The Route 66 Centennial in 2026 clocks up 100 years of inspiring classic American road trips, including in Missouri, the birthplace of the Mother Road. Karryon joined the Travel South International Showcase 2025 post-fam to discover how road-tripping Missouri’s Route 66 highlights the welcoming appeal of the South.
Stretching from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California, Route 66 is more than a byway; it’s a scenic journey that inspires storytelling, traversing diverse terrain from cities to plains, deserts to mountains, big skies and ocean sunsets.
A portion of what American novelist John Steinbeck dubbed the ‘Mother Road’ is in Missouri – one of the 12-state Travel South USA tourism collective – and home to Springfield, MO, where Route 66 was officially named in 1926.
It’s where Midwest friendliness meets Southern hospitality, and you’ll find the signature signposts of food, music, history, landscapes and road trips all along Missouri’s Route 66.
Missouri’s 510km stretch of Route 66 is neon-lit nostalgia, full of milestone markers, classic motor courts, small towns, roadside attractions, state parks and quirky pit stops for the quintessential road trip.
While the interstate bypassed the route after the mid-1950s, you can still drive on and off Missouri’s Route 66 historic highway, heading from St Louis to Joplin, near the Kansas border, via Cuba, Rolla, Lebanon, Springfield and Carthage, meeting the locals and stepping back in time.
It’s a snapshot of authentic Americana that highlights the enduring appeal of the South.
History
Springfield will kick off Route 66 Centennial celebrations on 30 April 2026 with plenty of commemorative projects on the go. The town features many historic landmarks, including the ornate Gillioz Theatre, which shares its 100th anniversary with Route 66.
Take a deep dive into all things Mother Road at the History Museum on the Square, which also recounts pioneering heritage and the Native American experience through the Trail of Tears. Find out more about the Trail of Tears and Route 66 on a self-guided walking tour of Waynesville.
For the car enthusiast, the Route 66 Museum in Lebanon has a comprehensive collection of memorabilia, including antique cars, while the Route 66 Car Museum outside Springfield has an impressive lineup of vintage, sports and classic automobiles.
Those interested in retro accommodation can check out the location of where the auto camps were in Lebanon and stay at still-operational classic motels, such as Boots Court in Carthage, Rail Haven Motor Court (now Best Western Route 66 Rail Haven) and the oldest motel on the route – the Ozark limestone-hewn Wagon Wheel in Cuba.
Other historic landmarks on Missouri’s Route 66 include the Red Cedar Inn Museum & Visitor Center, established in 1934 and constructed with local logs, which contains curios and gifts for visitors today. Likewise, Gary’s Gay Parita is a recreated 1930s gas station in Sinclair and a quirky must-visit.
Elsewhere, Red Oak II is a loving recreation by local artist Lowell Davis that breathes new life into the former ghost town using original Red Oak township buildings, while a nearby Route 66 historic spot, Spencer Station, is also receiving the restorative touch.
Music
Missouri’s anti-Prohibition stance meant alcohol flowed freely and allowed the American jazz scene to flourish in Kansas City, a three-hour side trip from Joplin. Famous musicians, such as Charlie Parker, Count Basie and other masters, honed their blues-based jazz style in Kansas City.
Considered one of four major jazz portals, the city also welcomed the likes of Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald, visiting musicians drawn to the “Paris of the Plains” at 18th & Vine District. Delve into Missouri’s musical legacy at the American Jazz Museum in Kansas City.
Food
No road trip is complete without refuelling at highway pit stops, and Missouri serves up nostalgic favourites and regional treats. From melt-in-your-mouth St Louis-style barbecue (grilled ribs and burnt ends) and brews at the Anheuser-Busch St Louis Brewery to creamy “concretes” at Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, the big city sets the flavour-o-meter on Missouri’s Route 66.
Classic diners, such as Route 66 Diner and College Street Cafe (next to the Route 66 Car Museum), dish up homestyle American fare with a side of nostalgia – complete with jukeboxes, chrome and counters. Think bottomless coffee, fried catfish, pancake stacks, milkshakes and burgers.
Small-town diners also bring the charm to road-trip dining. Gailey’s Breakfast Cafe in Springfield imbues family-style warmth in historic dining rooms, including ample portions to keep you sated on the road.
Landscapes
Against the beauty of the looming Ozark Mountains, Missouri’s Route 66 traverses rolling hills and valleys, dotted with farmland, evergreens and national parks.
St Louis is home to the smallest US national park and the only one contained in an urban core – Gateway Arch National Park, offering a top city view from the monument.
On the road, Missouri’s Route 66 is dotted with quirky sights, saving more manmade attractions for posterity. Some are small – a classic neon sign marking a bygone motel, while others feature more significant roadside displays, such as the St Robert Route 66 Neon Park.
Must-sees include Route 66 Mural City, aka Cuba, where 14 outdoor artworks highlight local and national history; the World’s Second-Largest Rocking Chair at Fanning 66 Outpost & Feedstore; and the pun-laden Uranus Fudge Factory on Route 66.
Stop at family-run Meramec Caverns, a limestone cave system in the Ozarks formed over 400 million years, where hidden stalactites and stalagmites create an otherworldly sight that contrasts with the 20th-century neon displays.
The state’s outlaw past also comes to the fore at Meramec Caverns (rumoured to be used by Jesse James and his gang as a hideout), while the state’s anti-Prohibition stance includes replicas of Ozark moonshine huts.
The rugged Ozark scenery is on display on the Pulaski County drive through the Devil’s Elbow community and Hookers Cut, and includes the historic truss bridge over Big Piney River.
Road trips
Route 66 has long captured the imagination of domestic and international travellers and continues to inspire Australians and New Zealanders to embark on the iconic American road trip experience.
Missouri’s Route 66 stretch can be easily experienced on a four-day itinerary (or more), or as part of a longer road trip along the Mother Road. The choice of vintage or classic car hire? Highly recommended.
It’s just one of many scenic road trips that allow travellers to experience the essence of the US South firsthand in its small towns, stunning landscapes and welcoming Southern hospitality by heading off the interstate and into the byways and back roads.
Whether you opt for themed RoadTrips USA itineraries, like Bourbon, Bluegrass & Horse Country; Coasts & Mountains of the South; Rhythms of the River; Musical Routes of the South; At the Movies – Southern Sights; Historic Route 66 – Curios, Pit Stops & Diners; and The Civil Rights History Trail, or DIY, a regional road trip is an immersive experience that’s mutually beneficial for travellers and locals alike.
As Travel South USA says, it’s one region with infinite possibilities – and no two road trips are the same.
For more info and inspo, head to travelsouthusa.com
The writer was a guest of Travel South USA.
