More than half-million Oklahomans expected to travel for July 4 weekend | State and Regional News
More than half a million Oklahomans are expected to travel 50 miles or more this upcoming holiday weekend, AAA Oklahoma said.
The auto club is projecting that more than 510,000 Oklahomans will travel over the Independence Day holiday period, which it considers to be Thursday through Monday this year.
“As usual, the large majority will be driving to their destinations. However, air travel and other modes of travel transportation (trains, cruises and buses) are up significantly compared to last year,” AAA said in a news release.
More than 80% of travelers — more than 410,000 Oklahomans — are expected to hit the roads for the holiday, despite record-high gas prices, AAA said.
Air travel is expected to see a 2.5% increase over last year, with nearly 68,000 Oklahomans taking to the skies this Independence Day weekend, AAA said.
“The volume of travelers we expect to see over Independence Day is likely to be the highest for summer holidays since 2019,” said Leslie Gamble, AAA Oklahoma spokeswoman.
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“Earlier this year, we started seeing the demand for travel increase, and it’s not tapering off. People have made their plans, and despite it costing more, they are finding ways to still take that much-needed vacation.”
While gasoline prices have ticked down slightly in the past two weeks, they will still be the highest on record for a Fourth of July holiday period, said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, a fuel price-tracking service.
The national average shot above $5 per gallon for regular unleaded in mid-June but has since come down about 13 cents below that mark, according to GasBuddy.
But prices are still well above $4 per gallon in Oklahoma and surrounding states.
AAA also outlined price estimates in other areas for the holiday period this year:
Air: The average lowest airfare is 14% higher than last year, coming in at $201 per ticket.
Hotels: Mid-range hotel rates have increased about 23%, with the average lowest nightly rates coming in at $244 per night for AAA-approved hotels.
Car rentals: Since last year, the average daily rate for car rentals has continued to increase. With more people traveling, these prices remain on the rise due to continued supply chain issues coupled with growing demand. While daily car rental rates have decreased 34% compared to last year, with the average lowest rate coming in at $110 per day, rates are $40 more per day on average than in 2019.
Best and worst travel times
AAA said that according to INRIX, a traffic and travel analytics company, the best and worst travel times this holiday period are:
Best times: Before 7 a.m. and after 8 p.m. Thursday; before 10 a.m. and after 9 p.m. Friday; before noon and after 7 p.m. Saturday; and all of Sunday and Monday.
Worst times: 2-8 p.m. Thursday; noon-9 p.m. Friday and 2-4 p.m. Saturday.
Main Street of America: Route 66 attractions state by state
Main Street of America: Route 66 attractions state by state
For anyone who thrives on nostalgia, driving the 2,448 miles of Route 66 is a must. The iconic highway has inspired road trips, songs, and animated movie characters since construction on the “Main Street of America” was approved in 1926, back when gas cost less than a quarter a gallon. In “The Grapes of Wrath,” John Steinbeck dubbed Route 66 the “Mother Road;” a place where migrants came together as a community. Nat King Cole recorded “(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66” in 1946—and more than a half-century later, Tow Mater from the 2006 animated film “Cars” was inspired by a rusty tow truck in Galena, Kansas.
After the Great Depression, families looking for a better life could make their way west, driving their way across eight states starting in Chicago and ending in Los Angeles. Mom-and-pop shops, service stations, and motels popped up along the route. Travelers can still visit the Old Riverton Store in Riverton, Kansas, grab a root beer at Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In in Seligman, Arizona, or spend the night at the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico.
U.S. Highway 66 was realigned several times until 1985 when it was decommissioned and replaced with interstates. Modern roadways may have made sections of Route 66 irrelevant, but about 80% of the winding road still exists. Many of the historic sites along the route have been restored; and Congress voted in 2018 to designate the roadway a National Historic Trail.
Stacker compiled a list of 50 attractions—state by state—to see along the drive, drawing on information from historic sites, news stories, Roadside America, and the National Park Service. Keep reading to discover where travelers can get their kicks on Route 66.
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Grant Park (Chicago)
Many choose to begin a Route 66 journey at Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park—Chicago’s oldest—before heading west. To find the original “Historic 66 Begin” sign, travelers can head to the southern side of Adams Street and look west toward Wabash Avenue. The “End Historic Route 66” sign can be found at the intersection of Jackson and Michigan avenues.
