The Must-See Stops on Route 66 in the Ozarks

There’s just something about America’s Mother Road. Maybe it’s the eye-catching gleam of a freshly restored neon sign or the way a vintage gas pump embodies an entire era. Or, perhaps it’s the fact that the road symbolizes a sort of freedom, a carefree spirit many of us increasingly long for. Whatever “it” is, the iconic Route 66 still beckons adventurers. And lucky for us in the Ozarks, Springfield, Missouri sits at the heart of it, making it easy to explore our “home stretch.”

Officially commissioned in 1926, Route 66 was designed to connect rural communities to major cities between Chicago and Los Angeles, running right through the Ozarks. It quickly became a shining symbol of American mobility, especially during the Dust Bowl and postwar eras, when farmers and families alike hit the road chasing opportunity—or simply a change of scenery. Though it was decommissioned in 1985, the route lives on through preservation efforts and passionate roadside businesses that keep its spirit alive.

And that spirit isn’t slowing down anytime soon, especially with Route 66’s 100th birthday coming up in 2026. In fact, Springfield was chosen to host the national kickoff event for America’s Route 66 Centennial Celebration next year.

Springfield celebrates the Mother Road every year, though, with its lively Birthplace of Route 66 Festival, a celebration of the Great American Road Trip drawing classic cars, live music and nostalgic travelers from all over the world. According to Joan Hampton-Porter, curator at Springfield’s History Museum on the Square, some international visitors even fly their own vehicles over to drive the iconic route. She adds, “It’s also a lot of fun to see locals react to all the history in their own backyard they may not have known previously.”

To help you plan your own Route 66 adventure, we mapped out two unforgettable road trip itineraries, both starting in Springfield and short enough to tackle in a weekend. One heads west to Tulsa, while the other spans east to St. Louis, hitting quirky museums, neon-trimmed landmarks and retro roadside oddities en route. Feel free to mix and match stops based on your time and interests, and keep in mind that many of these spots are quick photo ops.

Heading West On Route 66

Friday

9 a.m.
Best Western Route 66 Rail Haven Motel
203 S. Glenstone Ave., Springfield, MO | 417-866-1963
Start your journey where it all began. This classic motor court has welcomed travelers since 1938 and still sports much of its original charm. Book a themed suite like the Elvis or Wild Bill room, or snap a selfie by the “Route 66 Birthplace” sign.

9:30 a.m.
Route 66 Car Museum
1634 W. College St., Springfield, MO | 417-459-2452
This privately owned museum has more than 75 classic vehicles, dating back as far as the early 1900s. You’ll find famous movie cars, too, including a Batmobile and Ghostbusters Ectomobile.

10:30 a.m.
History Museum on the Square
154 Park Central Square, Springfield, MO | 417-831-1976
Get an in-depth history lesson at the downtown museum. Check out one of the country’s biggest, most complete Route 66 maps and timelines, and learn about John T. Woodruff, the Springfield man who helped name the famous road.

12 p.m.
Gary’s Gay Parita
21118 Old 66, Ash Grove, MO | 843-324-6661
This lovingly preserved, family-owned 1934 Sinclair gas station is part museum, part Americana playground. Original owners Lena and Gary Turner helped turn the station into a must-stop. Today, their daughter, Barb Barnes, keeps the tradition alive with her partner, George Bowick.

1 p.m.
Hangar Kafe
3103 Lawrence 1070 #2, Miller, MO | 417-452-2277
Fuel up with lunch at this aviation-themed diner next to a working airstrip. If you’re lucky, you might catch a plane taking off or skydivers dropping in while you dine. The kafe also has a full-hookup RV campground.

2:30 p.m.
Lottie’s Soda Shoppe
39 Springfield St., Reeds, MO | 417-246-1111
Grab some kitschy souvenirs, a cold Route 66-branded soda or homemade cookies inside this cheerful shop with a bright pink and blue mural on the side.

3:30 p.m.
Boots Court Motel
107 S. Garrison Ave., Carthage, MO | 417-310-2989
Check into the second-oldest hotel along the Mother Road (keep reading—the oldest is on this itinerary, too!), originally built in 1939 and restored in 2021 by a group of local citizens. “The Boots” is a rare find, a genuine motor court with vehicle bays adjacent to the guest rooms.  

5 p.m.
Iggy’s Diner and 66 Drive-in Theatre
2400 Grand Ave., Carthage, MO | 417-237-0212 
Treat yourself to a classic dinner and movie. Chrome and neon don the exterior of Iggy’s, where you can sip cement-thick milkshakes in red vinyl booths. Down the road, the traditional drive-in shows double features on weekends April through September. Bring cash for admission.

Saturday

9 a.m.
Route 66 Mural Park
629-621 S. Main St., Joplin, MO
Two one-of-a-kind tile murals celebrate Joplin’s spot on Route 66. The lower one, “The American Ribbon,” has (half of) a red 1963 Corvette sticking out of the wall. Two minutes down Main Street, you can also check out big neon signs on the roof and side of Wilder’s Steakhouse.

