The Best Things to See Along The Iconic Route 66

It's a sad truth that the original highway that formed Route 66 doesn't exist anymore. However, just because you can no longer drive thousands of miles down one road, that doesn't mean that a road trip along Route 66 isn't possible. It just might take you a little longer to reach your destination.

Considering how famed Route 66 was for its road trips to the west coast, we'd definitely recommend doing it sometime. Understandably, it will take a while to complete the journey, especially if you're going all the way from Chicago to Santa Monica, or vice versa. Luckily, you'll have plenty of excuses to stop en route with some of the best things to see along the iconic route 66.

Amarillo has an art installation that you're free to come and graffiti

When talking of eye-catching attractions, one of note is in Amarillo, Texas. We're referring to the Cadillac Ranch, which was created in the mid-'70s. This roadside art installation features a line of Cadillacs that appear to stick out of the dirt. Visitors are actually free to add to the installation by graffitiing the cars themselves, with people even taking parts of the vehicle home with them in the past. This definitely makes for one of the most unusual stops along Route 66.

Chicago and California have signs announcing the start and end of Route 66

If you want an excuse to start your road trip from Route 66's official beginning, this is it. Over in Chicago, you'll find a sign that informs drivers of where the road used to start. It's been there since before the highway was altered, which makes it all the more special. It's located on the northwest corner of Adams Street and Michigan Avenue, and it's an appropriate site to see at the start of your trip. There's also a sign that marks the end of the route at Lincoln and Olympic in Santa Monica.

Springfield is the place for French-fried hot dogs en route

You're going to get hungry at some point during your road trip. While you may bring some food with you, you can also stop off at one of the great diners en route. We'd recommend the Cozy Dog Drive-In at Springfield, Illinois, which has been around almost as long as the route itself. It opened at the end of the 1940s when it began serving French-fried hot dogs to curious customers. Evidently, it appealed to the masses because it's still open to this day and attracts plenty of attention from road trippers heading west.

Pontiac is home to the Route 66 Hall of Fame & Museum

Need proof that Route 66 is something special? Well then, you'll probably want to visit the Route 66 Hall of Fame & Museum in Pontiac. Here, you'll discover thousands of artifacts and memorabilia that span almost a century. Expert guides will tell you all about the road's history and the relevance of the stuff they have on display. You can also take a selfie in front of the museum's bold, iconic mural. This picture would probably be a great way to start a photo album all about your Route 66 road trip.

Mount Olive's Soulsby Service Station is a historical place of interest

You won't make it from Illinois to California on one tank of gas, no matter how fuel efficient you might be. If you need to fill up at any point, though, make sure the gas station is still functioning. This one in Mount Olive certainly isn't, although we'd still recommend stopping there anyway. Soulsby Service Station offered a helping hand to many drivers during the heyday of Route 66. Although it stopped providing fuel in the 1990s, it still stands as a place of interest. In fact, it's on the National Register of Historic Places.

St. Louis has some delicious sweet treats for fans of custard

Another food place worth stopping at on Route 66 is in St. Louis, Missouri. This is Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, which set up shop in 1941. Excellent if you're after a sweet treat during the drive, its delicious menu should make plenty of custard fans very happy. The Concrete is a particular favorite with customers and is intriguingly served upside down. It's absolutely worth trying out yourself to see if it lives up to the hype.

Oklahoma is all about soda bottles at the eye-catching POPS

Many of the most notable attractions along Route 66 were around during the highway's heyday. POPS in Arcadia, Oklahoma, is a newer addition to this stretch of the US, but it's still worth your attention. It's hard to miss, thanks to the 66-foot-tall LED bottle of pop that stands out the front. While here, you can explore the vast range of soda bottles in their collection, which amounts to roughly 12,000. You can buy some soda for the road trip, too, with some 650 kinds apparently on sale.

Route 66 has so many incredible attractions to encounter. If you're going to stop anywhere, though, you might want to try out the best of the best.