Route 66 Auto Museum

The collection ranges from pre-war classics (a 1929 Ford Model A, a 1935 Auburn Boattail Speedster reproduction, a 1939 Buick Special) through the postwar Route 66 golden age (1948 Cadillac Series 62, 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible, 1955 Ford Thunderbird) into the muscle-car era (1969 Chevy Camaro Z28, 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda, 1968 Pontiac GTO). A specific Route 66 emphasis surfaces in the fleet of motels and gas-station service vehicles — a 1948 Ford pickup branded with a Texaco logo, a 1955 Studebaker tow truck, several panel vans painted with mid-century commercial advertising.

The signature centerpiece is the 1959 pink Cadillac Coupe de Ville parked just inside the entrance — a 18-foot-long, 5,000-pound monument to American postwar excess with tail fins taller than a small child. Visitors are encouraged to sit in the car for photos. Other photo-friendly cars include a 1957 Chevy Bel Air with the original turquoise-and-white paint, a 1965 Ford Mustang, and a 1976 Cadillac Eldorado convertible the size of a small boat.

Each car carries a placard listing year, make, model, engine displacement, original MSRP, and current price if for sale. The Cordova family is happy to answer technical questions and discuss restoration details; if you arrive expressing genuine interest in buying, expect a full walk-around with engine bay inspection and a test drive offer for serious prospects.

The walls and ceiling are densely packed with Route 66 memorabilia — vintage license plates from every U.S. state and several foreign countries, neon gas-station signs (Phillips 66, Texaco, Shell, Sinclair), dealer pennants, oil-can collections, framed photographs of Santa Rosa from the 1930s and 1940s, and a small section devoted to John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, which mentions Santa Rosa specifically as a stop on the Joad family's westward journey. Plan to spend at least 20 minutes just reading wall placards.

The gift shop carries the standard Route 66 inventory (T-shirts, magnets, license plates, mugs) but also rotating selections of vintage signs, model cars, restored gas-pump globes, and the occasional rare collectible salvaged from old service stations. Prices for the vintage items are mid-market — not bargain-basement but not collector-show inflated. Cash and cards accepted.

A small soda fountain in the back room serves Coca-Cola in glass bottles, ice cream sundaes, root beer floats, and the obligatory Route 66 'Mother Road Float' (vanilla ice cream and root beer with a maraschino cherry). The fountain has counter seating for six and is a charming way to end a museum visit; treats run $3-5.

Located on the eastern end of Santa Rosa at 2436 Historic Route 66 (Will Rogers Drive). From Interstate 40 take exit 277 and head west on Route 66; the giant pink Cadillac on the pole is impossible to miss. From the Blue Hole, drive five minutes east. Free parking is in a huge lot behind and beside the building — RVs, tow rigs, and motorcycle groups are all welcome.

Open daily year-round. Summer hours (Memorial Day to Labor Day) are 7:30am to 6pm; winter hours are 8am to 5pm. The museum does not close for federal holidays except Christmas Day. Saturday afternoons in summer occasionally host informal cruise-night meetups when local hot-rod owners park outside for photo opportunities; if you arrive on a Saturday you may find an extra two-dozen classic cars to admire for free in the parking lot.

The building is wheelchair-accessible with a smooth concrete floor throughout. Photography is encouraged. Touching cars is generally permitted (please don't lean on them); sitting in the pink Cadillac is explicitly invited for photos. Pair the auto museum with the Blue Hole (10 minutes south), Joseph's Bar & Grill for lunch, and the Silver Moon Cafe for breakfast — a half-day in Santa Rosa easily covers all four.