No other highway in history has captured the imaginations of so many people, not just in the US but all over the world. During its heyday Route 66 attracted enthusiastic motorists from the Americas and abroad to traverse its legendary miles. In the 21st Century the old road continues to inspire nostalgia and the urge to revisit, even for those who have never been.

All of the Route 66 states have organised preservation societies to protect and revive what's left of the highway. These organisations began as grass-roots efforts by individuals to save what was left of it, and their combined efforts eventually led to the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Act of 1999. This provides federal aid to local projects preserving and restoring the old road. Lengths of road have been declared historic, and although maps and street signs will have new names for the roads US 66 used to follow, much of the route also carries Historic 66 markers. Many excellent guides exist to help modern motorists experience the Mother Road, in books, online and on maps from individual state societies. A real map (more detailed than the online version) is essential to following Route 66 today. Though