Illinois
Missouri
Oklahoma
Texas
New Mexico
Arizona
California
Santa Monica to Chicago 2,278 Miles

The Shared Miles
Tour

Reconnect on the Mother Road

Where 2,000 miles of historic motels, roadside diners, and the world's greatest National Parks turn a family vacation into the story your family will remember and share for a lifetime.

The open road is calling your family home.

We're living through a moment when people crave something real: a shared experience, wide open skies, and the reminder that this country is genuinely, breathtakingly beautiful.

Route 66 is more than nostalgia. It's a living, breathing thread that stitches together small towns, canyon overlooks, desert sunsets, and roadside wonders from the Pacific to Chicago. It belongs to all of us.

Family Bonding

No Wi-Fi needed. Just windows, wonder, and conversations your kids will quote for 30 years.

Live Content

Every canyon, diner, and retro motel sign is a shareable moment. The road is the ultimate content creator.

National Parks

Over 60 National Parks within 4 hours of the corridor. Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Joshua Tree. All within reach.

Support the Road

When you visit, you protect it. Your tourism dollars keep the diners, motels, and landmarks alive for the next generation.

Santa Monica to Chicago

Eight states. Two thousand miles. One unforgettable drive. Planned as a 2–3 week adventure with time to breathe, explore, and linger.

California Santa Monica
Barstow
Arizona Grand Canyon
Flagstaff
New Mexico Albuquerque
Santa Fe
Texas Amarillo
Cadillac Ranch
Oklahoma Tulsa
OKC
Missouri St. Louis
Gateway Arch
Illinois Springfield
Chicago
Best For Families

Petrified Forest & Painted Desert

Kids lose their minds for a forest turned to stone. Arizona delivers one of the most mind-bending landscapes on earth, and it's right on the route.

Most Iconic Stop

Cadillac Ranch, Texas

Ten Cadillacs buried nose-first in the Texas Panhandle soil. Grab a can of spray paint and leave your mark on one of America's most democratic pieces of public art.

Where It All Begins

Santa Monica Pier

At the pier, a small sign marks the western terminus of Route 66. Touch it. Take the picture. Then turn east. The entire country is waiting. Two thousand miles of wonder starts right here.

60+ parks within 4 hours of the Mother Road

These parks need your visit. Your family photos and your admission dollars are the most powerful thing you can do to protect them.

62
NPS Sites
From the Dust Bowl to the Dream.

Route 66 carried a generation west toward a new life. Let it carry your family toward a new perspective. Experience the great American revival through historic stays, roadside legends, and the world's most iconic National Parks. Stop driving past history and start driving through it.

National Parks are in trouble. Small towns along the Route are fading. But you have the power to change that. Simply show up, spend a night, eat at the diner, buy the postcard, and take the picture. This country doesn't heal from the top down. It heals one family, one mile, one shared meal at a time.

Families and friends are the answer. You are the answer. Let's go.

Four steps to the trip of a lifetime

No special gear. No complicated logistics. Just a car, a few weeks, and the willingness to say yes to the detour for these Life List Visits.

1

Pick Your Start Date

Spring and fall are magical. Summer is alive with families. Winter means empty roads and dramatic skies.

2

Build Your Park List

From our 60+ list, pick 4 to 8 parks that excite your family. Mix one big-name park with two lesser-known gems.

3

Book Iconic Stops

Reserve at least one night in a historic Route 66 motel. Eat at a roadside diner. These moments are the memories.

4

Share the Journey

Post your trip with #SharedMilesTour. Show the world what the USA looks like when families connect with it.

Your trip becomes their inspiration.

Every family photo at a National Park. Every selfie in front of the Santa Monica pier sign. Every video of the kids freaking out at the Grand Canyon. It all adds up.

Families and friends seeing America and sharing it online is the single most powerful form of preservation advocacy there is. It shows politicians, donors, and each other that these places matter to the next generation.

#SharedMilesTour Tag your journey