Old Chain of Rocks Bridge: St. Louis, Missouri
Up next, we’ve got a picturesque stop at The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. It spans the Mississippi River, starting in Illinois and ending in Missouri. The bridge was initially a motor route and was constructed as a means to cross the Mississippi River.
But today, it’s one of the world’s longest pedestrian/ bicycle-only bridges. Trees surround the first part of the bridge, so it’ll take you a few minutes to walk out over the actual river. The most noteworthy feature of this bridge is its 22-degree bend in the middle of the crossing.
You’ll need to walk about two-thirds of the bridge to get to this distinctive bend in the bridge, but trust us, the view will be worth it. From there, you’ll have a fantastic unobstructed view of St. Louis and the Gateway Arch, all while the river flows beneath you.
And if you’re visiting in the morning, you’ll get a great glimpse of the water birds in the area. Note: If you’re visiting during summer, bring lots of water with you to stay hydrated because there isn’t any shelter on the bridge.
6 thoughts on “Route 66: 8 Incredible Sights You Can’t Miss”
You missed the Wigwams in Holbrook,Az. And Meteor Crater out of Winslow.
Very interesting, and well worth the time and detours, to see some of older historic America.
ive been on every mile of old route 66 as my family moved to california from northern indiana well before I55 on I40 were started
I traveled Route 66 every summer of my life from age 12 (1949) with my Mom, Viola, and brother Tom Roberts and our dog Bootsie. We slept in inexpensive motels and an old hotel in Albuquerque, price $10 per night! What a great learning experience for us all!! We had a great fun 3 month trip, stayed in Los Cruses at the bottom of New Mexico, drove up to Santa Fe and stayed in Adobe huts. We called my Dad everynight to tell him where we landed.
We went to Indian festivals and had some very interesting experiences. One day we visited a Pueblo reservation, many Indians lived there. My Mom pointed her little Brownie Hawkeye at the old Indian chief to take his picture and he started chasing us, yelling at all the other Indians to chase us. We RAN for our 1949 Pontiac!! jumped in and took off. We found out he thought the camera would steal his soul! He was probably born in the 1890’s!
We drove over that bridge in our 1949 Pontiac, in 1949! We drove Route 66 every summer for 4 years. What fabulous memories.
My mom, grandma, sister and I traveled route 66 from Chicago to Monrovia, CA in 1943 when my dad was in the Army, stationed at Santa Anita race track in Pasadena, at that time an Army supply depot. My fondest memories of that trip are of lunches in little Route 66 cafes, where I would always eat a hamburger, along with a chocolate milk shake. Great memories still (at 87).