There’s something about Route 66 that goes way beyond just being a road trip route. During our three month journey along the Mother Road, I completely fell in love with the history, the quirky roadside attractions, the neon signs, the vintage motels, and especially the people and stories that make Route 66 feel so alive. Everywhere we stopped, from tiny museums to old diners and trading posts, there were stories about the road’s past just waiting to be uncovered. Along the way, I started collecting and reading some of the best Route 66 books I could find, from travel guides and photography books to classic literature and deep dives into Route 66 history. Whether you’re planning your own Route 66 road trip, looking for the best books about the Mother Road, or just love classic Americana, these Route 66 books helped me appreciate the highway on a whole new level.
1. EZ-66 Guide for Travelers by Jerry McClanahan
If you’re actually planning to drive Route 66, this is probably the guidebook you’ll see recommended more than any other. Jerry McClanahan’s EZ66 Guide for Travelers is designed specifically to help travelers follow the original alignments of the road, including sections that GPS will usually skip entirely. The turn-by-turn directions, detailed maps, and notes about roadside attractions, diners, motels, and quirky stops make it incredibly useful on an actual Route 66 road trip. I also like that it’s spiral-bound and easy to keep open in the car while driving. For anyone serious about experiencing the real Route 66 instead of just the interstate version, this guide is almost considered essential.
Grab your copy at: Amazon
2. Route 66, 100th Anniversary Edition: The Mother Road by Michael Wallis
If you’re planning a Route 66 trip and want to understand the road beyond the roadside attractions, this is one of the books everyone recommends for a reason. In Route 66: The Mother Road, Michael Wallis dives into the history of America’s most famous highway, from its early beginnings all the way through its decline after the interstate system took over. It’s packed with stories about the small towns, quirky stops, diners, motels, and people that gave Route 66 its personality in the first place. The 100th anniversary edition also revisits how the road has changed over the years and why travelers are still drawn to it today. If you love the nostalgia, history, and culture behind Route 66, this is essential reading before you hit the road.
Grab your copy at: Bookshop.Org or Amazon
3. The Route 66 Cookbook: The Best Recipes from Every Stop Along the Way by Linda Ly
This is such a fun Route 66 book because it combines road trip nostalgia with food from all along the Mother Road. Linda Ly organizes the cookbook by state, taking readers from Chicago all the way to California with recipes inspired by classic Route 66 diners, restaurants, and regional flavors. Along with the recipes, the book also includes little bits of Route 66 history and travel inspiration, which makes it feel part cookbook and part travel guide. I’ve already made a couple recipes from it myself, and it honestly makes your Route 66 memories feel even more connected to the places you visited. If you love food-focused travel or want a different kind of Route 66 souvenir, this one is really unique.
Grab your copy at: Bookshop.Org or Amazon
4. Route 66: The Highway and Its People by Susan Croce Kelly and Quinta Scott
This one feels a little different from your typical Route 66 history book because it focuses so heavily on the people who actually lived and worked along the road. Susan Croce Kelly and Quinta Scott traveled the entire route interviewing locals, photographing old businesses, and collecting stories from the people who helped shape Route 66 over the decades. You get everything from small-town diner owners to gas station attendants and artists, which gives the book a really personal feel. The photography also adds a lot, especially if you love seeing how the road looked during its heyday compared to today. If you’re interested in the human side of Route 66 and not just the landmarks, this is a really fascinating read.
Grab your copy at: Bookshop.Org or Amazon
5. The Complete Route 66 Lost and Found by Russell Olsen
If you love old roadside photos, vintage postcards, and seeing how Route 66 has changed over time, this book is incredibly fun to flip through. Russell Olsen compares more than 150 Route 66 locations during their mid-century glory days with how they look today, from neon motels and diners to forgotten gas stations and roadside attractions. It’s one of those books that instantly makes you want to plan a road trip just to see what’s still standing. The side-by-side photography and short historical writeups make it easy to browse even if you don’t want to sit down and read cover to cover. For anyone fascinated by abandoned Americana and Route 66 nostalgia, this one is packed with it.
Grab your copy at: Bookshop.Org or Amazon
6. Route 66: The First 100 Years by Jim Ross and Shellee Graham
Written for the Route 66 centennial, this book takes a big-picture look at the highway’s entire story, from its creation in 1926 all the way to its modern revival. Jim Ross (writer) and Shellee Graham (photographer) cover everything from the Dust Bowl and classic family road trips to neon motel culture, quirky roadside attractions, and the people who kept the road alive after it was bypassed. It has a really nostalgic feel without being overly dry or textbook-like. If you want one book that mixes history, travel inspiration, and classic Route 66 culture all together, this is a great pick.
Grab your copy at: Bookshop.Org or Amazon
7. The Father of Route 66: The Story of Cy Avery By Susan Croce Kelly
If you’ve ever wondered who actually helped create Route 66, this book tells the story of the man often called the “Father of Route 66.” Susan Croce Kelly dives into the life of Cy Avery, the Tulsa businessman and road advocate who played a huge role in developing and promoting the highway in its early years. Beyond Route 66 itself, the book also explores the rise of America’s car culture and the push for better roads across the country in the early 1900s. It’s more biography than travel guide, but it still gives a really interesting look at how Route 66 became such an important part of American history. If you love the deeper history behind the Mother Road, this one adds a lot of context to the places you visit today.
