Roughing It through Route 66

The road trip is a classic American vacation, offering the freedom to explore a seemingly endless frontier. As far as planning a road trip goes, it’s hard to compete with the legendary Route 66. The open road, a stocked RV and a group of friends and family – who could ask for anything more? The historical “Main Street of America” stretches from Chicago to Los Angeles, covering almost two thousand miles! Though outcompeted by many interstate highways today, Route 66 stills holds a place in the hearts of many Americans and offers a plethora of cafés, hotels and attractions.

Along the way, RV parks and resorts or cabin rentals may be on your radar.  Grand Lake near Grove, Oklahoma offers picturesque views, cool summer nights and some of the best RV facilities in the state. It’s also famous for fishing, camping, and outdoor competitions.

Monkey Island RV Resort is a well-known rest stop for RV travelers and anyone looking to stay a few nights on the scenic Monkey Island in the middle of Grand Lake. Because of this location, activities, and affordability, the island has become a recreational hot spot.

Route 66 has inspired a number of novels. In many places along the highway, the road seems to kiss the sky, giving the impression of eternity. This has fueled many songs and poems as well. The almost distinctly American idea of vacationing by RV likely originated with Route 66. Even as the old Route has lost favor for practical travelers, its character and allure have only grown. Anyone driving through Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona or California ought to make a point to visit some of Route 66’s most iconic stops – to take a trip, not just over distance, but through time.