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The Best Hits on Route 66: 100 Essential Stops on the Mother Road
Inspiring, practical, and entertaining, this is the premier guide to all the off-the-radar stops along America's Mother Road that you simply must not miss. Author Amy Bizzarri, a Route 66 expert and enthusiast, provides a comprehensive list of 100 unique stops that you'll want to take a moment to explore as you journey along the highway's 2,500 miles. The Best Hits on Route 66 also includes specialized itineraries with themes that make it easier than ever to plan a road trip to remember. Check out: - Gearhead's Guide to Route 66 - Hollywood on 66 - Native American History on Route 66 - Mother Road for Music Lovers - The Mother Road with Kids - Natural Wonders of Route 66 - Speedy 66: Chicago to Santa Monica in Six Days - and Supernatural 66
- GenresTravel
296 pages, Paperback
Published December 1, 2018
About the author
Amy Bizzarri
22 books10 followersI'm Amy Bizzarri, a Chicago-based freelance writer. My stories have appeared in BBC Travel, Smithsonian, Lonely Planet, Somm Journal, Fodor's, Chicago Tribune, and more.
*I specialize in writing travel content for various tourism websites, including Visit U.S.V.I, Travel Illinois, and Choose Chicago.
*My Great, Great Grandparents met the night the Great Chicago Fire hit our city (1871): Walter Daker, a volunteer firefighter, caught a glimpse of Catherine's long, flowing red hair and, believing it was on fire, swooped her up in his arms to "save" her… the rest is history! I'm the author of four Chicago history-focused books: Discovering Vintage Chicago, Chicago's Iconic Dishes, Drinks, and Desserts, 111 Places Chicago, and 111 Places Chicago Kids.
*Recipient of the 2019 Silver Lowell Award for Best Travel Guide by Society of American Travel Writers for my bestselling retro road trip guide, The Best Hits on Route 66. My upcoming travel guide to U.S. Route 61 will be published by Globe Pequot in June 2023.
*Contributor to the Lonely Planet Florida 10 guide (2023) and Women's Suffrage: The Complete Guide to the Nineteenth Amendment (ABC-CLIO, 2020).
*Recipient of the 2022 best travel article for The Black Cowboys of Chicago's South Side - BBC Travel: bbc.com/travel/article/20210919-the-b...
*I lived in Italy for 5+ years and am a fluent Italian speaker with an M.A. in Italian from Middlebury College (VT). My paternal grandfather is from Castelnuovo Ne'Monti (RE). There will always be a special place in my heart for *il bel paese*, and I’m an expert on Italian travel, food, and wine — ask me anything!
*Freelance translator Italian/English; I specialize in tv/film subtitles
*My passion for wine led me to pursue WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) certification (currently Levels 1 and 2 certified/working on Level 3). I also speak French and have a passion for wine from Bordeaux
*I'm a teacher with 20+ years of experience and a Master of Arts in Education with a focus on bilingual education. I'm Reading Apprenticeship and International Baccalaureate certified.
*In 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 I received study grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
*I've hosted television and radio segments and produced several smart walking tours with VoiceMap and EAtlas.
*I'm a PADI-certified scuba diver, and I'm proud to be a mermaid: chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/travel/...
Follow me at Instagram.com/amybizzarri to see where I am in the world today!
*I specialize in writing travel content for various tourism websites, including Visit U.S.V.I, Travel Illinois, and Choose Chicago.
*My Great, Great Grandparents met the night the Great Chicago Fire hit our city (1871): Walter Daker, a volunteer firefighter, caught a glimpse of Catherine's long, flowing red hair and, believing it was on fire, swooped her up in his arms to "save" her… the rest is history! I'm the author of four Chicago history-focused books: Discovering Vintage Chicago, Chicago's Iconic Dishes, Drinks, and Desserts, 111 Places Chicago, and 111 Places Chicago Kids.
*Recipient of the 2019 Silver Lowell Award for Best Travel Guide by Society of American Travel Writers for my bestselling retro road trip guide, The Best Hits on Route 66. My upcoming travel guide to U.S. Route 61 will be published by Globe Pequot in June 2023.
*Contributor to the Lonely Planet Florida 10 guide (2023) and Women's Suffrage: The Complete Guide to the Nineteenth Amendment (ABC-CLIO, 2020).
*Recipient of the 2022 best travel article for The Black Cowboys of Chicago's South Side - BBC Travel: bbc.com/travel/article/20210919-the-b...
*I lived in Italy for 5+ years and am a fluent Italian speaker with an M.A. in Italian from Middlebury College (VT). My paternal grandfather is from Castelnuovo Ne'Monti (RE). There will always be a special place in my heart for *il bel paese*, and I’m an expert on Italian travel, food, and wine — ask me anything!
*Freelance translator Italian/English; I specialize in tv/film subtitles
*My passion for wine led me to pursue WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) certification (currently Levels 1 and 2 certified/working on Level 3). I also speak French and have a passion for wine from Bordeaux
*I'm a teacher with 20+ years of experience and a Master of Arts in Education with a focus on bilingual education. I'm Reading Apprenticeship and International Baccalaureate certified.
