Route 66 in Missouri
Missouri Route 66 winds from the Mississippi River through St. Louis and the Ozarks before reaching the Kansas border. Along the way, the Mother Road passes historic motels, neon signs, caves, roadside attractions, classic diners and some of the most memorable small towns on Route 66. Whether you’re chasing weird roadside stops or exploring the history of America’s most famous highway, Missouri delivers plenty of reasons to slow down.
Best Route 66 Stops in Missouri
Missouri Route 66 is packed with legendary roadside attractions, historic landmarks and wonderfully weird places. Start with these must-see stops as you follow the Mother Road from St. Louis toward Kansas.
Ted Drewes Frozen Custard — St. Louis
A St. Louis Route 66 tradition since 1941, Ted Drewes Frozen Custard is one of the Mother Road’s classic food stops. The Chippewa Street location is famous for thick frozen custard “concretes” served upside down, and its glowing roadside stand has become a Route 66 landmark in its own right.
WEIRD 66 QUICK TAKE
📍 6726 Chippewa St., St. Louis, MO 63109
💵 Cost: Budget-friendly treat
⏱️ Time: 20–45 minutes
🍦 What to Try: A frozen custard concrete
📸 Photo Stop: Yes — especially the classic roadside stand
⭐ Worth the Stop? Absolutely — an edible piece of Route 66 history
Weird 66 Tip: Don’t be scared away by a long line. Ted Drewes is famous for crowds, but service is designed to move quickly. If you’re driving Route 66 during warm weather, this is one Missouri tradition worth slowing down for.
Route 66 State Park — Eureka
Route 66 State Park preserves part of the former town of Times Beach and offers a fascinating mix of Mother Road history and outdoor recreation. The park’s visitor center occupies the historic Bridgehead Inn, a former Route 66 roadhouse, with exhibits covering the highway, Times Beach and the area’s unusual past. Outside, trails and picnic areas make this an easy place to take a break from driving.
WEIRD 66 QUICK TAKE
📍 97 N. Outer Road, Eureka, MO 63025
💵 Cost: Free
⏱️ Time: 45–90 minutes
🥾 Experience: Route 66 history, trails & picnic areas
📸 Photo Stop: Yes — especially around the visitor center
⭐ Worth the Stop? Yes — particularly for the strange history behind this place
Weird 66 Tip: This isn’t just another Route 66 park. The land was once Times Beach, a community evacuated after catastrophic dioxin contamination and later demolished. Knowing that history completely changes the experience of driving and walking through what is now a peaceful state park.
Meramec Caverns — Stanton
Hidden beneath the Ozark hills near Route 66, Meramec Caverns is one of Missouri’s most famous roadside attractions. The massive limestone cave system became a major tourist stop during the Route 66 era and is filled with dramatic formations, underground rooms and colorful local legends—including its long association with outlaw Jesse James. Guided tours take visitors deep underground, making this much more than a quick roadside photo stop.
WEIRD 66 QUICK TAKE
📍 1135 Hwy W, Sullivan, MO 63080
💵 Cost: Admission required
⏱️ Time: 2–3 hours
🦇 Experience: Guided underground cave tour
🌡️ Good to Know: The cave stays around 60°F year-round
⭐ Worth the Stop? Absolutely — one of Missouri Route 66’s signature attractions
Weird 66 Tip: Bring a light jacket even when Missouri is roasting outside. And treat the Jesse James stories as part of the cavern’s colorful folklore rather than established fact—the outlaw connection has helped make Meramec Caverns a Route 66 legend for generations.
Route 66 Rocker — Fanning
Towering more than 42 feet above old Route 66, the Route 66 Rocker is exactly the kind of oversized roadside oddity the Mother Road does best. Built in 2008, the enormous steel rocking chair once held the Guinness World Record as the world’s largest. It has since lost that title, but the giant chair remains one of Missouri Route 66’s most recognizable—and wonderfully ridiculous—photo stops.
WEIRD 66 QUICK TAKE
📍 5957 Route ZZ, Cuba, MO 65453
💵 Cost: Free to see the Rocker
⏱️ Time: 15–30 minutes
📸 Photo Stop: Absolutely
🪑 Weird Factor: Very high
⭐ Worth the Stop? Yes — this is pure Weird 66 material
Weird 66 Tip: Don’t try climbing onto the chair for a photo. It’s normally off-limits for climbing, and honestly, standing underneath a 42-foot rocking chair makes a better picture anyway.
Wagon Wheel Motel — Cuba
Dating to 1936, the Wagon Wheel Motel is one of the most iconic surviving motor courts on Missouri Route 66. Its stone cottages, vintage neon and classic roadside layout preserve the atmosphere of early automobile travel, and travelers can still spend the night here. Even if you’re not staying, the historic property and neon sign make it one of Cuba’s essential Mother Road landmarks.
