o/t Doing Route 66 in an RV

How good an idea would it be to do Route 66 in an RV?
I know there are lots of organised trips for 66 but having visited the US several time before and done all our own planning we just wondered.
Are there lots of camp sites at reasonable cost?
How well suited is an RV to doing this type of trip?
Ive never driven an RV before so dont really know what to expect.
How long would you guys suggest this trip should take if you want to take in all the good points?
Any thoughts welcome.
Thanks
Bill
 
I have a 30 foot fifth wheel camper that I brought a few years back to do that. I found it was cheaper to just motel it instead. Just book a room a day ahead on line where ever you plan to stay the next night. Unless you stay at the Walmart parking lots a camp ground will cost you close to what you can get a room for the night. Not to mention the savings on gas not pulling your camper.
 
I'm not going to be a whole lot of help,but I'm envious. I've been on short stretches of the old Route 66,a lot of it goes through towns and you have to deal with traffic. It's hard to follow in places because it's so broken up now. I think the longest stretches of the original route now are in Oklahoma though. That's probably where you'll find the bulk of what you're looking for. Maybe if you do a search for Oklahoma travel it would help.
 
I have been along that route in my RV a few times, maybe not all on exactly old Route 66, but in the same area. Plenty of camping NOT a problem, Id buy the new for 2013 first time Trailer Life/Woodalls combined Campground Guide and maybe even the new Rand McNally RV specific GPS

If youre gonan do it in an RV Id suggest it NOT be in the summer as the arid southwest portion of the trip is too dern HOT that time of year, the next time I"m going to make it in either April or October, but if in the mountains of Colorado and Utah, that dont work then, high mountain roads are snow closed until mid June. We do alot of cheap and some dry (NO hookups) camping in places like BLM lands or US National Forest or Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds WHICH ARE FULL HOOKUP AND BEAUTIFUL AND MUCH CHEAPER THEN PRIVATE CAMPS.

Google all the RV Forums (like this site but RV and travel related topics) for a ton of good info on Route 66 in an RV

PS while not all on Route 66 if your in the West and come back the more central route (Utah) DO NOT MISS Grand Canyon,,,,,,and in Utah Bryce Canyon and Zion and Capitol Reef and Canyonlands and Arches National Parks we did all of those this summer.

PS if even more time, dont miss Glacier, Crater Lake, Mt Rainier, Yellowstone and Grand Tetons, we did those the last trip.

I LOVE the RV Lifestyle, headed South soon

John T
2001 Four Winds 5000 29 Ft Class C Motorhome
454 Vortec Chevy w/4L80E Overdrive Tranny
110 Gallons fresh water storage capacity
86 Gallons gray water storage capacity
460 Amp hrs of (4) batterys energy storage
Soon to be added 200 watts of rooftop Solar
4 KW Onan Genset
My custom modified "Dry Camping Special"
 
It will take at least a week,more if you really look around.The original road is kinda broken up,a few parts no longer exist(so they say).It's gonna be a two lane blacktop with some gravel here and there.But easily passable with a 2wd car,motor home.As in much of the southwest,there will some places where there will some long distances between tows/services.Plan ahead,heed the signs.Never actually been there,so take this with a 'grain of salt'.It will be a woonderful trip,wish we could go with you!.Happy travels!
 
Couple of trips I would like to take is US 50,it goes coast to coast.I 'live' on 50,have traveled it from eastern KS to east/mid Utah.Other one is US 287.It goes diagonally from Florida to Washington state,right through Colorado.
 
One that I'd recomend is north to south,US 127. Mostly 2 lane,but 4 lane in places. I've been on all of it from Grayling Michigan to Chattanooga Tennessee. One of these years,I'm gonna travel the rest of it. Two lane and rural through Ohio,although Cincinatti is a ROYAL PAIN. Beautiful scenery through Ky and Tn.
 
