- Looking for Route 66 accommodations?
- Find your dream Route 66 retro motel!
- Plan your fun and get your kicks on Route 66
- Rent a car
Planning Route 66 trips is half the fun for me. I love researching the quirky stops, historic motels and roadside attractions—but this time, I’ve also been thinking about what we’ll actually need in the vehicle when we hit the Mother Road.
As I get ready to drive Route 66 myself, I’m sorting through navigation tools, emergency supplies, road-trip comforts and a few pieces of tech that could make those long driving days a whole lot easier. I’m not interested in filling the car with gadgets we’ll never use, so here’s what I’m packing, why it made the cut and what you might want to bring when planning Route 66 trips of your own.
📌 STAY UNSTOPPABLE TIP: When planning your Route 66 trip, don’t rely on GPS alone. Historic alignments can wander away from the interstate, so carry a good Route 66 guide or map—and leave yourself enough time to follow the old road when something interesting catches your eye.
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Table of Contents
- Looking for accommodations when planning Route 66 trips?
- Find your Route 66 dream hotel!
- Plan your fun
- Rent a car
- Get the best travel insurance
What Do You Really Need for a Route 66 Road Trip?
What should you carry for a roadside emergency? How will you navigate stretches of historic Route 66 where GPS doesn’t always tell the whole story? What will keep your phone charged, your drinks cold, and those long days behind the wheel a little more comfortable?
Those are the questions I’ve been asking while planning Route 66 trips. The gear below made my list because each item solves a real road-trip problem—not just because it looks cool in an online shopping cart.
The first one below is road trip gear I wish I’d had when visiting Chaco Canyon. If you followed along on Facebook, you might be able to guess what it is!
RELATED: Feel the Freedom: Route 66 Car Hire for Your Ultimate American Road Trip
Portable Thermoelectric Fridge / In-car Cooler
I’m tired of opening the cooler to find everything floating in melted ice water, and after discovering there was no ice available at Chaco Canyon, I don’t want to risk that again. A portable thermoelectric cooler keeps food and drinks chilled without the mess—or the constant hunt for another bag of ice.
You can see in the picture that it fits perfectly behind my driver’s seat and the cord is long enough to plug into the cigarette lighter. Perfect for Arizona Route 66!
👉 Ivation Electric Cooler & Warmer, Portable Thermoelectric Fridge w/Handle
2″ Blind Spot Mirrors, Pack of 2
With so much truck traffic on I-40, which overlays sections of Route 66 , I want as much visibility around the vehicle as possible—especially when semis are shifting in the wind. These inexpensive little mirrors widen my view of surrounding traffic and feel like a small investment for an extra measure of safety.
This is a simple way to start planning Route 66 trips and build momentum.
👉 Blind Spot Mirror, 2″ Round HD Glass Frameless Convex Rear View Mirrors
Mini First Aid Kit with Gloves
I don’t need a giant box full of Band-Aids, but I do want the basics—including gloves in case I come across an accident and need to help safely. The small hard-shell case is easy to stash in a door pocket, where I can grab it quickly instead of digging through luggage.
👉 Mini First Aid Kit – 150 Piece Small Waterproof Hard Shell Medical Kit
Crunchy Snacks to Keep You Awake While Driving
Crunchy snacks give me something to munch on during long stretches behind the wheel, and I find that crunching helps me stay more alert when the miles start feeling monotonous. Buying a variety pack ahead of time also gives everyone a choice and saves money over those surprisingly pricey snacks at gas stations and convenience stores.
EZ66 GUIDE For Travelers – 6TH EDITION
GPS can miss historic alignments and some of Route 66’s trickier turns, so I want a guide that helps keep us on the Mother Road while pointing out the quirky attractions, mom-and-pop motels and legendary stops along the way. I especially like the spiral binding because it stays open while we’re navigating instead of constantly flipping shut.
Since I live in Flagstaff, Arizona, right on Route 66, I’ve used this book for years now.
👉 Guide to roadside attractions, legendary restaurants, and must-see Route 66 icons.
