Featured image: The Benjamin Franklin Bridge spans the Delaware River between Philadelphia and Camden. Photo: Benjamin Franklin Bridge, Philadelphia (49055788621) by Pierre Blaché, CC0 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Resized.
Route 66 turns 100 this November, two museums have centennial exhibitions that continue into early 2027, and historic theaters are welcoming visitors for another century of entertainment. If you like a getaway with a story behind it, 2026 offers six good reasons to start planning.
These American landmarks all reach their 100-year milestone in 2026. You can celebrate along the Mother Road in Tulsa, explore Texas history and dinosaurs in San Antonio, or make a historic movie palace the centerpiece of a downtown outing.
The six destinations below are separate getaway ideas across the country. Choose one within a comfortable drive of home, add a nearby meal or outdoor stop, and build your own day trip or weekend around it.
Visitor information reviewed: October 15, 2026. Event schedules, tickets, parking and temporary access can change; check the official links before booking. Suggested visit lengths are editorial planning estimates, excluding travel from home.
Affiliate disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, Cooler Snacks may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Find Your Trip
- Classic road-trip nostalgia: Route 66, with Tulsa as a late-2026 option
- Historic movie palace: Tampa Theatre, Florida
- Dinosaurs and Texas history: Witte Museum, San Antonio
- Art and a park outing: San Diego Museum of Art, California
- City views and a historic walk: Benjamin Franklin Bridge, Pennsylvania–New Jersey
- Live music and a downtown getaway: Arcada Theatre, Illinois
1. Route 66: A Centennial Road Trip You Can Make Your Own
Location: Historic highway through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California
100-year milestone: November 11, 2026
Best for: Route 66 nostalgia, roadside photography and a milestone celebration.
Suggested time: One or two days in Tulsa; allow more time for a longer highway drive.
Route 66 is the natural starting point for a centennial road trip. Instead of trying to cover the entire historic highway, choose a section that gives you time to enjoy the stops along the way.
For a late-2026 getaway, consider Tulsa. Its November 11 celebration includes a Veterans Day parade, a Centennial Crawl, a street party with live music, and a Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys concert—all listed as free. The evening Wilderado concert at Cain’s Ballroom is sold out, but you can still enjoy the other celebrations. Check the organizer’s schedule for wristband instructions, ticketed activities and access details.
Make Tulsa's Route 66 districts part of the visit, too. The Meadow Gold District offers roadside landmarks, shops, and places to eat, while Mother Road Market gives your group another food stop to consider.
Photo idea: Take a group picture with one of the Meadow Gold District's towering roadside characters. Include a person in the frame to show its scale, and take the photo from a safe public space.
Plan your visit:
Plan Your Stretch of Route 66
Planning a longer Route 66 drive? A route guide can help you connect historic highway sections with worthwhile stops. Search for the sixth edition of Jerry McClanahan’s EZ66 Guide for Travelers, and check the edition and seller details before ordering. Use current road advisories alongside any printed guide.
Search Amazon for the EZ66 Guide, sixth edition
2. Tampa Theatre: A 100-Year-Old Movie Palace With a Spooky Fall Option
Location: Tampa, Florida
100-year milestone: October 15, 2026
Best for: Historic architecture, movie lovers and a fall ghost-tour outing.
Suggested time: Two to three hours for a scheduled tour or screening, plus time for a downtown meal or walk.
Tampa Theatre opened on October 15, 1926. A screening or scheduled tour offers a chance to experience this historic movie palace during its centennial year.
Choose a screening from the current calendar, an October Ghosts of Tampa Theatre tour, or a monthly Balcony to Backstage tour, which the theater says will resume in November 2026. These give you ways to experience the building beyond its centennial birthday event.
Book ahead: the theater doesn't accommodate casual drop-in sightseeing. The two-hour ghost tours are described as PG-13 and involve stairs and extended standing, so check the format before choosing one for your group. A seated screening may be a better fit if a long walking tour does not suit everyone.
Pair the visit with the Tampa Riverwalk or Henry B. Plant Museum for a wider downtown outing.
Looking for more places to visit for ghost stories and fall atmosphere? Explore our guide to the best Halloween destinations in the United States.
Photo idea: Frame your group beneath the marquee before your screening or tour. Include the theater name and leave room for people to pass along the sidewalk.
Plan your visit:
- Tampa Theatre tours and booking information
- Ghosts of Tampa Theatre tours
- Tampa Riverwalk visitor information
3. Witte Museum: Texas History, Dinosaurs, and a Century of Discovery
Location: San Antonio, Texas
100-year milestone: 2026
Best for: Families and mixed-interest groups who enjoy dinosaurs, science and Texas history.
Suggested time: Two to four hours at the museum; add time for Brackenridge Park.
The Witte Museum opened in 1926 and makes a good option for travelers who want a museum stop with several interests represented. Its Naylor Family Dinosaur Gallery adds a prehistoric angle to a visit centered on Texas natural history, science, and culture.
