Andrew Bender - Lonely Planet Best Road Trips Route 66 3 (Road Trips Guide)

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. Continue by following the trails of miners and desperados deep into the Old West. At roads end lie the Pacific beaches of sun-kissed Southern California.

, Mojave Desert, California
NIck fox / shutterstock

ROUTE 66 HIGHLIGHTS

Tucumcari

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

NICK FOX / SHUTTERSTOCK

Munger Moss Motel, Lebanon

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

PHOTOSTRAVELLERS / SHUTTERSTOCK

Santa Monica

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

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CITY GUIDE

Chicago skyscrapers
TIM BOLLE / 500PX

The Windy City will wow you with its cloud-scraping architecture and lakefront beaches. Gawp at the buildings, take in a world-class museum, order a late-night deep-dish pizza and join the local sports fanatics cheering on the football or baseball.

Driving in Chicago is no fun. Traffic snarls not only at rush hours, but also just about every hour in between. Especially for short trips in town, use public transportation to spare yourself the headache. The El (a system of elevated and subway trains) is the main way to get around. Buses are also useful. Buy a day pass for $10 at El stations.

Meter spots and on-street parking are plentiful in outlying areas, but you can do some serious circling in the Loop, Near North, Lincoln Park and Lake View to find a spot. Per-hour costs range from $2 in outlying areas to $6.50 in the Loop. In many areas, you do not have to pay between 10pm and 8am. Check the pay boxs instructions.

Chicagos best and brightest chefs cook at downtowns edge on Randolph St, West Loop. Clark St in Andersonville has nouveau Korean, traditional Belgian and Lowcountry crawfish, while Division St, Wicker Park has hip bistros and cafes. Visit Uptowns Argyle St for Thai and Vietnamese noodle houses, and Pilsens 18th St for Mexican bakeries and barbecue joints.

Near North and Navy Pier have the most lodgings, but can be crowded and noisy. The Loop has cool boutique hotels, and is convenient to the parks, museums and Theater District. A little removed from downtowns sights, Lincoln Park and the Old Town offer characterful lodgings and fun nightlife.

Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com/chicago) Destination information, hotel bookings, traveler forum and more.

Choose Chicago (www.choosechicago.com) Official tourism site.

Hollywood Boulevard, 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.

Unless time is no factor or money is extremely tight youre going to want to spend some time behind the wheel, although this means contending with some of the worst traffic in the country. Avoid rush hour (7am to 9am and 3:30pm to 6pm).