The 8 Best Towns to Visit on Route 66-With Historic Motels, Quirky Roadside Attractions, and Charming Small Towns

"It's full steam ahead on Route 66 nostalgia this year, with the Mother Road celebrating its 100th anniversary. While the iconic thoroughfare was officially decommissioned in June 1985, its cultural and historical significance remains evident in many of the towns and cities it once connected. Retro photo ops, museums, and shops filled with memorabilia await visitors in the small, quirky, and often sleepy stops along the remains of the "Main Street of America.""

"Starting just east of Chicago and ending in Santa Monica, California, the 2,448-mile highway crosses eight states-Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California-so you can expect a range of landscapes and experiences along the way. From a tiny Wild West corner of Arizona to a Texas outpost with a legendary public art installation, here are the eight best towns and cities to visit on Route 66."

Route 66 marks its 100th anniversary while remaining a cultural landmark despite official decommissioning in 1985. The highway stretches 2,448 miles from just east of Chicago to Santa Monica, California, traversing Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Travelers encounter retro photo opportunities, museums, and memorabilia-filled shops in small, quirky, and often sleepy towns along the route. The roadway delivers a varied sequence of landscapes and regional experiences, from a tiny Wild West corner of Arizona to a Texas outpost featuring a legendary public art installation. Eight standout towns and cities offer concentrated Route 66 nostalgia.

Read at Travel + Leisure