By car | Stage by stage | United States

Route 66 — driving from Chicago to Santa Monica

3,940 km, eight states and 17 days of neon motels, deserts and back roads.

3,940 kmTotal distance
17 daysDays driving
232 kmAverage per day

The Mother Road is off the official maps, so you hop between historic alignments and the interstate wherever the old tarmac stops.

You drive little and stop often — an average of 230 km a day leaves room for the sign, the diner and the fifties motel.

September is the best window: the Mojave is crossable by day and motel prices drop.

Stage simulator

How many km and how many days?

The full route is 3940 km and about 17 days. Enter any km and days: if you are not doing it in one go, split it into several trips.

17 days, 3939.8 km and 0 m of climbing: about 231.8 km a day and 16 nights on the way.

  1. Chicago → Springfield (Illinois)240 km · 0 m D+Sleep: Springfield (Illinois) · Eat: Cozy Dog Drive In in Springfield
  2. Springfield (Illinois) → St. Louis240 km · 0 m D+Sleep: St. Louis
  3. St. Louis → Springfield (Missouri)306.6 km · 0 m D+Sleep: Springfield (Missouri) · Eat: Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba
  4. Springfield (Missouri) → Oklahoma City493.3 km · 0 m D+Sleep: Oklahoma City · Eat: Rock Café in Stroud
  5. Oklahoma City → Elk City210 km · 0 m D+Sleep: Elk City · Eat: Cadillac Ranch and The Big Texan in Amarillo
  6. Elk City → Amarillo210 km · 0 m D+Sleep: Amarillo
  7. Amarillo → Santa Fe or Albuquerque306.6 km · 0 m D+Sleep: Santa Fe or Albuquerque · Eat: Midpoint Café in Adrian
  8. Santa Fe or Albuquerque → Albuquerque153.3 km · 0 m D+Sleep: Albuquerque
  9. Albuquerque → Gallup265 km · 0 m D+Sleep: Gallup · Eat: El Rancho in Gallup
  10. Gallup → Holbrook265 km · 0 m D+Sleep: Holbrook
  11. Holbrook → Flagstaff160 km · 0 m D+Sleep: Flagstaff · Eat: Meteor Crater
  12. Flagstaff → Tusayan (Grand Canyon)160 km · 0 m D+Sleep: Tusayan (Grand Canyon)
  13. Tusayan (Grand Canyon) → Seligman160 km · 0 m D+Sleep: Seligman
  14. Seligman → Kingman240 km · 0 m D+Sleep: Kingman · Eat: The Oatman burros
  15. Kingman → Barstow240 km · 0 m D+Sleep: Barstow
  16. Barstow → Santa Monica145 km · 0 m D+Sleep: Santa Monica · Eat: The 'End of the Trail' sign on the pier
  17. Santa Monica → Santa Mónica145 km · 0 m D+Sleep: Santa Mónica

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Stages and sections

Approximate distances and climbing. Every guidebook and GPX varies by a few kilometres.

SectionKmD+DaysSleepEat
Chicago - St. Louis480 km0 m2Springfield (Illinois), St. LouisCozy Dog Drive In in Springfield, Ted Drewes in St. Louis
St. Louis - Joplin460 km0 m2Cuba (Missouri), Springfield (Missouri)Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba, Gay Parita filling station
Joplin - Oklahoma City340 km0 m1Oklahoma City (Bricktown)Rock Café in Stroud, Pops in Arcadia
Oklahoma City - Amarillo420 km0 m2Elk City, AmarilloCadillac Ranch and The Big Texan in Amarillo
Amarillo - Albuquerque460 km0 m2Tucumcari, Santa Fe or AlbuquerqueMidpoint Café in Adrian, Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari
Albuquerque - Holbrook530 km0 m2Gallup, Holbrook (Wigwam Motel)El Rancho in Gallup, Petrified Forest on the way
Holbrook - Seligman480 km0 m3Flagstaff, Tusayan (Grand Canyon), SeligmanMeteor Crater, Mather Point at sunset, Delgadillo's in Seligman
Seligman - Barstow480 km0 m2Kingman, BarstowThe Oatman burros, Roy's Motel in Amboy
Barstow - Santa Mónica290 km0 m1Santa MonicaThe 'End of the Trail' sign on the pier
Stops along the route10

Four facts per village — what is worth a stop, where to sleep, where to eat and the practical warning.

