Budgeting for a Route 66 Road Trip: What It Really Costs for Fuel, Lodging, and Food

A Route 66 road trip can cost $1,400 for a frugal solo traveler in two weeks or $15,000 for a couple traveling in luxury over three weeks. Both are genuine Route 66 experiences. The highway does not discriminate by budget — the same neon signs glow over the same two-lane road whether you slept in a $59 chain motel or a $195 historic Wigwam. What changes with budget is comfort, spontaneity, and the pace at which you can stop and linger. This guide gives you the honest numbers for every spending tier — fuel state by state, lodging from camping to historic motels to boutique hotels, food from grocery-store coolers to regional splurge dinners — so you can build a budget that reflects how you actually travel.

The three major costs of a Route 66 trip — fuel, lodging, and food — account for roughly 85–90% of total trip spending for most travelers. Get those three numbers right and you have a budget you can actually manage. The remaining 10–15% covers entrance fees, souvenirs, tips, roadside attraction admissions, and the inevitable unexpected expenses that every long road trip produces. This guide addresses all of it.

Route 66 Budget Estimator: Full Trip Cost by Spending Tier

The table below gives daily cost estimates for every major expense category across three spending tiers, followed by estimated totals for 14-day and 21-day trips. Use it as a starting framework and adjust based on your specific vehicle, travel style, and the sections of the route you are driving.

ROUTE 66 TRIP BUDGET ESTIMATOR — DAILY COSTS PER CATEGORY
Cost Category	Budget $	Mid-Range $$	Splurge $$$
Fuel (2,448 mi, 25 mpg avg)	$245–$295	$245–$295	$295–$380
Lodging (per night, solo or couple)	$60–$95	$110–$165	$175–$350+
Food (per person, per day)	$30–$45	$55–$80	$90–$150+
Entrance fees & attractions	$20–$40	$50–$100	$100–$200+
Miscellaneous (souvenirs, tips, etc.)	$50–$100	$100–$200	$200–$500+
ESTIMATED TRIP TOTALS (includes all costs above)
14-DAY TRIP TOTAL (1 person)	$1,400–$1,900	$2,600–$3,800	$4,500–$7,500+
14-DAY TRIP TOTAL (2 people)	$1,800–$2,600	$3,400–$5,000	$5,800–$10,000+
21-DAY TRIP TOTAL (1 person)	$2,000–$2,700	$3,800–$5,500	$6,500–$11,000+
21-DAY TRIP TOTAL (2 people)	$2,600–$3,700	$5,000–$7,200	$8,500–$15,000+
Notes: Fuel cost calculated at $3.50/gal average. Totals do not include vehicle costs (rental, depreciation) or flights to/from start/end cities. Two-person lodging costs are per room (not per person) — food and misc are per person. All figures are 2025–2026 estimates; prices in the desert states and California tend to run higher than the Midwest states.

Fuel: The Biggest Variable in Your Route 66 Budget

Fuel is the most predictable major cost on a Route 66 trip and, paradoxically, the one most travelers miscalculate. The standard estimate — “fill up, drive, fill up” — ignores the fact that gas prices across the eight Route 66 states vary by as much as $1.50–$2.00 per gallon between the cheapest state (Oklahoma, typically $2.90–$3.30/gal) and the most expensive (California, typically $4.50–$5.50+/gal). On a 2,448-mile trip in a vehicle averaging 25 mpg, that spread means the difference between spending roughly $280 on fuel and spending $540 on fuel — for the same trip in the same vehicle. Knowing where to fill up and where to wait is one of the most valuable practical skills for a Route 66 budget traveler.

How to Calculate Your Fuel Budget

The formula is simple:

Total fuel cost = (total miles ÷ vehicle mpg) × average fuel price

For a 2,448-mile full-route trip in a vehicle averaging 25 mpg: 2,448 ÷ 25 = 98 gallons total. At a blended average of $3.50/gal (weighted across the eight states), that is approximately $343 in fuel for the full route. At California’s $4.80/gal average, the same 98 gallons costs $470. At Oklahoma’s $3.10/gal, it costs $304. The blended cost depends heavily on how many California miles you drive and how aggressively you fill up in cheap states before entering expensive ones.

