The first thing we did was research how long people spend taking this iconic trip. Wow! We were blown away! It is recommended, to get the most out of your trip, that you spend AT LEAST 3 - 4 weeks doing this trip! 2 weeks is considered speeding through the trip and it is stated that you won't get everything out of your trip as you could. Well. . . 3 - 4 weeks seems to be a little overdoing it when I will be alone in the car with my three
So, with that being a huge factor in our decision making, plus finances, we've opted for the 2 week trip. Will we be speeding through Route 66? Maybe. Will we get to see EVERYTHING? No. Will we have the trip of a lifetime? YES! Will my children (and I) get to see things we've never seen before? YES! Will we get to go places we've never been before? YES! Will we get to make unforgettable memories together? YES!
Although we will not be seeing everything there is to see in every single city, we have mapped out exactly what my kids and I are interested in and planned our schedule. We purchased this book to guide us along the way. We wanted the most cultural & educational experience possible. We chose to choose iconic, affordable, and Route 66 culturally rich motels mapped out in this book. This book provides a good range of motels along the route. From more expensive 'must stops' to affordable 'must stops' along the route. We'll still be stopping to check out the more expensive hotels with history . . . just not laying our heads there at night!
Now that we had our time schedule and booked our rooms, it was time to get down to the nitty gritty! We started with this book - Travel Route 66. It is an amazing resource to guide you on your trip. We went though this book with a highlighter, state by state, and logged everything we wanted to see in a journal. After that, we went back with our Ghost Towns of Route 66 book and made sure all of the Ghost Towns we wanted to see were noted and written down.
I also made sure to note the educational opportunities along the route. For example to start our trip, we'll be going through Springfield, IL. I noted that before we leave on our trip I want to teach my kids as much as possible about Abraham Lincoln, so when we arrive and are able to visit his home, law office, and tomb, it will be more meaningful to them.
I also noted more . . . quirky, fun, educational opportunities. For example, in Joliet, IL, we will go right past the prison where they filmed a section of Blues Brothers. It is in my agenda before we leave to educate my children on The Blues Brothers, and enjoy the movie together.
Other educational opportunities along the route are: Al Capone, Jesse James, various Civil War battles, George Washington Carver, Bonnie & Clyde, Mickey Mantle, Will Rogers, The Grapes of Wrath, Rough Riders, Teddy Roosevelt, Doc Holliday, The Santa Fe Trail, and more!
Well. . . we have our schedule. We have our hotel rooms. We have our plane tickets to Chicago! We have our rental car booked. We have our 'must see' stops. We have our agenda. We are ready to go! Now, we must wait. The hardest part!
We purchased this book after doing our research, and decided it would be probably the best investment of our trip. Seeing as how Route 66 isn't one road, isn't a straight shot, and was re-routed many, many, many times, it can be confusing not only reading and figuring out which stop is on which alt-route of Route 66, but I'm imagining it's going to be even more baffling once we're on the road.
This book looks disconcerting when you open it up, but it is stated many times in reviews that once you're on the road, this book makes perfect sense. I sure hope so! My 11 year old navigator and myself are counting on it!
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