Where to eat, what to see, and where to stay on a perfect Route 66 road trip.
Route 66 doesn’t always surface on Google Maps, but it’s there.
Texas has one, complete with the recreation of a diner serving 20-cent pie.
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Read on for a state-by-state, Chicago-to-L.A. guide for theultimate American road trip.
Illinois
It’s day one: You’re going to need a good breakfast.
From there, it’s just one block to the Historic Route 66 Begin sign.
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Snap a selfie you’re officially on your way.
The 1930s gas station/lunch counter is now a Route 66 icon for its superlative fried chicken.
Look for the restored neon sign so retro you’ll half-expect to see chrome-stripped Bel Airs parked below it.
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Set foot inside the 25-foot-high walls and explore the creepy grounds.
For heartier fare, head to theMaid-Rite Sandwich Shopin Springfield for beef sandwiches and shakes.
If you have it in you, drive on till you see the loomingGateway Archof St. Louis.
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Missouri
Welcome to St. Louis, the Gateway to the West.
Dip intoMeramec Caverns,a dramatic cave complex (and alleged Jesse James hideout) with guided tours.
Stay the night in a tidy stone-and-mortar cottage at the 1930s landmarkWagon Wheel Motel.
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AtTotem Pole Park, gaze up at the world’s largest concrete totem pole.
Texas
The gloriously Art Deco Tower Station and U-Drop Inn Cafe give travelers an old-schoolTexas welcome.
If you missCadillac Ranchon your way out of town, did you even drive Route 66?
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Arizona
Route 66 cuts through the stunning red mesas and the eerie moonscape ofPetrified Forest National Park.
TheRainbow Forest Museumis a starting point for hiking trails to the famous petrified logs.
Drive to theBlue Mesa trailfor a one-mile loop through hilly badlands.
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The kitsch flag soars atWigwam Motel, considered an essential stopover by many road-trippers.
Walk the rim atMeteor Crater Natural Landmarkand see the chilling prehistoric footprint of an asteroid that smashed into Earth.
The glass-bottle “forest"Elmer’s Bottle Tree Ranchis a funky oasis in the dusty wilderness.
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