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Hi, I'm Carolyn.
Travelling R66 in April with my son and hubby and am starting to freak out about the drive. We have 2 weeks to travel so it will be whistle stop.
Thing I'm concerned about the most is finding the start from the airport. Can anyone help?
Whats the point in being grown up if you cant act like a child now and again.
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Evening All.
Glad to have found this site - Loving it !!
We are drving Route 66 next July for the first time and we cannot wait !! Deposit paid and now 17 months to plan :o) Starting In Chicago and doing the full route before heading upto Vegas for our last 3 nights.
So excited !!
Going to settle down and read through more of this site now :o)
Andrea
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I haven't posted in this topic (thread) for a while...so "Welcome to "All Y'all" should cover everybody new.
To Carolyn (Cazza): If you are landing in Chicago...go from O'Hare Airport right to the heart of downtown, known as the "Loop." From the corner of Michigan and Adams Street, not far from Lake Michigan, you take Adams westbound all the way out to Ogden Ave. Adams is a major arterial street (not a freeway). Nearing Ogden, you get in the left lane and make a left turn. Ogden is also a major street--but it goes through some gritty areas until approximately the city of Cicero.
You can rent vehicles AT O'Hare, but downtown parking is of course expensive. Rentals are also available in downtown Chicago.
From the other end, Los Angeles...you'd pretty much have to rent a vehicle at the airport, LAX. The end of Rt 66 is in Santa Monica, some distance north, right at the Santa Monica Pier.
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Hello everybody, My name is Luis and I live in Madrid, Spain.
I rode Route 66 in March 2013 by motorbike and I got trapped by it, so I've decided to drive it again. I'm driving Route 66 again next June. This time we'll drive a part by car and a part by motorbike.
We spent two weeks and we also will spend two weeks this time. I want to prepare better than the first time and visit what I couldn't because the season and the weather and the short days….
I have just discovered this site but I'm sure it will help me a lot.
Best regards.
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Hi ! My name is Vickie. My husband I have been talking about taking a road trip on Route 66 for a couple of years now. We decided this past fall that this would be the year we take The Trip. So now we are in full planning mode. I have started my own blog to chronicle our planning and then our adventure. You are welcome to follow on the blog if you wish. https://wanderings66.weebly.com/
We are planning to take 2 weeks and visit family in Tulsa as well.
Glad to meet each of you! Looking forward to enjoying the posts here on this site.
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frank said
I haven't posted in this topic (thread) for a while...so "Welcome to "All Y'all" should cover everybody new.
To Carolyn (Cazza): If you are landing in Chicago...go from O'Hare Airport right to the heart of downtown, known as the "Loop." From the corner of Michigan and Adams Street, not far from Lake Michigan, you take Adams westbound all the way out to Ogden Ave. Adams is a major arterial street (not a freeway). Nearing Ogden, you get in the left lane and make a left turn. Ogden is also a major street--but it goes through some gritty areas until approximately the city of Cicero.
You can rent vehicles AT O'Hare, but downtown parking is of course expensive. Rentals are also available in downtown Chicago.
From the other end, Los Angeles...you'd pretty much have to rent a vehicle at the airport, LAX. The end of Rt 66 is in Santa Monica, some distance north, right at the Santa Monica Pier.
Thanks Frank, we are actually staying in Chicago for a couple of nights but have to go back to the airport to pick up the jeep (don't ask, hubby booked it and they wont deliver to hotel, grrrr) so I'll have a scout about for these avenues, what do you mean by gritty areas????
Whats the point in being grown up if you cant act like a child now and again.
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Cazza-- I saw your other posting as well, so I realize you have the EZ66 Guide. You might want to check out http://www.transitchicago.com the official website of the mass-transit system. This will explain how to get from O'Hare Airport to downtown. It also has comparisons between mass transit and cabs, etc. You are doing it the RIGHT way, in my opinion, being vehicle-free in downtown Chicago.