Mural City (Pontiac, Illinois)
There are 23 murals in Pontiac, including the Route 66 shield on the back of the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum. Roadtrippers can grab a mural guide at the museum or follow the red painted footprints for a walking tour.
Lauterbach Giant (Springfield, Illinois)
World’s Largest Catsup Bottle (Collinsville, Illinois)
Drivers can find the World’s Largest Catsup Bottle a little south of downtown Collinsville. The 170-foot-tall historic water tower was completed in 1949 for the Brooks Foods plant, which is no longer open. If it didn’t have water in it, it could hold 640,000 bottles worth of catsup (or ketchup, as the tomato-based condiment is commonly called today).
Henry’s Rabbit Ranch (Staunton, Illinois)
Drivers will have to get out of their car to fully enjoy the fuzzy friends at Henry’s Rabbit Ranch, though appointments are necessary to get a complete tour. Visitors can also get a glimpse of VW Rabbits and pick up some Route 66 gifts and memorabilia.
Old Log Cabin (Pontiac, Illinois)
Drivers can get their day started at the Old Log Cabin restaurant in Pontiac with some freshly made eggs and hashbrowns. This quaint spot originally opened in 1926 as a roadside lunchroom and gas station. The owners now serve customers from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day but Sunday. Locals love the cheeseburgers, homemade coconut cream, and rhubarb pie.
(Former) World’s Largest Rocking Chair (Cuba, Missouri)
The World’s Largest Rocking Chair (its actual name) may have only been created to break the Guinness World Record for the largest rocking chair. Nevertheless, the Fanning Outpost decided it made a great roadside attraction. The 42-foot-tall steel rocker had to be able to move back and forth to break the world record in 2008, but it has since been secured in place. The rocker was the largest in the world until 2015, when a 56.5-foot-tall chair was built in Casey, Illinois.
66 Drive-In Theatre (Carthage, Missouri)
Most of the drive-in theaters in the U.S. have vanished since their heyday of the 1950s. The 66 Drive-In Theatre is one of only around 325 drive-ins remaining in the U.S. The theater is open from early April through mid-September each year.
Route 66 State Park (Eureka, Missouri)
The Route 66 State Park visitor center is located at the former Bridgehead Inn, built in 1935, and offers plenty on the iconic highway’s history. The park also offers nature trails and picnic sites where road-weary travelers can stretch their legs or have a bite.
Meramec Caverns (Stanton, Missouri)
Motorists passing through Stanton can stop in for a guided tour of the Meramec Caverns, a multi-level, natural underground wonder that has been a tourist attraction since 1933. Some say the cave was a hideout for Jesse James and his crew. To get the full experience, visitors should be prepared to walk a well-lit 1.25 miles for about 1 hour, 20 minutes.
Wagon Wheel Motel (Cuba, Missouri)
Devil’s Elbow, Missouri
Devil’s Elbow is situated in the Ozark Mountains and the Mark Twain National Forest, making it one of the more scenic stretches of Old Route 66. Be sure to check out the classic diners, bars, and grills in the area for a big taste of nostalgic Americana.
Cars on the Route (Galena, Kansas)
Only about 13 miles of Route 66 wind through Kansas, but Cars on the Route—the old Kan-O-Tex service station—is worth a stop. The station now has a “Cars” theme and is home to the mining boom truck that inspired the character Tow Mater in the animated film. It was first restored by Betty Courtney, Melba Rigg, Renee Charles, and Judy Courtney, which is why the gas station was dubbed “Four Women on the Route” for several years.
Galena Mining & Historical Museum (Galena, Kansas)
Brush Creek Bridge (Cherokee County, Kansas)
The historic Brush Creek Bridge, also known as Rainbow Bridge, was constructed in 1923. Iowa bridge designer James Barney Marsh created the Rainbow Arch design and patented the construction elements in 1912. Route 66 motorists used the 130-foot bridge to cross Route 66 until the interstate was built in the 1960s.
Williams’ Store (Riverton, Kansas)
In 1925, Leo Williams built a small community store and deli that he ran with his wife until the Eisler family purchased the business about 50 years later. Today, Williams’ Store offers groceries, sandwiches, and Route 66 souvenirs.
