At the start of this iconic road in Illinois is the Route 66 Hall of Fame & Museum, home to thousands of different Route 66 relics and memorabilia pieces like booths from the world's very first Steak n' Shake and an antique Volkswagen hippie van. There is also a slew of resources, tips, and recommendations for the famed road trip.

Hall of Fame & Museum (Illinois)

One of the most recognizable monuments in all of Missouri, and the tallest monument in the United States at 630 feet high, the Gateway Arch's tram goes up 63 stories to the top. From the peak of the arch, you'll be able to see 30 miles into the distance over the midwest — plus there is a 91-acre National Park around the arch with fun activities.

Gateway Arch (Missouri)

It took millions of years for this 4.6-mile complex of eerily beautiful caverns to form, but now you can wander a piece of ancient natural history in all its rainbow-lit glory at Missouri’s Meramec Caverns. After taking the plunge underground, you'll find some of the scarcest and biggest cave formations on the planet.

Meramec Caverns (Missouri)

One of the most quirky, but classic stops is Pop's 66 in Arcadia, Oklahoma. It will be hard to miss this restaurant/soda store thanks to the largest soda bottle in the whole world on the front lawn. The store carries over 700 different kinds of soda and serves all types of food and snacks.

Pop's 66 (Oklahoma)

The Blue Whale of Catoosa, Oklahoma, is an 80 feet long, 20 feet tall sculpture that has become a world-famous tourist attraction. A very determined and creative zoologist named Hugh Davis spent years developing and building it over 50 years ago imagining it as a place his grandchildren would one day play in.

Blue Whale (Oklahoma)