Deep Histories and Desert Communities: Route 66 in California

Nicknamed the “Gateway to California,” Needles is the first town you’ll come to as you drive Route 66 across the border of Nevada and California. It was also a popular stop on the Santa Fe Railroad during the 1800s, with remnants of this history still on display at the ornate El Garces train depot. Don’t miss a stop at the Needles Regional Museum for a self-guided or docent-led tour of exhibits on local history, dinosaurs, the area’s Indigenous Mojave people and more. Two hours west in Yermo, Calico Ghost Town Regional Park is a family-friendly campground with restored 1880s structures and a general store paying homage to its mining town past.

Drive on to Victorville to see the Mother Road’s past firsthand at the California Route 66 Museum and do some shopping and sightseeing in the Old Town district. Santa Monica is the end of many Route 66 journeys. This Pacific Ocean city is where you’ll find the historic “End of the Trail” sign that marks the western terminus of Route 66. Stay and play on the Santa Monica Pier (the Ferris wheel offers peaceful ocean views), then do some shopping on the pedestrian-friendly 3rd Street Promenade.

On your California Route 66 journey, you’ll find plenty of fascinating places to pull over, stretch your legs and take in some unique sights. In the heart of the Mojave Desert, the neon signs and mid-century modern Googie-style architecture of Rоу’ѕ Motel & Cаfé have been welcoming travelers to Amboy since 1938. The preserved site is now a gas station, coffee shop and gift shop, perfect for fueling up for the adventures ahead. Don’t leave town without making a pit stop for a hike to Amboy Crater National Natural Landmark, a uniquely symmetrical volcanic cinder cone in the Mojave Trails National Monument. Pull over in the town of Oro Grande to explore Elmer’s Bottle Tree Ranch, a quirky “forest” of metal pipes decorated with colorful glass bottles. It’s free to visit and open from dawn to dusk most days.

An hour down the route in San Bernardino, tour the Original McDonald’s Site and Museum for a glimpse into the early days of the fast food giant, complete with history exhibits and vintage Happy Meal toys on display. Grab lunch with a side of history at Mitla Cafe on Mount Vernon Avenue: This modest taco shop first started serving up their famous tacos dorados in 1937, which famously served as the inspiration behind global chain Taco Bell. Whimsical Cabazon Dinosaur Park should be your next stop, where you can snap photos with over 100 dinosaur sculptures and climb to the top of 20-meter-tall Mr. Rex. Finally, go on a tasting tour of the dozens of food stalls at Grand Central Market, a downtown Los Angeles staple since 1917.

If you’re planning a trip to California, consider timing it during these local festivals for even more Route 66 flavor. In Barstow, the annual Main Street USA Festival takes over the town’s stretch of Route 66 for one fun-filled day each October. Check out the live music, local history demonstrations and full slate of all-ages activities, then spend a few more days in Barstow to tour the Route 66 Mother Road Museum in the town’s Historic Harvey House. Further south in San Bernardino, Rendezvous Back to Route 66 unites vintage cars, local craft vendors and beer gardens on the streets of downtown for one day each October. Classic cars are also the main event at Route 66 Cruisin’ Reunion in Ontario, about 45 minutes west of San Bernardino. The two-day car show also features live music and food vendors. While you’re in Ontario, take some time to visit the Museum of History and Art or walk the Pacific Electric Inland Empire Trail to enjoy its peaceful desert ambience.

Santa Monica, California, marks the western terminus of Route 66. If you’re driving the length of the route from its beginning in Chicago, Illinois, you’ll reach Needles, California, in about 27 hours. To start your Route 66 journey in California, fly into Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on the western end of the Mother Road, or arrive at Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas, Nevada, about a two-hour drive from Needles, and the eastern edge of California’s Route 66.