The legendary 1926 road, from Chicago to Santa Monica Pier: eight states, the museums and signs of the 66, and its original stretches running alongside the Interstate. You follow it in 18 days, one way, with Petrified Forest, the Grand Canyon and the Oatman pass along the way, in its centennial year.
| Days | Stop | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 2 | Chicago | Start |
| Day 3 | Springfield (Illinois) | 334 km · 4h15 |
| Days 4 to 5 | St. Louis | 161 km · 2h05 |
| Day 6 | Springfield (Missouri) | 351 km · 4h15 |
| Day 7 | Tulsa | 306 km · 3h45 |
| Day 8 | Oklahoma City | 183 km · 2h10 |
| Day 9 | Amarillo | 417 km · 4h30 |
| Days 10 to 11 | Albuquerque | 461 km · 4h55 |
| Day 12 | Holbrook | 413 km · 4h50 |
| Days 13 to 14 | Williams (Grand Canyon) | 218 km · 2h45 |
| Day 15 | Needles | 324 km · 4h30 |
| Days 16 to 17 | Santa Monica | 438 km · 5h |
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
May to June and September to mid-October. In July and August, Needles and the Mojave often top 43°C in the afternoon; in late spring, storms and tornadoes on the Plains; in winter, frequent snow in Williams (2,100 m).
🚗 334 km · 4h15 of driving from Chicago
The I-55 south-west, which runs alongside the old 66: exit at Wilmington and then at Pontiac to drive the original road.
🚗 161 km · 2h05 of driving from Springfield
The I-55 to Collinsville, then the Mississippi. The old Route 66 bridge, Chain of Rocks, is reserved for pedestrians and cyclists.
🚗 351 km · 4h15 of driving from St. Louis
The I-44 through the Ozarks, which follows the old 66: exits at Stanton, Cuba and Devils Elbow.
🚗 306 km · 3h45 of driving from Springfield
Via Joplin and the 13 miles of the 66 in Kansas, then the Will Rogers Turnpike (I-44), a cashless toll billed by number plate.
🚗 183 km · 2h10 of driving from Tulsa
The Turner Turnpike (I-44), tolled by number plate, then historic 66 to Arcadia. The toll-free state 66 goes via Sapulpa and Chandler.
🚗 417 km · 4h30 of driving from Oklahoma City
The I-40 across western Oklahoma, via Clinton and Elk City, then Shamrock in Texas: long straight roads across the Plains.
🚗 461 km · 4h55 of driving from Amarillo
The I-40 via Adrian, Tucumcari and Santa Rosa. On entering New Mexico, clocks go back one hour.
🚗 413 km · 4h50 of driving from Albuquerque
The I-40 via Gallup, then the 28 miles through Petrified Forest park, exit 311, to Highway 180. In summer, Arizona is one hour behind.
🚗 218 km · 2h45 of driving from Holbrook
The I-40 via Winslow, Meteor Crater and Flagstaff. Williams is at 2,100 m: frequent snow in winter.
🚗 324 km · 4h30 of driving from Williams
The I-40 to Seligman, the original 66 via Peach Springs to Kingman, then Sitgreaves Pass and Oatman, through hairpin bends.
🚗 438 km · 5h of driving from Needles
The I-40 through the Mojave to Barstow, the I-15 over the Cajon Pass, then the I-10. The longest stage: leave early, traffic jams in Los Angeles.
In 10 days, keep the western half, the most spectacular: from Albuquerque to Santa Monica via Petrified Forest, Williams, the Grand Canyon and Oatman (8 nights). Or do the eastern half, from Chicago to Oklahoma City, in eight days, flying back.
| Car, Chicago, January | ≈ $38 a day (€33) |
|---|---|
| Car, Chicago, July | ≈ $76 a day (€67) |
| SUV, Chicago | ≈ $66 a day (€58) |
| Yearly average, Chicago | ≈ $49 a day (€43) |
| Vehicle | Intermediate saloon or SUV: everything is paved, a 4x4 is pointless. |
|---|---|
| Where to pick it up | O'Hare Airport (ORD) or downtown Chicago, dropped off in Los Angeles (LAX): one way. |
| One-way fee | A one-way hire usually carries a surcharge, which varies widely between companies: compare the total price. |
| Electronic tolls | Ask for the rental company's toll package: the Oklahoma turnpikes no longer have toll booths. |
| Insurance | Take LDW or CDW (damage to the vehicle) and extra liability cover (LIS or SLI). |
| Age | 21 at Enterprise, 20 at Hertz; surcharge of about $25 a day under 25. |
| Licence and card | Hertz requires a licence held for more than a year and a card in the driver's name, preferably a credit card. |
| Prices collected | Kayak averages in Chicago, September 2026, excluding one-way fees and insurance. |
⚠️ One-way fees for a Chicago-Los Angeles hire vary widely from one company to another: compare the total price, not the daily rate.