9:30 a.m.
Old Riverton Store
7109 KS-66, Riverton, KS | 620-848-3330
Grab a snack from the deli inside the red brick building, equal parts general store and shrine to the golden age of road trips. Sign the guestbook (and look at how far other visitors travel from!) and check out the selection of fresh flowers for sale, grown and maintained by the owner.

10 a.m.
Rainbow Bridge
Rainbow Bridge, SE Beasley Rd., Baxter Springs, KS
You can’t linger here, but you can stop for a quick middle-of-the-road selfie (safely, of course!). The recently repainted structure is the last remaining Marsh arch bridge on the original route.

10:15 a.m.
Monarch Pharmacy & Soda Fountain
601 Military Ave., Baxter Springs, KS | 620-856-3030
Take your tastebuds on a trip down memory lane at this tiny soda counter inside a working pharmacy. Highlights include phosphates, egg creams and Skye’s the Limit, a concoction of hand-spun ice cream and peanut butter in a chocolate-lined glass.

11 a.m.
Waylan’s Ku-Ku Burger
915 N. Main St., Miami, OK | 918-542-1696
Burgers, onion rings, a giant neon sign and a fiberglass cuckoo (err, ku-ku) clock—the perfect recipe for a good old fashioned lunch along Route 66. This is the last remaining location of what was once over 200.

1 p.m.
Totem Pole Park
21300 OK-28 A, Chelsea, OK | 918-283-8035
A short detour off Route 66, this whimsical roadside attraction is home to the world’s largest concrete totem pole. Springfield-born folk artist Ed Galloway spent decades creating the park’s colorful stone and concrete sculptures, turning it into a one-of-a-kind outdoor art installation.

2 p.m.
Blue Whale of Catoosa
2600 OK-66, Catoosa, OK | 918-266-2505
Easily one of the oddest, most beloved landmarks on The Route. You can no longer swim, but you can walk around on—and even inside—the 80-foot-long whale. Planned improvements to align with the 100th anniversary include a visitor center, new restrooms and a viewing platform.

2:45 p.m.
Golden Driller Statue
Tulsa Expo Center, 4145 E 21st St, Tulsa, OK | 918-596-2100
Make a quick stop at one of Tulsa’s most iconic landmarks—and the tallest freestanding statue in the U.S. Towering 76 feet tall, the Golden Driller rests his hand on a real oil derrick.

3 p.m.
Kitsch Crawl, Tulsa
Explore a trifecta of Mother Road glitz: Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios, Decopolis and the huge restored Meadow Gold dairy sign. Browse whimsical Buck Atom’s and art deco-themed Decopolis, with everything from giant space cowgirl and cowboy statues to a mini dinosaur museum.

4 p.m.
Route 66 Hotel, Tulsa
Rest your head in a nearby vintage motel. The Desert Hills Motel offers vintage charm in a classic 1950s motor inn, and no two rooms are alike at The Campbell Hotel. Themed options include the Tulsa Art Deco Room and the Route 66 Suite.

7:30 p.m.
El Rancho Grande
1629 E. 11th St., Tulsa, OK | 918-584-0816
Indulge in authentic Tex-Mex and margaritas under the neon sign at El Rancho Grande, one of the city’s oldest Mexican restaurants.

Sunday

9 a.m.
Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza and Route 66 Neon Sign Park, Tulsa
Visit the spot honoring Cyrus Avery, the “Father of Route 66,” and then take in the giant neon replica signs next door.

9:30 a.m.
Route 66 Village
3770 Southwest Blvd., Tulsa, OK | 918-619-9473
This outdoor transportation museum has a bit of everything: historic railcars, an oil derrick, a restored gas station and neon signs.

Head East on Route 66

Friday

10:30 a.m.
Route 66 Springfield Visitor Center
815 E. St. Louis St., Springfield, MO | 800-678-8767
Stop into the small downtown visitor center for free Route 66 maps, historical context and souvenirs. Bonus: The mural on the windows highlights some of the best 417-land attractions.

11:30 a.m.
Buc-ee’s
3284 Beaver Rd., Strafford, MO
Buc-ee’s isn’t just a gas station—it’s the gas station. The Texas-born mega stop is new to Springfield, but quickly became a bucket list destination for road trippers. Go for the spotless bathrooms, quirky merch and fresh BBQ brisket sandwiches.

12:15 p.m.
Replica Hubble Telescope
100 S. Clay St., Marshfield, MO
Take a quick detour to see the one-quarter-size replica of the Hubble Space Telescope. Astronomer Edwin Hubble, credited with proving the existence of other galaxies, was born here in 1889.

1 p.m.
Route 66 Museum
915 S. Jefferson Ave., Lebanon, MO | 417-532-2148
Inside the Lebanon-Laclede County Library, this small, free museum impresses with a replica vintage gas station, roadside motel room, diner and several other exhibits.

