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Route 66 Section 2: St. Louis to Tulsa

Caves, giant roadside icons, a tiny slice of Kansas, and Oklahoma’s Route 66 heartland—ending in Tulsa, where the Mother Road was born.
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Trip Length
4 days, 4 nights
Route Distance
280 mi
Stops
5
Section 2 takes you from St. Louis into the rolling hills of Missouri, through the famous Meramec Caverns corridor, past big roadside photo ops like the Route 66 Red Rocker, and into a 13-mile “quality over quantity” Kansas stretch before Oklahoma’s Green Country takes over. Along the way, you’ll visit lovingly restored stations, folk-art communities, legendary diners, and one whimsical blue whale with a romantic origin story. The trip ends in Tulsa—the birthplace of Route 66 and one of the most complete Mother Road cities anywhere.

AdventureGenie, KOA, and Open Roads have partnered to bring travelers a special collection of Americana Road Trips, highlighted by the Route 66 Centennial celebration.

This series features six curated Route 66 segments that can be enjoyed individually for shorter adventures or combined into one unforgettable cross-country journey along the Mother Road.

In addition, the collaboration includes trips centered around six featured cities and the stories that shaped America, honoring our nation’s Semiquincentennial — 250 Years of American History.

Whether you're exploring iconic roadside stops, rediscovering America’s culture, or planning the ultimate long-haul adventure, this partnership makes it easier than ever to travel confidently, comfortably, and creatively.

Who Will Love This Trip
  • Route 66 fans who want iconic roadside attractions in short driving bursts.
  • Travelers who love classic diners, folk art, murals, and preserved Americana.
  • Families and photographers seeking big, memorable photo stops.
  • Trip planners who prefer campground-anchored overnights with clustered daytime stops.
Routing Information

Follow signed Historic Route 66 alignments whenever possible for the most authentic experience; use I-44 selectively for convenience between clusters of attractions.

Trip Tips

Please note many attractions are not open every day, and some have seasonal hours. We recommend calling ahead before visiting.

On this stretch of Route 66, you’ll pass through three states—don’t blink or you might miss Kansas, which is home to less than 14 miles of Mother Road.

In Oklahoma, Travel Information Centers on or near Route 66 often include clean restrooms, gift shops, maps, selfie stops, picnic areas, and more—see TravelOK Welcome Centers for details.

If you’re driving an EV, Oklahoma’s Route 66 charging infrastructure is strong—use PlugShare and aim to stop where multiple chargers are available.

