1. Needles – Gateway to California

• Take a picture with the Welcome to California sign.

• Stop at the El Garces Harvey House, a historic train station and hotel.

• Visit the Needles Regional Museum for Route 66 and railroad history.

2. Goffs – Desert Relics

• Explore the Goffs Schoolhouse Museum, a restored 1914 schoolhouse filled with Mojave Desert history.

3. Amboy – The Iconic Roy’s Motel & Café

• Snap a photo of Roy’s Motel & Café, one of the most famous Route 66 landmarks.

• Check out Amboy Crater, a volcanic cinder cone with a short hiking trail.

4. Bagdad – The “Ghost” of Bagdad Café

• Though the original town is gone, visit the Bagdad Café in Newberry Springs, made famous by the 1987 movie.

5. Barstow – Route 66 Nostalgia

• Visit the Route 66 Mother Road Museum for vintage memorabilia.

• Explore the Western America Railroad Museum for train enthusiasts.

• Take a detour to Calico Ghost Town, a restored Old West mining town.

6. Oro Grande – Bottle Tree Ranch

• Walk through Elmer’s Bottle Tree Ranch, an eerie yet fascinating forest of metal trees adorned with glass bottles.

7. Victorville – More Route 66 History

• Stop by the California Route 66 Museum to see classic road trip artifacts.

8. San Bernardino – Wigwam Motel & McDonald’s History

• Stay the night at the Wigwam Motel, a classic Route 66 landmark with teepee-shaped rooms.

• Visit the Original McDonald's Site & Museum, where the fast-food empire began.

9. Pasadena & Los Angeles – The Route’s End

• Drive through Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, part of the Rose Parade route.

• Stop at Fair Oaks Pharmacy, a vintage soda fountain with an old-school vibe.

• End your journey at the Santa Monica Pier, the official terminus of Route 66. Take a picture with the “End of the Trail” sign!