1:30 p.m.
Munger Moss Motel
1336 U.S. Rte 66, Lebanon, MO
Though the motel is closed for renovations under new ownership, it’s still worth a stop. Snap a photo of the iconic neon sign and the directional signs indicating the mileage to other legendary Mother Road sites.

2:15 p.m.
Route 66 Neon Park
133 Reed Pkwy, St. Robert, MO | 573-451-2000
The route’s newest attraction (opened in spring 2025), showcasing restored neon signs that once lit the way from St. Louis to Joplin. Long-forgotten and salvaged from fields and storage sheds, the signs now line a path through George M. Reed Roadside Park.

3 p.m.
Uranus Fudge Factory
14400 State Hwy Z, St. Robert, MO | 833-487-2687
The tongue-in-cheek roadside stop leans into its brand with over-the-top signage and pun-heavy souvenirs (“The best fudge comes from Uranus!”). Grab a treat, marvel at the patriotic Muffler Man and wander through the quirky sideshow museum.

4 p.m.
Devil’s Elbow
This quiet, scenic town on the original Route 66 got its name from a particularly sharp bend—a  “devil of an elbow”—in the Big Piney River. The road was eventually rerouted to avoid a challenging tight curve, but the historic bridge still crosses the Big Piney.

5 p.m.
World’s (Second) Largest Rocking Chair
5957 State Hwy ZZ, Cuba, MO | 573-885-1474
Built expressly to earn the title, this 42-foot-tall steel rocking chair was once the largest in the world. Although it’s since been dethroned and secured so it doesn’t rock, the “Route 66 Red Rocker” remains a popular photo op.

5:30 p.m.
Wagon Wheel Motel
901 E. Washington Blvd., Cuba, MO | 573-885-3411
The oldest continually operating motel on Route 66 (opened in 1938), this charming court features stone cottages with the original neon sign, windows and wood floors and doors.

6 p.m.
Mural Cruise, Cuba
See how this tiny town earned the nickname “Route 66 Mural City.” Cuba has 15 murals, all walkable from one another. Stop into the visitor center (71 State Hwy P, Cuba, MO) for a self-guided tour map.

6:30 p.m.
Dinner, Cuba
Across the street from the Wagon Wheel, Missouri Hick BBQ serves hearty portions of ribs, brisket and smoked sandwiches. Half a mile down the road, colorful Weir on 66 offers burgers, sandwiches and a full bar in a former 1932 Phillips gas station.

Saturday

9 a.m.
Meramec Caverns
1135 Hwy W, Sullivan, MO | 573-468-2283
You’ve seen the signs painted on barn roofs across the entire state, now it’s time to experience it. Book a one-hour Cavern Tour to explore dramatic formations and structures, complete with colorful light shows. Above ground, there’s a cafe, gift shop, zipline and gem mining.

11:30 a.m.
Route 66 State Park
97 N. Outer Rd., Eureka, MO | 636-938-7198
Just outside metro St. Louis, this park marries nature and Route 66 history. Check out the gift shop and memorabilia in the visitor center, then hit the trails. Four easygoing paths range from a half-mile to 3.2 miles.

1 p.m.
National Museum of Transportation
2933 Barrett Station Rd., St. Louis, MO | 314-965-6212
Marvel at the world’s largest collection of transportation vehicles, with nearly 200 ranging from historic steam locomotives and classic cars to planes, a tugboat and a tractor. Tour the grounds on foot or by trolley, and enjoy hands-on family activities like Creation Station.

3:30 p.m.
World’s Largest Amoco Sign + Matinee at the Single-Screen Hi-Pointe Theatre
These two can’t-miss attractions sit across from one another on the edge of Forest Park. The enormous 40-by-60-foot Amoco sign was built in 1921, originally reading “Standard Oil.” Admire it, then catch a matinee on the one-of-a-kind historic 1922 single-screen.

7 p.m.
Holiday Inn St. Louis — Route 66, St. Louis
10709 Watson Rd., St. Louis, MO | 314-821-6600
Rest up at a conveniently located modern chain hotel with a dose of Mother Road history. The neon Park Plaza Courts sign standing sentinel out front was defunct for over 50 years and re-lit in 2024. Amenities include an indoor lounge, outdoor pool and lawn games.

Sunday

9 a.m.
Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
10820 Riverview Dr., St. Louis, MO
This mile-long bridge spans the Mississippi River on the city’s northern edge, connecting Illinois and Missouri. With its unusual 30-degree bend, park-like setting and outstanding river views, it was once one of the most popular Route 66 landmarks. Today, park free at either end and walk or bike across.

10 a.m.
Gateway Arch National Park
St. Louis, MO | 314-655-1600
Closely tied to the significance of Route 66, the Gateway Arch symbolizes westward expansion. Reserve tickets in advance to ride to the top of the awe-inspiring 630-foot stainless steel arch, then explore the museum at its base and stroll the riverfront.