Assuming all of you go back to O'Hare, you can simply drive from there South on I-294 (Tri-State Tollway) to I-55 South. Then I-55 South to Exit 269. This will put you on Joliet Road which is also Illinois Hwy 53...the old Route 66. This is still within the "urban sprawl" of Chicago, but approaching Joliet and with patches of open countryside.
The other option is to take your Jeep from O'Hare back to downtown if you want to do Route 66 from beginning to end. Adams and Ogden (described above) ARE Route 66, and do have some "Historic" markers along them. The gritty area is along Ogden, filled with vacant lots, boarded-up or abandoned homes etc. It's okay for daytime travel. Roughly around Cicero Ave. it becomes okay and remains that way heading out.
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Hello Lisa, Carolyn, Andrea, Luis and Vickie! 
Welcome to the site, I hope it helps to make planning your trip a lot of fun. There are plenty of recommended motels and attractions on the site, and all have been suggested by users. Please use the forum to ask any questions, and feel free to comment on any individual recommendations on the relevant page.
Enjoy! Steve
Set up the Driving Route 66 website in 2010 following the best road trip experience in 2007.
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frank said
Cazza-- I saw your other posting as well, so I realize you have the EZ66 Guide. You might want to check out http://www.transitchicago.com the official website of the mass-transit system. This will explain how to get from O'Hare Airport to downtown. It also has comparisons between mass transit and cabs, etc. You are doing it the RIGHT way, in my opinion, being vehicle-free in downtown Chicago.
Assuming all of you go back to O'Hare, you can simply drive from there South on I-294 (Tri-State Tollway) to I-55 South. Then I-55 South to Exit 269. This will put you on Joliet Road which is also Illinois Hwy 53...the old Route 66. This is still within the "urban sprawl" of Chicago, but approaching Joliet and with patches of open countryside.
The other option is to take your Jeep from O'Hare back to downtown if you want to do Route 66 from beginning to end. Adams and Ogden (described above) ARE Route 66, and do have some "Historic" markers along them. The gritty area is along Ogden, filled with vacant lots, boarded-up or abandoned homes etc. It's okay for daytime travel. Roughly around Cicero Ave. it becomes okay and remains that way heading out.
Thanks Frank.
We'll be starting our journey west from the airport. If we put Cicero into the sat nav, should we find R66 that way?
I'll have a look at the link above too.
This site is brilliant.....don't think we'll have enough time to see everything. I think our first port of call is the Polka Dot Café, hopefully arrive there around lunchtime. 
Whats the point in being grown up if you cant act like a child now and again.
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Cazza-- Let me consolidate everything here. You asked some related questions elsewhere.
http://www.transitchicago.com (mentioned above) has price and time factors for the various options. Cabs are faster than mass-transit, but MUCH more expensive.
Adams and Ogden are major SURFACE streets. They are not part of the freeway (or tollway) system. Actually, from downtown Chicago the directions are very simple. Take Adams westbound (it goes straight) and make a left turn onto Ogden, then continue Ogden until you leave Chicago.
The big draws of Chicago for most people are all downtown. You will already have experienced that vehicle-free (a good thing). You need to decide whether you want to bother returning to downtown in the Jeep, to do the entire Rt 66 trip beginning to end. If not, you can simply travel from O'Hare as I outlined above, missing all the gritty stuff on Ogden, plus some nicer suburbs like Cicero, Lyons etc. This will put you almost to Joliet. (This is what I would do in your situation.)
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hi joe here myself and my wife are hoping to do 66 next year early stages of planning don't have a clue hope I can use your knowledge in getting us there whats the best time of year to go best place to start places to stay and the like cheers
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joelark said
hi joe here myself and my wife are hoping to do 66 next year early stages of planning don't have a clue hope I can use your knowledge in getting us there whats the best time of year to go best place to start places to stay and the like cheers
Hi Joe, I hope you find the site useful - feel free to browse the site and ask questions
Set up the Driving Route 66 website in 2010 following the best road trip experience in 2007.