Baxter Springs Independent Oil and Gas Service Station (Baxter, Kansas)
Baxter Springs is one of only three towns Route 66 drivers pass through while in Kansas. The town’s Independent Oil and Gas Service Station is one of the locations worth a drive-by. What’s interesting about the gas station is that it looks more like someone’s home than a place to fill up. After the Great Depression, some oil companies redesigned their buildings to have more of a domestic feel that might make their customers feel more comfortable.
Milk Bottle Grocery (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
Lucille’s Service Station and Roadhouse (Hydro, Oklahoma)
Allen’s Conoco Fillin’ Station (Commerce, Oklahoma)
Built around 1930, this service station—also known as Hole in the Wall Conoco Station—offered a place for Route 66 travelers to fill up. It did start out selling Conoco gas but switched to Phillips 66 in 1938. Word on the street is that Bonnie and Clyde may have even fueled up here. Allen’s Conoco Fillin’ Station may have originally been a gas station, but the tiny green and red structure—built out from the side of a building—is now a souvenir shop.
Totem Pole Park (Foyil, OK)
Artist Ed Galloway created his Totem Pole Park—located about 3.5 miles off Route 66—as a place to show off folk art made of stone and concrete. Many of the pieces depict birds and Native American images. The largest totem pole in the park is 60 feet tall. The original construction lasted from 1937 to 1961 and was restored from 1988 to 1998.
Cadillac Ranch (Amarillo, Tesas)
In 1974, a group of San Francisco artists decided to bury 10 Cadillacs made between 1949 and 1964 nose-first into a Texas field. Millionaire Stanley Marsh 3, who died in 2014, funded the art installation. Graffiti is encouraged, so road trippers can stop by and leave their own mark on the cars before heading further west. The site is off Exit 66 of Interstate 40.
VW Slug Bug Ranch (Conway, Texas)
If Cadillac Ranch is too crowded, motorists can drive a few miles from Amarillo to the lesser known VW Slug Bug Ranch in Conway, Texas. The scene is similar to Cadillac Ranch, except the cars are Volkswagen beetles instead. To find the art installation, motorists can plug “Conway Inn & Restaurant” into GPS.
Midpoint Cafe (Adrian, Texas)
Adrian, Texas, marks the official midpoint of Route 66. There’s even a white line on the road and a sign noting the distance between Chicago and Los Angeles—both are 1,139 miles away. Hungry motorists can stop in for a burger at Midpoint Cafe, which served as inspiration for Flo’s V8 Cafe in the animated movie “Cars.”
Tower Station and U-Drop Inn Cafe (Shamrock, Texas)
Leaning Tower of Texas (Groom, Texas)
Big Texan Steak Ranch (Amarillo, Tesas)
Travelers should bring their appetites when they visit the Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo, Texas. The restaurant, which opened in 1960, is home to the 72-ounce steak. Diners can eat for free if they finish their 4.5-pound steak—and the sides—in one hour. Tired motorists can sleep off their meals at the nearby Big Texan Motel.
Blue Swallow Motel (Tucumcari, New Mexico)
Tee Pee Curios (Tucumcari, New Mexico)
After spending a night in the Blue Swallow, travelers can stop by Tee Pee Curios, a 1940s-era gas station-turned-gift shop. The store offers jewelry, pottery, and any number of Route 66 souvenirs. Guests enter the shop through a concrete wigwam built around the front door. A Route 66 shield is painted on the side of the building.
Clines Corners Retail Center (Clines Corners, New Mexico)
This New Mexico travel center has been serving Route 66 travelers since it first opened in 1934. Drivers can park their RVs overnight, or stop in the cafe for breakfast, a burger, or a burrito.
66 Diner (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
To get the full ‘50s dining experience, avid tourists flock to the 66 Diner in Albuquerque. The spot used to be a gas station but was converted into a diner in 1987. Guests can view one of the largest PEZ collections in America while sipping on a milkshake or malt.
El Rancho Hotel (Gallup, New Mexico)
The historic El Rancho Hotel, built in 1936, bills itself as a favorite of movie stars who filmed Westerns in the area in the ’30s and ‘40s. John Wayne, Katherine Hepburn, and Humphrey Bogart all stayed there. Route 66 travelers can book a room named after one of the stars.
Blue Hole (Santa Rosa, New Mexico)
This natural sinkhole with sapphire-colored water was a fish hatchery in the 1930s. The Blue Hole became a recreation area in the 1970s and is now a popular spot for swimmers and scuba divers. The water is 81 feet deep and about 60 degrees, fed by a network of artesian springs connected to the Pecos River.