Key vehicle variables:

SUV / truck (18–22 mpg): 135–136 gallons for the full route → $470–$750 at blended average prices
Sedan / small car (30–35 mpg): 70–82 gallons → $245–$360 at blended average prices
Hybrid (40–50 mpg): 49–61 gallons → $170–$215 at blended average prices
RV / motorhome (8–12 mpg): 204–306 gallons → $714–$1,070 at blended average prices

Fuel Prices State by State

This table shows typical price ranges, the relative cost compared to the route average, and the specific fueling strategy for each state.

State	RT 66 Miles	Avg. Gas Price	Budget Cost*	Fuel Strategy Notes
Illinois	~300	$3.20–$3.60	$38–$43	Chicago metro gas prices are among the highest in the Midwest — fill up before leaving the city or in the suburbs.
Missouri	~317	$3.00–$3.40	$21–$24	Some of the most competitive fuel prices on the route. Fill up in larger towns (Rolla, Springfield, Joplin) for best prices.
Kansas	~13	$3.00–$3.30	$2–$3	Too short to matter for fuel strategy — but Kansas typically has the lowest gas prices on the entire Route 66 corridor.
Oklahoma	~400	$2.90–$3.30	$46–$52	Oklahoma consistently posts the lowest fuel prices on Route 66. Fill up in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, or El Reno before heading west.
Texas	~178	$3.00–$3.40	$21–$24	Amarillo offers competitive prices. Avoid filling up at isolated rural stations — the markup in small Panhandle towns can be significant.
New Mexico	~487	$3.30–$3.80	$64–$74	Albuquerque and Gallup have competitive prices. The rural stretches between towns can have markups of $0.30–$0.60/gal — never let the tank drop below half.
Arizona	~401	$3.50–$4.20	$56–$67	Arizona has the widest price variance on Route 66. Flagstaff, Kingman, and Williams are competitive. Isolated stations in Seligman, Hackberry, and between towns can be $0.50–$1.00/gal above average. Fill in every city.
California	~315	$4.50–$5.50+	$56–$69+	California consistently has the highest fuel prices in the continental US. Fill up in Needles (last AZ/NV prices) before crossing into CA. The LA basin prices are high but competitive — avoid highway exit-only stations.
* Budget cost estimates assume 25 mpg vehicle. For exact calculations: (state miles ÷ vehicle mpg) × local gas price = fuel cost for that state. Gas prices fluctuate — use GasBuddy or similar to check current prices before each state crossing.

Fuel-Saving Strategies

Fill up in Oklahoma before entering New Mexico. Oklahoma’s fuel prices are the lowest on the route. The state line between Oklahoma and New Mexico (through Texas) is where prices begin climbing. Fill to the brim in Amarillo or just before the New Mexico line.
Fill up in Arizona before entering California. Needles, California is one of the most expensive fuel stops on the entire route. Fill your tank in Kingman, Arizona before heading west — you will pay $0.80–$1.50/gal more in Needles.
Never fill up at isolated rural stations unless necessary. Single-pump stations 30 miles from the nearest town can charge $0.50–$1.00/gal above the regional average. Keep your tank above half in the desert states and fill in towns rather than at remote stops.
Use GasBuddy or the Gas Guru app. Real-time fuel price tracking is one of the most valuable budget tools for a Route 66 trip. In larger towns with multiple stations, price differences of $0.20–$0.40/gal are common — GasBuddy shows you the cheapest option within a defined radius.
Drive at consistent highway speeds. Fuel efficiency drops significantly above 70 mph. On the flat sections of Route 66 — Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico — maintaining 65 mph rather than 75 mph can improve fuel efficiency by 10–15%, saving $25–$50 on fuel across those states alone.

Lodging: From Camping to Historic Motels to Boutique Hotels

Lodging is the most budget-variable category on a Route 66 trip — the spread between sleeping in a tent at a campground ($15–$25/night) and spending a night at a full-service boutique hotel in Santa Monica ($300+/night) is extraordinary. But lodging on Route 66 has a dimension that no other American road trip quite replicates: the historic Route 66 motels. These are the properties — the Wigwam Motel, the Blue Swallow, the Munger Moss, El Rancho — that were built specifically to serve Route 66 travelers in the 1930s through 1960s, that have survived the interstate era, and that today offer one of the most genuinely evocative overnight experiences in American travel. They are neither the cheapest nor the most expensive option. They are the most Route 66 option, and for many travelers they are the entire point of the trip.

