Planning a summer road trip from Chicago to somewhere out west. Interested in exploring cool, worthwhile spots along Route 66. Looking for photo-worthy scenery (my boyfriend is a photographer) and some neats spots to stop and explore along the way. Any suggestions? Thank you in advance!

jen:

do a websearch on Oatman, AZ its supposedly on Route 66 and they have tame burros on the outskirts who come into town to get fed daily. I saw a special i believe on the travel channel and the town seemed to be saloon like.

The Grand Canyon is just an hour south of Williams, AZ, which is on Route 66. Can't get much more photographic than that!

Wupatki National Monument and the adjacent Nat Mon. were beautiful last September. There had been a good bit of rain, I heard, so the plants were very colorful in the desert. This is just north of Flagstaff, Arizona.

Check out Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo. There are also some good vintage Route 66 buildings and signage in Santa Rosa, Tucumcari, and Albuquerque New Mexico (Central Avenue through downtown.)

Check out the Wigwam Hotel for a blast from the past! It also gets good reviews from TripAdivsor -

http://www.wigwammotel.com/

Standin'on the corner Park, in winslow, Arizona.

http://www.standinonthecorner.com/

On the way back to Chicago go thought Utah and Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands and Arches National Park...they are a photographers dream!

Utahtea

historic66.com

national66.com

Grand Canyon is an hour NORTH of Williams. Williams fought the interstate the longest, and although I-40 was completed, it didn't open and traffic was routed through Williams on old route 66. Through the town, the east bound 66 is a block away from the west bound. Also stop at the "Snowcap" in Seligman, and further on, Grand Canyon Caverns (not really near GC!)