WEIRD 66 QUICK TAKE
📍 901 E. Washington Blvd., Cuba, MO 65453
💵 Cost: Free to photograph; rooms available for overnight stays
⏱️ Time: 10–20 minutes if you’re just stopping
🛏️ Experience: Stay overnight in a historic Route 66 motor court
📸 Photo Stop: Excellent — especially the neon sign
⭐ Worth the Stop? Yes — even better if you spend the night
Weird 66 Tip: If you’re building a multi-day Route 66 itinerary, this is the kind of place worth considering instead of a generic interstate hotel. Staying in a surviving Mother Road motel lets the Route 66 experience continue after you’ve stopped driving.
Route 66 Neon Park — St. Robert
Route 66’s neon past glows again in St. Robert. This outdoor museum brings together restored vintage signs rescued from former motels, businesses and roadside attractions along Missouri’s Mother Road. The signs are interesting during the day, but after sunset the park transforms into one of the best nighttime photo stops on Missouri Route 66.
WEIRD 66 QUICK TAKE
📍 133 Reed Pkwy., St. Robert, MO 65584
💵 Cost: Free
⏱️ Time: 20–45 minutes
🌙 Best Time: After sunset
📸 Photo Stop: Excellent — bring the camera at night
⭐ Worth the Stop? Absolutely — especially after dark
Weird 66 Tip: If your schedule allows, save this stop for dusk or after dark. Recent visitors consistently say nighttime is the way to see it, and wet pavement after a rain can make the neon reflections even more dramatic. The historic roadside park also contains an M60 tank, so look around instead of photographing only the signs
Devil’s Elbow — Pulaski County
Devil’s Elbow is one of the most atmospheric stretches of Missouri Route 66. The old highway twists through the Big Piney River valley beneath steep Ozark bluffs, preserving the kind of narrow, scenic driving experience travelers encountered before the interstate took over. The historic Devil’s Elbow Bridge and surrounding river scenery make this a great place to slow down and experience the Mother Road itself.
WEIRD 66 QUICK TAKE
📍 Devil’s Elbow, Pulaski County, MO
💵 Cost: Free
⏱️ Time: 30–60 minutes
🚗 Experience: Drive historic Route 66
📸 Photo Stop: Excellent — bridge, river & Ozark scenery
⭐ Worth the Stop? Absolutely — this is about experiencing the old road
Weird 66 Tip: Don’t let your navigation app keep you on I-44 through this area. Deliberately choose the historic Route 66 alignment through Devil’s Elbow. Drive slowly, enjoy the curves and look for safe places to pull over—the road and landscape are the reason to come.
Munger Moss Motel — Lebanon
The Munger Moss Motel is one of Missouri Route 66’s great surviving roadside landmarks. Built in 1946, the classic motor court became famous for its enormous neon sign and decades of welcoming Mother Road travelers. The property is currently undergoing a new chapter, but its beautifully restored neon sign still makes the Munger Moss an essential Lebanon Route 66 photo stop.
WEIRD 66 QUICK TAKE
📍 1336 E. Route 66, Lebanon, MO 65536
💵 Cost: Free to view from outside
⏱️ Time: 10–20 minutes
📸 Photo Stop: Absolutely — it’s all about that neon
🌙 Best Time: After dark
⭐ Worth the Stop? Yes — one of Missouri’s iconic Route 66 signs
Weird 66 Tip: Come back after dark if your itinerary allows. The restored Munger Moss neon is currently illuminated nightly from 8 PM to midnight, turning a quick roadside stop into a much better photograph. Don’t count on staying overnight yet—the property is still in transition.
Gary’s Gay Parita — Ash Grove
Gary’s Gay Parita is one of those Route 66 places that feels more like stepping into someone’s collection than visiting a conventional attraction. Built as a recreation of the Sinclair station that originally opened here in 1926, the property is packed with vintage gas pumps, old vehicles, license plates, signs and Mother Road memorabilia. It’s colorful, eccentric and extremely photogenic—exactly the kind of place Weird 66 was built to find.
📍 21118 Old Route 66, Ash Grove, MO 65604
💵 Cost: Free; donations appreciated
⏱️ Time: 30–60 minutes
📸 Photo Stop: Outstanding
⛽ Weird Factor: Route 66 overload
⭐ Worth the Stop? Absolutely — one of our Missouri must-stops
Weird 66 Tip: Don’t schedule this like a five-minute gas-station photo. Wander around and talk with the people running it if they’re available. Recent travelers repeatedly mention the conversations and collection as part of what makes the stop memorable. Also carry some cash—a 2026 visitor reported the souvenir shop was cash-only during their visit
Route 66 Mural Park — Joplin
Route 66 runs through the heart of Joplin, where colorful murals celebrate the city’s place on the Mother Road. Downtown artwork mixes Route 66 imagery with scenes from Joplin’s history, making the area an easy place to park, stretch your legs and hunt for photo opportunities before Route 66 continues west toward Kansas.
