch!
Here’s the link to the in-depth blog post from Day 9 of our Route 66 Road Trip and more vintage neon signs from Santa Rosa, New Mexico.
Vintage signs in Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Westward Ho! #route66 #route66 #albuquerque #signgeeks #signswithpowerlines
Again, New Mexico is a hot bed for vintage neon signs! Thanks again to my husband who drove me around, pulled over to the side of the road, and let me jump out every 2 miles. Another great spot for Instagram Stories is The Dog House for a video of the moving weiner dog neon sign.
Here’s the link to the in-depth blog post from Day 9 of our Route 66 Road Trip and more vintage neon signs from Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Vintage Signs and Hotel El Rancho in Gallup, New Mexico
I can’t recommend a stay at the El Rancho Hotel, but I definitely recommend stopping by for the ‘gram.
Here’s the link to the in-depth blog post from Day 11 of our Route 66 Road Trip and more about why I can’t recommend the El Rancho Hotel.
The Painted Desert and Petrified Forest
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This place is just magical. I didn’t know what to expect and it totally blew any expectations I had away.
Here’s the link to the in-depth blog post from Day 12 of our Route 66 Road Trip.
Vintage Signs in Holbrook, Arizona
I went to Holbrook for the wigwam motel, but I loved other parts of it as well!
Here’s the link to the in-depth blog post from Day 12 of our Route 66 Road Trip.
Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona
Have you slept in a Wigwam lately? I loved this place! Also, if you’re only going to stay in one of the two Wigwam Motels (the other is in Rialto, CA), I recommend this one.
Here’s the link to the in-depth blog post from Day 12 of our Route 66 Road Trip.
The “Here It Is” Sign at the Jack Rabbit Trading Post in Joseph City, Arizona
My one and only fight with my husband along our Route 66 road trip was when we were taking photos with this sign. He’s not a good Instagram Husband and after checking out the photos, I decided I wanted to change my shirt and retake them. He did not like this idea (because he was hungry), so we hit the road and I was disappointed. 15 minutes later, he agreed to some life-saving McDonald’s fries, a wardrobe change, and going back to retake the photos.
Here’s the link to the in-depth blog post from Day 13 of our Route 66 Road Trip.
Various Trading Posts in Arizona
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Catch some daydreams at the World’s Largest Dreamcatcher. #route66 #roadtrip #dreamcatcher
There are countless random stops and sights along the Mother Road, but my favorites were the ones in the desert! I can’t say for sure that any of these spots will still be there – they deteriorate fast along the Mother Road, but there’s always something dilapidating along the side of the road.
Here’s the link to the in-depth blog post from Day 13 of our Route 66 Road Trip.
Donkeys in Oatman, Arizona
This stop is probably also great for Instagram Stories! Get some donkey food (available at several locations in town) and video yourself feeding the wild donkeys!
Here’s the link to the in-depth blog post from Day 15 of our Route 66 Road Trip.
Roy’s in Amboy, California
Roy’s is so awesome. It’s just a magnificent piece of mid-century architecture and gorgeous signage in the middle of nowhere!
Here’s the link to the in-depth blog post from Day 15 of our Route 66 Road Trip.
Fair Oak Pharmacy and Soda Fountain in South Pasadena, California
Coming soon. I mean, I live here. Why don’t I have a good shot of this place yet?
The End of the Trail in Santa Monica, California
Coming soon. Can you believe we never finished the trip by going to get that iconic “End of the Trail” shot at the Santa Monica Pier? We finished our road trip on a Saturday and the beach was packed and I think we were road weary and just wanted to get home and settled back into our route.
Honorable Mention: Delgado’s Snow Cap Drive-In in Seligman, Arizona. I think the town of Seligman is Instagram-worthy, but I don’t think I got any really good shots of the town, so I never shared it. But, here’s the link to the in-depth blog post from Day 14 of our Route 66 Road Trip which has some shots of Delgado’s Snow Cap Drive-In so you can see for yourself.
Are you planning a Route 66 road trip? Which spot are you most excited about stopping at and exploring? Please, let me know in a comment below. Or if you have any questions, ask away and I’ll do my best to answer them!