Resources
KOA: Travel Route 66 in 6 Parts – Section 2 (St. Louis to Tulsa)
KOA: 20 Things You Have to See on Route 66
KOA: The Ultimate Guide to Route 66
TravelOK: Welcome Centers
Oklahoma Route 66
Table of Contents
Stop 1: St. Louis, MO
1 day, 1 night stay
Description - St. Louis
St. Louis is the launch pad for Section 2, where the Mississippi River and the idea of westward movement set the emotional tone of the Mother Road. Before you trade skyline views for rolling countryside, spend time with St. Louis’ most iconic landmark and give the trip a proper sendoff with a classic Route 66-era treat. This is the last “big city” moment before Route 66 starts to feel like open-road Americana.
Top Things to Do - St. Louis
Gateway Arch National Park – Ride up for panoramic views and explore the museum below to frame your trip as a westward journey; it’s the perfect symbolic “start line” before the road turns rural.
Ted Drewes Frozen Custard – A longtime St. Louis tradition that feels made for road trips: creamy custard, classic flavor combos, and an unmistakable old-school vibe.
Mississippi Riverfront at the Arch – Walk the grounds and take in the river views; it’s a fitting place to set the tone for the miles ahead.
St. Louis, MO Activities
  • Monument and museum visit
  • Riverfront walking
  • Iconic food stop
RV Campgrounds Near St. Louis, MO
  • St. Louis West / Historic Route 66 KOA Holiday
Resources
Route 66 Centennial
St. Louis West / Historic Route 66 KOA Holiday
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Stop 2: Meramec Caverns & Cuba, MO
1 day, 1 night stay
Description - Eureka
This is prime Missouri Route 66: green hills, classic roadside marketing, and attractions that road-trippers have been stopping for across generations. Meramec Caverns is one of the most famous stops ever promoted along Route 66—an early masterclass in convincing travelers to pull over and explore. Pair it with Cuba’s towering Route 66 Red Rocker, a delightful reminder that the Mother Road rewards curiosity and a willingness to stop for the absurd, the iconic, and the unforgettable.
Top Things to Do - Eureka
Meramec Caverns – A legendary Route 66 attraction where travelers explore vast underground formations before continuing west. It’s one of the most enduring “pull over now” stops on the Mother Road for a reason: the scale and spectacle feel like a hidden world beneath the highway.
Route 66 Red Rocker (World’s Second Largest Rocking Chair) – A 42-foot roadside icon outside the Fanning Outpost General Store. Built to genuinely rock like a smaller chair, it’s a perfect Route 66 photo stop—and the store is a natural place to grab snacks and souvenirs.
Fanning Outpost General Store – Stock up on sodas, snacks, and classic road trip souvenirs beneath one of Missouri’s most recognizable Route 66 landmarks.
Route 66 pace check – This is where the trip starts to feel like true “Mother Road” travel: frequent stops, quirky attractions, and the sense that the journey matters as much as the destination.
Meramec Caverns & Cuba, MO Activities
  • Cave tour
  • Roadside landmark photography
  • Souvenir shopping
RV Campgrounds Near Meramec Caverns & Cuba, MO
  • St. Louis West / Historic Route 66 KOA Holiday
Resources
Fanning Outpost General Store
St. Louis West / Historic Route 66 KOA Holiday
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Stop 3: Springfield, MO (with Ash Grove & Carthage highlights)
1 day, 1 night stay
Description - Springfield
Springfield is one of the most meaningful Missouri hubs on Route 66, and it’s an ideal campground anchor for weaving in two beloved preservation stops nearby. This part of the route is about the people who keep Route 66 alive: caretakers who resurrect vintage stations, artists who recreate small-town America from buildings that would otherwise disappear, and communities that treat the Mother Road as a living story rather than a relic. Expect classic signage, deep nostalgia, and “only on Route 66” moments all day long.
Top Things to Do - Springfield
Gary’s Gay Parita – A revived Route 66 filling station and garage originally established in 1930. After the original Sinclair station burned in 1955, the property was brought back to life decades later and filled with vintage signage, memorabilia, and big personality—an intimate, human-scale slice of Route 66 preservation.
Red Oak II – Artist Lowell Davis recreated his vision of small-town America by relocating buildings and assembling a full “town” experience: a café, diner, town hall, school, bandstand, blacksmith shop, playground, and general store. It’s part art installation, part living nostalgia—visitors should stay on the gravel road and be respectful of the private community.
Springfield Route 66 corridor – Use Springfield as your staging ground to connect the day’s preservation highlights with classic Mother Road driving and town exploration.
Route 66 “story hunting” – This is a great day to slow down and notice the little things: signage, textures, old alignments, and the way each stop tells a different version of Route 66’s survival.
Springfield, MO (with Ash Grove & Carthage highlights) Activities
  • Historic station visit
  • Folk art and Americana exploration
  • Scenic driving on Route 66 alignments
  • Photography
RV Campgrounds Near Springfield, MO (with Ash Grove & Carthage highlights)
  • Springfield / Route 66 KOA Holiday
Resources
Springfield Route 66 corridor
Springfield / Route 66 KOA Holiday
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Stop 4: Joplin, MO (with Galena, KS highlights)
0.5 day, 1 night stay
Description - Joplin
