Route 66 Tours

1. Meramec Caverns

Deep in the Ozarks near Stanton, Missouri, you’ll find almost 18 miles of underground limestone caverns that have been forming for the last 400 million years. The caves make up an impressive 4.6-mile system of natural rock and mineral formations in vivid colors and a colorful history to match. The caverns have provided shelter for Native Americans, served as a station on the Underground Railroad, and was even allegedly used as a hideout by the infamous outlaw Jesse James.

2. Palo Duro Canyon State Park

The Grand Canyon isn’t the only canyon worth visiting on Route 66. At 120 miles long, 20 miles wide, and up to 800 feet deep, Palo Duro Canyon State Park near Amarillo, Texas is the nation’s second-largest canyon in America. Appearing out of the rolling plains, Palo Duro Canyon opens up before you with stunning multi-colored layers of 250-million old rock, cliff walls, and incredible panoramic views. This geological masterpiece has plenty of fun and exciting activities to keep you busy before you hop back in the car, from hiking and biking to horseback riding and luxury camping on the canyon floor.

3. Cozy Dog Drive-In

Sometimes the best stops along the road are the simplest. This iconic diner in Springfield, Illinois is not only a Route 66 classic, it’s also the birthplace of an American fast-food favorite—the corndog on a stick. Run and owned by the Waldmire family since the 1950s, this diner has been serving up deep-fried delicacies to travelers pulling off the nation’s most famous road for decades. Jam-packed with Route 66 memorabilia with friendly counter-service, Cozy Dog is a must-stop spot for its history and kitschy ambiance.

4. Pops 66 Soda Ranch

You’ll find Pops just outside Oklahoma City off Route 66. Marked by a giant glowing pop bottle, this quirky roadside attraction is nearly impossible to miss. Whether you call it pop or soda, you’ll find over 700 different flavors of the carbonated fizzy drink—some enticing and others bizarre—including butterscotch, maple bacon, peanut butter and jelly, mint julep, and buffalo wing.

5. Calico Ghost Town

Once a booming Western mining town in San Bernardino County, California, Calico was abandoned in the mid-1890s. The town produced over $20 million in silver during its day, boasting over 500 mines and a population of more than 3,500 residents. But when the value of silver plummeted, the miners packed up to seek their fortunes elsewhere—leaving a ghost town behind. During the 1950s, the town was restored to its former glory, offering visitors today a unique chance to see the way miners lived and worked during the mining boom of the 1880s.

6. Shaffer Fish Bowl Spring

Hidden among the curves of the Black Mountains in the Mojave Desert, this unlikely little spot houses a surprising secret—a natural spring collecting in a concrete pool. Its name comes from the goldfish that can be found swimming in its refreshing waters. This peaceful little oasis is tucked away up carved stone steps on a rocky hillside, where wild burros, bighorn sheep, bees, and other desert creatures can stop to quench their thirst. Less