Route 66 invokes a sense of whimsy for travellers around the world. Thousands of nostalgia-lovers and “American Graffiti” era enthusiasts traverse the stretch of highway dubbed the Mother Road each year, searching to capture the spirit of freedom only felt on the open road.
For those looking to experience the American heartland while cruising on the blacktop, Route 66 Oklahoma offers the perfect combination of adventure and South Central Americana.
Come join Route 66 Tours for a cruise down Main Street America, and learn what makes the Sooner State so integral to your Chicago to Las Vegas journey.
The historic Route 66
As part of the Summer, Fall, or Spring 2023 adventure, your full-service guided Route 66 Tour takes you on the ride of a lifetime. Our all-Australian, award-winning guides, know every inch of the twists and turns attributed to the Mother Road, and will ensure your adventure across the “longest tour attraction in the USA” is a memorable one.
Snaking through eight of America’s great states, Route 66 spans over 2,400 miles in total. Since the old road ceased to appear on most maps in 1985, your savvy Aussie adventure facilitators are tasked with the pleasurable responsibility of navigating you down the twists and turns attributed to the original roadway.
Destination: Oklahoma
One of the many breath-taking highlights of a cruise down Main Street America is Route 66 Oklahoma. Are you aware that the longest stretch of the driveable highway is found here? Boasting over 400 miles of Route 66, no one can claim ownership of the number of historic places associated with the world-famous road quite like the Okies.
The old route passes through Oklahoma City, Tulsa and many smaller communities, winding through a region named by the Choctaw Native Americans; “okla” meaning people, and “humma” meaning red. Oklahoma proudly boasts the largest Native American population in the United States, and the traditions of its people have seeped into local culture and folklore alongside the historic roadway so many travel to experience.
Oklahoma – More Route 66 than any other state
Dubbed “Will Rogers Highway,” Route 66 was one of the original roads included in the U.S. highway system. Oklahoma has played a large part in the history of the route, running from the Texas border town of Texola all the way through to the Baxter Springs border of Kansas City. While other famous American destinations – from Los Angeles to Santa Fe – have bolstered their notoriety with a rich history of Route 66 folklore, no other place on Earth represents the Mother Road quite like Oklahoma.
The Oklahoma Route 66 Association is proud to represent the attractions of the Sooner State – as the name implies, the highway and the Okie tradition go hand-in-hand.
The city of Clinton, located in Custer County on the banks of the Washita River, even plays host to the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum, a monument to the historical significance of the Mother Road. The Oklahoma Historical Society has been collecting, preserving and sharing the rich history of the state since 1893, and recognizes the Museum as an important chronicle of the Route 66 influence on the Sooner State.
Countless movies and songs have captured the allure of this magical highway, and a number of museums and attractions that have built upon this legacy are found right alongside it.
Bobby Troup’s classic song “Get Your Kicks on Route 66”, first made famous by Nat King Cole, perfectly captured the essence of views from the road, and his line, “Oklahoma City is mighty pretty,” was just one of the sweet-crooned if slightly understated observations worth looking into.
Ridley Scott’s classic 1991 film “Thelma and Louise” chronicled an ill-fated journey from Arkansas through Oklahoma and Colorado to Arizona, just one example of how movie audiences have romanticised the epitome of road-trip locations throughout the decades.
You may have taken in glances of the stunning vistas from the cameras mounted atop the ladies’ 1966 Ford Thunderbird in the movie. However, in the interest of ensuring you’re incentivized to make the journey yourself (the header off of the Grand Canyon notwithstanding, spoiler alert), let’s take a look at some of the attractions native to the Oklahoma Route 66 experience.
The wonders of Route 66 Oklahoma
Are you aware of these famous Sooner State landmarks and milestones? Test your Oklahoman knowledge of the following tourist attractions:
- Totem pole park. Ed Galloway’s roadside attraction is the largest example of a folk art environment in Oklahoma, located just 3.5 miles off of Route 66. Featuring stone and concrete totems, Galloway incised and hand-carved each of the items by hand. The stunning displays feature representations of birds and Native American tribes of the Northwest Coast, chief amongst them the 90-foot tall concrete Totem pole, the world’s largest.
- The National Route 66 Museum in Elk City, Oklahoma. This National museum boasts realistic murals and vistas showcasing America’s Main Street across the eight states it encompasses.
- Seaba Station Motorcycle Museum. Located alongside OK-66 in the city of Warwick, Seaba Station was built in 1921, five years prior to the certification of Route 66. Restored to resemble the original facade, this quaint tourist attraction boasts a motorcycle museum and is the host of ride-a-longs and special attractions.
- The Arcadia Round Barn is a one-of-a-kind roadside attraction and has been drawing crowds since 1898. Similar to Seaba Station, the 1926 integration of Route 66 has only helped expose tourists to this unique destination.
With so many of the Mother Road’s mysteries and wonders housed in one state, you’ll be glad your Route 66 Tours adventure takes you through the Sooner State.
Book your Route 66 Tours adventure
With destination adventures available in the spring, summer and fall, there’s no bad time of year to take in the desert skies and sprawling cityscapes of a Route 66 cruise. We offer “fully guided” experiences designed to assist you every mile of the journey, from hotel to hotel alongside Historic Route 66.
By capping our daily treks on Route 66 to roughly 170 miles, we’ll ensure you have the time to enjoy the road all the way between Chicago & Las Vegas, with plenty of leisurely downtime afforded to you at night. We’re proud of the “2015 Inductees to the Route 66 Walk of Fame” designation we’ve achieved, and we provide more guides per vehicle than any other company offering tour adventures. Our dedicated team of Route 66 Tours professionals knows the road like no other – and we’re eager to prove it to you on your next road trip.
While we are certainly proud of the decades of experience we’ve accumulated travelling and organising tours throughout Route 66, we’re even more excited to share the stories of our participants. Our testimonials page is full of the one-of-a-kind stories our fellow Aussies – and adventurers from around the world – have shared about their Route 66 Tours experience.
Come travel with us, and leave the frustration of planning a trip behind. We’ll take care of the point A-to-B itinerary, and you can focus on the sights and sounds of Main Street America. Book your Route 66 Tours adventure today, and hit the road with us this year! Our brand new Express Tour packs all the punch of our 20-night offerings into one thrilling 17-night ride, and our flagship summer, fall and spring 2023 offerings are available now.