WEIRD 66 QUICK TAKE
📍 Downtown Joplin, Missouri
💵 Cost: Free
⏱️ Time: 30–60 minutes
🎨 Experience: Murals, downtown & Route 66 history
📸 Photo Stop: Excellent
⭐ Worth the Stop? Yes — especially if you enjoy Route 66 art and downtown exploring
Weird 66 Tip: Don’t look for just one “Route 66 mural.” Give yourself time to walk around downtown and find several pieces of public art. Joplin is also your last major Missouri stop before Route 66’s famously short stretch through Kansas, so it’s a good place to fuel up, eat and take a break before continuing west.
Route 66 Towns in Missouri
From the Mississippi River to the Kansas state line, Route 66 crosses Missouri through big cities, Ozark communities and small highway towns shaped by generations of Mother Road travelers. Following these communities west helps you experience historic Route 66 rather than simply racing across Missouri on Interstate 44.
St. Louis — Missouri’s Route 66 journey begins at the Mississippi River, with historic alignments, neon, classic food stops and plenty of Mother Road history throughout the city.
Kirkwood — A historic St. Louis suburb where travelers can experience another piece of the old Route 66 corridor before heading deeper into Missouri.
Eureka — Home to Route 66 State Park and the fascinating story of the former community of Times Beach.
Pacific — A historic Route 66 community at the gateway to the Ozarks, with surviving roadside architecture and old highway character.
Sullivan — A convenient Route 66 stop and gateway to Meramec Caverns, one of Missouri’s most famous roadside attractions.
Cuba — Known as the Route 66 Mural City, with colorful public art, the historic Wagon Wheel Motel and plenty of classic Mother Road atmosphere.
Rolla — A longtime Route 66 stop in the Ozarks with historic highway landmarks and a convenient location along the old road.
St. Robert — Home of the Route 66 Neon Park and a great nighttime stop for travelers chasing vintage Mother Road glow.
Waynesville — A historic Ozark community near Devil’s Elbow with Route 66 history, local museums and scenic old-road driving nearby.
Lebanon — Home of the legendary Munger Moss Motel sign and an important stop along Missouri’s historic Route 66 corridor.
Marshfield — A quieter Mother Road community where old Route 66 survives away from the busier interstate.
Springfield — The officially recognized Birthplace of Route 66 and one of Missouri’s most important cities for Mother Road history.
Carthage — A beautiful historic town with Route 66 landmarks, classic architecture and plenty to explore before reaching Joplin.
Webb City — Part of southwest Missouri’s historic Route 66 corridor and an easy stop while exploring the Joplin area.
Joplin — Missouri’s final major Route 66 city before Kansas, with downtown murals, historic highway alignments and a strong connection to the Mother Road.
Planning Your Missouri Route 66 Road Trip
Missouri has one of the longer and more varied stretches of Route 66, running from the Mississippi River through St. Louis and the rolling Ozarks before reaching Kansas. While Interstate 44 can move you across the state quickly, the real Route 66 experience happens on the older highway alignments through towns like Cuba, Rolla, Waynesville, Lebanon and Springfield. Give yourself time for roadside stops, historic bridges, neon, caves and unexpected discoveries.
How Much Time Do You Need?
1 Day: Possible, but rushed. Concentrate on a few major stops and expect to miss much of the old-road experience.
2 Days: Our recommended minimum. This gives you time for major attractions, Route 66 towns, roadside oddities and a few spontaneous stops.
3 Days: Best for the full Weird 66 experience. You’ll have time for Meramec Caverns, museums, old-road detours, diners, neon after dark and the smaller places that make Missouri interesting.
Where Should You Stay Overnight?
Most Route 66 travelers follow Missouri westbound from St. Louis toward Kansas, continuing the traditional Chicago-to-Los Angeles journey. Eastbound works just as well, and the attractions can be explored in either direction.
Weird 66 Tip: Don’t blindly follow I-44. The interstate replaced or bypassed many sections of old Route 66, and navigation apps often choose speed over history. Watch for Historic Route 66 signs and deliberately follow the older alignments through towns when time allows.
Continue Your Route 66 Adventure
Finished exploring Missouri? Route 66 clips the southeast corner of Kansas for just a few miles, but don’t let its short distance fool you. This tiny stretch of the Mother Road packs in historic towns, classic roadside landmarks and some great Route 66 photo stops before the highway continues into Oklahoma.