---
title: "Get Your Kicks: Your Guide to the Route 66 Centennial"
date: "2026-02-01"
author: "Trina Phillips"
tags: ["Americana", "Centennial", "Roadside Attractions", "RoadTrip", "Route 66"]
categories: ["Creating a Keepsake", "Niche Adventures"]
url: "https://theexplorersnook.com/guide-to-route-66-centennial/"
---

Buckle up, buttercup! 2026 is officially here, and that means the “Mother Road” is blowing out 100 candles on her birthday cake. If you’ve ever needed an excuse to pack a cooler, grab a paper map (for the aesthetic, obviously), and drive until the scenery changes from cornfields to cactus, this is it.

The Route 66 Centennial isn’t just a milestone; it’s a year-long, eight-state party that stretches from the neon glow of Chicago to the salty breeze of Santa Monica. Whether you’re a classic car enthusiast or just someone who really appreciates a 20-foot-tall fiberglass statue of a guy holding a hot dog, there is something magical about this 2,448-mile ribbon of asphalt.

Here’s why you should be revving your engines for the centennial road trip of a lifetime.

**The Kitschy, The Quirky, and The Gigantic**
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Route 66 was the original home of “Look at that!” travel. We’re talking about the **Blue Whale of Catoosa, the Gemini Giant,** and enough **neon signs** to be seen from space. Part of the fun of the centennial is seeing these icons restored to their former glory. In places like Bristow, Oklahoma, they’re even relighting massive neon signs that have been dark since the 1950s. It’s like the whole road is getting a glow-up!

**Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives (The Real Ones)**
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Forget the granola bars for a minute. Route 66 is the spiritual home of the mid-morning milkshake and the “world’s best” cup of coffee. From **Lou Mitchell’s** in Chicago to the **Midpoint Café** in Texas (where the “ugly crust” pie is a literal rite of passage), your taste buds are in for as much of a journey as your tires.

Check out our Hardcover Route 66 Quick-Fill Road Trip Journals:
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<div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large">![Get Your Kicks - Route 66 Travel Journal - Hardcover](https://theexplorersnook.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Get-Your-Kicks-Route-66-Travel-Journal-Hardcover-1024x1024.jpg)</figure><div class="wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex"><div class="wp-block-button">[Mother Road Edition](https://www.lulu.com/shop/the-explorers-nook/get-your-kicks-the-unofficial-route-66-centennial-road-trip-journal/hardcover/product-p6w7r6e.html) </div> </div> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full">![](https://theexplorersnook.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Route-66-Look-Inside.jpg)</figure>Same Fun Journal with Two Awesome Cover Options
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Don’t let your Centennial memories fade! Our **Quick-Fill Route 66 Journal** features easy prompts to capture every neon sign, quirky diner, and roadside giant effortlessly. Grab yours and start documenting your legacy today!

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large">![Route 66 - Neon Retro Edition Hard Cover](https://theexplorersnook.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Route-66-Neon-Retro-Edition-Hard-Cover-1024x1024.jpg)</figure><div class="wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex"><div class="wp-block-button">[Neon Retro Edition](https://www.lulu.com/shop/the-explorers-nook/the-unofficial-route-66-centennial-road-trip-logbook/hardcover/product-w4wrpw6.html) </div> </div> </div>An Inside Look at Our Route 66 Journals
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<div class="wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8cf370e7 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex">- **Prompted “Best of the Day”:** Quickly log your favorite neon sign, the weirdest roadside attraction, and the best pie you ate. And optional daily writing prompts in case you’re too tired to think.
- **Centennial Tracker:** Did you make it to any, or all, of the Official Centennial events? Keep track of them here.
- **The “Roadside Bingo”:** A fun way to pass the time on those long, empty stretches of road.
- **Miles and Caffeine Tracker:** Simple spots to jot down the practical bits without it feeling like a chore.
- **Blacktop Bijou:** Road trip movie recommendations for your journey. Download them now.
- **Neon Sign Scavenger Hunt:** How many of these did you see, or hear, during your trip?
- **State-by-State Snapshots:** Easy-to-fill sections for all eight states, from the shores of Lake Michigan to the Pacific Ocean.
 
 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large">![Look inside our Route 66 Road Trip journals](https://theexplorersnook.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Route-66-Look-Inside-1024x768.jpg)</figure> </div>**The Centennial Calendar is Packed**
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Communities along the route are going all out. Keep an eye out for:

- **The Route 66 Fun Run:** A massive caravan of vintage beauties winding through Arizona.
- **The Oatman Bed Races:** Because nothing says “Mother Road” like watching people push beds through a historic mining town while avoiding wild burros.
- **Neon Festivals:** Cities from Illinois to California are hosting festivals to celebrate the relighting of historic landmarks.
 
**Don’t Let the Memories Blur**
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There’s a specific kind of “road trip amnesia” that happens around day four. You know the feeling—you’ve seen so many breathtaking sunsets, eaten so many quirky burgers, and met so many “only-on-66” characters that the details start to get fuzzy.

Was the giant rocking chair in Missouri or Illinois? Did the guy at the gas station tell us the secret to the best barbecue in Tulsa or Amarillo?

This is the year to actually capture those “blink-and-you-miss-it” moments. Whether you’re stopping to sketch a vintage motel or just jotting down the hilarious thing your co-pilot said when you missed the turn for the Cadillac Ranch, writing it down turns a trip into a legacy. After all, if the Mother Road can last 100 years, your memories should at least last long enough to tell the grandkids!

So, check your oil, pick a playlist that includes plenty of Nat King Cole and Chuck Berry, and get ready to get your kicks. The Centennial only happens once, and the road is calling.

**Are you planning a Route 66 trek this year? Tell us which stop you’re most excited about in the comments!**

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