*In 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 I received study grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
*I've hosted television and radio segments and produced several smart walking tours with VoiceMap and EAtlas.
*I'm a PADI-certified scuba diver, and I'm proud to be a mermaid: chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/travel/...
Follow me at Instagram.com/amybizzarri to see where I am in the world today!
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 13, 2019
Even though I’ve roamed Route 66 for years and have shot two books on the Mother Road, I never felt I’d come close to discovering all it’s kitschy wonders. Amy Bizzarri’s new ‘The Best Hits on Route 66’ details a wealth of cultural icons that I somehow missed, as well as showcasing photo ops and themed itineraries that are truly valuable to aficionados of this mystical highway. The diner tips and lore will keep you well fed and entertained, and while the photos are of uneven quality (to a photojournalist anyway), this is a richly readable and worthy addition to my Route 66 archive. When I hit the road again this spring Amy’s words will gift me new sites and fresh inspiration to cruise East to the great lake or West to the Pacific, sunroof open, music playing, on Steinbeck’s “road of flight”.
This review is gratis, FYI to all.
This review is gratis, FYI to all.
July 19, 2020
I am still arm chair traveling on Route 66 this summer with the hope that I will get to see at least part of at some point in the not-too-distant future. When I do get there, I am definitely bringing this book with me. This guide is fun and practical - the subtitle is 100 Essential Stops on the Mother Road. The introduction explains the purpose of this book, as follows: "With thousands of sights to see in the eight states and three time zones traversed via the byway, this comprehensive checklist filters out the frivolous and focuses on the quintessential, so you can plan your trip with ease." Thank you. I have been looking for this book for months now and I finally found it. If you have spent any time at all on the National Park Service Website, you know what a maze of confusion it is. Other travel-related sites are overwhelming if you don't know where to start. This book brings it home - try not to miss these places.
The chapters are organized by state with a map and an icon key for food, sightseeing, etc. The descriptions of the stops are enticing and informative with a nice mixture of historic sites, kitschy and quirky places, natural wonders and places to eat and stay. Each stop includes an address, web site and phone number for navigation and planning purposes. The book was published last year, so these references are current. (Yay!) For the hiking, walking tours and other outdoor adventures, the book provides options for people staying in their cars to experience the sights. The last chapter provides individual itineraries for car lovers, ghost hunters, music lovers and families. There is also an itinerary dedicated to people who want to learn about Native American history and an itinerary for people who want to drive the Mother Road in six days.
For people who like to share their travels on Instragram, the author included #Route66Top100 #SelfieChallenge. I think the selfie challenge is a creative marketing idea. It's a good way to get people to read the book, keep kids interested and encourage travelers or would-be travelers to see other people's selfies of the sites highlighted in the book.
The layout of the book is handy and convenient. The index, which a mandatory requirement in my view, is straightforward. I didn't notice at first, but the photos are all either stock photos or photos available from the tourism departments of each of the states. I prefer photos with a personal touch, but I guess I won't complain. Overall, this is a useful book that makes me want to start driving down the highway right now. I hope, hope, hope that someday I will see the Grand Canyon, stand on the corner in Winslow, Arizona and eat ice cream at the Santa Monica Pier.
The chapters are organized by state with a map and an icon key for food, sightseeing, etc. The descriptions of the stops are enticing and informative with a nice mixture of historic sites, kitschy and quirky places, natural wonders and places to eat and stay. Each stop includes an address, web site and phone number for navigation and planning purposes. The book was published last year, so these references are current. (Yay!) For the hiking, walking tours and other outdoor adventures, the book provides options for people staying in their cars to experience the sights. The last chapter provides individual itineraries for car lovers, ghost hunters, music lovers and families. There is also an itinerary dedicated to people who want to learn about Native American history and an itinerary for people who want to drive the Mother Road in six days.
For people who like to share their travels on Instragram, the author included #Route66Top100 #SelfieChallenge. I think the selfie challenge is a creative marketing idea. It's a good way to get people to read the book, keep kids interested and encourage travelers or would-be travelers to see other people's selfies of the sites highlighted in the book.
The layout of the book is handy and convenient. The index, which a mandatory requirement in my view, is straightforward. I didn't notice at first, but the photos are all either stock photos or photos available from the tourism departments of each of the states. I prefer photos with a personal touch, but I guess I won't complain. Overall, this is a useful book that makes me want to start driving down the highway right now. I hope, hope, hope that someday I will see the Grand Canyon, stand on the corner in Winslow, Arizona and eat ice cream at the Santa Monica Pier.
July 18, 2023
Very informative book that's packed with all kinds of facts and photographs.
Read
September 29, 2023great guide for those in an adventurous mood.
June 29, 2024
Great information!
January 16, 2025
Fantastic Book. It's very well written. I felt like I was in the backseat taking in the great road trip along the scenic route 66.
February 15, 2026
Not what I thought it would be.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews