‘Go Get Your Kicks’: The Europeans Obsessed With a U.S. Highway

Route 66, the highway connecting Chicago to Los Angeles, reached its 100th anniversary in 2026. European tourists have traveled to the United States to drive segments of the route, which was established in 1926 and largely replaced by the Interstate Highway System by the 1980s. The highway has become a symbol of American travel culture and features in films, music, and tourism marketing across Europe. Portions of the original road remain accessible to visitors in multiple states.

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