Grab your copy at: Bookshop.Org or Amazon
8. The Illustrated Route 66 Historical Atlas by Jim Hinckley
This book feels part atlas, part history book, and part Route 66 travel guide all rolled into one. Jim Hinckley breaks down the route state by state, highlighting historic sites, roadside attractions, old alignments, famous landmarks, and lesser-known stops you’d probably drive right past otherwise. It’s packed with maps, vintage memorabilia, and colorful photos that make it really fun to browse while planning a Route 66 trip. I also like that it covers more than just classic diners and motels, with sections on historic disasters, movie locations, military sites, and even abandoned attractions. If you’re the type of traveler who loves knowing the stories behind the places you stop, this one is incredibly detailed.
Grab your copy at: Bookshop.Org or Amazon
9. Secret Route 66: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure by Jim Ross and Shellee Graham
This is the kind of Route 66 book that makes you immediately start adding random roadside stops to your travel plans. Jim Ross and Shellee Graham dig into the weird, hidden, and lesser-known stories scattered along the Mother Road, from quirky attractions to strange historical sites you probably wouldn’t find in a normal guidebook. The short entries and photos make it easy to flip through, and it’s full of the kind of obscure trivia Route 66 fans love. It also works really well as an actual travel guide since many entries include helpful details for visiting. If your favorite part of Route 66 is discovering oddball roadside Americana, this book is packed with it.
Grab your copy at: Bookshop.Org or Amazon
10. Route 66 Crossings: Historic Bridges of the Mother Road by Jim Ross
Most Route 66 books focus on diners, motels, and roadside attractions, but this one takes a completely different approach by focusing on the bridges along the highway. Jim Ross documents the historic bridges that once carried travelers across rivers, railroads, and desert washes from Chicago all the way to Santa Monica. It’s surprisingly fascinating once you realize how many of these structures have their own unique history and architecture. The book includes tons of photographs, maps, and location details, making it especially interesting for road trip planners and photography lovers. If you enjoy the overlooked details of Route 66 and appreciate historic engineering, this is a really unique addition to a Route 66 book collection.
Grab your copy at: Bookshop.Org or Amazon
11. 66 on 66: A Photographer’s Journey by Terrence Moore
If you’re drawn to the vintage neon signs, roadside motels, and fading Americana of Route 66, this photography book is full of that atmosphere. Terrence Moore spent decades photographing the Mother Road, and this collection showcases 66 of his favorite images from across the route. The photos capture everything people love about Route 66, from quirky roadside attractions to abandoned buildings and glowing neon at night. It’s less of a traditional history book and more of a visual journey through the road’s past and present. This is the kind of coffee table book that makes you want to jump in the car and start driving west immediately.
Grab your copy at: Bookshop.Org or Amazon
12. Route 66: Then and Now by Joe Sonderman
If you love seeing old roadside attractions compared to what they look like today, this book is incredibly fun to go through. Joe Sonderman pairs vintage photos and postcards with modern-day images to show how Route 66 has changed over the decades, from neon motels and diners to famous roadside attractions and forgotten gas stations. Some places have been beautifully restored while others have completely disappeared, which gives the whole book a really nostalgic feel. It also covers a huge stretch of the route, from Chicago all the way to Santa Monica, with plenty of recognizable Route 66 landmarks along the way. This is one of those books that will probably make you want to stop at way more places on your next road trip.
Grab your copy at: Amazon
13. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
While this isn’t technically a Route 66 travel book, it’s impossible to talk about the history of the Mother Road without mentioning The Grapes of Wrath. The novel follows the Joad family as they leave Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl and head west to California along Route 66 in search of a better life. A lot of Route 66 museums and historic sites still reference the book because it helped cement the highway’s place in American culture and history. Even though it’s classic literature, the Route 66 connection makes it feel especially meaningful if you’ve traveled the road yourself. It gives a much deeper understanding of what Route 66 represented during one of the hardest periods in American history.
Grab your copy at: Bookshop.Org or Amazon
14. Miles to Go: An African Family in Search of America along Route 66 by Brennen Matthew
This book offers a really unique perspective on Route 66 compared to most of the others out there. Brennen Matthews shares the story of traveling the Mother Road with his family after moving from Africa to the United States, blending road trip adventures with observations about American culture and history along the way. It feels personal, thoughtful, and different from the usual nostalgia-heavy Route 66 books, which makes it stand out in a good way. There’s still plenty of classic roadside Americana throughout, but the family perspective gives the journey a more modern and relatable feel. If you want a Route 66 book that goes beyond history and travel stops, this one is definitely worth adding to your list.
Grab your copy at: Bookshop.Org or Amazon
15. My Little Golden Book About Route 66 by by Diane Muldrow
If you’re traveling Route 66 with kids, this is such a cute way to introduce them to the history and fun of the Mother Road. The book follows a little red convertible named Rosie as she travels from Chicago to Santa Monica visiting famous Route 66 attractions along the way. It’s colorful, simple, and full of fun facts that younger readers can actually enjoy without it feeling too educational. I also think it’s a fun keepsake for families doing a Route 66 road trip together. If you want to round out your Route 66 book collection with something for younger travelers, this one is perfect.
Grab your copy at: Bookshop.Org or Amazon
