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Route 66 Word Search

Find the eight Route 66 states and seven roadside words

Route 66 turns 100 on November 11, 2026. This medium grid holds all eight states it crosses, from Illinois to California, plus the diners, motels and neon signs that made the road famous. The highway ran about 2,448 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica and passes through the homelands of many Native nations along the way. Print it for a centennial party, a grade 4-8 history lesson or a long car ride.

Free printable PDF with a full answer key, sized for US Letter and free for classroom use. Want your own title or words? Open it in the word search editor with everything already filled in.

Word SearchPreview

Route 66 Word Search

Find the eight Route 66 states and seven roadside words

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Word List

  • CALIFORNIA
  • MOTHERROAD
  • NEWMEXICO
  • ILLINOIS
  • MISSOURI
  • OKLAHOMA
  • ROADTRIP
  • ARIZONA
  • HIGHWAY
  • KANSAS
  • TEXAS
  • DINER
  • MOTEL
  • NEON
  • MAP
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What is a Word Search?

A word search hides a list of words in a grid of letters. Words can run horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Your job is to find and circle each one.

How to solve it

Scan rows and columns for the first letter of each word, then trace in all eight directions. Check off words as you find them.

Who is this for?

Word searches are perfect for all ages — from young students building vocabulary to adults who enjoy a relaxing mental exercise. Teachers use them for vocabulary preview activities, early finishers, and classroom brain breaks.

About this puzzle

Free printable Route 66 word search for the 100th anniversary: all 8 states plus diner, motel and neon. Medium level with answer key. Instant PDF download.

  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Format: US Letter PDF with answer key
  • Free to download, print, and use
  • Commercial use allowed for KDP publishers

Step-by-step: solving the Route 66 Word Search

  1. Print the PDF. Download the free PDF and print both pages — the puzzle and the answer key — on standard US Letter paper.
  2. Scan for first letters. Read down the word list, then look across rows and columns of the grid for the first letter of each word.
  3. Trace in any direction. Words run horizontally, vertically, or diagonally — and can be forward or backward. Once you spot a starting letter, trace in all eight directions.
  4. Check off found words. Cross each found word off the list. When the list is empty, compare with the answer key to verify.

Frequently asked questions

When is Route 66's 100th birthday and which states does it pass through?›
Route 66 turns 100 on November 11, 2026, a century after it was designated on November 11, 1926. It passes through eight states: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.
What is in this Route 66 word search?›
All eight Route 66 states plus seven roadside words such as diner, motel, neon and Mother Road, in a medium grid with an answer key. It suits grades 4-8, adults and seniors who remember the drive.
Is there a Route 66 Centennial Puzzle Pack?›
Yes. The $2.99 Route 66 Centennial Puzzle Pack adds a crossword, a cryptogram, a word scramble, a word fill-in and a bigger word search, built on thirty new words such as Chicago, Santa Monica, Ozarks and postcard.
Can words go diagonally or backward?›
Yes. Words in this puzzle run horizontally, vertically, or diagonally — and they may go forward or backward. Always scan in all eight directions from a candidate starting letter.
Is there an answer key?›
Yes. Every free PuzzlePage word search PDF includes a separate answer-key page that highlights or lists every hidden word.
What grade level is this for?›
Word searches in this collection work well from upper-elementary through adult. Teachers often use them as vocabulary preview, classroom downtime, or sub-day filler.
Can I customize this puzzle?›
Yes. Open it in the free Word Search editor with the words already filled in, then change the title, edit or add words and pick a difficulty. Downloads are free with your email, and Premium removes the PuzzlePage credit.

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