Lodging Tiers: What You Get at Every Price Point

Lodging Tier	Typical Price Range	Best For	Examples & Notes
Budget — Chains & Independents	$55–$95/night	Cost-conscious travelers; maximize driving days	Holiday Inn Express, Comfort Inn, La Quinta, independent roadside motels (non-historic). Clean, reliable, consistent. These are the workhorses of a budget Route 66 trip.
Mid-Range — Quality Chains & Local Hotels	$100–$165/night	Most first-time Route 66 travelers	Hampton Inn, Courtyard Marriott, Best Western Plus, local boutique hotels in larger cities (Albuquerque, Flagstaff, Springfield). Comfortable rooms, often with breakfast included.
Historic Route 66 Motels	$95–$185/night	Route 66 enthusiasts; bucket-list experience	Blue Swallow (Tucumcari NM), Wigwam Motel (San Bernardino CA), Munger Moss (Lebanon MO), El Rancho Hotel (Gallup NM), Boots Court (Carthage MO). These are the reason to drive Route 66 — book 3–6 months ahead for peak season.
Splurge — Upscale Hotels & Resorts	$175–$350+/night	Comfort travelers; city stays before/after	Upscale properties in Chicago, St. Louis, Albuquerque Old Town, Flagstaff, Santa Monica. The Hotel Belair, The Georgian Santa Monica, Hotel Andaluz Albuquerque. For travelers who want city luxury between Route 66 days.
Camping / RV Parks	$25–$55/night	RVers; budget travelers; outdoor lovers	KOA campgrounds, state park campgrounds, and free dispersed camping on federal land in New Mexico and Arizona. The cheapest overnight option on the route — and often the most scenic.

The Historic Motel Strategy

For most Route 66 travelers, the ideal lodging mix is: historic Route 66 motels at the highest-priority stops, budget chains everywhere else. This approach gives you the definitive Route 66 experiences without paying premium prices every single night. The stops that most justify paying for a historic motel:

Blue Swallow Motel, Tucumcari, New Mexico — The most photographed motel on Route 66. The vintage neon sign, the hand-painted rooms, and the decades of Route 66 history embedded in the property make it worth every dollar. Book 3–6 months in advance for peak season (May–October).
Wigwam Motel, San Bernardino, California (Route 66) — Concrete teepee-shaped rooms on the San Bernardino alignment. One of the most iconic structures on the entire route. Books out weeks in advance in summer.
Munger Moss Motel, Lebanon, Missouri — A beloved Route 66 institution on the Missouri corridor. Neon sign, vintage rooms, and owners who are among the most knowledgeable Route 66 historians on the route.
El Rancho Hotel, Gallup, New Mexico — Built in 1937, the “Home of the Movie Stars” has hosted dozens of Hollywood legends filming Westerns in New Mexico. Grand lobby, signed celebrity photos, and genuine historic atmosphere.
Boots Court Motel, Carthage, Missouri — A pristine Art Deco survivor on the Missouri alignment. One of the best-preserved original Route 66 motels in the country.

Booking Tips for Route 66 Lodging

Book the entire route before you leave. The most common Route 66 travel mistake is planning to find lodging each day. In summer and during the Route 66 Centennial year (2026), popular stops book out entirely on weekends — particularly the historic motels and the gateway towns near the Grand Canyon (Williams, Flagstaff).
Historic motels fill months in advance in peak season. The Blue Swallow, Wigwam, and Munger Moss can be booked 3–6 months ahead for summer weekends. The Centennial year (2026) will be worse — book as early as possible.
Build in flexibility on weeknights. Weeknight availability at even the most popular historic motels is often better than weekends. If your itinerary is flexible, shift your historic motel stays to Sunday–Thursday nights.
Use the Route 66 State Associations. The Route 66 state associations maintain current lists of operating historic motels and can provide recommendations for authentic lodging options that do not appear on mainstream booking platforms.

