Karla Zimmerman - Lonely Planet Route 66 Road Trips

WELCOME TO ROUTE 66

For a classic American road trip, nothing beats good ol Route 66. Nicknamed the nations Mother Road by novelist John Steinbeck, this string of small-town main streets and country byways first connected big-shouldered Chicago with the waving palm trees of Los Angeles in 1926.

Whether you seek to explore retro Americana or simply want to experience big horizons and captivating scenery far from the madding crowd, Route 66 will take you there. Mingle with farmers in Illinois and country-and-western stars in Missouri; hear the legends of cowboys and Indians in Oklahoma; visit Native American tribal nations and contemporary pueblos across the Southwest, all the while discovering the traditions of the USAs indigenous peoples. Then follow the trails of miners and desperados deep into the Old West. At roads end lie the Pacific beaches of sun-kissed Southern California.

Motorcyclists on Route 66, California
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ROUTE 66 HIGHLIGHTS

This atmospheric motel has welcomed passing travelers for over 40 years.

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Home to one of the best-preserved sections of Route 66, including dozens of neon signs that cast a rainbow-colored glow.

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The end of the line: 2400 miles from its start in Chicago, Route 66 comes to an end in the Los Angeles beachside suburb.

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CITY GUIDE

Downtown Chicago
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The Windy City will blow you away with its cloud-scraping architecture and lakefront beaches. High and low culture comfortably coexist without any taint of pretension. Take in world-class museums and landmark theater stages, or drop by divey blues clubs and graffiti-scrawled pizzerias theyre all equally beloved in Chi-town.

Driving Chicagos well-laid-out street grid is slow, but not too difficult, except around the Loop. If youre exploring downtown and other neighborhoods served by El lines, ditch your car for the day and get around on foot and by train (or bus) instead.

Overnight hotel parking and city parking garages are expensive. Metered on-street parking is easier to find in outlying neighborhoods than around downtown, but its not necessarily cheap (occasionally its free in residential areas).

Essential eats include Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches and deep-dish pizza. Star chefs run restaurants in the West Loop and on the North Side. For an eclectic mix of cafes, bistros, gastropubs and more, nose around Wicker Park, Bucktown and Andersonville.

Base yourself in the Loop for convenient El train stops, seek luxury on the Gold Coast or look for deals at the Near Norths boutique and high-rise hotels. For more personalized stays, book a B&B in a trendy neighborhood such as Wicker Park.

Choose Chicago ( www.choosechicago.com ) Official tourist information site.

CTA ( www.transitchicago.com ) Bus and train maps, schedules and fares.

Chicago Reader ( www.chicagoreader.com ) Alternative weekly covering events, arts and entertainment.

Road Trip through Chicago:
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Venice Beach, Los Angeles
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Loony LA, land of starstruck dreams and Hollywood Tinseltown magic. You may think you know what to expect: celebrity worship, Botoxed beach blondes, endless traffic and earthquakes. But its also Californias most ethnically diverse city, with new immigrants arriving daily, evolving the boundary-breaking global arts, music and food scenes.

Angelenos drive everywhere. Freeway traffic jams are endless, but worst during morning and afternoon rush hours. Metro operates buses and subway and light-rail trains (fares $1.50), with limited night and weekend services. DASH minibuses (single-ride 50) zip around downtown; Santa Monicas Big Blue Bus (fares $1) connects West LA. Taxis cost $2.80 per mile; meters start at $2.85.

Street parking is tough. Meters take coins, sometimes credit cards; central pay stations accept coins or cards. Valet parking is ubiquitous, typically $5 to $10 plus tip. Overnight hotel parking averages $25 to $40.

Food trucks are a local obsession. Downtown cooks up a worldly mix with Little Tokyo, Chinatown, Thai Town, Koreatown and Latin-flavored East LA nearby. Trend-setting eateries inhabit Hollywood, Mid-City, Santa Monica and Venice.