The Drive Home VII

Route 66 – A Century of Adventure

January 3, 2026 – January 12, 2026

The Drive Home VII: Route 66 – A Century of Adventure

America’s Automotive Trust, the Detroit Auto Show, and the National Route 66 Centennial Commission are proud to announce The Drive Home VII: Route 66 – A Century of Adventure, a once-in-a-lifetime cross-country drive celebrating the 100th anniversary of the legendary Route 66. This commemorative event will begin on January 3, 2026, in Santa Monica, California, and nine vehicles will drive the full length of Route 66, arriving nine days later in Chicago, Illinois on January 12. The vehicles will then be on display at the world-class Detroit Auto Show beginning on January 14.

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TDH ROUTE 66 - ITINERARY

*Itinerary is subject to change, updates and additions to the route are still being made

Day 1 - January 2, 2026

Travel/Arrive in Santa Monica, CA

Day 2 - January 3, 2026 (Santa Monica, CA to Barstow, CA – 158 miles)

8a.m. PST: Santa Monica Pier – Santa Monica, CA

10:30a.m. PST: Mel's Drive-In – Santa Monica, CA

Historic Cucamonga Service Station – Rancho Cucamonga, CA (30-min stop, 70-min drive from Mel's Drive-In)

WigWam Tepee Motel – San Bernardino, CA (30-min stop, 30-min drive from Historic Cucamonga Service Station)

Emma Jean's Holland Burger – Victorville, CA (75-min lunch/gas stop, 45-min drive from WigWam Motel)

Roys Café Barstow – Barstow, CA (Dinner and rest, 45-min drive from Emma Jean's Holland Burger)

Day 3 - January 4, 2026 (Barstow, CA to Kingman, AZ – 225 miles)

9a.m. PST: Crave Kaffee Haus – Barstow, CA

Roy's Motel & Café – Amboy, CA (30-min stop, 90-min drive from Crave Kaffee Haus)

Red Dog Saloon – Needles, CA (75-min lunch/gas stop, 90-min drive from Roy's Motel & Café)

Oatman, AZ (15-min photo stop, 30-min drive from Red Dog Saloon)

Cool Springs on Route 66 – Golden Valley, AZ (30-min photo stop, 45-min drive from Oatman, AZ)

Rickety Cricket Brewing & Pizzeria – Kingman, AZ (Dinner and rest, 45-min drive from Cool Springs on Route 66)

Day 4 - January 5, 2026 (Kingman, AZ to Winslow, AZ – 221 miles)

7:30a.m. MST: Mudd on Route 66 – Kingman, AZ (breakfast)

9a.m. MST: Launch

Truxton, AZ (Photo stop, 60-min drive from Mudd on Route 66)

Osterman Gas Station – Peach Spring, AZ (45-min stop/tour, 45-min drive from Truxton, AZ)

Seligman, AZ (Photo stop, 45-min drive from Osterman Gas Station)

Goldie's Route 66 Diner – Williams, AZ (75-min lunch/gas stop, 60-min drive from Seligman, AZ)

Standing on the Corner – Winslow, AZ (Photo stop, 120-min drive from Goldie's Diner)

Turquoise Room Restaurant – Winslow, AZ (Dinner and rest)

Day 5 - January 6, 2026 (Winslow, AZ to Albuquerque, NM – 265 miles)

7:30a.m. MST: Flatbed Ford Café or Brown Mug Café – Winslow, AZ (Breakfast)

9a.m. MST: Launch

Wigwam Motel and Bucket of Blood Street – Holbrook, AZ (Photo stop, 45-min drive from Winslow, AZ)

Food & Spirits - El Rancho Hotel – Gallup, NM (75-min lunch/gas stop, 120-min drive from Holbrook, AZ)

Continental Divide Sign – Continental Divide, NM (Photo stop, 30-min drive from Food & Spirits - El Rancho Hotel)

Glorieta Station Neon Sign Museum – Albuquerque, NM (Dinner and tour, 120-min drive from Continental Divide)

Day 6 - January 7, 2026 (Albuquerque, NM to Amarillo, TX – 287 miles)

7:30a.m. MST: Villa Myriam Coffee – Albuquerque, NM

Chico's - Santa Rosa, NM (30-min stop, 135-min drive from Villa Myriam Coffee)

Ghost Town – Cuervo, NM (Photo stop, 15-min drive from Chico's)

Blue Swallow Motel – Tucumcari, NM (Photo stop, 60-min drive from Ghost Town, Cuervo, NM)

Motel Safari – Tucumcari, NM (Photo stop, located next to Blue Swallow Motel)

Del's Restaurant – Tucumcari, NM (75-min lunch/gas stop, located one block from Motel Safari)

Cadillac Ranch – Amarillo, TX (Photo stop, 120-min drive from Del's Restaurant)

The Big Texan Steak House – Amarillo, TX (Dinner and rest, 15-min drive from Cadillac Ranch)

Day 7 - January 8, 2026 (Amarillo, TX to Weatherford, OK – 189 miles)

8a.m. CST Roasters Coffee & Tea Co – Amarillo, TX

The Leaning Tower of Texas – Groom, TX (Photo stop, 60-min drive from Roasters Coffee & Tea Co)

