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Hi all!
My name is Becky and I'm from London, looking to start planning a Route 66 trip of a lifetime with my sister for Aug/Sept next year.
I have spoken to a lot of people and researched a lot online but have now ended up more confused then when I started! We are looking to drive the route in around 3 weeks, giving us enough time to see the sights and not have to rush to get back home to the wet and windy weather of the UK!
I've researched the main route we'd be taking but wanted to know what the mileage (people who have or who are planning to) to drive per day? I'd like to book all of our accommodation online before the trip so less for us to worry about and more time for having fun. As i'd be the only one driving, I wanted to get a rough plan down of how many times we'd need to stop for petrol/rest so I could then research more of things to do and see.
Any information to start us off would be greatly appreciated!
Many thanks
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I can't help, but i'm experiencing the same thing, so I'm only commenting to let you know you're not on your own. Looking forward to other replies 🙂
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Hi. I'm planning on doing 66 June/July next year with my son. I rode 66 in 04 on a motorcycle with a motorcycle rally. We covered the 2,500mls (approx) in seven days. That is averaging 400mls per day and it was to much. If you pre book your accomadation you will find yourself with a schedule that will dictate your pace. I found mysel riding to Flagstaff late evening in the dark with night anmials coming onto the road, because a motel had been pre booked and paid for. Be flexiable in your planning. That way you will have more freedom. If you travel the old road which can be found by following the signs for historic route 66, in places it's on signs on the road surface, you will be traveling on a two lane roads most of the way, it's not worth traveling the interstate and coming off to view places of interest, as you will miss a lot of things. There are attractions that may be 20mls off the route which are of intrest. To get to the Grand Canyon you used to go by road from Kingman, from memory it's 2hr from the main route. (a new road may have been constructed in the last 13yrs though) In the Mojav the old road go's through the mountains and through a town called Oatman. That's an intresting place. There are so many things to talk about and no doubt a lot more has opened up since I did it. In places the road is miles of desert.
Our dilema is wether to do it on motorcycles or in a car, a lot of time befor a decision needs to be made.
The old map series sold on this site gives an insight into the old road. There is also a CD called Route 66, all the way from Chicago to LA with Graham Swain, if it's still available.
I hope this has been of help to you.
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Hiya, I've just got back from our honeymoon on Route66. What an amazing trip.
We drove, West to East, in a Dodge Journey we hired through rentalcars.com.
We pre booked some accommodation, and reserved others whilst out there. While it can dictate your schedule, I'd rathervthst than be looking for accommodation at dusk, hungry and tired, and end up in s he'll hole with dead bugs on the carpet (happened to us!)
Get yourself the EZ66 book for ideas on things you might want to see, and for driving directions out there. We downloaded offline Google maps on our phones which you can use when there's no reception to check you're on the right track.
We drove approx 250 miles a day. Don't worry about factoring in gas or rest breaks. Driving in the US is easy, less tiring and you won't be driving for hours on end with no breaks. There are plenty of gas stations, just fill up whenever your half empty.
Don't stress about planning things, once you get on the road it will all fall into place.
It's such a relaxing trip, that said we skipped the cities such as St Louis, Alberquque and did the Santa Fe loop instead. We much preferred the small towns, Cuba Missouri, El Reno, Seligman and Carlinville.
Have fun, ask me any questions you need
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Hi Becky,
Maureen from Paddington here. I did the route for my honeymoon in Aug/Sept 2016 in three weeks. We did it on a motorcycle which proved a bit hair raising on the gravelly bits of the route. We also found that roads stopped without warning and some directions lead you onto the interstate where you can see the old route running parallel but you can't get on it.
We rode or aimed to ride about 2/3 hours per day but you plan the sights/restaurants you want to see and incorporate them in so you aren't just riding then stopping. I am a proper whuss and was terrified about not booking before we left but luckily my husband persuaded me to book the first and last so Chicago and L.A and then I used the EZ guide to dinning and lodging and we booked the day before by phoning and/or online, actually most a couple of hours before as we definitely knew we would be arriving at that point.
You may miss the iconic places like the Wig Wam Motel but take a leap of faith.
As for gas, miles for the route and so on totes echo what natthecat has written so wont repeat it.
We are trying really hard to pay off the last trip in order to do it again and see the places that were closed on that day or we missed due to weather, a breakdown or twatty here forgetting her purse on the pool table in The Enchanted Trails Park (we stayed in a vintage airstream called Josephine) in Albuquerque and didn't realise till we got to Gallup 300 miles down the road in the worst cross wind ever!!!!!
Bloomin ell, I am so envious. Enjoy.... you must visit The Launch Pad in Wilmington Illinois as it has just been bought and they are doing it up with a pop up in the car park bit and post here to let me know what it is like. We peered in through the window like sad saps but took photos with the Astronaut muffler man the Gemini Giant.
