Places to Stay
The selection of motels/hotels have been organised by state to make the site easier to navigate. Every Route 66 road trip is different and people’s wants and needs vary greatly, so where appropriate I’ve tried to include a variety of different accommodation types: motel and hotel, independent and chain, rural and urban.
For the authentic “Route 66″ feel you’ll probably want to stay in smaller independent motels along the way - these can book up fast during peak seasons so you should definitely try to make a reservation in advance. However, if you don’t want to book accommodation in advance and are happy with simple, homogenous motels, such as Best Western or Super 8, then there are many chains operating along the route that’ll provide a place to rest your head after a long day’s driving. Occasionally you might choose to stay in one of the many large metropolitan areas along the route, and perhaps choose a more luxurious hotel.
Route 66 can be a rich experience, encompassing all from small frontier towns to large cities, and the accommodation you choose will reflect this. A mixture of pre-booked motels and spontaneous stops is probably the best way to ensure you get the most out of your trip. Personally I booked about a third of my accommodation in advance to make sure I got to stay in particular iconic motels - there were some places I just knew I had to see. Other than that I stopped off in a variety of independent/chain motels when I got tired of driving. Finding accommodation along Route 66 is not difficult - the usual chains (Super 8, Motel Six, Comfort Inns, etc…) are conveniently placed so you never feel that might be lost or stuck for the night. I also stayed in some nice city-centre hotels when I wanted to check out one of the large metropolitan areas positioned along Route 66 (Chicago, Oklahoma City, Los Angeles for example).
Whatever approach you choose there’s an adventure just waiting to be had!
Illinois - Missouri - Kansas - Oklahoma - Texas - New Mexico - Arizona - California
