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Family Packing List for Route 66

Route 66 with kids is the great American road trip — 2,448 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica through 8 states, with motel-and-diner stops that haven't changed much since the 1950s. Pack for an extended drive with weather extremes (Midwest humidity to high-desert dry to Pacific coast cool) and segments rather than the whole route.

Updated April 2026

Start with this Route 66 family checklist

Quick answer

For a 14-day full Route 66 family trip, expect everything from -5°C Chicago winters to 40°C+ Arizona summers and 13°C Pacific evenings. Pack for layers across all extremes, broken-in walking shoes for roadside attractions, refillable water bottles (essential for desert legs), a quality car cooler, paper maps as cell-service backup, sun protection for Southwest legs, and a rugged camera. Most families do segments (Chicago–St. Louis or Albuquerque–LA) rather than the whole route.

At a glance

Plug type:: A / B (120V, 60Hz) across all 8 states
Currency:: USD
Total length:: 2,448 miles / 3,940 km
States:: 8 — IL, MO, KS, OK, TX, NM, AZ, CA
Realistic family duration:: 14 days for full route; 5–7 for a segment
Standard guide:: EZ66 Guide for Travelers (Jerry McClanahan)

Sample checklist preview

14 days · 2 adults · 2 children

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What actually matters on Route 66

•Most families do segments, not the whole 2,448 miles. Full route takes 2 weeks minimum at family pace; better to pick 5–7 days of one segment. Most popular: Albuquerque–Flagstaff–Williams–Grand Canyon detour–Kingman–Santa Monica (1 week).
•Pack for weather extremes across multiple climates. Chicago and Missouri can be humid summer or freezing winter; Texas is dry hot; New Mexico and Arizona are high-desert (cold mornings, hot afternoons, cool nights); California coastal is Pacific cool. Layered system across all of it.
•Cell service drops in stretches across Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Download offline maps (Google Maps, Apple Maps offline mode) and consider paper road atlas as backup. The "EZ66 Guide" by Jerry McClanahan is the standard Route 66 navigation book.
•Refillable water bottles essential for desert legs. Summer Arizona temperatures (40°C+) and high altitude make hydration critical. Plan refills at every gas station; carry an emergency gallon jug.
•Roadside attractions are the trip. Cadillac Ranch (TX), Meteor Crater (AZ), Wigwam Motels (Holbrook AZ + San Bernardino CA), Petrified Forest National Park, Standin' on the Corner Park (Winslow AZ). Plan stops, don't just drive through.
•Vintage motels are part of the experience. Wigwam Motels (sleep in a teepee), Blue Swallow Motel (Tucumcari NM), Munger Moss Motel (Lebanon MO). Book ahead for famous ones; chains are everywhere as backup.
•Sun protection in the Southwest is essential. SPF 50, wide-brim hats per family member, sunglasses. Even cool desert mornings have intense UV.
•A simple kid activity pouch (books, headphones, downloaded movies, small toys) does more than 5 hours of free entertainment. Kids who are bored on long drives are unhappy kids.
•Plug type is US standard A/B 120V across all states. International travelers (UK, AU) need an adapter; Canadians don't.
•Snacks + small cooler matter more than restaurant stops. Diners are part of the experience but stocking the car with apples, jerky, and bottled water saves real money over a 2-week trip.

Typical weather by month

Month	Avg high	Avg low	Rainy days
Jan	Varies: -1°C Chicago to 17°C Santa Monica	Varies: -8°C Chicago to 9°C Santa Monica	5
Apr	Varies: 17°C Chicago to 23°C Santa Monica	Varies: 5°C Chicago to 13°C Santa Monica	6
Jul	Varies: 29°C Chicago to 37°C Phoenix to 24°C Santa Monica	Varies: 20°C Chicago to 26°C Phoenix to 19°C Santa Monica	4
Oct	Varies: 17°C Chicago to 28°C Phoenix to 23°C Santa Monica	Varies: 7°C Chicago to 15°C Phoenix to 15°C Santa Monica	4

Typical monthly averages for planning. Check a forecast closer to your trip.

Seasonal things to plan around

Jul–AugDesert heat 40°C+ in Arizona/New Mexico stretches. Hydrate aggressively; never leave kids or pets in parked cars even briefly.
Dec–FebWinter ice across Texas Panhandle and northern stretches. Some segments may have storm closures.
Jul–SepMonsoon season in AZ/NM — afternoon thunderstorms and flash floods. Heed weather alerts; flash-flood washes are real.
Year-roundCell-service gaps in TX/NM/AZ. Offline maps + paper atlas.

