Why Oklahoma’s Route 66 is the ultimate American road trip for 2026
As the iconic highway turns 100, see why a drive along this stretch of the Mother Road is like traveling through time. Find the best time to go, which nostalgic inns to stay at, and the iconic stops you can’t miss.
As Route 66 gears up to celebrate 100 years of kicks, Oklahoma’s stretch is streets ahead in terms of revitalization. A well-oiled campaign has restored mid-century landmarks, while welcoming a few plucky newcomers. These days, cruising the route feels much like time traveling—back to an era when the car was king and families piled into chrome-finned Cadillacs to marvel at roadside curiosities.
Nowhere is this revival more electric than in Tulsa, where the Meadow Gold District twinkles with spruced-up vintage signage. It’s here that the 66 Collective is set to launch: A marketplace housing five boutiques, including embroidered cowboy shirts from Elvis’ favorite Western clothing brand, HBarC Ranchwear. Out front, two new Muffler giants in dapper Western gear (shop the look inside) will add colossal charm to the chorus line of highway guardians. Nearby, Howard Park is set to debut a whimsical 66-foot fiberglass dinosaur amid its leafy grounds.
Northeast of Tulsa, the Blue Whale of Catoosa is making waves, too. This beloved, 80-foot-long concrete creature, lounging in a pond with its mouth perpetually agape, was originally built by a zoologist as a wedding anniversary gift to his wife. Today, with a visitor center and aquatic-themed playground in the works, the quirky icon is poised to evolve from a quick photo-op into a splashy day out. As the Blue Whale and other roadside wonders prepare for the spotlight, and a year-long schedule of 2026 events revs up across the state, it’s the perfect moment to heed the wistful siren call of Oklahoma’s Route 66.
(See all 25 destinations that made our list of the best places to visit in 2026.)
What to do
Nothing captures Route 66’s golden era quite like a movie under the stars at the Tee Pee Drive-In in Sapulpa, near Tulsa. Originally opened in 1950, the open-air cinema rose from the ashes in 2023 following fire and tornado damage. It now features state-of-the-art projection, fire pits, and overnight stays in atomic-age Spartan trailers.
In Tulsa’s Arts District, the Bob Dylan Center opened in 2022, joining the neighboring Woody Guthrie Center to form a harmonious duet. The museums invite music lovers to explore the creative legacies of two of America’s most influential singer-songwriters.
Continue west to Oklahoma City, where the First Americans Museum opened in 2021 after 15 years of planning and construction. Inside, sleek, high-tech galleries illuminate the histories of Oklahoma’s 39 First American tribes, with contemporary Indigenous art on view, including work by Reservation Dogs writer Ryan RedCorn.
Afterward, roll back to the mid-century at Dust Bowl Lanes & Lounge in Oklahoma City’s midtown, a stylish bowling alley and cocktail bar with old-school arcade games. For a suitably nostalgic overnight stay, check into the nearby Classen Inn, a Googie-style 1963 motel now reimagined with tropical palm wallpaper and pop art furnishings.
In Clinton, the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum stands out among the many auto-themed stops along the Mother Road. Immersive stage sets trace the fabled highway’s transformation, from its early days as a vital trade route, to a Dust Bowl lifeline, through the golden age of hitchhiking and roadside motels, and finally, its comeback as a symbol of pure Americana.
When to go
Late spring through fall is the best time to feel the romance of Oklahoma’s open road. On May 30, 2026, Tulsa’s Route 66 Capital Cruise hopes to roar into the record books as the Guinness-verified largest parade of classic cars. In June, the annual Route 66 Midpoint Corridor Road Rally sees gleaming motorcycles and vintage vehicles convoy for 100-miles from Sapulpa to Edmond. Come September, dozens of hot air balloons drift gracefully over Arcadia during the Route 66 Balloon and Kite Festival. Winters can bring snow, and many local businesses shutter for the season.
Where to eat
Route 66 cuisine once revolved around deep-fried-everything diners: Those retro pitstops where the bottomless coffee flowed like motor oil. But in Oklahoma, a new wave of chefs is reshaping roadside food. They’ve turned the burger-slinging game into something far more reflective of the diverse communities this road winds through.
Start your journey with a detour to Broken Arrow, a Tulsa suburb, where the unassuming Nātv storefront opens into something far more ambitious. Chef Jacque Siegfried, of Shawnee heritage, blends Native American cooking styles with classical French techniques. Think elevated bison tacos plated like edible art. Since opening in 2022, Nātv has earned a James Beard Award nomination. Cap off the evening at nearby Broken Arrow Brewing Company, one of the few Native American–owned microbreweries in the country - perfect for sipping a hazy IPA on a warm night.
In downtown Tulsa, the Dilly Diner gives the all-American diner a hipster refresh. Slide into a pistachio-leather booth overlooking the original Route 66 alignment, and tuck into towering griddle cakes or wholesome granola bowls.
Further west in Oklahoma City, those seeking something upscale should pull over at Grey Sweater, where in 2023 chef Andrew Black had a James Beard Award pinned to his apron. Fuel up on a revolving tasting menu, where each of the seven-to-ten courses is a delicious surprise.
Even on a foggy night, you won’t miss POPS 66 Soda Ranch in Arcadia, where a soaring neon soda bottle shimmers roadside. Inside, soda bottles line the walls in rainbow rows, complete with marble stoppers.
Where to stay
Classen Inn: Nothing says classic Route 66 like a night in a mid-century motel. This 17-room motor lodge in Oklahoma City is a shining example of Googie architecture, newly restored with 1960s pop culture murals and a façade awash in rainbow hues.
The Mayo Hotel: It’s not just Route 66 turning 100 in 2026. In the heart of downtown Tulsa, the Mayo Hotel, a gilded witness to a century of American history, has welcomed icons from President John F. Kennedy to Charlie Chaplin and Elvis Presley. After decades of decline, the 102-room landmark underwent a $42 million restoration, and today its Art Deco lobby gleams once more.
Getting around
Public transportation is patchy along much of Route 66, making this a journey best navigated by car, RV, or motorbike. Oklahoma lays claim to the longest drivable stretch of the historic highway, with more than 400 miles still intact. From Miami in the far northeast of Oklahoma to Elk City near the Texas border, the route zigzags through flat prairies, red sandstone cliffs, finger-on-the-pulse cities, and a patchwork of single-stoplight towns, with faded Coca-Cola murals and twirling barbershop poles.
Tulsa International Airport (TUL), in northeastern Oklahoma, and Will Rogers International Airport (OKC), in the center of the state, offer convenient gateways to the Mother Road, with major rental car services available on-site.
For those who prefer to let someone else take the wheel, escorted coach tours, such as those operated by Two Lane America and Reuthers, include Oklahoma as part of the full Route 66 journey from Chicago to Los Angeles.