Rand McNally 2026 Road Atlas with Route 66 Roadside Eats
I like carrying a paper atlas as a backup to GPS, and this one adds a fun Route 66 twist with culinary road trips highlighting regional foods and local businesses. Since 2026 marks both America’s 250th birthday and Route 66’s 100th anniversary, it feels like the perfect year to eat our way along the Mother Road.
I love my Rand McNally atlas, and since I’ve had it for years, I thought the Route 66 Centennial was a snazzy reason to get this updated edition:
👉 America’s 250th birthday and Route 66’s 100th anniversary edition
Phone Holder for Your iPhone or Samsung Galaxy
I like a CD-slot phone mount because it keeps my phone at eye level without blocking the windshield or relying on suction cups that can loosen in the heat. The 360-degree adjustment makes it easy to position the screen for navigation, which is especially handy when following Route 66 through unfamiliar towns and historic alignments.
👉 Order your phone mount that secures to the dash with a CD mount
Save Money at National Parks and Monuments Along Route 66
With so many national parks and monuments along Route 66, this pass could pay for itself pretty quickly—and I’d rather buy it ahead of time than keep reaching for my wallet at every entrance station. It covers entrance fees at more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks, and you can pick one up before your trip at REI.
👉 Get your America the Beautiful annual pass at REI before you hit Route 66.
- Looking for Route 66 accommodations?
- Find your dream Route 66 retro motel!
- Plan your fun and get your kicks on Route 66
- Rent a car
Ready to Hit the Mother Road?
The right gear won’t make the Route 66 adventure, but it can sure make the miles more comfortable—and help keep a few roadside headaches from becoming bigger problems. After all this research and planning Route 66 trips, these are the items that earned a spot in my vehicle.
Now it’s time to stop planning and start driving! I’ll be putting this gear to the test along the Mother Road, and I’ll share what worked, what didn’t and what I’d pack differently in my upcoming Route 66 Road Trip Planner.
I’ll let you know how my OOFOS OOahh Sandals worked as motel slippers. I read on one Facebook group that you should bring slippers for the motel rooms. Well… since I’ve been hankering for these après-hiking recovery sandals, I thought Route 66 was the perfect excuse to buy them now!
Ready to do more planning Route 66 trip activities? Then check out Route 66 Car Shows You Can’t Miss next.
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Traveling soon? Don’t forget to pack these essential items
Here are 4 often-forgotten items you don’t want to leave home without:
- I would have been lost in Europe without this power bank: Anker Nano Power Bank, 10K, 45W, 8.1 oz. Just imagine your phone running out of battery while you’re exploring London.
- And speaking of power, you def don’t want to forget a plug adapter – this is the one I use – I love it because it has 3 USB-C ports!
- You can’t beat this Sea to Summit premium neck pillow in terms of minimum weight and packed size. Who doesn’t want to get some shuteye on those long flights?
- I’m hooked on longer rain jackets that look as good on Paris boulevards as protect you on the trail.
📌 Bonus: Here’s the carry-on I swear by! My travel-tough Samsonite bags have lasted decades.
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Table of Contents
- Looking for Route 66 accommodations?
- Find your dream Route 66 retro motel!
- Plan your fun and get your kicks on Route 66
- Rent a car
Hi, I’m Stacey
UNSTOPPABLE Stacey Travel is a travel blog focused on immersive travel that highlights food, wine and the spirituality of place. You can count on me for accurate reports and insightful analysis as your trusted travel writer since 2008.
As the author of several spiritual and walking guides, I occasionally write about life as a Camino de Santiago pilgrim. See my Amazon author page here. You may review my credentials as a professional travel writer on LinkedIn.
I hope you enjoy what I post here. You are encouraged to leave comments! Read more…
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As is common in the travel industry, UNSTOPPABLE Stacey was provided with accommodations, meals, and other compensation for the purpose of review. While it has not influenced this review, the author believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest.
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We’ve secured exclusive UNSTOPPABLE travel discounts on select vacations and cruises. Our partners at Dunhill Travel Deals update the list almost daily! So be sure to check out today’s top travel deals.
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