Route 66 Leg 6: Flagstaff to Santa Monica

Yes, it's touristy and kitschy, but you can't visit L.A. without at least driving down Hollywood Boulevard to see the stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Whether you're searching for your favorite stars, putting your hands in their handprints at Grauman's Chinese Theater, or you just want to get a good view of the iconic Hollywood sign, this should be your first stop in the City of Angels.

A California institution since 1915, the Fair Oaks Pharmacy underwent a restoration in the 1990s and still functions as a real pharmacy, if you need a prescription filled before heading out on the road. The real draw, however, is the soda fountain where soda jerks serve old-fashioned phosphates, lime rickeys, and egg creams in addition to hot dogs, hamburgers, sandwiches, and salads.

Monrovia’s Aztec Hotel was built in 1925 and remains a curiosity to this day for its distinctive Mayan architectural style. The Aztec, which was located along Route 66 until a 1931 realignment took the official route away from the hotel, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

The Cucamonga Service Station, constructed in 1915, actually predates Route 66. From 1925 until 1944, it operated as a Richfield Oil Service Station; today it’s owned by local non-profit Route 66 Inland Empire California (IECA), and houses a gift shop and museum.

For more than 75 years, this charming cafe has been serving amazing Mexican food. It was one of the first Mexican restaurants in the U.S., and legend says this place actually inspired the founders of Taco Bell.

You don't want to miss your last opportunity to “sleepee in a teepee” on the Mother Road. Once scattered across the country, today only three Wigwam Villages remain.

The Patels, owners of #7, live and breathe Route 66 and do an exceptional job promoting and encouraging its preservation. This is a great place to stay with kids, and it’s the only Wigwam Village that still has its original kidney-shaped pool. Everything you look for in a motel is available here in a whimsical package—each individual teepee includes a refrigerator, bathroom with a shower, cozy bed, and an air conditioner.

Built in 1949, the California Wigwam Motel is technically located within the city limits of San Bernardino, although it has a Rialto postal address. It was the last of the Wigwam Motels to be built, and, thanks to the Patels, its rooms are clean and lovingly maintained.

This is the original McDonald's location, owned and operated by the McDonald brothers (the first franchised location opened by Ray Kroc was located in Des Plaines, Illinois). The brothers forever changed the restaurant industry by firing the car hops, cutting the menu down to the most popular items, and optimizing their successful diner for efficiency, consistency, and value. Even if you're not a fan of the Golden Arches, you have to respect how much they revolutionized the industry—for better or worse. The museum is full of memorabilia, but we’re especially fond of pieces from the McDonaldLand era.

At the Bottle Tree Ranch, you’ll find about 200 “trees” made of colorful bottles. The found art displays shimmer in the sun alongside bird feeders, road signs, gas pumps, bicycles, and cars.