LA To Vegas Via Route 66: 10 Quirky Stops To Make Along The Way

If you’re the kind of traveler who loves shiny new things, fast highways, and five-star luxury—honestly, just hop on I-15 and drive straight to Vegas.

But if you live for roadside oddities, neon signs, throwback diners, and anything that screams vintage Americana, then this Route 66 road trip is absolutely worth carving out time for.

This road trip guide is all about celebrating the quirky charm and weirdness of Historic Route 66 between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. It’s a mix of restored landmarks, small-town gems, and dusty-but-delightful stops that feel like stepping back in time.

We did this Route 66 road trip years ago and paired it with a visit to Death Valley National Park (if you have extra time to spare, I recommend the same for you). My personal favorite stops? Calico Ghost Town (total western movie vibes) and the unexpectedly fascinating Original McDonald’s Museum.

Now, if you’re looking for more general ideas on what to do between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, we have another LA to Vegas road trip guide that features more popular destinations, such as Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park.

This road trip guide is way more… niche! If you think you’re on the right road trip guide, glad to have ya. Gas up, pack all the snacks you need, and get out of LA before the rush hour traffic begins—this is one wacky road trip that’s hard to forget.

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1. Cucamonga Service Station

📍 Rancho Cucamonga, California

Blink twice and you’ll miss this small yellow building in Rancho Cucamonga—but if you slow down and stop, you’ll realize it looks like something straight out of a photo from the 1940s.

This is the historic Cucamonga Service Station, a restored 1915 gas station that has been transformed into a Route 66 museum. It’s one of the few remaining landmarks from Route 66’s heyday in Southern California. Fans of all things kitschy and local have to stop in!

It’s small—expect to spend about 15 minutes reading through the displays—but it’s packed with history. The volunteers are incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, and chatting with them will give you an even deeper appreciation for the legacy of Route 66.

You can also snap photos outside, browse Route 66 memorabilia in the gift shop, and even buy a commemorative brick to support the continued restoration of the site.

2. Original McDonald’s Museum

📍 San Bernardino, California

What’s a road trip without a delightfully random museum full of fast food nostalgia? This unofficial McDonald’s Museum sits on the site of the very first McDonald’s ever opened in 1940.

Step inside and you’ll be greeted by a colorful collection of Happy Meal toys, vintage signs, international packaging, and a ton of memorabilia that gives you a peek into how the Golden Arches took over the world.

Pro tip: It’s free to visit, but donations help keep this slice of American fast food history stop running.

3. Wigwam Motel

📍 San Bernardino, California

Looking for a memorable place to rest your head? The Wigwam Motel offers retro roadside charm with a twist—you’ll be sleeping in a concrete teepee!

This Route 66 icon is one of only three surviving wigwam motels in the U.S., part of a 1930s motel chain created by Frank Redford. Each “wigwam” room has enough to give you a good night’s rest, but the vibe stays totally vintage.

Fun Fact: The Wigwam Motel was the inspiration for the Cozy Cone Motel in the Disney movie Cars!

4. California Route 66 Museum

📍 Victorville, California

If you’re the kind of traveler who loves a side of Americana with your road trip, don’t skip this spot. The California Route 66 Museum is packed with neon signs, vintage cars, and displays that capture the golden age of road travel.

Housed in a 1950s diner building, it’s a fun photo op and a quick history lesson all in one. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated.

Don’t Miss: The VW Love Bus that you can pose in front of with all kinds of 70s-themed wigs and sunglasses!

5. Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Cafe

📍 Victorville, California

Next up, we bring you to Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Cafe. Whether you’re hungry or just want to eat somewhere with some serious cred, pull over for a bite at this High Desert classic.

Emma Jean’s has been slinging burgers and hearty breakfasts since 1947 and was even featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. As the longest-standing and operating restaurant in Victorville, this place is a historic rite of passage for all High Desert travelers.

What To Order: The Holland Burger (classic) or the Brian Burger (pastrami + Ortega chiles) if you’re feeling bold.

6. Elmer’s Bottle Tree Ranch

📍 Oro Grande, California

As you drive deeper into the desert, make a stop at one of Route 66’s most beloved art installations. Elmer’s Bottle Tree Ranch is a forest of steel “trees” topped with colorful glass bottles, vintage typewriters, road signs, and all kinds of bric-a-brac objects.

