Route 66Trip Guide
88 stops · 8 states

Retro Route 66 stops: gas stations, diners and neon

This is the Route 66 of postcards: 88 retro roadside stops — old gas stations, motor courts, diners and signs — in all 8 states. By state: Illinois 12, Missouri 9, Kansas 3, Oklahoma 27, Texas 3, New Mexico 18, Arizona 9, California 7.

Oklahoma has the most, with a run of restored filling stations between Miami and Tulsa and more around Stroud, El Reno and Elk City. Texas keeps the U-Drop Inn in Shamrock and the Midpoint Café in Adrian, the halfway point between Chicago and Los Angeles. New Mexico has the neon motor courts: the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari and a row of old lodges in Albuquerque. Arizona has the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, and California ends with Roy's Motel and Cafe in Amboy. In Illinois start with Lou Mitchell's in Chicago, then Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket and Ambler's Texaco Gas Station in Dwight. Half of these stops are within about 0.0 mi of the road, so most need no detour at all.

Practical hint: many of the gas stations are restored as small visitor centers with short, irregular hours, so treat them as photo stops rather than fuel stops, and book the motels ahead in summer.

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Retro roadside stops in Illinois (12)

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Lambert 1957

Joliet, Illinois · on Route 66

A working Joliet gas station run by one family since 1957, with a mural of the station it once was.

Retro roadside
Ambler's Texaco Gas Station in Dwight, IL

Ambler's Texaco Gas Station

Dwight, Illinois · on Route 66

A house-style filling station in Dwight that sold gas on Route 66 for 66 straight years.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Standard Oil Gasoline Station in Odell, IL

Standard Oil Gasoline Station

Odell, Illinois · on Route 66

A restored 1932 house-and-canopy gas station in Odell, on the National Register of Historic Places.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop in Springfield, IL

Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop

Springfield, Illinois · 0.2 mi from Route 66

A 1921 Maid-Rite on historic Route 66 in Springfield that claims the nation's first drive-thru window.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Ariston Cafe in Litchfield, IL

Ariston Cafe

Litchfield, Illinois · on Route 66

A 1935 restaurant on Old Route 66 in Litchfield, listed on the National Register and still a meal stop.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Soulsby Service Station in Mount Olive, IL

Soulsby Service Station

Mount Olive, Illinois · on Route 66

Mount Olive's 1926 house-and-canopy gas station, counted as the oldest usable station on Illinois Route 66.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit

More retro roadside stops in Illinois 6

Retro roadside stops in Missouri (9)

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Coral Court Motel in Marlborough, MO

Coral Court Motel

Marlborough, Missouri · 0.5 mi from Route 66

A lost Route 66 landmark: the streamlined Coral Court Motel, demolished in 1995 despite a fight to save it.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Wagon Wheel Motel, Café and Station in Cuba, MO

Wagon Wheel Motel, Café and Station

Cuba, Missouri · on Route 66

A Tudor Revival Route 66 motel in Cuba that has rented rooms without a break since 1938.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Munger-Moss Motel in Lebanon, MO

Munger-Moss Motel

Lebanon, Missouri · on Route 66

A Lebanon motel with roots in a 1930s Route 66 sandwich shop that moved here after World War II.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Route 66 Steak 'n Shake in Springfield, MO

Route 66 Steak 'n Shake

Springfield, Missouri · 0.6 mi from Route 66

A Springfield Steak 'n Shake on the old Route 66 path that earned a spot on the National Register.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Boots Motel in Carthage, MO

Boots Motel

Carthage, Missouri · on Route 66

A 1939 streamline motor court in Carthage with black glass trim, green neon and a carport for every room.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
66 Drive-In in Carthage, MO

66 Drive-In

Carthage, Missouri · 0.1 mi from Route 66

A 1949 drive-in theater on Route 66 near Carthage that still shows movies under the stars.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit

More retro roadside stops in Missouri 3

Retro roadside stops in Kansas (3)

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Kan-O-Tex Service Station in Galena, KS

Kan-O-Tex Service Station

Galena, Kansas · on Route 66

A 1934 Galena filling station turned souvenir shop and snack bar, with ties to Pixar's Cars.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Williams' Store in Riverton, KS

Williams' Store

Riverton, Kansas · on Route 66

A 1925 general store and gas stop on old Route 66 in Riverton, KS, still trading as the Old Riverton Store.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Baxter Springs Independent Oil and Gas Service Station, Kansas

Baxter Springs Independent Oil and Gas Service Station

Baxter Springs, Kansas · on Route 66

A 1930 cottage-style gas station in Baxter Springs, now the visitors center for Route 66 in Kansas.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit

Retro roadside stops in Oklahoma (27)

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Will Rogers Archway in Vinita, OK

Will Rogers Archway

Vinita, Oklahoma · 0.8 mi from Route 66

The Glass House, a 1950s restaurant bridging I-44 near Vinita, was billed as the world's largest McDonald's.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Meadow Gold sign in Tulsa, OK

Meadow Gold sign

Tulsa, Oklahoma · on Route 66

A 1934 Meadow Gold dairy sign, saved in 2004 and now on its own brick pavilion on 11th Street in Tulsa.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Rock Café in Stroud, OK

Rock Café

Stroud, Oklahoma · on Route 66

A 1930s sandstone cafe on Stroud's stretch of Route 66, rebuilt after a fire and tied to Pixar's Cars.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Seaba's Filling Station in Warwick, OK