You could always do the Trans Canada Highway some day too.
Then, turn right, and do the Alaska Highway as well.
Lots of scenery to take in all over N America.
 
The trouble with Trans-Canada comes when you get to Alberta and British Columbia- all mountains, either up (with the RV just drinkin' the fuel) or down (brakes getting tested to the limit). Too much concentrating on driving, and not enough sight-seeing.
 
First- the RV are you going to buy or rent? What type of RV? Tow behind, class B or class A? How many people coming with you on this adventure? As many have mentioned choose your weather carefully the southwest can be real hot during the summer. US 66 went from Chicago to Los Angeles, their is a lot of romance with old 66 but you might want to do some research and choose a route that includes some of 66 and some other roads. If you're using a rental unit it won't be specially equipped like John T's unit so you'll have to be more conventional in your camp sites. As others have eluded to get the RV and Rand McNally guides- do that BEFORE YOU GET HERE. There are many RV and tourist web sites you can check out- I'd do that. We don't want to plan your vacation for you- you should do that so you can pick what you want to see. You haven't mentioned how much time you'll be spending here. Not knowing how long you intend to be stateside We don't know how long of a trip you're planning. If I were doing it I think I'd start on the east coast in Maryland, Virginia or the Carolinas and work my way west going through the Appalachia mountains then Kentucky, Tennessee and Pick up 66 in Missouri and follow it West. On 66 you'll miss the Heart of Texas and Colorado, both have places I'd like to see again. Then you have a coast to coast trip not a start in the middle and see 1/2. But time is valuable be careful not to overbook yourself.
 
Bill,
Never been on Route 66. Helped cousin Eddie drive a 40 ft monico diesel pusher to Florida about an hour ahead of a bad winter storm. Ice hanging off the mirrors, strong cross wind, snow build up on edge of road, from mirror to mirror 9 ft 10 inches.

With generator running, boiler going to stay warm, motor home got almost 10 mpg.

I told cousin Eddie, next time he needs someone to help get to Florida, lose my number.

That was enough to find out I don't want to drive a semi like motor home.

I think you could have more fun and spend less driving a comfortable car or van. However camping would have an advantage, no bed bugs. Bed bugs is becoming a major problem in the US.
I was told, there isn't an EPA approved chemical to kill them.

I've never taken a trail ride across the US. I think I would check into that first.

George
 
A lot of route 66 is no longer there or is for the most part a side road to an interstate like say in the Lebanon Mo area which by the way is 25 mile south of me. Some area of it as still pretty much as it was years ago but with a lot fewer shops etc just depends on where you are as to if you can find camp sites and things to see since many of he old stations etc have long since closed down but a few are still there and some are still open or have been reopened
 
we live in Crossville TN about 2 miles from 127, yes beautiful drive highly recommend it, you can easily bypass Cincinnati on the interstates, then get right back on. Also Cincinnati is a fun town if you want to spend some time there
 
HI Bill, Sorry not specific route 66 advice but here goes, My family and I returned home about Aug 15th from a 1800 mile road trip. North central Mn to Bismark, Billings, Yellowstone (stayed 4 days). Back through Central Wyoming, Northern Colorado (stayed 3 days), Nebraska, South Dakota. We tent camped the entire way, except coming back through Nebraska. It was too darn hot for 3 little kids and worn out parents to set up tent. Only thing I can say is plan and make reservations well ahead of arrival even if looking for an RV site. We booked all camping in Dec of 2011 and we were amazed how full everything was that far out. Have a great time and enjoy your trip!
 
Bill, unless you have some abnormal nostalgic obsession with Route 66 (like my daughter does)don't plan your trip around following the route. For instance, don't drive miles out of your way to see the Blue Whale. Include 66, of course, to find specific remnants that interest you, but don't miss worthy attractions because of adhering steadfastly to the old trail. In other words, just plan a nice trip across the center of the nation. You'll see some nice country and meet some fine people.

