Joseph church, you’ll know that you’ve arrived at the pueblo, which spans four counties and comprises six villages. The Laguna Pueblo is located 45 minutes west of Albuquerque, right on Route 66.

Admire the Pueblo architecture, explore Old Town, pop into the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, and learn about the desert at the ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden. Today, several historic buildings around town offer a peek into Galena’s rocky past.Īlbuquerque is a high desert city with an artsy vibe. Later, when the town was bypassed by I-44, tourists stopped visiting, the mines closed down, and the population dropped. The town was hit hard by the Depression and violent miner strikes. Home to the Kan-O-Tex gasoline station from Disney’s Cars, the Murals of Galena, and a 1952 Will Rogers Marker, Galena was once a successful mining town. Galena is one of the most well-preserved towns along Route 66. Don’t miss the only remaining Marsh Arch Rainbow Bridge, several museums, and other small businesses-on Kansas’ stretch of Route 66, you’ll find quality over quantity. Kansas is the only state on your journey where the Mother Road isn’t interrupted by the interstate. This small stretch passes through three towns-Galena, Riverton, and Baxter Springs-and can be driven in as little as 30 minutes.

The Kansas section of Route 66 is short but sweet, and manages to pack in several must-see stops in a little under 14 miles (13.2 to be exact). Traditionally, travelers begin their journey southwest near the shores of Lake Michigan, not spending too much time in Chicago. A lot of the old route has been gobbled up by modern highways, in particular I-55, but there’s still plenty of neon, fiberglass, and chrome to keep any roadtripper happy. The state is also home to many of the country’s most famous Muffler Men, those fiberglass titans of retro roadside kitsch. There are nearly 300 miles of Route 66 in Illinois. You’ll also see plenty of cornfields and flat prairie land between the bustling cities and sleepy towns along this first leg. Louis is home to aluminum-and-chrome diners, historic, family-owned cafes, bizarre attractions, and other reminders of the route’s charming past.

The stretch of Route 66 from Chicago to St. After leaving the Windy City, the road takes you southwest through rural Midwestern towns full of classic motel neon, vintage filling stations, roadside giants, and historic bridges until you hit the Mississippi River and East St.

Chicago, Illinois, is the eastern terminus of the Mother Road-depending on which way you travel, you will either start or end your trip across from Grant Park and Lake Michigan.

Route 66 casino car show