What is Route 66?

ROUTE 66 has become an icon of American popular culture as a symbol of adventure and freedom.

Here’s what we know about the 2,000-mile legendary route.

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What is Route 66?

Also known as US Route 66 or US Highway 66, it was one of America’s first motor vehicle National Highways and has since become a cultural icon.

American writer John Steinbeck named the street in his Pulitzer Prize-winning 1939 novel The Grapes of Wrath, about Dust Bowl migrants in the 1930s fleeing drought and poverty OklahomaTexas and neighboring states looking for work.

Steinbeck dedicated a chapter to “Route 66,” which he dubbed “the Mother Road,” and the nickname stuck.

Why is Route 66 so famous?

Route 66 is one of the oldest and most famous highways in the United States.

It transports visitors to a bygone era of drive-in cinemas and neon signs.

In the 20th century it was considered a symbol of freedom.

Singer Bobby Troup wrote his immortal ode to America’s favorite freeway, Route 66, while countercultural author Jack Kerouac wrote about it in On The Road.

Where does Route 66 begin and end?

Also known as the Main Street of America, the highway begins in downtown Chicago, Illinois.

It crosses eight states: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, OklahomaTexas, new mexico, Arizona and California.

The numerical designation “US Route 66” was assigned on April 30, 1926.

The route ends at the Santa Monica Pier in California.

It originally ended at 7th and Broadway in downtown Los Angeles, well away from the ocean.

But after the route gained tourist attraction status, the Route 66 Association decided to put the “End of the Trail” sign on the Santa Monica Pier.

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How long does it take to drive Route 66?

Online advice recommends driving Route 66 takes about two to three weeks, depending on the frequency and length of the stops.

However, if you drive the route without a stopover, you could complete it in about eight days.

The roads are mostly well-maintained according to guides, but the time depends on the time of year and weather conditions.