Tower Station and U-Drop Inn Café – Shamrock, TX (75-min lunch/gas stop, 60-min drive from Leaning Tower of Texas)

The Sandhills Curiosity Shop – Erick, OK (Photo stop, 30-min drive from Tower Station)

Oklahoma Route 66 Museum – Clinton, OK (60-min tour, 75-min drive from Sandhills Curiosity Shop)

Pecina's Mexican Café, Weatherford, OK (Dinner and rest, 15-min drive from Oklahoma Route 66 Museum)

Day 8 - January 9, 2026 (Weatherford, OK to Tulsa, OK – 177 miles)

8a.m. Lucille's Roadhouse – Weatherford, OK (Breakfast)

9a.m. CST: Launch

Lucille's Historic Gas Station – Hydro, OK (Photo stop, 15-min drive from Lucille's Roadhouse)

Pops 66 Soda Ranch – Arcadia, OK (Photo stop, 90-min drive from Lucille's Historic Gas Station)

Threatt Filling Station – (Photo stop, 15-min drive from Pops 66 Soda Ranch)

Boom-A-Rang Diner – Chandler, OK (75-min lunch/gas stop, 30-min drive from Threatt Filling Station)

Buck Atoms Cosmic Curios – Tusla, OK (Photo stop, 90-min drive from Boom-A-Rang-Diner)

Meadow Gold Sign – Tulsa, OK (Photo stop, next to Buck Atoms)

SMOKE Woodfire Grill – Tulsa, OK (Dinner and rest, 2-min drive from Meadow Gold Sign)

Day 9 - January 10, 2026 (Weatherford, OK to Lebanon, MO – 223 miles)

7:30a.m. CST Tally's Café – Tulsa, OK (Breakfast)

9a.m. CST: Launch

Blue Whale of Catoosa – Catoosa, OK (Photo stop, 30-min drive from Tally's Café)

Coleman Theatre – Miami, OK (Photo stop, 90-min drive from Blue Whale of Catoosa)

Woody's Bar and Grill – Miami, OK (75-min lunch/gas stop, 1-min drive from Coleman Theatre)

Munger Moss Motel – Lebanon, MO (Dinner and rest, 150-min drive from Woody's Bar and Grill)

Day 10 - January 11, 2026 (Lebanon, MO to Springfield, IL – 260 miles)

7:30a.m. CST Masters Donuts – Lebanon, MO (Breakfast)

9a.m. CST: Launch

Rolla, MO (45-min stop, 60-min drive from Masters Donuts)

Sugarfire 44 Smoke House – Valley Park, MO (75-min lunch/gas stop, 90-min drive from Rolla, MO)

Chain of Rocks Bridge – St. Louis, MO (Photo stop, 45-min drive from Sugarfire 44 Smoke House)

Route 66 Motorheads Bar, Grill, and Museum – Springfield, IL (Dinner and rest, 90-min drive from Chain of Rocks Bridge)

Day 11 - January 12, 2026 (Springfield, IL to Chicago, IL – 201 miles)

7:30a.m. CST: Location TBD – Springfield, IL (Breakfast)

9a.m. CST: Launch

American Giants Museum – Atlanta, IL (45-min tour, 60-min drive from Springfield, IL)

State Farm Headquarters – Bloomington, IL (Photo stop, 30-min drive from American Giants Museum)

Pontiac Oakland Museum – Pontiac, IL (75-min lunch/gas stop, 45-min drive from State Farm Headquarters)

Ambler/Becker Texaco – Dwight, IL (Photo stop, 30-min drive from Pontiac-Oakland Museum)

Clarence F. Buckingham Memorial Fountain – Chicago, IL (Photo stop, 120-min drive from Ambler/Becker Texaco)

Day 12 - January 13, 2026 (Chicago, IL to Detroit, MI – 284 miles)

Woodward Avenue – Detroit, MI (Police escorted drive)

Day 13 - January 14, 2026 (Detroit, MI)

Detroit Auto Show – Detroit, MI (Auto Show begins)

Join the drive HOME

WANT TO MAKE THE DRIVE WITH US?

We'd love you to join us! Here are a few important details for you to know:

Our route will begin on January 3, 2026, in Santa Monica, CA. You are welcome to join us from the beginning in Santa Monica or anywhere along the route. Feel free to drive as much or as little as you'd like. To see our full route and stopping points, please see the map above.

Please keep in mind, we have strategically mapped out our route and have to stick to our itinerary in order to complete the route in time to make it to the Detroit Auto Show in Detroit, MI where our vehicles will be part of the display. Because of this, we have limited time at each stopping point and cannot accommodate additional stops or requests. Please see our itinerary above to see our various stopping points and attractions we will be visiting along the route.

Unfortunately, we do not have extra room in our vehicles or hotels for additional guests. We welcome and encourage you to make the drive with us, however please keep in mind that transportation, food, and lodging needs to be coordinated on your own.

Keep an eye on this webpage for additional details as we continue to release more information about The Drive Home.

We look forward to making the drive with you!

-America's Automotive Trust