West or east?
Either way works. Driving east to west, the afternoon sun can be in your eyes; driving west to east puts you in Shamrock after dark, just in time for the lights.
Food
Expect pie in Adrian, chicken-fried steak in the small towns and the big steakhouses of Amarillo. Small-town cafés may close early or on Sundays.
The ghost towns
Glenrio, on the state line, is a haunting strip of abandoned buildings. Please photograph from the road: much of it is private property.
Centennial notes
Route 66 was commissioned in November 1926. Events and new signs were planned along the road through 2026, so check local listings when you travel.
Sample plans
One day, west to east
Start in Adrian with pie, stop at Vega, paint at Cadillac Ranch, lunch in Amarillo, then Groom, McLean and sunset in Shamrock.
Two days
Break the trip with a night in Amarillo and add Palo Duro Canyon in between.
