Historic Route 66 Begin & End Signs

After driving all 2,448 miles of Route 66 (albeit in pieces), I couldn’t resist a photo op with the famous “End of the Trail” sign on the Santa Monica Pier (the one every traveler poses with after completing the journey). It’s the picture-perfect way to mark the end of the road, even if it’s more ceremonial than official.

Because the true finish line is actually about a mile inland, where Olympic Boulevard meets Lincoln Boulevard. There, a brown road sign proudly declares “Historic California US 66 Route End” at the spot that has been recognized as the Mother Road’s western terminus since 1936.

Route 66’s endpoint has moved a little over the years. When the highway was born in 1926, it wrapped up at 7th Street and Broadway in downtown Los Angeles. A decade later, it stretched further west to Santa Monica, where Olympic and Lincoln became the final destination. And that’s still the case today.

My hotel (The Santa Monica Hotel) was located about a mile from the pier, so I made a small detour on foot on my way to pay my respects at the real finish line. I stood under the sign, snapped my proof-of-completion photos, and let it sink in that my long road trip was finally complete.

The next day, I crossed the street to Mel’s Drive-In for a short rib grilled cheese and a penguin milkshake (not made from real penguins). From their door, I got another perfect view of the sign and snapped a few more photos of their own signage that proudly states “Route 66 Ends Here.”

It was the perfect last pit stop on my California Route 66 road trip, a fitting sendoff after years of chasing this road. And for anyone heading east instead, you’ll spot a twin sign across the street that reads “Historic Route 66 Begin,” ready to help kick off your adventure back to Chicago.

Photos of the Historic Route 66 Begin & End Signs in Santa Monica, California