The Markeroni Blog

I feel very fortunate to have been able to travel along Route 66 with a friend earlier this year.

It was such an interesting trip that it was too hard to limit it to 13 items. This first group consists of my favorite sites on the trip. Look for more to come later.

1. Ted Drewes Frozen Custard
   We started in St. Louis instead of Illinois so Drewes seemed like a most appropriate way to kick off the trip. In addition to great frozen custard, it’s been a Route 66 landmark for 78 years.

2. Rock Cafe, Stroud, Oklahoma
   This is a must for any fan of the movie “Cars.” The character of Sally was inspired by the owner of the café. She gave up plans to relocate to Costa Rica to stay in her hometown in Oklahoma.

3. Arcadia Round Barn
   You usually don’t expect to see a big round barn. But the Oklahoma barn, which dates back to 1898, is one of the most distinctive landmarks on Route 66.

4. Tower Building
   More popularly known as the U Drop Inn, this Art Deco masterpiece stands out even in Texas. It was formerly a restaurant and gas station.

5. Phillips 66 Service Station
   I was keeping my eyes out for this stop. Opened in the 1920s, it was the first Phillips 66 station in Texas. I’m glad to say it’s being restored.

6. Cadillac Ranch
   You’ll recognize this Texas landmark if you saw “Cars.” This eccentric millionaire planted 10 Cadillacs nose-first into the ground. He lets you spray paint them.

7. Glenrio Historic District
   This epitomizes a Route 66 ghost town. The town died soon after the I-40 diverted traffic away from 66. The most famous structure was The First in Texas/Last in New Mexico Motel.

8. Blue Swallow Motel
   I’m glad we stayed at the motel overnight in New Mexico. It’s a classic 66 motel with blazing neon. The rooms are big, clean, reasonably priced and have antiques such as rotary dial telephones.

9. Wigwam Village #6
   We unfortunately couldn’t get a room at this classic motel in Arizona. A group of German bikers had the place booked up. Europeans love traveling Route 66.

10. Wild Burros
    How can you not love a landmark involving wild burros? The burros were brought there when Oatman, AZ, was a mining town. They freed them after the mine closed. The burros are now a tourism draw.

11. Original McDonalds
    This was also must-see piece of Americana on Route 66 in California. This is where Mickey D first began. It’s about the only way you’d see me enter a McDonald’s.

12. Aztec Hotel
    This is a stunning building dating back to 1926 in California. I was heartened to hear that the hotel is being restored to its original splendor.

13. Santa Monica Pier This was a fitting end to the Route 66 trip. Located by the ocean in California, you get a nice boardwalk and a stunning view of the beach.