A Guide to the Perfect Route 66 Pace

Looking back on the journey, I had an incredible time, but there are definitely a few logistical changes I would make if I were to tackle this section of the Mother Road again. If you are planning your own itinerary, here is how I would optimize the drive. 

The Day 1 Pivot: Pacing Through Texas 

Instead of driving to Tucumcari the first night, I would stop in Amarillo.  Even with all of the stops prior to Amarillo, it is still a full day, especially if you want to have dinner at the Big Texan and enjoy the sunset at Cadillac Ranch.

Maximizing the Neon Stops 

By shifting the first night’s stop, Day 2 then becomes a shorter and smoother drive from Amarillo to Tucumcari.  At first you wouldn’t think that makes sense because the distance is so short. But that allows you to enjoy the historic district of Amarillo in the morning before stopping for lunch (and pie) at Midpoint Cafe.  This adjustment also gives you time to stop off at Dot’s Mini Museum in Vega.  Even with both of these stops, you’ll arrive in Tucumcari earlier in the day which means you can visit the museums and eat dinner at Del’s.  I would absolutely stay at the Blue Swallow Motel again; in fact, I may stay for two nights next time.  Santa Rosa is only about an hour west of Tucumcari, so you could easily go to the Blue Hole for the day and come back to enjoy more of Tucumcari’s retro charm before heading further west.

Embracing the Original Alignment 

The original Route 66 veers north to Santa Fe and then back down to Albuquerque.  It was rerouted in the 1930s, but if you want to experience the original alignment, you’ll definitely want to include the loop through Santa Fe.  If time were not an issue, I would likely plan for two days each in Santa Fe and Albuquerque.  There is just so much history and beauty in both cities.  

Final Thoughts on Gallup

I’m not sure what the drive on the Mother Road is like past Gallup, so I’m undecided if I would stop there again or if I would keep going.  I feel like I didn’t give this city enough of a chance so it’s hard to say if I want to stay there a second time.  That being said, I am so glad I stayed at Hotel El Rancho.  It is a gorgeous hotel and I love the history of it.

More Thoughts

An important tidbit is to check and double check when things are open.  Most of the really cool stops along the way are going to be in small towns.  Traveling on Sunday and Monday means it is likely some places will be closed.  This is what I experienced in Shamrock, McLean, and Vega.  I already had my room booked for the Blue Swallow, so I was stuck with my itinerary which means I couldn’t have lunch at the U Drop Cafe or visit places like the Barbed Wire Museum or Dot’s Mini Museum.  And while I had checked the times for Midpoint and prioritized my day around it, they were still closed when I got there for an event happening later that day.  That’s the blessing and curse of small town businesses.

Another small town business tidbit is to carry cash.  Some places may not take debit or credit cards because of the high fees, while others may offer a discount if you pay with cash.  If something happens to your card while you’re on the road, having cash on hand is always a good backup plan.

One-Way vs. Round-Trip Dynamics

An additional crucial consideration is whether your road trip is one-way or a round-trip. For me, this leg was strictly one-way since I was ultimately bound for Utah and Colorado, meaning I'd be taking a completely different route home. Even though there was some Route 66 overlap on the return trip, I knew I would be too tired to really enjoy stopping for attractions by that point. However, I'm already planning my next Route 66 adventure from Oklahoma City to St. Louis. Because that one will be a dedicated round-trip, I can strategically space out the sights—catching different attractions coming and going. 

Time Zone Changes

Gaining an hour heading west is a nice bonus for catching a business before it closes, but it's incredibly easy to forget about the shift when you are planning arrival times for dinner or motel check-ins.  In small towns, this can be a make or break detail.