Exploring Route 66 on Family Adventure Holidays

A road trip across the United States with your family can make for an unforgettable family adventure. Holidays to the United States usually focus on one of the three big locations, New York City, Florida, or California, but there is so much more to do and see in this huge country.

Without a doubt, one of the best ways to explore the interior of the country is by travelling along one of its most famous roads: Route 66. Originally stretching from Chicago to Santa Monica in California, Route 66 can actually be several family adventure holidays rolled into one extended road trip! The best way to tackle the route is, quite logically, to start at the beginning and keep going 'til you get to the end - stopping as and when you want. But there are a few things you really shouldn't miss, the Chain of Rocks Bridge, the Cadillac Ranch and one of the oldest truck stops in the country.

The Chain of Rocks Bridge

Spanning the Mississippi River in the northern part of St Louis, the Chain of Rocks Bridge is a great place for a pit stop on family adventure holidays along Route 66. Opened in 1929, the bridge is most famous for its 22-degree bend in the middle. Created to allow cars to travel over cars the rapids, the bridge played a key role in Route 66 until 1970, when it was closed to vehicular traffic and opened up as a walking and cycling trail. As you walk across, look down and see if you can spot the chain of rocks that gave the bridge its name and make the river so hard to navigate.

The Cadillac Ranch

Sounding like it comes right out of a country music song, the Cadillac Ranch is one of the more unusual places to stop on your family adventure. Holidays along Route 66 wouldn’t be the same if it weren’t for these usual places, so take advantage of this public art installation as you pass. Created in 1974 by the group Ant Farm, the Cadillac Ranch consists of all the different years of production of Cadillac cars - placed nose down into the ground! They are purposely tilted at an angle that mimics the Great Pyramid at Giza and are painted in vivid colours. If you feel like making your mark, visitors are encourages to spray paint their 'tag' on one of the cars – children will love this touch of legal vandalism!

Dixie Travel Plaza

The famous Dixie Travel Plaza truck stop is the perfect place along Route 66 to pull in for a bite to eat and fill up your tank. Founded as a sandwich shack and garage in McLean, in Illinois, in 1928, the tiny café soon expanded to become one of the most iconic stops along the route.

Richard Edwards is the Managing Director of Summit and Blue, a specialist adventure and activity holiday company offering independently crafted family adventure holidays to exciting destinations around the world, including France, Italy, Portugal, the USA and Canada. With unique itineraries and exciting activities like biking, hiking, white water rafting and canoeing, we create holidays for families looking for an experience a little more off the beaten track.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.