Top 10 must-sees along Route 66, from Santa Monica to Amarillo, Texas

A road trip along Route 66 is an American culture touchstone. The highway that first connected Chicago and Los Angeles in the 1920s became larger than life thanks to the writing of John Steinbeck, the music of Nat King Cole and a certain snippet of lyrics by The Eagles. (You’ll have “standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona” stuck in your head now!)

RELATED: Route 66, America’s ‘Mother Road,’ readies for its centennial

Now, on the eve of the highway’s centennial, Country Living magazine took a look at the top 50 sights on this famous stretch of road. Their list ranges from natural wonders — hello, Grand Canyon — to kitschy glories, like a turquoise and hot pink diner in Kingman, Arizona. There are buildings topped with giant objects — a humongous milk bottle in Oklahoma City, for example. And objects that are art, like the installation commissioned by a Texas tycoon involving 10 graffiti-covered vintage Cadillacs.

Here’s a sampling from the big list. Find the full rundown at www.countryliving.com.

Ten must-sees on Route 66

1 The Wigwam Motel, San Bernardino, California, and Holbrook, Arizona

2 Painted Desert, Arizona

3 Mr. D’s Route 66 Diner, Kingman, Arizona

4 Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, Texas

5 Roy’s Motel and Cafe, Amboy

6 Historic Seligman Sundries

7 Grand Canyon, Arizona