The Ultimate Route 66 Road Trip 1 Week Itinerary

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Last Updated on October 29, 2023 by sydabroad

If you are looking for the perfect Route 66 road trip 1 week itinerary, this article is for you! 

With various Route 66 road trip itineraries, planning your own can get overwhelming and this guide will certainly help! Whether you follow this exact itinerary or not, this will give you travel inspiration for your Route 66 road trip. 

Planning a Route 66 road trip in one week will most likely leave you with a packed itinerary but it will be well worth it. There are so many incredible places to see on Route 66 and you simply cannot see it all in just one week. 

In this guide, we’ll cover a couple of stops in Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, and Utah. Route 66 also runs through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and California; if you have longer time to spend on the road, you should consider visiting these states as well. Alright, let’s get into the guide!

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Read more to discover the best Route 66 road trip 1 week itinerary. 

The Perfect Route 66 Road Trip 1 Week Itinerary

Although there are so many different Route 66 itineraries you can take, I’m sharing mine for you to pick and choose what you’d like to incorporate into your trip. For a step-by-step guide on how to plan a road trip, click here. 

I did visit additional places that are technically off of Route 66 such as the Grand Canyon, but I think these stops were well worth it!

Day 1: Austin, TX – Dallas, TX – Amarillo, TX – Tucumcari, NM

We started our road trip in Austin, Texas, headed straight to Dallas to pick up a friend, and then drove to Amarillo, Texas. The drive from Dallas to Amarillo was about 5 hours. 

Amarillo is known for being a prominent stop on Route 66, its ranching culture, Palo Duro Canyon State Park, and its growing art and culture scene. Our first stop on Route 66 was Cadillac Ranch. This is a public art installation that was created in 1974. 

Cadillac Ranch is a row of buried Cadillac cars that are spray-painted by visitors. Don’t bother buying a can of spray paint before you go, there are so many bottles on the ground around the cars. 

Tip: You don’t need much time here at Cadillac Ranch, maybe 30 minutes tops. 

Next, we picked up a quick delicious lunch at Torchy’s Tacos and headed to Tucumcari, New Mexico. Amarillo to Tucumcari is about a 2 hours drive and once we arrived, we checked into Motel Safari. 

Tucumcari is a great stop on Route 66 known for its neon signs, vintage motels, and nostalgic roadside attractions. 

Motel Safari is right on Route 66 – truly a classic. I recommend staying at Motel Safari if you can. I felt very safe here, it was reasonably priced and very clean. There are fun signs and murals around the Motel. 

Book your stay at Motel Safari here. 

Day 2: Tucumcari, NM – Albuquerque, NM – Monument Valley, UT – Kayenta, AZ

From Tucumcari, we drove to Monument Valley, Utah, and along the way, we stopped for lunch in Albuquerque, New Mexico at a cute spot called the Grove Cafe & Market. 

After arriving in Monument Valley and exploring for a bit, we drove about 20 minutes to Kayenta, Arizona, and checked into the Hampton Inn. This hotel was great for the night but there weren’t many dining options in the area. We had to settle for Burger King. 

Day 3: Kayenta, AZ – Grand Canyon, AZ

While the Grand Canyon isn’t technically on Route 66, it’s definitely worth a stop. The Grand Canyon is one of the most famous natural wonders in the world. It’s truly breathtaking – something you need to see in person at least once in your life. Photos just do not do it justice. 

The Grand Canyon is split between the North Rim and the South Rim. The South Rim is the most visited part of the Grand Canyon and is open year-round. The North Rim is typically closed in the winter. 

We spent a full day exploring the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. My favorite lookout points were Lipan and Yavapai Point. The views are seriously unreal. Don’t forget your camera. 

I suggest watching the sunset at Lipon Point. It’s incredible. After the sunset, we headed to our hotel – the Grand Canyon Holiday Inn. The location was perfect, I suggest staying here if you are visiting the Grand Canyon. 

Book these Grand Canyon Tours

Day 4: Grand Canyon – Flagstaff, AZ – Sedona, AZ – Holbrook, AZ

After the Grand Canyon, we made our way to Sedona with a quick stop in Flagstaff, Arizona. Flagstaff is a historic Route 66 town known for its scenic beauty and charming downtown. If you stop here make sure to check out the massive Route 66 painting. 

Our drive from Flagstaff to Sedona was absolutely stunning. Once we arrived in Sedona, we had lunch at HP Cafe (I recommend breakfast or lunch) and then hiked Devil’s Bridge. 

Make sure you add Devil’s Bridge to your Sedona itinerary. This is one of the most famous natural attractions here in Sedona. To get to the bridge you’ll hike a little over 4 miles round trip. It was moderately flat most of the hike but it was very hot in the dead of summer. Bring plenty of water and sunscreen. 

There are a variety of different tours you can do in Sedona like the famous Pink Jeep Tour and the Broken Arrow Tour. I’ve listed a few great Sedona tours below you can check out. 

Our final stop for today was Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona. This is seriously a Route 66 Classic. Wigwam Motel, also known as the Wigwam Villages, is a motel chain in the United States built during the 1930s and 1940s. The rooms are built to look like tipis. It’s the cutest motel on Route 66. 

Holbrook is a tiny town with a rich history. It’s a great stop on Route 66 and in close proximity to the Petrified Forest National Park. There aren’t many dining options here but there is a Dairy Queen! 

Book your stay at Wigwam Motel here. 

Day 5: Holbrook, AZ – White Sands National Park – Las Cruces, NM

After Holbook we headed to New Mexico to visit White Sands National Park. It’s a unique national park known for its white sand dunes and amazing sunsets & stargazing. Here you can go dune sledding, spot wildlife, and explore different hiking trails. 

Our final stop for today was in Las Cruces, New Mexico. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Las Cruces North and it was probably one of the nieces Holiday Inn’s I have ever stayed at. 

Tip: Bring cards and a wine opener on your road trip. One of the best ways to spend the evening is to order takeout, enjoy wine, and play cards at your hotel. 

Day 6: Las Cruces, NM – Marfa, TX – Dallas, TX

Our final stop on this Route 66 road Trip 1 week itinerary was Marfa, Texas. If you have seen the iconic Prada store in the middle of nowhere, this is where it’s located. In Marfa, Texas. 

The Prada Store is an art installation that was built in 2005. You can’t go inside but it does make a unique photography spot. Although people say it’s located in Marfa, it’s actually located about 30 minutes outside of the small town of Marfa. 

After taking photos at the Prada, head to the town of Marfa to pick up lunch. Marfa is the cutest little town with incredible restaurants and cafes. 

After Marfa, we headed back to Dallas and finally to Austin, TX to wrap up our Route 66 road trip. 

Route 66 Road Trip 1 Week Itinerary Map 

I hope you enjoyed this Route 66 road Trip 1 week itinerary! If you have any questions, feel free to comment below, DM me on Instagram, or email me at sydabroad@gmail.com. 

Recommended Tours on Route 66

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