Route 66 Centennial Draws Overseas Tourists to 8 States as Historic Towns Revive
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 16
Route 66 Centennial Draws Overseas Tourists to 8 States as Historic Towns Revive
8 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 16
More travelers are fanning out across Route 66’s historic towns as the highway marks its 100th year, hunting for classic diners, neon motels and roadside attractions.
The centennial is amplifying nostalgia for places bypassed after Route 66 was decommissioned in the 1980s, when many communities withered as interstate traffic shifted away.
In Adrian, Texas, Midpoint Café owner Brenda Hammit Bradley said more than 70% of her customers come from overseas, underscoring how international visitors now sustain many Route 66 businesses.
Nearby Vega’s Dot’s Mini Museum logs visitors from dozens of countries, showing how small, free local attractions still pull traffic into towns once sidelined by I-40.
Across the route’s 8 states, boosters say that mix of Americana, local characters and movie lore from Cars is helping turn the centennial into a broader tourism revival.
Why are international tourists the primary force keeping the nostalgic 'Mother Road' dream alive for its 100th birthday?
As its centennial brings a tourism boom, is Route 66 truly being preserved or just its most profitable landmarks?
How are Native American tribes ensuring their history is central to the Route 66 centennial, not just a sideshow?