This stop is your gateway to the Kansas corner of Route 66—a stretch defined by “quality over quantity.” In just over 13 miles, Kansas manages to deliver big bucket-list energy, especially for travelers who love pop culture and roadside surprises. Base from Joplin, then hop over the line to Galena, where a weathered tow truck and a restored service station helped inspire one of Route 66’s biggest modern revivals.
Top Things to Do - Joplin
Cars on the Route (Galena, KS) – A former Kan-O-Tex service station turned Route 66 destination, known for the rusty tow truck that inspired “Tow Mater.” Today it functions as a lively stop with a restaurant, gift shop, drive‑through Route 66 sign, and welcome-center energy packed into a short Kansas stretch.
Galena, Kansas – A former mining town that became a star in the Route 66 revival era. Even if you’re only in Kansas briefly, this is the stop that makes the state feel essential.
Kansas “13.2-mile sprint” experience – Lean into the idea that Kansas Route 66 is a concentrated sampler platter: a quick drive with outsized payoff.
Back to base in Joplin – Use the afternoon/evening to reset, refuel, and prepare for the northeastern Oklahoma stretch ahead.
Joplin, MO (with Galena, KS highlights) Activities
  • Pop-culture Route 66 stop
  • Souvenir browsing
  • Roadside photography
  • Short historic drive
RV Campgrounds Near Joplin, MO (with Galena, KS highlights)
  • Joplin KOA Journey
Resources
Joplin KOA Journey
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Stop 5: Tulsa, OK (with Vinita & Catoosa highlights)
0.5 day, 0 night stay
Description - Tulsa
This final stop is a full Route 66 crescendo: northeastern Oklahoma’s Green Country delivers quirky icons, legendary diners, and friendly towns before Route 66 arrives at its spiritual home. Tulsa is the birthplace of Route 66—businessman Cyrus Avery first conceived the idea of the Mother Road here, and the city still feels like Route 66 in its perfect form: vintage neon, Muffler Men, historic architecture, and deeply rooted American culture. Along the approach, you’ll find a diner institution in Vinita and one of the most beloved roadside mascots anywhere in Catoosa.
Top Things to Do - Tulsa
Clanton’s Café (Vinita) – Founded in 1927 and still going strong, Clanton’s is one of the oldest continuously operating Route 66 restaurants in Oklahoma. It’s famous for chicken-fried steak, classic home cooking, and towering pies that feel as iconic as any roadside attraction—this is a true Mother Road meal stop, not a quick bite.
Blue Whale of Catoosa – Built in the 1970s as an anniversary gift, this whimsical whale rises 20 feet above a pond and became one of the most recognizable icons on Route 66. Swimming is no longer allowed, but the grounds are perfect for a picnic and photos, and the site’s restoration story is part of why it remains so beloved.
Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios on 66 – One of Tulsa’s most unmissable Route 66 experiences: shopping, photo ops, and the city’s “Muffler folk” culture brought to life on 11th Street.
Ike’s Chili – A historic Route 66 restaurant in Tulsa with deep local roots, often cited as one of the city’s enduring classics for travelers who want an authentic, old-school stop right on the road.
Cain’s Ballroom – A legendary Tulsa music venue where the city’s culture and Route 66 energy overlap: historic, iconic, and still very alive.
Tulsa’s Route 66 corridor (11th Street) – The heart-beat stretch for neon, murals, Muffler Men, and classic roadside businesses; this is where Tulsa’s Route 66 identity feels most immediate and tangible.
Tulsa, OK (with Vinita & Catoosa highlights) Activities
  • Historic Route 66 dining
  • Roadside icon photography
  • Tulsa arts, architecture, and culture exploration
  • Neon / mural corridor sightseeing
  • Live music and nightlife
RV Campgrounds Near Tulsa, OK (with Vinita & Catoosa highlights)
  • Tulsa NE / Will Rogers Downs KOA Journey
Resources
Oklahoma Route 66 Trip Guide
Tulsa NE / Will Rogers Downs KOA Journey
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Itinerary structure and primary stop flow based on KOA’s Route 66 in 6 Parts – Section 2, expanded with relevant supplemental Route 66 reference text provided by the team.

Route 66 Section 2: St. Louis to Tulsa
Caves, giant roadside icons, a tiny slice of Kansas, and Oklahoma’s Route 66 heartland—ending in Tulsa, where the Mother Road was born.
Length
4 days, 4 nights
Distance
280 mi
Stops
5
Section 2 takes you from St. Louis into the rolling hills of Missouri, through the famous Meramec Caverns corridor, past big roadside photo ops like the Route 66 Red Rocker, and into a 13-mile “quality over quantity” Kansas stretch before Oklahoma’s Green Country takes over. Along the way, you’ll visit lovingly restored stations, folk-art communities, legendary diners, and one whimsical blue whale with a romantic origin story. The trip ends in Tulsa—the birthplace of Route 66 and one of the most complete Mother Road cities anywhere.

Who Will Love This Trip

  • Route 66 fans who want iconic roadside attractions in short driving bursts.
  • Travelers who love classic diners, folk art, murals, and preserved Americana.
  • Families and photographers seeking big, memorable photo stops.
  • Trip planners who prefer campground-anchored overnights with clustered daytime stops.

Routing Information

Follow signed Historic Route 66 alignments whenever possible for the most authentic experience; use I-44 selectively for convenience between clusters of attractions.

Table of Contents
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