16 Places That Will Make You Want to Explore Route 66

Hundreds of pre-Columbian petroglyphs can be found on a mesa above the Santa Fe River. A quick hike up the mesa offers sweeping views of the valley beyond and an up-close look at artwork created by Keresan-speaking puebloan people between the 13th and 17th centuries.

Adobe is a traditional building material in the American Southwest that is made from a combination of dirt, water, and a binding material like straw. Dried and strengthened by the sun, adobe structures can stand for centuries and feature prominently along Route 66 in New Mexico.

Not far from the highway, the roads often turn to dirt. With panoramic views of brushlands and mesas, its easy to feel awe at the expanse.

Once a thriving gas station chain with motels, cafes, and truck stops, Whiting Brothers closed or sold all of its nearly 100 locations by the mid-1980s. Today in San Fidel, New Mexico, the giant roadside sign is still standing as is the shell of the former filling station.

For a time, Santa Fe was located along Route 66, bringing travelers to New Mexico's capitol city. But in 1937, the route was realigned to bypass the city. Today, Santa Fe is more known for its beautifully preserved historic downtown, art galleries, and artisan collectibles.

The first roadside lodging that Route 66 motorists encounter when arriving in Albuquerque from the west is the Grandview Motel. Built in the 1950s, this motel has a signature Googie-style zig-zag neon sign with incandescent bulb detailing.

Architectural details lend texture and character at every turn--like this door at the entrance of an antiques shop housed in a historic barn in Albuquerque.

Route 66 has forever meant “Going Somewhere.” Items of ephemera are synonymous with Route 66; along the road countless signs, logos, and paintings mark the way to somewhere.