Route 66 Road Trip - MetroFamily Magazine
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Route 66 Road Trip

by Hannah Schmitt

Reading Time: 4 minutes 

Oklahoma is home to the longest driveable stretch of Route 66 in the country! The Mother Road cuts right through the state and is sprinkled with quirky roadside attractions perfect for families. So plan a Route 66 adventure and be sure to check out these family-friendly stops along the way.

National Route 66 & Transportation Museum

2717 W. 3rd St., Elk City

This museum is a nostalgia overload with classic cars and a mock drive-in theater to show kids what the old road looked like. The museum is the perfect destination for families as it is part of an entire museum complex that takes visitors on a trip through Oklahoma’s exciting history.

Oklahoma Route 66 Museum

2229 W. Gary Blvd., Clinton

Before you start collecting your own souvenirs along the Mother Road, check out the World’s Largest Curio Cabinet at this museum displaying some unique treasures collected along the route. Kids especially love experiencing the history of the road through the unique cars, toys, books and clothing on display from the early days of road travel.

Lucille’s Service Station

I-40 & Route 66, Hydro

Built in 1929, this unique two-story service station is one of just a handful of historic gas stations left along the Mother Road. Lucille’s continued to operate until 2000, even after the 1971 completion of I-40 cut off direct access to the new highway. Now, it stands as a restored piece of American travel history on the National Register of Historic Places.

Milk Bottle Building

2426 N. Classen Blvd., Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City residents are familiar with this giant milk bottle that sits atop a wedge-shaped building along Route 66. The unique building has been home to many businesses over the years. It currently sits vacant but remains the perfect spot to take a photo along the Mother Road.

POPS

660 W. Hwy. 66, Arcadia

This roadside attraction is as useful as it is fun. Stop in for the 66-foot multi-colored soda bottle sculpture and stay for a meal at the old-fashioned diner and to use the filling station to prepare for the rest of your journey. Order a classic diner item like a burger or a chicken fried steak and pick from more than 600 kinds of soda to wash it all down.

Golden Driller

4145 E. 21st St., Tulsa

Tulsa’s Golden Driller stands 76 feet above Route 66, making it one of the tallest freestanding statues in the nation. Many Oklahomans don’t know the Driller was adopted as the state monument in the 1970s. Traveling Route 66 into Tulsa, the Golden Driller is the perfect stop to remind the family about Oklahoma’s larger-than-life history and heritage.

Blue Whale

2680 N. Hwy. 66, Catoosa

Route 66 travelers through Catoosa can’t miss this special landmark. The 80-by-20-foot whale sits atop a pond that was once a popular swimming hole for Route 66 travelers. Although swimming is no longer allowed, stop by this quirky landmark to go fishing and enjoy a picnic lunch.

Will Rogers Memorial Museum

1720 W. Will Rogers Blvd., Claremore

Built on the land Will Rogers acquired for his own retirement home, this unique memorial and museum puts the life of Oklahoma’s favorite son, Will Rogers, on display. A large saddle collection and tons of artifacts are accompanied by a special section just for children and a theater where Will Rogers movies play throughout the day.

Totem Pole Park

21310 Hwy. 28A, Foyil

A picture perfect rest stop on your Route 66 journey is this one-of-a-kind landmark. The world’s largest concrete totem pole stands at the center of this park, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. The totem pole is a 90-foot tower of folk art to appreciate while you stretch your legs and enjoy a snack at a shady park table.

​Waylan’s Ku-Ku Burger

915 N. Main St., Miami

You’ll certainly get hungry on your Route 66 journey and there’s no better place to stop along the road than this quirky burger joint. The restaurant is famous for their cooked-to-order burgers, tasty ice cream and the huge cuckoo bird peeking out of the top of the building.

 

 

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