23 November 2023
Route 66 guide to St. Louis
St. Louis and the USA’s most iconic driving route have been entwined for nearly a century. Here are three ways to connect to Route 66 while you’re there...
St. Louis and the USA’s most iconic driving route have been entwined for nearly a century. Here are three ways to connect to Route 66 while you’re there...
After leaving Chicago and crossing the farmland of northern Illinois en route to the west coast, Route 66 ploughs on through the heart of St. Louis, Missouri. It is a city that has held great importance for drivers of this road for generations, for whom it makes the perfect stop when exploring the oft-overlooked Midwest.
What’s so unique about travelling this legendary route through St. Louis is that there are so many distinct ways to do so, because the Mother Road (as it’s known) developed over many years here. Route 66 is woven into the fabric of the city, and few communities offer quite so many unique sites to explore...
The first drivers along Route 66 would cross the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge with trepidation due to its tricky bend (Explore St. Louis)
As road travel grew in popularity and affordability, Route 66 re-routed around the growing city of St. Louis. The result is a town sprinkled with icons of the Mother Road and decades-old American experiences. The original route (1926-1932) cuts through the heart of the city to destinations like Forest Park and the Botanical Garden. They’re just the start. Here are a few other landmarks worth getting out of your car for...
The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge gets its name from the huge rock formations in the Mississippi that make the river so dangerous for boats. Built in 1929 as an original part of Route 66, the two-lane bridge takes a 22-degree kink right in the middle, which became the source of several accidents and eventually led to its closure in 1970.
A new bridge opened just north of the original in 1966, and today the original crossing is preserved as a treasured walking and cycling path across the Mississippi. It’s the perfect spot to summon the spirit of bygone travel at a slower pace.
An American symbol recognised around the world, the Gateway Arch opened in 1965 to honour President Thomas Jefferson and all those who contributed to the American West.
Ride a capsule to the top of the 192m-tall monument for spectacular views of the Mississippi River and all of St. Louis (advance purchase of tickets is highly recommended). We’d also advise taking a riverboat cruise out on the mighty Mississippi from this spot.
To really understand St. Louis’ role in the American story – from the Lewis and Clark expedition that paved the way for the pioneers to head West, to Dred Scott, an enslaved man who sued for freedom in 1846 – schedule a visit to the free underground museum that is managed by the National Park Service.
Historic Maplewood is an essential stop on Route 66 (Explore St. Louis)
Few neighbourhoods sum up the energy of Route 66 better than Maplewood. Manchester Road, which is the heart of the suburb, is one of the many diversions that Route 66 takes through St. Louis. Look closely as you walk along its 7200 and 7300 blocks to find sidewalk plaques that tell the stories of the businesses that used to serve travellers along this iconic road. Each September, the Maplewood Route 66 Celebration features a vintage car show, live music and more. Also check out Crestwood Bowl, which is one of many mom-and-pop businesses in Maplewood that capture the spirit of the route.
Missouri honours its 450km of Route 66 in a state park that showcases the road’s history as well as nature’s wild beauty. The earliest Route 66 travellers would overnight here at the Bridgehead Inn, which opened in 1935. Over the years, it offered many services to travellers, but today it serves as a visitor centre and museum where you can purchase postcards by Bob Waldmire, who was considered the official artist of Route 66.
TNational Museum of Transportation is a glimpse of the Route 66 of old (Shutterstock)
If you pine for the good old days of travelling Route 66, this museum showcases the old jalopies that made the original 3,939km road trip. Here you’ll find steam-powered cars, Model T and Hudson touring cars and the Overland 61T automobile that featured in the film The Great Race, starring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis and Natalie Wood. Peruse the exhibit on the Coral Court Motel, an original stop on Route 66 that was bulldozed in 1995.
Since the early days of St. Louis, when this was the last town for pioneers to pit stop en route to the West, the city has been known as a place to refuel your body as well as your transport.