Winslow Corner (Winslow, Arizona)
Travelers who want to take it easy should make sure to stop by the corner where Old Highway 66 meets North Kinsley Avenue in Winslow, Arizona. The 1972 Eagles song “Take it Easy” inspired an installation called “Standin’ On the Corner” Park,” a statue of a man with a guitar standing on the corner near a red flatbed truck. The town of Winslow didn’t create the park until three decades after the song was written, partially because Interstate 40 bypassed the town and cut down on tourist traffic.
Angel and Vilma’s Original Route 66 Gift Shop (Seligman, Arizona)
Angel Delgadillo, now in his 90s, turned his barbershop into a Route 66 gift shop in 1987 after he helped establish the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona. Delgadillo—known as the “Guardian of Route 66”—still cuts hair on occasion, though he’s been semi-retired since the ’70s.
Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In (Seligman, Arizona)
Motorists can stop in for a root beer float or a burger at Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In. Visitors should take a close look at the walls and ceiling, which are covered with patches, money, and other paraphernalia donated from visitors around the world. Juan Delgadillo opened the shop in 1953, and his son still runs the business.
The town of Oatman (Oatman, Arizona)
Wigwam Village Motel #6 (Holbrook, Arizona)
Tired motorists can sleep off a long day on the road at the historic Wigwam Village Motel #6 (there are five previous versions across the U.S.). Chester E. Lewis, charmed by wigwam villages he’d seen in Kentucky, opened the motel in 1950. There are classic cars on display out front, but the rooms have been renovated to include more modern amenities like air conditioning and cable TV. The Lewis family still owns and operates the business today.
Grand Canyon National Park
Access to Grand Canyon National Park isn’t right off Route 66, but seeing one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World is worth a detour. From Williams, Arizona, drive 60 miles north to get to the South Rim.
Meteor Crater (Meteor City, Arizona)
Sometime between 5,000 and 50,000 years ago, a meteor crashed into northern Arizona and formed a massive crater that’s been turned into a popular tourist attraction. The site is only minutes from Interstate 40 and the old Route 66. If it’s too hot, visitors can pop into the Meteor Crater Visitor Center on the crater’s rim to view the crater from a comfortably air-conditioned room.
Elmer Long’s Bottle Tree Ranch (Oro Grande, California)
A popular spot for an Instagram photoshoot, Elmer Long created his now-famous Bottle Tree Ranch out of bottles he collected as a kid. Years after he retired, he started hanging the empty glass bottles onto metal pipes that scatter rainbows of light when the sun shines through them. Visitors can try to spot the column topped by a rake—it’s Long’s favorite.
Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Cafe (Victorville, California)
Rt. 66 Museum (Victorville, California)
Motorists can stop by the California Route 66 Museum to learn some history and take some photos in the ‘50s diner or VW Love Bus. There’s a Model T on the grounds and an old outhouse. Visitors can make a pit-stop in the library and gift shop to get some Route 66 memorabilia before heading back to the road.
Original McDonald’s (San Bernardino, California)
The first McDonald’s opened in 1948 close to Route 66 (the exact location is 1398 N. East St. at West 14th Street in San Bernadino). In 1954, businessman Ray Kroc met the McDonald brothers in California while selling the brothers milkshake mixing machines. The rest is franchising history.
Cucamonaco Service Station (Rancho Cucamonga, California)
The canary yellow Cucamonga Service Station was built in 1915 and remained a gas station until the ‘60s. It fell into disrepair in the ‘70s but has since been restored and turned into a museum.
Roy’s Motel & Cafe (Amboy, California)
Roy’s opened in 1938 and is located in Amboy, which some call a ghost town. The sign is a particularly popular photo spot for Route 66 road-trippers. While some hope the cafe is fully restored in the future, visitors can still pop in and thumb through old newspapers or buy a souvenir and some snacks.
Santa Monica Pier (Santa Monica, California)
In 1926, the original end to the route was at Seventh and Broadway in downtown Los Angeles. That spot wasn’t a very scenic end for drivers after a long trip. So in 2009, the Route 66 Alliance and the Santa Monica Pier Restoration Corporation decided to erect an “End of the Trail” sign on the pier. To get there, motorists drive toward the pier and then walk out about 200 feet. The end sign is just past the Bubba Gump shrimp franchise and just before the Playland arcade.
