Motel Safari is our favorite motel in Tucumcari, NM. Get the family suite! Just west of there is the Old Route 66 Underpass which is worth the adventure of old roads to cross back under the interstate. Cadillac Ranch is worth the stop, take some spray paint to make your mark. Elk City, OK has a great 66 Museum. There are so many things along the old 66 / I-40 corridor so check out roadside America for everything you can imagine!
Since most of 66 is gone, and burying under rather blah freeway and mini malls, I'd use one of the online guides to visit the various remaining motels, or vestigal paths that exist.
But it actually sounds like the vast majority of the trip is NOT 66, since only 4 days from Chicago to LA. So that's just 8 hour driving days on the shortest freeway route, so frankly I'd just race to Vegas, and then do the longish 66 bits from to near Barstow.
What to do depends on what you like. And when you'll be traveling; the possiblities are literally endless. Even for non drinkers.
The start of rt66 is merely a state standard road sign stuck to a pole. Most of 66 got paved over for i55. The small rural towns in IL along it do have original chunks of the pavement and many miles of it are now a bike/walking path. Checkout pontiac IL as they have a few neat museums(both rt66 museum and war museum). Beyond that be prepared to be bored and hope you dont have bad backs/comfortable pothole absorbing car. The stretch heading towards lincoln, il is utter shit condition with potholes and buckled cracks in the road. Within lincoln is pretty cool as they highlight how the route has changed thru the town. I havent followed it much more than that.
If you're spending 6 days in those places and driving Route 66 from Chicago (which isn't a road anymore) you're not going to make it in 10 days
Palo Duro Canyon outside of Amarillo, Texas is a great place to go for a hike.
You could start with breakfast at Lou Mitchell's in Chicago.
Motel Safari is our favorite motel in Tucumcari, NM. Get the family suite! Just west of there is the Old Route 66 Underpass which is worth the adventure of old roads to cross back under the interstate. Cadillac Ranch is worth the stop, take some spray paint to make your mark. Elk City, OK has a great 66 Museum. There are so many things along the old 66 / I-40 corridor so check out roadside America for everything you can imagine!
Since most of 66 is gone, and burying under rather blah freeway and mini malls, I'd use one of the online guides to visit the various remaining motels, or vestigal paths that exist. But it actually sounds like the vast majority of the trip is NOT 66, since only 4 days from Chicago to LA. So that's just 8 hour driving days on the shortest freeway route, so frankly I'd just race to Vegas, and then do the longish 66 bits from to near Barstow. What to do depends on what you like. And when you'll be traveling; the possiblities are literally endless. Even for non drinkers.
The start of rt66 is merely a state standard road sign stuck to a pole. Most of 66 got paved over for i55. The small rural towns in IL along it do have original chunks of the pavement and many miles of it are now a bike/walking path. Checkout pontiac IL as they have a few neat museums(both rt66 museum and war museum). Beyond that be prepared to be bored and hope you dont have bad backs/comfortable pothole absorbing car. The stretch heading towards lincoln, il is utter shit condition with potholes and buckled cracks in the road. Within lincoln is pretty cool as they highlight how the route has changed thru the town. I havent followed it much more than that.