Food: Diners, Regional Cuisine, and the Route 66 Plate

Food on Route 66 is one of the great underrated pleasures of the trip. The eight states that Route 66 crosses encompass a remarkable range of American regional cuisines: deep-dish pizza and Italian beef in Chicago, Ozark comfort food in Missouri, BBQ and chicken-fried steak in Oklahoma and Texas, green chile on everything in New Mexico, Navajo fry bread and posole in Arizona, and the end-of-trip seafood and California cuisine at the Santa Monica finish. Eating well on Route 66 does not require a large food budget — the best Route 66 food is not expensive food

The Route 66 diner — formica counters, rotating pie display, bottomless coffee, and a laminated menu that has not changed since 1987 — serves some of the most satisfying meals on the route for $12–$18 per person. The regional food stops that are genuinely iconic are almost all affordable. The food budget on Route 66 rewards those who eat where the locals eat and penalizes those who default to the interstate chain restaurants visible from I-40.

Food Budget by Approach

Food Category	Typical Cost	Notes & Strategy
Grocery / self-catered meals	$15–$25/day	The most effective food budget strategy: stock a cooler for breakfasts and lunches, eat out for dinners only. Walmart Supercenters (common in rural Route 66 towns) and regional grocery chains offer competitive prices throughout the route.
Diners & local cafés (budget)	$12–$20/meal	The Route 66 diner — counter seating, laminated menus, coffee refills, a slice of pie — is one of the defining experiences of the trip and rarely costs more than $15–$18 for a full meal. Budget travelers who eat one diner meal per day are getting genuine Route 66 value.
Casual sit-down restaurants	$18–$35/meal	Mid-range restaurants in Albuquerque, Flagstaff, Oklahoma City, St. Louis, and the Los Angeles area. Green chile cuisine in New Mexico, BBQ in Oklahoma and Texas, Tex-Mex in Amarillo — regional specialties are consistently good value.
Route 66 iconic food stops	$8–$20/stop	The Midpoint Café in Adrian TX (famous ugly crust pie), Cozy Dog Drive In in Springfield IL (birthplace of the corn dog), Rock Café in Stroud OK, Delgadillo’s Snow Cap in Seligman AZ. Budget separately for these — they are experiences, not just meals.
Fine dining / splurge meals	$50–$120+/person	Chicago (deep dish, fine dining), Albuquerque (celebrity chef New Mexican cuisine), Flagstaff (farm-to-table mountain cuisine), Santa Monica (seafood, end-of-trip celebration dinner). Budget 2–4 splurge meals for a two-week trip.
Fast food / chain restaurants	$9–$16/meal	Available throughout the route. Fine for a quick fuel stop, but eating exclusively at chains on a Route 66 trip is a significant missed opportunity. The regional food culture of the eight states is among the best reasons to be on the road.

The 10 Most Essential Route 66 Food Stops

These are the food stops that belong on every Route 66 itinerary regardless of budget — affordable, iconic, and irreplaceable:

Cozy Dog Drive In, Springfield, Illinois — Birthplace of the corn dog on a stick (“cozy dog”). A Route 66 institution since 1946. Under $10.
Steak ‘n Shake, Various Illinois Locations — The original thin-and-crispy steakburger, born in Normal, Illinois in 1934. A Route 66 original that somehow survived into the modern era.
Rock Café, Stroud, Oklahoma — A stone building built in 1939, this Oklahoma landmark inspired the Pixar character Sally in the film Cars. Solid diner food, genuine Route 66 atmosphere.
Cattlemen’s Steakhouse, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma — Oklahoma cattle country steakhouse that has been operating continuously since 1910. One of the best steaks per dollar on the route.
Big Texan Steak Ranch, Amarillo, Texas — Home of the free 72-oz steak challenge (finish it in an hour and it is free). Texas Route 66 kitsch at its most committed and genuinely fun.
Midpoint Café, Adrian, Texas — The geographic center of Route 66, famous for the signature “Ugly Crust Pie.” A mandatory stop at the exact midpoint of the route.
66 Diner, Albuquerque, New Mexico — A quintessential 1950s diner on Albuquerque‘s Central Avenue alignment. Green chile on the burger is non-negotiable.
Delgadillo’s Snow Cap, Seligman, Arizona — Operated by the Delgadillo family since 1953. More performance art than restaurant — the late Juan Delgadillo’s stream of jokes and pranks is Route 66 legend. Cheap burgers and milkshakes in Arizona.
Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner, Kingman, Arizona — A 1950s-themed diner in a historic building, with house-made root beer that is among the best on the route. The mural on the exterior wall is a classic photo stop.
Any Seafood Restaurant on the Santa Monica Pier — The end-of-trip meal deserves to be a splurge. Budget a proper end-of-trail dinner in Santa Monica to mark the occasion. You have earned it.

