The Mother Road. The Main Street of America. The Will Rogers Highway. No matter what you call it, Route 66 is called number one on many bucket lists around the USA and the world.
But why exactly has this decommissioned old highway garnered such affection? Well, I’ve given it a lot of thought since we took our first Route 66 road trip, and I think I now know what it is: the retro appeal. You see, people who ride Route 66 are looking for both a physical trip but also a spin in a time machine, and while you can take road trips anywhere, you can’t get as much nostalgic Americana anywhere than on Route 66.
As a result, my number one tip for those taking a Route 66 road trip is to really seek out the retro sights along the way, and the following are five of my most favorite retro Route 66 sights.
The Delicious Diners & Drive-Ins
Is there anything more retro Route 66 than a drive-in restaurant? Not a chance. These restaurants are the essence of car and motorcycle culture, and plenty of them are still open – and doing a roaring trade I might add. A couple of the most famous like Carl’s Drive-In in St. Louis and Waylan’s Ku Ku Burger in Miami, Oklahoma no longer have curbside service, but I can personally vouch that they do still stock their thin and delicious old-school burgers. For the full drive-in experience though, try Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In, where you can stay in the comfort of your car and served up a tasty burger and shake.
Diners with shiny counters, checkerboard floors, and neon jukeboxes are also still popular along the route as well, and no trip is complete with a dinner or lunch at one of them, either.
Photo credit: Haydn Blackley
The Retro Roadhouses
The adult cousin of both the drive-in and the diner, roadhouse bars were roadside watering holes that that offered a no-frills experience to Route 66 travelers craving a cold drinks and a place to meet up with fellow travelers.
Many roadhouse bars survive in modern times as popular hangouts for motorcycle riders, and you could be forgiven for mistaking places like the Golden Light in Amarillo and the Museum Club in Flagstaff for a motorcyle parts store on three-day weekends. Expect good music and friendly faces.
The Fantastic Filling Stations
While the thousands of cars and motorcycles making the journey on Route 66 each and every day were of all shapes and sizes, they all needed to stop for fuel and parts. To service them, a fleet of gas stations on Route 66 popped up, and while many have been lost to time, some of the best still stand. Two of the finest examples are Lucille’s in Hydro, Oklahoma and the Tower Station and U Drop Inn in Shamrock, Texas.
Lucille was a legendary Route 66 character who was nicknamed the ‘Mother of the Mother Road’, and was famous for chatting with passing motorists . Her station is closed, but the antique pumps still preside over the Oklahoma plains.
In Shamrock, Texas, you will find the Art Deco gem that is the Tower Station and U Drop Inn Cafe, that truly takes you back in time and is listed as a National Historic Site. Here, after miles of desolation, you could get your hands on the best pirelli tires for motorcycles, new windshield wipers, or just enjoy a great cup of coffee.
Photo credit: Ethan Kan
The Terrific Trading Posts
In the old days, gas stations didn’t stock the hundreds of products they do now, so you had to stop at a trading post to pick up a kitschy souvenir or Native American-inspired artifact. Many of these places survive today, and a stop at one like Jackrabbit Trading Post in Joseph, AZ, a retro Route 66 must-do.
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