Route 66

[kevin hawkins]

Coming up to retirement I wish to fulfil a lifelong dream of driving route 66 in America.

 

Has anyone done this or can anyone offer any advice ie campsites, van rentals, flights, time of year to travel etc. etc.

 

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

Kath & Kevin *-)

[yeti]

I have researched this and you can hire RVs at the Eastern end and to complete the route stopping for an overnight stay end to end it can be done in just over 2 weeks.

[Guest JudgeMental]

My sister and husband did it but on hired Harley Davidsons and part of an organised group...had a fantastic time. If your doing it solo research and program sat nav with all the important sights/highlights..thing being an experienced guide can make things come alive....... :-D

[Mike88]

I've done a couple of road trips in the States (not Route 66) and by far the cheapest way is to stay in motels en route. Pick up discount vouchers on street corners and you will find somewhere half decent very cheaply.

 

I gather much of Route 66 has been replaced by Interstate highways so you will have to do some research into the best way to find the original route. I gather the old route is mostly signposted but I know from people who have done it that it is easy to get lost.

 

If you decide to use an RV you will know that Chicago to Santa Monica is around 2500 miles so the length of the journey will mean that you will have to find an RV company that allows one way trips.

 

If you decide to go please leave feedback. It's a trip that I fancy except for the Chicago end.

[Phil The Hat]

We did Las Vegas to Orlando last year in an RV from Cruise America. You can get a package with flight from Virgin. We followed route 66 as far as Oaklahoma then went down through Mississipi.. Eleven states in a fortnight.... Go by RV it's the only way.. It was GREAT !!! Left the 'van in Orlando and flew back from there.

[colin]

We've done parts of route66 in RV's from Cruise America, as above, they do one way hires, other RV hire companies are availible ;-) , I guess they also do one ways.

[colin]

Campsites. Cannot say what it's like on eastern half, but on western half we prefer Forestry Service campsites, the pitchs are widely spaced (hundred foot apart?) the only facilities are long drop toilets and a tap. Usualy very quiet, peaceful and cheap.

Next there are state park campsites, these tend to get very busy at weekends, they often have a few more facilities, but don't expect much.

Then theres commercial campsites, these are a mixed bunch, most have full facilities(think UK super pitches) they are fairly expensive and often are a glorified carpark cramming in as many units as possible.

http://camping.about.com/od/findacampground/l/bl-campgrounds.htm

http://www.cruiseamerica.com/

http://www.reserveamerica.com/

http://www.campgrounds-by-city.com/

http://www.freecampgrounds.com/

http://www.nps.gov/findapark/index.htm

[cerro]

If anyone is looking for the very cheapest way of doing it I can assure you its to buy a car and then sell it afterwards. a lot of garages have a buy it back clause

[JeffersonCampervan]

We've done sections of the old route 66 - mainly because, realistically, sections are that's all that's left.

Much of what used to be Route 66 is now Interstate (motorway).

 

In the States, we use a combination of Walmarts (if we need to overnight only - basically a Walmart is the closest to an "aire" that you'll find in the US) & state/Federal campgrounds.

 

We very much prefer State/Federal campgrounds to private ones in North America.

 

There are many small highways in the USA that will give you the "Route 66 Experience".

 

here's a neat website, which details many of them , including Rte. 66:

 

http://byways.org/explore/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[candapack]

Met a fabulous elderly couple on a campsite in Scotland a couple of years ago. Got chatting about what we'd done/would like to do.

We mentioned Route 66 and other USA trips - they talked about having done a huge USA/Canada tour some years previously.

Turned out "previously" was the 60's, and they had done it in a Bubble Car which they had shipped over from Liverpool!

Now that's adventure.

[gocro]

There was an article in the MMM some years ago about a couple who shipped their Chauson 50 to the States for an extended holiday then shipped it back again .I seem to remember that it worked out cheaper than hiring at the time.Some of the USA MH's are pants,despite/because of their size.

[Guest JudgeMental]

gocro - 2013-08-24 9:49 AM

 

There was an article in the MMM some years ago about a couple who shipped their Chauson 50 to the States for an extended holiday then shipped it back again .I seem to remember that it worked out cheaper than hiring at the time.Some of the USA MH's are pants,despite/because of their size.

 

lots of germans/europeans do this (shipping from Antwerp?). a merc based camper more likely to be serviceable over there...do fiat exist in america as i'm not sure.....if not a breakdown/parts could be problematic.

[gocro]

Off topic,I know,but not unusual here.

Fiat have a presence now and boy do the Yanks need them.

http://tinyurl.com/kjshyc7