Seaba's Filling Station

Warwick, Oklahoma · on Route 66

A 1920s brick DX filling station on the old Route 66 west of Chandler, listed on the National Register.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Milk Bottle Grocery in Oklahoma City, OK

Milk Bottle Grocery

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma · on Route 66

A tiny three-sided grocery crowned by a giant metal milk bottle on Oklahoma City's old Route 66 line.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Provine Service Station in Hydro, OK

Provine Service Station

Hydro, Oklahoma · on Route 66

Lucille's Place near Hydro, the station run for decades by the woman called the Mother of the Mother Road.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit

More retro roadside stops in Oklahoma 21

Retro roadside stops in Texas (3)

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U-Drop Inn in Shamrock, TX

U-Drop Inn

Shamrock, Texas · on Route 66

Shamrock's Art Deco gas station and cafe, with twin flared towers, glazed tile walls and neon trim.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Ranchotel in Amarillo, TX

Ranchotel

Amarillo, Texas · on Route 66

A 1940 motel on Amarillo's old Route 66 that was a favorite with highway travelers.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Midpoint Café in Adrian, TX

Midpoint Café

Adrian, Texas · on Route 66

The Adrian, TX, diner that marks the halfway point of Route 66, known for its "ugly crust" pies.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit

Retro roadside stops in New Mexico (18)

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Roadrunner Lodge in Tucumcari, NM

Roadrunner Lodge

Tucumcari, New Mexico · 0.1 mi from Route 66

A 1940s motor court and a 1960s motel joined into one restored Route 66 stay on Tucumcari's main drag.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, NM

Blue Swallow Motel

Tucumcari, New Mexico · on Route 66

A 1940s Tucumcari motor court with a glowing neon swallow and garages tucked between its rooms.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
La Puerta Lodge in Albuquerque, NM

La Puerta Lodge

Albuquerque, New Mexico · on Route 66

A 1949 motor court named for its carved wooden door, now closed and fading on Albuquerque's east side.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Luna Lodge in Albuquerque, NM

Luna Lodge

Albuquerque, New Mexico · 0.1 mi from Route 66

A 1949 motor court at Albuquerque's eastern edge, rescued from ruin and turned into affordable apartments.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
La Mesa Motel in Albuquerque, NM

La Mesa Motel

Albuquerque, New Mexico · 0.1 mi from Route 66

A 1938 Pueblo Revival motor court on Central Avenue, torn down in 2003 despite its National Register listing.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit

Gallup Muffler Man

Gallup, New Mexico · 0.1 mi from Route 66

A Muffler Man cowboy that locals call Dude Man, standing on the roof of a used-car lot in Gallup.

Retro roadside

More retro roadside stops in New Mexico 12

Retro roadside stops in Arizona (9)

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Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, AZ

Wigwam Motel

Holbrook, Arizona · 0.1 mi from Route 66

Fifteen concrete teepees from 1950 in Holbrook, AZ, still rented out to Route 66 travelers by one family.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Meteor City, Arizona

Meteor City

Meteor City, Arizona · 0.1 mi from Route 66

A Route 66 stop that began as a 1938 gas station, now a geodesic dome shop with a dinosaur drive-thru.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Rusty Bolt in Seligman, AZ

Rusty Bolt

Seligman, Arizona · on Route 66

A Seligman souvenir and biker shop on Route 66, with dressed-up mannequins posed on its roof.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Copper Cart in Seligman, AZ

Copper Cart

Seligman, Arizona · on Route 66

A 1952 Seligman restaurant turned gift shop, its tall Copper Cart sign still standing on Route 66.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Historic Route 66 Motel in Seligman, AZ

Historic Route 66 Motel

Seligman, Arizona · on Route 66

A 1950 motel on Route 66 in Seligman, built as the Navajo Motel, next door to the Roadkill Cafe.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Cool Springs Station in Golden Valley, AZ

Cool Springs Station

Golden Valley, Arizona · on Route 66

A 1920s stone gas station on the Oatman mountain road, blown up for a movie and rebuilt from old photos.

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More retro roadside stops in Arizona 3

Retro roadside stops in California (7)

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Roy's Motel and Cafe in Amboy, CA

Roy's Motel and Cafe

Amboy, California · 0.1 mi from Route 66

The 1959 boomerang sign and Googie lobby of Amboy, a Mojave gas stop on Route 66 first opened in 1938.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
New Corral Motel in Victorville, CA

New Corral Motel

Victorville, California · 0.1 mi from Route 66

A mid-century motor court on Victorville's old Route 66, with a rearing horse atop its neon sign.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Wigwam Motel in Rialto, CA

Wigwam Motel

Rialto, California · on Route 66

Nineteen tipi-shaped rooms on old Route 66: the last of the seven Wigwam Villages, and one of three left.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Bono's Restaurant and Deli in Fontana, CA

Bono's Restaurant and Deli

Fontana, California · on Route 66

A 1940s Streamline Moderne roadside restaurant in Fontana, with a giant orange juice stand on the lot.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Cucamonga Service Station in Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Cucamonga Service Station

Rancho Cucamonga, California · on Route 66

The last Route 66 gas station of its design left in California, right on Foothill Boulevard.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit
Bekins Storage Co. Roof Sign in Pasadena, CA

Bekins Storage Co. Roof Sign

Pasadena, California · on Route 66

A 1920s rooftop sign in Pasadena, turned neon in 1929 to catch the eye of Route 66 drivers.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit

More retro roadside stops in California 1