ChicagoSleep — Springfield (Illinois), St. Louis
Eat — Cozy Dog Drive In in Springfield, Ted Drewes in St. Louis
See on the map
St. Louis · km 480Sleep — Cuba (Missouri), Springfield (Missouri)
Eat — Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba, Gay Parita filling station
See on the map
Joplin · km 940Sleep — Oklahoma City (Bricktown)
Eat — Rock Café in Stroud, Pops in Arcadia
See on the map
Oklahoma City · km 1280Sleep — Elk City, Amarillo
Eat — Cadillac Ranch and The Big Texan in Amarillo
See on the map
Amarillo · km 1700Sleep — Tucumcari, Santa Fe or Albuquerque
Eat — Midpoint Café in Adrian, Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari
See on the map
Albuquerque · km 2160Sleep — Gallup, Holbrook (Wigwam Motel)
Eat — El Rancho in Gallup, Petrified Forest on the way
See on the map
Holbrook · km 2690Sleep — Flagstaff, Tusayan (Grand Canyon), Seligman
Eat — Meteor Crater, Mather Point at sunset, Delgadillo's in Seligman
See on the map
Seligman · km 3170Sleep — Kingman, Barstow
Eat — The Oatman burros, Roy's Motel in Amboy
See on the map
Barstow · km 3650Sleep — Santa Monica
Eat — The 'End of the Trail' sign on the pier
See on the map
Santa Mónica · km 3940Sleep — Santa Monica
Eat — The 'End of the Trail' sign on the pier
See on the map

Daily distance by level

Fast10 days, 400 km a day, headline stops only.
Recommended17 days, 230 km a day, Grand Canyon included.
Slow24 days, every small town plus two nights in Chicago and Los Angeles.

Travel and paperwork

Getting thereFly to Chicago O'Hare, pick the car up downtown rather than at the airport.
Getting backFly out of Los Angeles (LAX) and drop the car there.
CarOne-way hire — the drop-off fee is around $300.
DrivingEU licence plus international permit; refuel every 250 km on the empty sections.
TollsIllinois and Oklahoma are electronic — take the rental transponder.

Season — May, June and September. July and August top 40 °C in the Mojave; winter brings snow in New Mexico and Arizona.

Kit and packing list

Copy this list into the plan as cards and a checklist, and split shared kit across the group.

NavigationOffline maps: 200 km with no signal between Amboy and Barstow.
WaterA 5-litre jug in the boot for the Mojave.
PowerType A adapter and a twin car charger.
ClothingLayers — 35 °C by day in Arizona, 5 °C at night in Flagstaff.

Food, water and self-sufficiency

DinersEat early: many small towns shut at 8 pm.
BreakfastIncluded in most roadside motels.
ShoppingCooler and supermarket water — never cross the desert empty.

Indicative budget

Car for 17 days$1,100-1,500 including the one-way fee.
Fuel$350-450 for the 3,940 km.
Motels$90-140 a night; the historic ones book out months ahead.
Total per person€3,000-3,800 including flights, travelling as a pair.

Reference prices to work out what the route costs before you go.

Paperwork, insurance and permits

VisaESTA approved before you book the flight.
InsuranceTravel medical cover and full car insurance.
ParksAmerica the Beautiful pass if you visit three parks or more.

Keep it in your calendar

Once you build this route as a plan, every stage is a card with time, duration and place. From the plan link anyone can download the calendar (.ics) or add it to Google Calendar and Outlook, with reminders before each day and before payment or confirmation deadlines.

What to lock before you leave

Frequently asked questions

How long is Route 66 — driving from Chicago to Santa Monica?3,940 km in total.
How many days does it take?17 days end to end.
Where do people usually sleep?The usual overnight points are Springfield (Illinois), St. Louis, Cuba (Missouri), Springfield (Missouri), Oklahoma City (Bricktown), Elk City, Amarillo. The stage table lists them section by section.
How many kilometres a day should I plan?Fast: 10 days, 400 km a day, headline stops only. Recommended: 17 days, 230 km a day, Grand Canyon included. Slow: 24 days, every small town plus two nights in Chicago and Los Angeles.
When is the best time to go?May, June and September. July and August top 40 °C in the Mojave; winter brings snow in New Mexico and Arizona.

In Keago this route becomes a plan — one card per stage with time and duration, the daily track, each night's accommodation with link and location, the meals, and both travel tickets where the whole group can see them. Everyone confirms and you know who is missing.

Create your account and keep building your Route 66 — driving from Chicago to Santa Monica plan.

It is free and takes a minute.

  • Save the plan and pick up where you left off
  • Carry it on your phone, map and times included
  • Send it to your group with one link
  • Download the itinerary and the calendar
Create my accountI already have an account