Our hotel is close by to many attractions on Route 66 in Missouri and located right on the Mother Road. Stop by the Route 66 Diner in St. Robert, Missouri whether you’re following the highway on a road trip or taking an extended stay here at Z Loft. The diner is less than 5 minutes away from our hotel, but will take you decades into the past!
Route 66 Diner combines food and the fifties for an old school dining experience. The birth of fast food in the 1960s quieted diners for a time while consumers chose drive-throughs over sitting down to eat. When nostalgia for homestyle meals returned, so did the humble diner! Enjoy delicious American fare in the form of burgers, milkshakes, and home-cooked comfort foods like Cadillac Meat Loaf and Chili Cheese Fries. Listen to your favorite tunes from back in the day on the coin-operated jukebox and take some pictures of your trip back in time! Route 66 Diner is located next to Exxon Mobil Station in St. Robert, MO.
The post-war era was the Golden Age for Route 66, with lots of mom-and-pop establishments and summer vacations that followed the road. In 1975, federal highway officials took down the Route 66 shields and moved to designate I-55, I-40, I-15. I-10 and specifically I-44 as the portion of the East-West highway in Southern Missouri. But the road would not fade out. Readers of The Grapes of Wrath followed the Mother Road and people remembered childhood vacations, cruising along 66. Michael Wallis published Route 66: The Mother Road and “Kickin’ It on Route 66” became a mainstay on the radio. Old Route 66 eventually became a National Scenic Byway in 2006, and tourists still visit the All-American Attractions along the route. While staying with us, visit these Route 66 attractions in Missouri!
Visit the Route 66 Museum in Lebanon, Missouri, just a short drive away from our hotel. Explore the recreated indoor gas station, which features vintage gas pumps, rusty guard rails, and a vintage 1950s car. In an homage to diner culture, check out a collection of salt and pepper shakers from different Route 66 restaurants.
There is a large selection of Route 66 books and maps for you to read, while relaxing in comfortable chairs with Route 66 upholstery. Route 66 Museum in Missouri is housed inside of the Lebanon-Laclede County Library on Jefferson Ave.
While you’re nearby, check out the I Love Lucy Car or the Smallest Bank in Missouri.
Welcome to “The World’s Only Drive-In Cave,” made famous along the Mother Road when bumper sticker advertising began in 1935. Come tour the largest commercial cave in Missouri with the rarest cave formations in the world. Jesse James used the cave as a hideout and stored boxes from the Train Robbery. A room within the cavern aptly nicknamed “Hollywood” has been used in Hollywood productions, such as Tom Sawyer, as a cave with hidden gold.
Learn about the ancient limestone “Wine Table” that stands six feet high with grape-like clusters called botryoids. The cave extends seven stories high and even has a Ballroom that is used for many community events.
Take well-lighted walkways on a tour that covers over one mile round trip and takes one hour and twenty minutes to complete. The cave remains a consistent 58 degrees year round so many visitors bring a light jacket. After your tour, stop by Meramac Caverns restaurant for lunch specials and 28 flavors of ice cream.
Just a few miles away from our hotel is the most delicious candy shoppe on old Route 66! This is the go-to spot for nostalgic treats in Missouri, and a fun stop along the way. Find the best kind of candy for holidays such as Halloween and Christmas, or treats like chocolate covered strawberries for special occasions.
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Chat with the knowledgeable owners and staff who make it their business to really know candy. There are wall-to-wall barrels of candy to choose from. Come find the flavor that you’re craving at one of the most delicious attractions on Route 66 in Missouri!