It’s weird, wonderful, and totally free.

Pro tip: It’s open from sunrise to sunset—perfect for catching some moody desert light through the glass.

7. Calico Ghost Town

📍 Yermo, California

Not too far from Barstow, you’ll run into one of the most iconic stops on this Route 66 road trip—Calico Ghost Town.

Once a booming silver mining town, Calico is now a recreated Wild West attraction where you can wander old-timey saloons, general stores, and dusty boardwalks.

Calico was a real-deal former mining town that dates back to 1881, during California’s largest silver strike. With over 500 mines, Calico pulled in more than $20 million worth of silver in just 12 years. But when silver prices crashed in the 1890s, the miners packed up their mules and left town, turning Calico into a true ghost town.

Today, it’s been semi-restored by San Bernardino County to serve as both a museum and a slice of living history. Expect a couple hours of fun shops, miner-themed attractions, and beautiful desert views.

8. Peggy Sue’s 50’s Diner

📍 Yermo, California

Hungry again? Peggy Sue’s is a neon-lit blast from the past serving up all the diner classics in a kitschy ‘50s setting. Think jukeboxes, checkerboard floors, and waitresses in retro uniforms. The whole shebang.

Everyone I know who’s driven from LA to Las Vegas knows about Peggy Sue’s. This is a classic Route 66 stop!

Grab a milkshake and wander through the Elvis room, soda fountain counter, and the oddball dinosaur garden out back.

9. Alien Fresh Jerky

📍 Baker, California

Welcome to Baker, home of the world’s tallest thermometer and… extraterrestrial beef snacks? Yep. Alien Fresh Jerky is a UFO-themed jerky shop that doubles as a roadside attraction.

This place is straight-up desert kitsch at its best. Even if you’re not a jerky person (though their whiskey and honey teriyaki flavors are solid), Alien Fresh Jerky is worth a stop for the photos alone. There’s a UFO on the roof, aliens chilling in a car out front, and a full lineup of novelty merch inside—think fake Area 51 badges, alien-themed snacks, and all the dried meat you could possibly want.

Bonus: There’s a life-size “Galaxy Peace Patrol” spaceship outside for fun photos.

10. Pioneer Saloon + Goodsprings Ghost Town

📍 Goodsprings, Nevada

To keep exploring the historic side of Nevada, head to Goodsprings Ghost Town, about 20 minutes south of Vegas.

This ghost town, once a supplier of zinc and lead for World War I, is a little slice of Old West history. Today, it is known to be home to the oldest bar in southern Nevada — the Pioneer Saloon — a rustic hangout that was once a haunt for prospectors and Hollywood legends, featuring a solid steak menu, cowboy vibes, and ghost stories to boot.

At the saloon, look for bullet holes from a poker game gone wrong and cigar burns left by a sleepy Clark Gable in the 1940s while enjoying a Food Network-featured Ghost Burger.

Afterwards, take the Goodsprings Historic Walking Tour to explore the rest of the little town: the Goodsprings General Store, Goodsprings Elementary School, Campbell Stone Cabin, and more.

BONUS: Seven Magic Mountains

📍 Just outside Las Vegas, Nevada

This one’s a slight detour, but if you love big and bold art installations, Seven Magic Mountains is worth driving out of the way for.

This art installation by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone features seven stacks of neon-painted boulders rising out of the Mojave Desert. It’s loud, colorful, and feels completely out of place in the best way possible.

It’s free to visit, no reservations needed, and the barriers that used to keep people at a distance have been removed—so yes, you can walk right up to the boulders and get all the photos you want. Just remember to respect the space and leave no trace.

It’s about a 10-minute drive off I-15 and there’s no shade, so plan accordingly.

Fun Fact: Seven Magic Mountains wasn’t supposed to be here this long—when it opened in 2016, it was only meant to stay up for two years. But thanks to its huge popularity (and a whole lot of selfies), it’s still standing today. People just kept coming. So the artist and the producers decided to keep it around, and they’re actively working on keeping it up for the foreseeable future.

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