Other Trip Costs: Attractions, Fees, and the Unexpected

Paid Attractions and Entrance Fees

Most Route 66 attractions are free or very low cost — the roadside architecture, the historic towns, the two-lane driving itself costs nothing to experience. The significant paid admissions on the route:

Petrified Forest National Park / Painted Desert, Arizona: $25/vehicle (7-day pass). One of the most visually extraordinary stops on the entire route — absolutely worth the admission fee. Petrified Forest National Park and the Painted Desert are the same park admission.
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona: $35/vehicle (7-day pass). The Grand Canyon is a 60-mile detour from Williams on Route 66 — most Route 66 travelers add it as a day trip. An America the Beautiful Annual Pass ($80) covers both the Grand Canyon and the Petrified Forest and pays for itself if you visit both.
Meramec Caverns, Missouri: ~$22/adult. A famous Route 66 attraction on the Missouri corridor — the cavern system was promoted by barn signs on Route 66 barns throughout the Midwest for decades.
Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, Illinois: Free (donations requested). The largest pre-Columbian settlement in North America, just east of St. Louis — a remarkable stop near the Illinois corridor.
America the Beautiful Annual Pass: $80. Covers entrance to all national parks and federal recreational lands. If your Route 66 itinerary includes the Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, and any other national sites, this pass pays for itself.

Souvenirs and Route 66 Merchandise

Route 66 souvenir shops line the route from Chicago to Santa Monica. Budget travelers should set a firm souvenir budget before leaving — it is easy to spend $20–$50 per stop at the most compelling shops without noticing. The best Route 66 souvenir shopping: the Hackberry General Store in Hackberry, Arizona (a living museum of Route 66 merchandise); Twisters 66 Soda Fountain in Santa Rosa, New Mexico; and the roadside trading posts throughout the New Mexico and Arizona sections. A practical rule: buy one meaningful souvenir per state rather than accumulating small items at every stop.

Tipping

Route 66 passes through hundreds of small towns where the diners, motels, and roadside businesses operate on very thin margins. The staff who make your Route 66 experience memorable — the diner waitress, the motel desk clerk, the gas station attendant who topped off your tire — are often working in communities with limited economic options. Budget 15–20% for restaurant tips throughout the trip and tip generously at historic motels and family-run roadside businesses. The Route 66 economy runs on its people, and those people notice and remember travelers who treat them well.

Unexpected Costs: The Buffer

Every Route 66 veteran includes a 10–15% buffer in their trip budget for the unexpected. Common sources of unplanned expense on Route 66:

Vehicle repairs: The desert sections of Route 66 are hard on vehicles. A tire failure or a cooling system issue in the Arizona Mojave can cost $150–$500+ depending on the severity and your distance from a service center. See the article on Best Time to Drive Route 66 for vehicle preparation guidance.
Weather delays: Oklahoma and Texas thunderstorms, Arizona monsoon flooding on desert washes, and California mountain snow can add unexpected overnight stays. Budget for at least one unplanned night.
The “too good to skip” stop: Every Route 66 trip produces a moment where something you did not plan for turns out to be the best thing you encounter. An extra night in Albuquerque, a detour to Palo Duro Canyon from Amarillo, a spontaneous stop at a roadside attraction that does not appear in any guidebook. Leave room in the budget for these — they are the soul of the trip.
Parking in Chicago and Los Angeles: Urban parking at both ends of the route is expensive. Budget $30–$60/day for parking in Chicago near the Begin sign and in the Los Angeles/Santa Monica area near the End of the Trail.

Top Budget Strategies for Every Spending Level

For Budget Travelers ($80–$120/day per person)

Stock a soft-sided cooler with breakfast and lunch groceries from Walmart or regional supermarkets. Eat out once per day — dinner at a local diner or café. This single strategy cuts the food budget by 40–50%.
Stay at budget chain motels (Holiday Inn Express, Comfort Inn, La Quinta) most nights, with one or two historic motel nights at the highest-priority stops. Pre-book everything.
Drive a fuel-efficient vehicle and fill up in Oklahoma before entering New Mexico and in Arizona before entering California. These two fill-ups alone can save $40–$80.
Buy an America the Beautiful Annual Pass ($80) if your itinerary includes both the Grand Canyon and Petrified Forest National Park.
Drive the two-lane historic alignments rather than I-40 — they are slower but free, and the reduced speed on two-lane roads marginally improves fuel efficiency.

