Route 66 spans the Texas Panhandle for 178 miles from Oklahoma to New Mexico. Wide-open spaces and small towns will make this road trip memorable for you and your family. Here's buckle up and enjoy the American history you'll encounter along Route 66.
Instructions
1. Begin your trip in Shamrock at the Tower Conoco Station and U Drop Inn Cafe. Built in 1936 with an art deco design, the station and restaurant have been restored to their former glory.
2. Drive by the restored Phillip's 66 Gas Station in McLean on your way to the Devil's Rope/Route 66 Museum. Before you leave town, stop by the McLean-Alanreed Historical Museum across from the Avalon Theater to learn interesting local history.
3. Have a can of spray paint ready to leave your mark at the Bug Ranch in Conway. Five Volkswagen Bugs are buried nose first in the Texas dirt. The cars are periodically repainted to ensure there is always room for another traveler's signature.
4. Stop to eat at the Big Texan in Amarillo, but come hungry. If you can finish a 72-oz. steak with side dishes in an hour, the meal is free.
5. Cruise through Adrian. This small town marks the halfway point on Route 66 from Illinois to California. Have a piece of homemade pie and a cup of coffee at the Midpoint Cafe--that is, unless you're too full from your steak dinner in Amarillo.
6. Stretch your legs in Glenrio, the last stop on Route 66 in Texas. Now a ghost town, Glenrio offers plenty of interesting photo opportunities.
7. Want to swing down the road to an appropriate soundtrack? Pick up the CD, "Ray Charles Live at the Olympia 2000," and listen to his rendition of "Route 66." You also can purchase "Route 66 and Other TV Themes" by Nelson Riddle and his orchestra.
Tags: Route Texas
