Which iconic road in the U.S is called the Mother Road; why is 2026 special for this road? |
On November 11, 2026, one of the world’s most iconic highways will reach a milestone only few roads can claim. Route 66, nicknamed the “Mother Road,” is turning 100 years old and celebrates a hundred years of journeys, dreams, detours, and destinations. The route cuts across eight states and almost 4,000 kilometres from Chicago to Santa Monica. Route 66 is more than a road-it’s a living and breathing icon for freedom, grit, and travel romance.As the centenary celebrations roll out across the United States, Route 66 is once again drawing travellers from around the world, eager to experience a slice of Americana that has shaped popular culture, music, literature, and road travel itself.
Iconic Route 66
The birth of a highway that changed America
The establishment of Route 66 took place in 1926. This was during the reign of the automobile in a manner that was changing the way Americans traversed the country. The highway provided a connection between the industrial Midwest and the Pacific coast. This was to bring economic opportunities to the places through which the highway passed.Route 66 stretched through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. It is rather simplistic to claim that Route 66 was established as an important trading and travelling route. Route 66 assumed significance as an important route, especially during the period of the Dust Bowl of the 1930s when thousands of families moved along this route as their journey route to head towards the west. And now, to come to the name “Mother Road,” this mega migration was immortalised in John Steinbeck’s iconic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath, which also gave Route 66 its famous nickname, the “Mother Road.”
A cultural icon
Then in the 1940s and 1950s, Route 66 became the ultimate American road trip highway. Motels, diners, gas stations and neon signs, you name it, flourished along the route, creating the classic roadside culture that still defines it today. It was a hub back then, and it’s a hub till date. The road even got featured in songs, films, postcards and TV shows, turning it into a global symbol of freedom, adventure and open-road travel. No wonder, Route 66 is one of the most famous highways in the world and a powerful symbol of American road travel and popular culture.
Stops on Route 66
The decline of an iconic road
Over time, there were several constructions of modern interstates. Eventually, Route 66 was bypassed and was officially decommissioned in 1985. However, it was never forgotten. Large sections were preserved as “Historic Route 66,” and today over 80 percent of the original road is still drivable. What could have been the end of the story turned into a remarkable revival. Local communities, preservation groups, and enthusiasts worked tirelessly to restore historic stretches of the highway, and “Historic Route 66” signs began appearing, museums opened, and classic motels and diners were revived to keep the spirit of the road alive.
Route 66 today
Today, Route 66 is a celebrated heritage road and one of the world’s most iconic long-distance drives. In an age of high-speed highways and instant navigation, Route 66 represents a different philosophy of travel. It encourages detours, conversations with strangers, and an appreciation for offbeat places.Route 66 is celebrating its centenary in 2026. This is indicative of its significance not only as a road but as a journey per se. For those travelling from outside America, it is a great experience to learn about America beyond its skyline. Route 66 museums are also expected to have a special exhibition to mark this occasion, while restored motel cafes are reverting back to their vintage look, so a traveller gets a dose of a ’50s experience. Classic cars, motor-bikes, and caravans were expected to flood Route 66.The centenary isn’t just an opportunity to look back, but rather an opportunity to start again in terms of local tourism, supporting small businesses, and introducing new generations to the concept of slow, meaningful travel.
Iconic stops that define the Mother Road
The other great lure of Route 66 is its trademark roadside attractions. Starting with the Gateway in St. Louis and working its way down to Cadillac Ranch in Texas and along to the Wigwam Motels in Arizona and finally Oatman with its roaming burros and ghost town atmosphere, there is so much about this route that is just wonderfully, and very humanly, weird. The Grand Canyon and Petrified Forest National Park and the deserts of the Southwest provide a sense of natural wonder to this trip right along with cities such as Flagstaff and Albuquerque and Barstow.
A road trip for the next century
As Route 66 celebrates 100 years, there’s a lot of renewed conversations around heritage conservation, sustainable tourism, and the value of preserving cultural routes that shaped societies. For travellers planning a journey in 2026, driving Route 66 during its centenary is more than ticking off a bucket-list road trip, it is about participating in a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of movement, memory, and meaning.