My family and I have traveled probably three-fourths of the route. My daughter has chunks of old asphalt, splinters and paint chips from various famous landmarks along the way. We've spent the night in the "teepee" motel, and we've sweated out the night in some musty old motels that in their day provided nice accommodations. It's easy to get caught up in the history and the legacy of the thing (Buzz and Todd and their blue Corvette actually inspired me and my bud to give the experience a try. Finding a job/adventure in every little town you come to is not as easy as Buzz and Todd made it appear; they never ran out of money and had to come home.)

Again, don't make this a Route 66 trip. As others have said, 66 in most cases now lies under a modern new highway or interstate. The remnant motels, diners and souvenir shops in many cases are almost invisible, having been surrounded by new modern businesses.
 
I'd like to do it some day, but probably not in an RV, or at least not in a big one. Research this thoroughly before doing it. It would be a trip where you take your time and expect the hotels and restaurants along the way to have themselves in a slow-paced tempo. A lot of the roads along the way aren't so good anymore either, but there is an effort to revitalize them. Some of the ghost towns or at least ghost businesses along the highway would be interesting.
 
in okla lots of the old road still exists. be warned though,its rough, broken up,very narrow( lots of how shall we say mirror destroying bridges if you meet a oncoming vehicles). most of the route from oklahoma city west roughly follows or is now a service road to I-40. lots of twist and turns as it crosses and recrosses the interstate and it runs through lots of small towns.unfortunately most of the real old time motor courts and things are long gone.but motels/food/fuel in the towns are plentiful.back years ago we did the drive i dont know how many times,but i-40 replaced it,and it simply died overnight.just as a side note,my dad got the second of the two tickets he ever got in his life on i-40 the day before it officialy opened!! he was so happy not to have to drive on the old road ,he couldnt wait any longer!! the last time i was on it was about three years ago on motor cycle. contact the route 66 association for better info. if i were to do it all the way,i believe i would choose to travel by car, and stay in motels.camping prices are high. price of fuel as you get in the more remote areas is quite a bit higher,and i think you could probably save money that way. but it can be done.make sure the rv you get has good tires,and make sure everything is secured before beginning,because it will beat you to pieces.some confusion exists as to the exact route in spots,since it often changed as larger cities grew,but for the most part you can do the entire route.
 
Yes,I usually take 122 out of Eaton Ohio over to Middletown,get on 75 then back on 127 at Florence Ky. You can take 127 down as far as Hamilton and take local streets over to 27 and get on 75 if you want to go on down farther.

Crossville,geez,you're right in the heart of it. The Valley of the Three Forks to the north of you is absolute Heaven on earth,then to your south,down through Pikeville,Dunlap and up on Signal Mountain,second only to what's north of you.
 
Just finished a westward trip in May and travelled a lot of old 66. there are long stretches that are being revitalized by local merchants. I would suggest a rental car and motels for economy and flexibility. Half the fun is detouring to check out a newly discovered attraction. The old federal highways are still pretty well maintained and go through the small towns. Like touring Scotland in reverse LOL.
An unlimited mileage car rental can be $150-$200 a week and lots less gas than an RV.
Also, check out Roadsideamerica.com for lots of offbeat and visitor reviewed attractions. You can search by state.
Glad you are coming over, America is a great tourist destination and we are glad to have our dollars back.
Take some old iron home with you.
 
I grew up right between HWY 50 and HWY 40 my best friend in the Navy lived between both HWYs we lived 3000 miles apart. Take 80 (old US 40) out to the west it follows the Oregon trail just watch for signs to turn off to see the sites. My family came out in 1843 on the first wagon train to make it all the way to Oregon. It's a little better now.
Walt
 
I second that.

I'm still pretty stunned myself and the second half of this bad movie hasn't even begun yet. If it were a normal bad movie, we could get up and walk out of the theater. Problem is, someone locked us inside and turned the volume up. Never in my life...