For Mid-Range Travelers ($150–$225/day per person)

Mix historic Route 66 motels with mid-range chain hotels. Plan for 4–6 historic motel nights on a 14-day trip — one per state at the most iconic property in each corridor.
Eat regional cuisine at every opportunity — green chile in New Mexico, BBQ in Oklahoma, Navajo fry bread in Arizona. The best regional food is consistently better value than national chains.
Budget 2–3 splurge meals at destination restaurants: a dinner in Albuquerque’s Old Town, a steakhouse in Oklahoma City, the end-of-trip celebration dinner in Santa Monica.
Use hotel loyalty programs where you stay at chains — points accumulated on a 14–21 day trip can be significant, particularly if you are a member of IHG, Hilton, or Marriott programs.

For Splurge Travelers ($300+/day per person)

Stay at the finest properties in each corridor: the Hotel Andaluz in Albuquerque, the Inn at 410 in Flagstaff, a design hotel in the Santa Monica area for the final nights.
Include the full set of historic Route 66 motels as cultural experiences — Blue Swallow, Wigwam, Munger Moss, El Rancho, Boots Court — booking them as highlights rather than budget constraints.
Hire a Route 66 guide for specific sections (Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona sections benefit most from guided experiences that reveal off-road history not visible from the highway).
Budget for one major detour — the Grand Canyon from Williams, Carlsbad Caverns from New Mexico, or a day in Las Vegas from Kingman — as a splurge extension of the route.

Budget for the Route 66 Centennial (2026)

The Route 66 Centennial — 100 years on November 11, 2026 — will affect budgets in specific ways that travelers should plan for:

Lodging prices will be higher in peak 2026 periods. The Centennial year will generate record Route 66 tourism. Historic motels and gateway city hotels will command premium prices, particularly from May through November. Book early and lock in current pricing where possible.
Event admissions and organized tours. Centennial-year events — car shows, parades, community celebrations, guided tours — will carry admission fees not present in normal years. Budget an additional $50–$150 per person for Centennial events if your travel overlaps with the anniversary calendar.
California gas prices will not improve. Plan the California section budget conservatively regardless of when you travel in 2026.

For the full Centennial event calendar, see the Route 66 Centennial 2026 page.

More Route 66 Trip Planning Resources

Route 66 — Complete Travel Guide — The full overview of all 2,448 miles: history, alignments, and state-by-state planning.

Best Time of Year to Drive Route 66 — Season-by-season weather, crowd levels, and pricing guide — timing affects both what you pay and what you experience.

How Long Does It Take to Drive Route 66? — Realistic drive times for the full route and every partial option; more days usually means lower daily spending.

East to West or West to East — Which Direction? — Direction affects fuel costs (California vs. Oklahoma-first fuel strategy) and one-way flight logistics.

Route 66 in Illinois — Chicago to the Missouri line. Urban start — budget for Chicago parking and city accommodation.

Route 66 in Missouri — Some of the most affordable lodging and food on the route, with the Munger Moss Motel as the premier historic stay.

Route 66 in Kansas — 13 miles with the lowest fuel prices on the route.

Route 66 in Oklahoma — The best-value state on Route 66: lowest fuel prices, excellent BBQ and diner food at budget prices, strong historic motel options.

Route 66 in Texas — Moderate costs throughout. Fill up in Amarillo before New Mexico. The Big Texan and Midpoint Café are bucket-list food stops.

Route 66 in New Mexico — Prices rise from the Texas line westward. Fill up in Albuquerque or Gallup before the rural western section. El Rancho Hotel in Gallup is one of the best historic hotel values on the route.

Route 66 in Arizona — Wide fuel price variance. Fill in Flagstaff and Kingman; avoid isolated station markups. Petrified Forest / Painted Desert admission is worth every dollar.

Route 66 in California — The most expensive state for fuel and lodging. Fill up in Kingman before Needles. Budget generously for the end-of-trip Santa Monica celebration.

Route 66 State Associations — The eight state associations maintain current lists of operating historic motels and local recommendations unavailable elsewhere.

Route 66 Centennial 2026 — Plan ahead: the 100th anniversary will affect lodging availability and pricing throughout 2026.