For a tourist stay under ESTA. An International Driving Permit is strongly recommended; apply for it in the country that issued your licence, well before departure.
As in mainland Europe. Automatic gearbox on almost all hire cars.
70 mph in Illinois and California, 75 elsewhere, 80 on some sections in Oklahoma and Texas.
0.08% in all eight states, zero tolerance under 21. Any open bottle goes in the boot.
Will Rogers and Turner Turnpikes: $10.50 each without a tag, recharged by the rental company.
Come to a complete stop and give way to pedestrians, unless there is a NO TURN ON RED sign. Never on a red arrow.
When every approach has a stop sign; if vehicles arrive at the same time, the one on the right goes first.
As long as its red lights are flashing, except on a divided highway.
Hand-held phones banned in Illinois, Missouri, Arizona and California; texting while driving banned in all eight states.
Clocks go back one hour in New Mexico; Arizona does not change its clocks in summer.
Needles often tops 43°C in the afternoon in July and August. If you break down, stay with the car.
≈ €0.92 to €1.44 a litre depending on the state ($3.96 to $6.24 a gallon, AAA, 24 September 2026)
Price recorded in September 2026: it changes every week, sometimes by 10 to 20 cents in a month. Today's price: AAA Gas Prices →
⛽ 3,606 km at 7 l per 100 km: about €360 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
Texas and Oklahoma are the cheapest, California the most expensive: fill up in Arizona. With a non-US card, pay at the till.
| Motorways | Toll-free, except the Oklahoma turnpikes |
|---|---|
| Will Rogers Turnpike (Joplin-Tulsa) | $5.40 with a tag, $10.50 by number plate |
| Turner Turnpike (Tulsa-Oklahoma City) | $5.40 with a tag, $10.50 by number plate |
| Grand Canyon | $35 per vehicle plus $100 per non-resident aged 16 and over |
| Petrified Forest | $25 per vehicle for 7 days, card only |
| America the Beautiful non-resident pass | $250 a year |
| Gateway Arch (tram ride) | $15 to $19 per adult |
| Meteor Crater, Meramec Caverns | Paid private sites |
| Petrified Forest road | Open from 08:00 to 17:00, closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day |
|---|---|
| Hermit Road (Grand Canyon) | Closed to cars from 1 March to 30 November (free shuttle) |
| Chain of Rocks Bridge (St. Louis) | Closed to cars: pedestrians and cyclists only |
| National Trails Highway (Amboy, California) | Section closed for bridge repairs: check before you go |
| I-40 at Flagstaff and Williams | Frequent snow in winter, 165 cm a year in Williams |
| Grand Canyon Railway | Every day except 25 December |
Allow 18 days from Chicago to Santa Monica: 17 nights, twelve stages, rarely more than five hours' driving a day. The historic road was 2,448 miles long, about 3,940 km. In two weeks, spend just one night in St. Louis, Albuquerque and Williams. In ten days, keep the western half, from Albuquerque to the Pacific.
Excluding flights and accommodation: $650 to $1,300 of car hire over 17 days (Kayak, Chicago, September 2026) plus the one-way fee, $400 to $450 of fuel at September 2026 prices for about 4,000 km, $135 for the Grand Canyon alone or $235 for a couple, $25 at Petrified Forest and $21 of tolls in Oklahoma.
May to June and September to mid-October. In July and August, the Mojave is a furnace: Needles often tops 43°C in the afternoon. Late spring is the season for storms and tornadoes on the Plains, Oklahoma above all. In winter, snow often falls in Williams, at an altitude of 2,100 m.
Yes, in sections. Decommissioned in 1985 and replaced by the Interstates, it keeps long original stretches: the state 66 between Seligman and Kingman, the road over Sitgreaves Pass to Oatman, the 13 miles in Kansas, and Oklahoma's 66 via Chandler and Arcadia. Follow the Historic Route 66 signs and allow more time.
Yes, unless you want to drive nearly 4,000 km back the other way. Pick it up in Chicago and drop it off in Los Angeles: one-way fees vary widely from one company to another, so compare the total price. Also check for unlimited mileage and the toll package, useful for Oklahoma's two cashless turnpikes.
Yes. It was created on 11 November 1926. For its centennial, the US Postal Service issued commemorative stamps and Google devoted a doodle to it on 30 April 2026. In the small towns along the road, where rooms are few, book early if you travel around the anniversary.
Driving rules, prices and closures checked in September 2026; hotels checked on OpenStreetMap and then on Booking. Rules change: read the official source before you leave, and check your own government's travel advice for the country. Stop photos: Wikimedia Commons, authors and licences under each image.
Off We Gooo road trip guide · offwegooo.com/en/road-trips/route-66 · by Tom, updated 1 October 2026
