Route 66 road trip planner
The Mother Road from Chicago to Santa Monica across eight states — diners, neon motels and long open desert.
- Distance
- About 2,400 miles (3,900 km)
- Time
- 10–14 days
- Best time
- May–June or September–October
Route
- Chicago, IL
- St. Louis, MO
- Tulsa, OK
- Amarillo, TX
- Albuquerque, NM
- Flagstaff, AZ
- Santa Monica, CA
Highlights
- Gateway Arch in St. Louis
- Cadillac Ranch near Amarillo
- Petrified Forest National Park
- Detour to the Grand Canyon from Flagstaff
- Santa Monica Pier, the official end of the road
Tips
- Desert stretches in Arizona and California have long gaps between stations — check the Fuel tab before leaving Flagstaff.
- Summer heat in the Mojave is extreme; check route weather on the Plan tab.
Plan the rest in XCRSN
Open the route, then add your vehicle for fuel costs, pick hotels where each driving day ends, and add sights, dog parks and rest areas along the way. Send it to Google or Apple Maps when you're ready to go.
Open this route in XCRSN