Main Street of America

Route 66 (also known as the Will Rogers Highway) once paved the way from Chicago to L.A. and back, and was one of the original parts of the U.S. Highway System. This “Main Street of America” wove together towns and cities and was a symbol of a uniquely American brand of freedom and opportunity. For this reason, Route 66 is commonly known as “The Mother Road.” These days, however, even finding the route can sometimes be a mother. Not so in the Sooner State! Did you know Oklahoma holds the longest section of Route 66? BOOM!

And in the metro, though it shifted somewhat over the years, the Route is fairly easy to follow, entering from the west at Northwest 39th street, turning south on May to Northwest 23rd, then over to Lincoln Boulevard and going north until hitting present-day I-44. The Capitol, the Milk Bottle building, the Tower Theater, the Will Rogers Theater, Ann’s Chicken Fry, the Western Trail Trading Post and the Gold Dome are all along Route 66, and there are plenty of other things to see and do on the way. Just outside of town to the northwest in Arcadia, the Round Barn and Pops delight the Route 66 traveler. Further to the west, Elk City is home of the National Route 66 Museum.

Outside of the Oklahoma City metro, our friends over at OK Tourism have a great article on top sights in Oklahoma along “America’s most beloved highway.” Take the opportunity to join folks like Sir Paul McCartney (who drove the route in 2008, stopping in OKC for dinner), and experience this great and accessible cultural icon for yourself!