Route 66 State Park

• Get out of the car and stretch your legs at the Route 66 State Park, located in Eureka, Missouri. The park, which is near St. Louis, features picnic sites where you can sit down and have lunch. The park's visitor center is housed in an inn that was a roadhouse on historic Route 66. Browse the center's displays, which depict life on the original highway, or bike, hike or ride a horse along one of the park's four nature trails.
  
  

Oklahoma Route 66 Museum

• Take a step back in time by visiting the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum, located in Clinton, Oklahoma. Explore the museum's display cases, which are filled with relics and memorabilia from life on The Mother Road. Take an audio tour of the museum, during which you'll learn about the many motels and hotels, restaurants, curio shops and attractions that dotted the original Route 66 during the road's heyday. After your visit, you can buy a souvenir in the museum's well-stocked gift shop.
  
  

Blue Swallow Motel

• When you're road-weary, spend a night the way original Route 66 travelers did at the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico. The motel, which touts itself as "The Friendliest Motel on Route 66," beckons motorists with its retro neon blue, yellow, pink and green sign. Built in 1939, the landmark motel still features its original garages between the sleeping units, and a remodeled pink stucco exterior.
  
  

California Route 66 Museum

• By the time you reach California, you'll be near the end of historic Route 66, which comes to a stop in Santa Monica. End your cross-country trip on an interesting note by spending an hour or two at the California Route 66 Museum, which is located in Victorville, California. The high desert museum features a variety of exhibits, showcasing everything from Route 66 folk art to vintage cars and gas pumps.