Historic Route 66 Road Trip: Missouri, Kansas & Oklahoma Roadside Stops
There’s something special about driving Historic Route 66.
You can read about it, look at old photographs, and see the familiar Route 66 shield on everything from coffee mugs to T-shirts. But actually getting out on the old road and traveling through the little towns, past vintage motels, old filling stations, diners, bridges, and quirky roadside attractions is something entirely different.
During our travels through Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma, we decided to spend some time following Route 66.
A drive that should have taken us about two hours ended up taking around six.
And we wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
Here’s what we found along the way.
Starting Our Route 66 Adventure in Carthage, Missouri
We started exploring Route 66 around Carthage, Missouri.
One of the things you quickly discover when driving the Mother Road is that Route 66 isn’t always a big highway. Some stretches are narrow, quiet roads running through small towns and countryside.
That’s part of the charm.
It feels different from simply getting onto the interstate and racing toward your destination.
You’re traveling through places rather than around them.
Vintage Motels Along Route 66
Carthage has some wonderful pieces of Route 66 history.
We passed a beautifully maintained motel dating from the 1950s and also saw Boots Court Motel, which was originally built in 1939.
Old motels like these are such an important part of the Route 66 story.
Before interstate highways allowed travelers to bypass towns, roadside motels, restaurants, filling stations, and tourist attractions sprang up along highways like Route 66 to serve the people passing through.
Seeing some of them still standing makes it much easier to imagine what traveling America’s highways was like decades ago.
The Famous “Wee Bridge”
Around Joplin we came across an old bridge that had apparently earned the nickname the “Wee Bridge.”
It had quite a hump!
The story was that travelers would go over the bridge and yell “Whee!” as they crossed.
Naturally, we had to try it.
“Whee!”
It’s exactly the kind of silly little experience that makes driving Route 66 so much fun.
Route 66 Through Joplin, Missouri
From Carthage we continued through Joplin, seeing another mixture of old Route 66 attractions and newer businesses celebrating the highway’s history.
There was a Route 66 drive-in theater, roadside decorations, and plenty of reminders that we were following one of America’s most famous roads.
Between Carthage and Joplin, Route 66 also passed through some beautiful Missouri countryside.
Then we headed toward Kansas.
Route 66 in Kansas
Route 66 only travels through a small corner of Kansas, but don’t make the mistake of skipping it.
There are some wonderful Route 66 stops packed into those few miles.
Tow Tater in Galena, Kansas
One of our favorite stops was in Galena, Kansas, where we found a beautifully restored Kan-O-Tex gas station.
And parked outside was one very familiar-looking tow truck.
Tow Tater is associated with the inspiration behind Mater from the Disney/Pixar movie Cars.
This place was so cute that we had to pull over and take pictures.
Galena also had some great Route 66 artwork, including a Coca-Cola mural and a colorful Route 66 mural downtown.
This is exactly what we hoped to find when we decided to explore the old highway.
Riverton and the Old Route 66 Store
Next came Riverton, Kansas, home to a historic store dating back to 1925.
We didn’t get great pictures because it snuck up on us—which happens quite a bit when you’re driving Route 66!
There is so much to look at that sometimes you’ve passed something before you realize what it was.
That’s another lesson we learned: Don’t be in a hurry.
Driving Across the Rainbow Curve Bridge
Another memorable Kansas stop was the historic Rainbow Curve Bridge.
We checked the load limit before crossing it with our vehicle and were actually a little more concerned about clearance.
But we made it across!
Historic bridges are one of the things that make traveling old highways particularly interesting. You’re not simply looking at Route 66 history.
You’re actually driving over it.
Baxter Springs, Kansas
In Baxter Springs, we found another beautifully restored piece of Route 66 history—a 1930s-era Phillips 66 station being used as a visitor center.
The whole town seemed to embrace its Route 66 heritage.
We saw Route 66 souvenirs and references everywhere.
Some communities along the highway have really made an effort to preserve their connection to the Mother Road, and those tend to be some of the most enjoyable places to explore.
Following Route 66 Into Oklahoma
Eventually we crossed into Oklahoma and continued following the old highway.
And this was where our supposedly short travel day really started becoming a very long one.
There was simply too much to see.
Dairy King in Commerce, Oklahoma
In Commerce, Oklahoma, we stopped at Dairy King, located in an old Marathon gas station dating from the 1920s.
We’d heard about their Route 66 cookies.
Obviously, we needed cookies.
But the best part of the stop turned out to be the people.
The mother and son running Dairy King were incredibly friendly. They shared stories and photographs with us, including pictures of the building covered in snow and illuminated by its neon lights.
We could have stayed and talked much longer.
That’s another part of Route 66 that you can’t really put on an itinerary.
The people.
Sometimes the most memorable part of a stop isn’t the historic building or roadside attraction. It’s the conversation you have with somebody who loves the place and its history.
And yes, the Route 66 cookies were good!
Allen’s Filling Station
Across from Dairy King was a little green building tucked against a large brick wall called Allen’s Filling Station.
We learned that this particular attraction wasn’t actually an original Route 66 building. It had been created much more recently.
But we didn’t care.
It was cute.
Route 66 today is a mixture of preserved history and newer attractions celebrating that history, and both contribute to the experience.
Miami and Afton, Oklahoma
Continuing through Oklahoma brought more roadside discoveries.
In Miami, we spotted the distinctive Waylan’s Ku-Ku Burger building, complete with its little cuckoo.