Mark
 
Despite its historical significance, the route of US-66 is not the greatest if you're interested in seeing the spectacular scenery of the American West. The route of 66 specifically avoided the Rockies and Sierras, but those mountain ranges are now traversed by excellent roads. Depending on how much time you have, I'd suggest making a loop through the Colorado Rockies, Yellowstone, the Sierras and Grand Canyon. You could fly into Denver, and make that loop in around ten days without pushing too hard. Of course, if you want to take your time, you can stretch it out longer, or just skip a couple of destinations. You can easily spend a week in either Colorado or California without getting bored.

Rental RVs are certainly available, but not cheap and of course they burn a lot of gas. But a bigger issue arises if you leave the major highways. Driving a big RV over a typical 10 thousand foot mountain pass isn't much fun, what with narrow roads, steep dropoffs, hairpin turns and an underpowered vehicle. Honestly, you'll probably have more fun if you take a smaller vehicle and stay in motels, but that's up to you. Rental cars and vans are quite reasonable, as long as you opt out of the LDW (limited damage waiver) and other optional insurance. Check with your own insurance and your credit card company to see what coverage you already have.

Camping isn't much of an issue. There are a wide range of public and private campgrounds, the public ones are typically in state or national parks, or in national forests, and tend to be "rustic" (limited facilities). Private campgrounds are usually well equipped with amenities like showers and toilets, but you don't need that stuff if you're in an RV. A good thing to know is that most Walmarts allow RVs to park in their lots overnight, which gives you an out if you find yourself with no place to park late at night.

Another thing to consider when visiting the US is the time of year. Many mountain passes are closed until late May, even early June. June, July and August are the peak tourist months, prices will be high and popular destinations will be crowded. The worst weeks will be around the major holidays: Memorial Day (end of May), Independence Day (July 4th) and Labor Day (early September). After Labor Day, crowds drop quickly and mid-September is an ideal time to travel in most of the US.
 
Can't help on the R 66 part, but I just had to share this story since it's similar to your upcoming event. In 2005 my Dad decided to sell his conversion van / motor home. I decided to list it on Ebay and had quite a few responses but no cash which is common. I had one guy write several time asking a lot of questions and he bid on it several times but the auction ended without meeting the reserve. He wrote again after it ended asking more questions and finally explained why he had so many questions. He was a young man who lived in London and was wanting to visit the US for about a year and he planned to buy a small motorhome to live in while here. After lots of Emails and several phone calls we made a verbal deal over the phone. I agreed to pick him up at the local airport so he could see the van and only if he liked it would he have to pay for it. I sort of figured if he got here he would almost have to buy it anyway. This is the van:
a92310.jpg

On arrival I took him over to look at it and he liked it but wanted a mechanic to look at it. I agreed but it was late in the day so I took him to a local motel for the night. I picked him up the next morning and took him and the van to a mechanic to inspect it and he was given the green light for a cross country tour in it so he asked me to take him to my Dads bank so he could pay for it of which we did. Now he had a roof over his head in the US although it was on wheels. He didn't want to leave for a few days since he wanted to make some plans and maybe visit Mexico while he was here. We offered to let him park next to my Dads house where he has hook ups for an RV so he stayed right there for a few days. The following day I took him to Progresso Mexico (a border town near us) for a visit. Here is a picture of him on the bridge when we were coming back into Texas:
a92311.jpg

It was funny because he had such a cool British accent, but while in Mexico he was speaking Spanish. Yea, I was impressed. Anyway after a couple of days he embarked on his cross country adventure. He spent about 11 months touring the US, finally ending up in Florida. His intentions were to ship anything he purchased along the way back to London and he had a friend in Florida that was going to sell the van for him after he left. It didn't work out as he planned, it seems he bought too many things (including a surf board in California) that the shipping was too expensive. He finally decided to leave all the purchases inside the van and he had the van and everything in it place in a contained and boated back to England. Said the cost wasn't much more than just shipping the stuff he bought. He kept the van for about 6 months and sold it in London and said he got more for it than he paid for it even with the exchange rate.
Although I was only with him for a few days I really enjoyed learning a little bit about London. Things like what a "meat market" is there vs. what it is here. The best part was watching the young girls stare at him, and then when he would talk to them they would melt....something about that accent. Even my wife said "OMG he's so cute". Yea whatever I told her. Now that I look at this picture, yea he was sort of a pretty boy.
a92313.jpg

Well enjoy your trip in our beautiful country...again!
 