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joelark said
hi joe here myself and my wife are hoping to do 66 next year early stages of planning don't have a clue hope I can use your knowledge in getting us there whats the best time of year to go best place to start places to stay and the like cheers
You'll find answers to all of your questions on the website.
Personally, I think going in the summer is the best time. If you're British, then you'll appreciate the summer heat (or find it intolerable - I guess it depends on your outlook!).
There are lots of great recommendations for places to stay on this website. My personal favourite is the Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba. Another classic is the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari.
--- Drove Route 66 in August 2012 ---
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Hello to all my name is lee and my partner is lauren.
Me and my amazing fiance are just starting our rt66 story she has suprised me with a trip from chicargo to LA for my 30th in july were gona be doing the full route in a hired dodge charger and stopping off crandcanion and vegas on route we have 11 stops in total all preorganised motels some with breakfast.
We have 14 days from when we land till we have to leave again and plan on packing in as much as possible in to this relativly short time when you consider just how much there is to see.
ive been reading through this site over the last week with much inthusiasm as im sure you can imagin since she told me about it I have been bouncong off the walls like a kid at christmas and I dont think there is a single person left in my home town of telford in the uk that hasnt heard first hand from me about the love of my life suprising me with such an awesome gift.
After reading through im so glad we have a car with air con as mid july will probebly make us melt as were used to far grayer and cool weather hear in the middlands.
Just wanted to say this site is a great source of info and is a credit to its creator. No doubt you will be seeing lots of posts from us as we have so many questions to ask.
Thanks in advance
Lee and Lauren.
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Hello from Germany
Just discovered your facebook page and went on to your website. A great effort which will be helpful for many 66 roadies. Keep on assembling informations of sights, motels etc along the Mother Road. We travelled Route 66 last October, but the "western part" only, that is between Amarillo and LA. As we are photographers (not our main job), we loved to take pics of the many landmarks along the road. It was great fun to find the more "hidden" things and remains. And we liked the motel signs and neons very much.
One recommendation from us: Stacey and Allen will reopen the Frontier Motel in Truxton, Az. in summer. Planned date is July. Certainly an interesting overnight stop for 66 travellers. Maybe you can include it in your list of Arizona accomodations. If you need pictures let us know. Or check with our facebook gallery 66: https://www.facebook.com/Klink.....hotography
We will soon be back to travel the eastern part from Chicago to Texas and look forward to it.
Greetings and success with your website
Ellen and Udo
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Hi all my name is Jewlz and I am 38 from perth Western Australia . I have to say that I just found this website in time and so. Far it has been a wealth of knowledge and information. I have just started planning my mother road trip and am so excited. I plan on taking 8 weeks off in October and November 2015 and completing this long awaited trip. I will be spending some time in New York, then Niagara Falls first and then staring my lifetime journey. I am looking forward to getting all your opinions and input. I can't wait to start discussing it with you all.
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Hi all, a quick hello from Suffolk in England, I am planning a Route 66 trip for my 50 th birthday in sept 2015, as an avid American car nut I am having real trouble in getting anything interesting to rent out, like a mustang,challenger, camero or possibly a full size pickup, I am hoping that someone out there can help with this, as doing Route 66 in a Hyundai or Nissan is not what I want!, I'm looking forward to exploring the website in full and getting to hear from some of you!
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Hi folks! Looking into doing this trip for my husband's 40th (which is actually this year, but we can't go til next year!!)
Just found it through another forum so looking forward to reading up and getting lots of advice!!
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Hi, making contact from New Zealand. My missus and I will be travelling Route 66 Sept/Oct this year and really looking forward to it. Glad to have found this site. Thanks for all the info.
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Hello all! Adam here. I go by Irish most the time though. I live in Iowa and I'm planning on riding Rt. 66 this summer. I ride a 1996 Moto Guzzi California 1100 and that is the bike I plan on riding. I am a disabled Army vet and the father of three sons and I have been married to my H.S. sweetheart for 16 years. I am looking for advice and suggestions to make the most of my trip.
Thanks!