Then in Afton, we found a Will Rogers Highway marker beside an original narrow section of Route 66.
Seeing that old strip of roadway really drove home just how much automobile travel has changed.
Today’s highways seem enormous compared with those early roads.
Historic Bridges in Oklahoma
Around Vinita, we found another piece of old highway infrastructure.
There had once been twin bridges crossing Little Cabin Creek. One was removed when the newer roadway was constructed, but the other historic truss bridge was preserved.
We also passed the old Chelsea Motor Inn in Chelsea.
Route 66 is filled with places like this—remnants of another era sitting alongside the modern road.
A Side Trip to Ed Galloway’s Totem Pole Park
When we reached the Foyil area, we left Route 66 for a short side trip to Ed Galloway’s Totem Pole Park.
It’s only a few miles off Route 66, and we’re glad we made the detour.
This place is wonderfully unusual.
The enormous folk-art structures immediately make you wonder how someone ever decided to build them in the first place.
We wandered around the grounds taking it all in.
The property also includes an unusual 11-sided building known as the Fiddle House, which once housed a collection of hundreds of fiddles.
If you’re the kind of traveler who loves folk art, Americana, and places you won’t find anywhere else, this is a Route 66 detour worth considering.
The Blue Whale of Catoosa
Then we reached one of the Route 66 attractions we’d really been looking forward to seeing:
The Blue Whale of Catoosa.
You can’t miss it.
A giant smiling blue whale sitting beside the water has become one of the most recognizable roadside attractions on Route 66.
The Blue Whale originally formed part of a family swimming area, and remnants of its recreational past can still be seen.
It’s goofy.
It’s cheerful.
It’s completely unnecessary.
And that’s precisely why we loved it.
This is classic Route 66.
When a Two-Hour Drive Becomes Six Hours
After leaving Catoosa, we were approaching Tulsa.
By this point we’d already been traveling for hours.
We’re not particularly fond of driving through big cities, and we still had some distance to cover before reaching our campground.
So we decided to bypass downtown Tulsa.
Originally, the entire drive from Joplin to our campground south of Tulsa should have taken roughly two hours.
It took us about six.
That’s something worth remembering if you’re planning your own Route 66 road trip.
Historic Route 66 is not the road to take when you’re in a hurry.
If your GPS says your destination is two hours away, don’t assume you’re getting there in two hours if you’re actually stopping to enjoy the Mother Road.
There’s always another old gas station.
Another mural.
Another bridge.
Another roadside attraction.
And apparently another cookie.
Route 66 Auto Museum in Sapulpa
The following day we continued exploring the Tulsa area and drove to Sapulpa, Oklahoma, where we visited a Route 66 auto museum.
There were some gorgeous vehicles inside, including classic automobiles and much newer custom cars.
Even if you’re not a serious automobile enthusiast, seeing these cars fits perfectly with a Route 66 trip.
After all, Route 66 and American automobile culture grew up together.
Crossroads of America
While we were in Sapulpa, we also came across a Crossroads of America sign.
We hadn’t specifically gone looking for it.
We were just trying to mail some letters!
That’s how Route 66 seemed to work for us.
We’d go looking for one thing and discover something else entirely.
A Little More Route 66 in Oklahoma
Our Route 66 exploration continued as we traveled south.
We passed more vintage motels and old roadside landmarks, including the Skyliner Motel.
There were also places we simply couldn’t reach with the trailer.
We had hoped to see another Route 66 attraction along a narrow, overgrown road, but once we saw the entrance, we knew taking the trailer down there wasn’t a good idea.
Sometimes RV travel means knowing when to say:
“Nope. Not taking the trailer down there.”
There will always be another adventure.
What We Learned Driving Route 66
Before this trip, Route 66 was something we’d heard about our entire lives.
After driving portions of it ourselves, we understood the appeal much better.
The fun isn’t necessarily in reaching one major destination.
It’s everything along the way.
The faded motels.
The restored gas stations.
The old bridges.
The diners.
The murals.
The strange roadside sculptures.
The towns that proudly celebrate their Route 66 heritage.
And the people who keep all those stories alive.
Tips for Driving Historic Route 66
If you’re planning your own Route 66 road trip, there are a few things we’d recommend based on our experience.
Allow far more time than you think you’ll need. A two-hour drive can easily turn into an all-day adventure.
Use a Route 66 guide. Some sections of the original highway aren’t obvious, and we occasionally missed turns.
Be careful with an RV. Historic roads, bridges, and side trips weren’t designed with today’s large RVs in mind. Check clearances, weight restrictions, and road conditions.
Stop in the little towns. Some of our favorite discoveries weren’t major attractions.
Talk to people. Locals and business owners can tell you things no travel guide ever will.
Don’t try to see everything. You can’t. Pick the things that interest you and enjoy them.
And finally…
Get the cookies.
Would We Drive Route 66 Again?
Absolutely.
Our little Route 66 adventure through Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma turned into one of those travel days where we kept saying:
“Look at that!”
“Pull over!”
“Did you see that?”
We couldn’t possibly see everything along Route 66, and we didn’t try.
Instead, we explored the pieces that happened to cross our path.
And maybe that’s the best way to experience America’s Mother Road.
Slow down.
Take the old road.
Stop when something looks interesting.
Talk to the people you meet.
And enjoy a little piece of classic Americana.
We’ll see you down the road…and Over The Hills!
Continue the Journey
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