Bill, Glad your coming over The Pond to see Rt 66 and what else here in America you haven't seen yet!
In Texas Okla New Mexico where I-40 has taken the new pathway of Old Rt 66 it is hard to see what is left of the old original Route. With a little digging you can retrace "parts" of the original roadway IE...in Amarillo TX..Amarillo Blvd is part of the original Rd. out west in the Vega, Tx area the old Roadway skirts the Interstate while going through the small towns. Well worth seeing the old architecture, buildings, abandoned buildings and such.
Bob Phillips of "Texas Country Reporter" Did a segment once about the Texas portion of old Rt 66.
Also, so you know in the High Plains where the Rail Road tracks skirt the highways there is a small community, Town, or large city every 10 miles!!! Why??? Water stops for the old Steam Locomotives. That was so the Locomotives were never more than 10 miles from water when they were running hard and fast. Just look a Hwy 54 across Kansas, Okla Panhandle, Texas Panhandle look at the Towns, Cities, Whistle stops along that stretch of Highway! Something! every 10 miles! Start at Guymon Okla. and look East and West.
Hope you find this interesting. I see no reason why you couldn't do a Rt 66 trip in some sort of RV. Just check KOA camp grounds, Keep a list of Good quality hotels and motels when the need arises. Restaurants and Eatery's and Points of interest along the way.
A Motor Home/Coach, no tow car, the RV is every thing, Home Sleeping Qters, and basic transportation to sight see get groceries, etc, etc.
A Motor Home/Coach with a small car in tow for excursions, sight seeing, getting groceries, etc,.
A Pickup and 5th wheel or bumper pull trailer, the trailer get parked and the Pickup will eliminate the need for a tow car. but the Pickup will need to be some larger depending on how many are in your traveling party!
Hope this helps. Hove Fun take lots of Pics
Later,
John A.
 
We always rent cars for the mountains, or have taken our own. 15,000 km round trip when we took our time. We did it in a hurry one time with 4 drivers to get to a wedding, 12,000 km in 5 days. Rental company was a bit shocked.
 
Well guys your comments have been great and will give us lots to think about. Once we have talked through a few ideas I think I will post again for more thoughts.
Thanks
Bill
 
Well. there are enough comments already to fill a book, but I gotta add my nickels worth. (I know, it used to be "my two cents worth" but you gotta factor in inflation). My brother in law has always done pretty much as he pleases, so a few years ago he found a hardly used motor home, and it was a large one, for a very reasonable price. He bought it and after two or three practice runs here in NC, he and my sis embarked on a cross country venture to the West Coast and back. Now, I know from comments that many on this forum either drive or have driven large trucks, and in spite of the fact that the uninformed driving public thinks that a large truck will stop faster than a car and is more stable in wind, we who have driven them KNOW BETTER. BIL never said much about it, but Sister told me about trying to drive in cross winds on the plains, etc. When they arrived home from the trip the motor home was up for sale very quick! Even if there were several in the traveling party, as others have mentioned, it seems as though it would be just as economical to rent a vehicle or two and stay in motels at night. If traveling in more than one vehicle you can stay in touch via cell phone. (The modern day replacement for CB radio.) LOL
 
Bill,there is a piece starting on RT.66 in the Jan.issue of Trailer Life.Will be in 4 parts,next 4 months.Il.,this month.Might check a good Mag.or book store,they could have it.
 

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