St. Louis has a large Italian American community in particular, and The Hill neighbourhood is the birthplace of a pair of local specialities known as toasted ravioli and St. Louis-style pizza. But its barbecue food is where the city really shines, and even across America today, a certain cut of rib is still referred to as a St. Louis-style rib.
Pork steaks and snoots (snouts) – lesser seen in other regions – are commonly found in local barbecue joints, and the award-winning Pappy’s Smokehouse is one of the best places to sample them. Lastly, if you’re hungry for dessert, many restaurants offer a gooey butter cake – a local treat that dates back to the 1930s and requires more butter than flour to make. Take a bite out of the following eateries to taste the best of St. Louis...
Founded by Greek immigrants in 1913, little has changed in more than 100 years here. Just two blocks east of the Mother Road, this remains a daily destination for locals and visitors alike. This is a great place for old-fashioned and homemade sweets, and it has a wide selection of ice cream. Don’t leave without trying a BLT sandwich, with the bacon especially highly regarded by locals. Good soups and grilled cheese sandwiches are also belly pleasers at Crown Candy.
Ted Drewes Frozen Custard is a local favourite (Explore St. Louis)
On a summer evening in St. Louis, the crowd at Ted Drewes may cause you to consider going elsewhere for a cool treat. But it’s all part of the experience. It’s been like that since 1930, when Ted started serving an ice cream/custard mix so thick that you can turn the cup upside down and it won’t fall out. There are two locations, the South Grand branch is the oldest and the Chippewa branch is found right on Route 66.
A fixture on Route 66 since 1953, the Donut Drive-In and its neon sign is as popular with locals in South St. Louis as it is with travellers on the Mother Road. Little has altered inside – and nothing has changed in the recipes – these past 70 years. The basic glazed doughnut is still the most popular, but must-trys also include the apple fritters and the Bismark, a chocolate-iced, custard-filled doughnut.
Of all the Route 66 sites in St. Louis, the Big Chief Road House was here from the start. It first opened in 1929 as a luxury motor court and full-service restaurant. Over the years, the cabins were demolished and the restaurant closed. But it’s back now, serving the St. Louis speciality of toasted raviolis as well as wood-fired pizza, chicken pot pie and salads fresh from the back garden.
There’s no question of where to eat breakfast while in St. Louis. The historic neon sign of Spencer’s Grill, in Kirkwood, points the way. Once inside, bag a counter seat to witness its line cooks at work. A basic American breakfast includes two eggs, bacon or sausage, and hash browns – it’s a classic served here for generations. Take time to chat to the locals and you’ll remember Spencer’s long after St. Louis is in your rearview mirror.
Chase Park Plaza bathed in a sunset glow (Explore St. Louis)
In the early days, travelling Route 66 was an exhilarating yet exhausting, experience. St. Louis made for a natural rest stop and its interesting sites, good food and entertainment were a huge plus after days on the road. Even today, it’s a city rich in American history and cultural experiences, such as the Missouri History Museum and Forest Park, home of the 1904 World’s Fair. The city is one that moves to the rhythm of the blues, a scene that took off in the 1920s and ’30s – the same time Route 66 opened. It’s a musical genre so associated with the city that even the local professional hockey team is known as The Blues. Soulard, one of the city’s oldest neighbourhoods, is studded with live blues cafés. BB’s Jazz, Blues and Soups is a legendary music venue, as is the 1860 Saloon, Game Room & Hardshell Café. Chuck Berry regularly played at the Duck Room at Blueberry Hill, which is still a popular nightlife fixture in St. Louis.
But after the bars and restaurants close, the one thing every driver along Route 66 wants to know is where to get a good night’s sleep…
Built in 1922, the Chase Park Plaza (now a Royal Sonesta property) has not only hosted down-on-their-luck dreamers heading west in hope but also world leaders and celebrities like Billie Holiday, Elvis Presley and Nat King Cole. It remains one of Route 66’s most elegant hotels, with its grand lobby bedecked with marble floors and fresh floral displays. Stop by for one of its legendary martinis and spy history-soaked, sepia-tinged photography throughout the hotel.
For more information, head to the official Explore St. Louis website.
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