The Witte Museum: 100 Years exhibition explores the institution's story through objects from its collections and archives. It is included with museum entry and runs through January 9, 2027.
The museum is in Brackenridge Park, making a park outing an easy pairing to consider. Visitor parking is free, including at the Brackenridge Park Parking Garage on Avenue B.
Photo idea: Capture your child's reaction to the dinosaur displays, where photography is permitted. The museum allows visitor photography but prohibits flash and tripods.
For more prehistoric trip ideas, see our guide to the best dinosaur attractions in the United States.
Plan your visit:
4. San Diego Museum of Art: A Centennial Stop in Balboa Park
Location: San Diego, California
100-year milestone: February 28, 2026
Best for: Art lovers and travelers who want to combine a museum with a Balboa Park outing.
Suggested time: Two to three hours in the museum, or a full day with other park stops.
The San Diego Museum of Art first opened as the Fine Arts Gallery of San Diego on February 28, 1926. Its Balboa Park setting makes it a useful anchor for an art-focused getaway.
The February birthday festivities have passed, but the SDMA 100 Years exhibition continues through February 7, 2027. Photographs, historical materials, and film footage trace the museum's past.
Check museum hours before selecting your date, and leave time to explore more of Balboa Park. Choose any additional museums around your group's interests rather than trying to fit everything into one day.
Check parking for your travel date. Paid parking remains active through the end of 2026, with some free or discounted options depending on the lot and residency. The city says paid parking will be removed effective January 1, 2027, so a January or early-February exhibition visit falls under a different parking arrangement. Check the city’s current information before you drive in.
Photo idea: Take a wide exterior photo that includes the museum entrance and surrounding architecture, followed by a closer portrait with the doorway as your backdrop.
Plan your visit:
- San Diego Museum of Art centennial exhibitions
- San Diego Museum of Art hours and admission
- Current Balboa Park parking information
5. Benjamin Franklin Bridge: Walk Beside a Century of Engineering
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Camden, New Jersey
100-year milestone: July 1, 2026
Best for: Skyline views, bridge photography and a walk during a city getaway.
Suggested time: One to two hours for a leisurely walk and photos, depending on your turnaround point.
The Benjamin Franklin Bridge opened to traffic on July 1, 1926. Today, its pedestrian walkway gives visitors a way to experience the crossing at a slower pace.
The special July centennial roadway walk has passed. For an ordinary visit, use the designated pedestrian walkway and check the Delaware River Port Authority's advisories before setting out. Walkway access can change during maintenance, so use the official page to confirm which side is open on your visit date.
Published fall and winter walkway hours are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., weather permitting. Philadelphia access is at 5th and Race Streets; Camden access is at 4th and Pearl Streets.
Make the bridge walk one part of a Philadelphia–Camden outing, with a meal and time to explore your chosen side of the river.
Photo idea: Use the bridge cables as leading lines in a portrait. Keep clear of other walkway users and choose a turnaround point that suits your group.
Plan your visit:
6. Arcada Theatre: A Historic Show Night in St. Charles
Location: St. Charles, Illinois
100-year milestone: September 6, 2026
Best for: Live-music fans and couples or friends planning a downtown evening.
Suggested time: An evening for dinner and a show; stay overnight for more time around St. Charles.
Arcada Theatre opened on September 6, 1926, and continues to host concerts, comedy, and other live entertainment. Choose a performance you love and make it the centerpiece of a downtown getaway.
Start with the current event calendar and pick a show you want to see. Reserve your tickets first, then choose a dinner time that leaves room to park and enjoy the historic theater before the performance.
The theater lists free parking lots and garages within walking distance. Leave time before the show to explore downtown St. Charles and the Fox River area, where local tourism information highlights public art and outdoor recreation.
Photo idea: Take a marquee photo before the performance, then capture a second image along the river to remember both parts of your getaway. Follow the event's rules for photography inside.
Plan your visit:
- Arcada Theatre event calendar
- Arcada Theatre parking and visitor information
- Explore the Fox River in St. Charles
Choose Your Centennial Getaway
For a classic road-trip theme, start with Route 66. For a family museum outing, consider the Witte. Art lovers can build a day around San Diego Museum of Art, while Tampa Theatre and Arcada offer entertainment-centered trips. The Benjamin Franklin Bridge adds a historic walk to a city getaway.
If the Witte’s dinosaurs are the part that catches your attention, our guide to five dinosaur road trips in the United States offers a different way to build a getaway around fossil sites, museums and trackways.
Before booking, check opening hours, ticket availability, parking, and any temporary closures. Save your reservations and choose a nearby meal stop so you can spend more of the day enjoying the destination.
Which would make you take the scenic route: Route 66 nostalgia, a historic theater night, or a museum day with dinosaurs? Share this list with your travel partner, choose your centennial stop, and tell us which nearby food stop belongs on the itinerary.