by robfisher » Thu Jan 26, 2012 1:57 pm
First, Do you own a copy of Michael Wallis' book "Route 66; The Mother Road"? I've read many things about Route 66 and over the course of 45 years have traveled most if it repeatedly. Wallis did a great job.
My favorite camping spot on the entire route has to be Meramec Caverns near Rolla MO. Take the tour of the cave too. It's very well lit and great history.
Other places I would never miss: The arch at St Louis and The National Memorial & Museum at Oklahoma City.
All my travel suggestions come with favorite places to eat and on this route I could go on for hours. But I will narrow it down to two places that I call DO NOT MISS! Dot's Cafe in Claremont, OK an old hometown diner with the very best chicken strips in the whole world and great prices to boot.
The other one is a bit more touristy but you won't be disappointed. It's Lambert's Cafe, Home of the throwed rolls in Ozark, MO. Ozark is a small town about 15 miles south of route 66 at Springfield. This place is amazing fun. The size of the town is 18,000. I think about 20,000 people must eat at Lambert's every day. It's crazy, it's fun and it's worth the wait. If we find the wait is an hour or so there are a group of antique stores around the corner. Once our name is on the waiting list we go shop for 45 minutes. I got the nice cast iron last time.