Common Route 66 packing mistakes

•Trying to do the full 2,448 miles in 7 days. Family-paced, that's 2 weeks minimum. Either commit to 14 days or pick a segment.
•Underpacking water for desert legs. Arizona-Mojave segments need real hydration; one bottle per person isn't enough.
•Trusting cell service. Stretches of TX/NM/AZ have no signal. Download offline.
•Skipping sunscreen for Southwest legs. High-altitude desert sun burns fast even when temperatures feel mild.
•Bringing too many outfits. Diners and motels are casual; rotation of 4–5 days of clothes plus laundry stops works.
•No paper backup map. EZ66 Guide is the family standard.

Notes by where you're traveling from

From the US

•Domestic — fly into Chicago (start) or LA (end), or any major city along the route. One-way rentals add fees but are usually worth it.
•Most families don't do the full 2,448 miles — segment trips of 5–7 days are more realistic with kids.
•Adapter: not needed.
•AAA membership is genuinely useful for breakdowns in remote stretches.

From the UK

•Flight: 9 hours direct from London Heathrow to Chicago, or 11 hours to LAX.
•ESTA required: $40.27 (~£32) per person, valid 2 years.
•Adapter: Type G → A/B.
•Driving on the right is required across Route 66 — be careful at intersections in early days.
•Get an International Driving Permit before flying.

From Canada

•Flight: 1.5 hours to Chicago or 5 hours to LAX.
•No ESTA required.
•No adapter needed — same as US.
•Driving on the right is the same as Canada; no adjustment needed.

From Australia

•Flight: 14 hours direct to LAX or 22+ hours to Chicago.
•ESTA required: $40.27 (~AU$60), valid 2 years.
•Adapter: Type I → A/B.
•Driving on the right (opposite of Australia) — first 2 days require concentration. Consider starting in slower-paced Albuquerque rather than Chicago.
•International Driving Permit required.

Venue and attraction rules

Cadillac Ranch (Amarillo TX): Free roadside art installation. 10 graffiti-covered Cadillacs buried nose-down. Bring spray paint to add to the layers.
Meteor Crater (Winslow AZ): Real meteorite impact crater. Family-friendly with viewing platforms. Allow 1.5 hours; admission ~$25/adult.
Petrified Forest National Park (AZ): Drive-through park; 28 miles end-to-end. Stop at Painted Desert overlooks. National Park pass gets you in. Allow half-day.
Wigwam Motels (Holbrook AZ + San Bernardino CA): Sleep in a concrete teepee. Iconic; book months ahead. Two of the original three remain.
Standin' on the Corner Park (Winslow AZ): Free; tribute to the Eagles song. Family photo stop, ~30 min. Most kids enjoy it as a quirky stop.
Grand Canyon detour: Williams AZ to Grand Canyon South Rim is 1 hour. Add 1–2 days for a real visit; see the Grand Canyon family packing list.
Santa Monica Pier (end): Official "End of the Trail" sign. Family-friendly pier with carousel and aquarium. Free; pier amusement rides paid separately.

FAQ

Can we really do all 2,448 miles with kids?

Yes, but it takes 2+ weeks at family pace and tests everyone's patience. More common: pick a 5–7 day segment. Most popular family segment is the Albuquerque-to-LA stretch (around 800 miles, 5–6 days), which captures most of the iconic Southwest scenery and Wigwam Motels.

Best time of year for Route 66 with a family?

May, June, September, and early October are the sweet spots — temperatures across all 8 states are mostly comfortable. July–August: brutal desert heat (Arizona 40°C+). November–March: ice risk in the northern stretches and shorter daylight. Spring is also wildflower season in the Southwest.

Vintage motels or chain hotels?

Mix is best. Vintage motels (Wigwam, Blue Swallow, Munger Moss) are part of the experience but limited and often book up. Chains (Hampton, Holiday Inn Express, Best Western) provide pool-and-laundry consistency for kids on a long trip. Most families do 30–40% vintage, 60–70% chain.

Is cell service really a problem?

Yes in stretches. Texas Panhandle, eastern New Mexico, parts of Arizona high desert — service drops out for 30–60 minutes at a time. Offline Google or Apple maps work fine. The EZ66 Guide is the family standard paper backup.

What about kids getting bored?

Real risk on long-driving days. A pre-loaded entertainment kit (downloaded movies, audiobooks, paper activity books, small toys) plus snack stash beats trying to keep kids engaged with scenery. Plan a roadside attraction or town stop every 2–3 hours; long stretches without breaks are where boredom turns to misery.

Do we need ESTA from the UK / Canada / Australia?

UK and Australia: yes — ESTA at $40.27 per person, valid 2 years. Canada: no ESTA, passport-only entry. International Driving Permit recommended for UK/AU.

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Start with this Route 66 family checklist