Route 66 and the classic American road trip episode artwork

EPISODE · May 25, 2026 · 17 MIN

Route 66 and the classic American road trip

from Plain English

Today's story: Route 66 was created in 1926 as part of America’s new national highway system and soon became a symbol of freedom, migration, and adventure. The highway helped farmers transport goods, guided Dust Bowl migrants west to California, and later became famous for family road trips, roadside attractions, and American car culture. As Route 66 celebrates its 100th anniversary, towns along the historic road are honoring its lasting influence on travel and tourism. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/867Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/867--Plain English helps you improve your English:Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.comMentioned in this episode:Hard words? No problemNever be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

NOW PLAYING

Route 66 and the classic American road trip

0:00 17:07

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Al-Quran In English Dr. Soha The complete Quran translation in English, Narrated by Dr. Soha. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien Audiobook Raghvendra Singh The journey through Middle-earth begins here with J.R.R. Tolkien's classic prelude to his Lord of the Rings trilogy.“A glorious account of a magnificent adventure, filled with suspense and seasoned with a quiet humor that is irresistible... All those, young or old, who love a fine adventurous tale, beautifully told, will take The Hobbit to their hearts.”—The New York Times Book Review"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." So begins one of the most beloved and delightful tales in the English language—Tolkien's prelude to The Lord of the Rings. Set in the imaginary world of Middle-earth, at once a classic myth and a modern fairy tale, The Hobbit is one of literature's most enduring and well-loved novels.Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away CLO Level 3 Lessons Chinese Learn Online (CLO) Learn Mandarin Chinese with our unique structured immersion course. Each lesson continues where the previous one left off. Level 1 lessons are conducted mainly in English. Later levels in the course will be conducted in Chinese that was taught in earlier levels. Learn English with the British Council and Premier League Jack Radford

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Plain English?

This episode is 17 minutes long.

When was this Plain English episode published?

This episode was published on May 25, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Today's story: Route 66 was created in 1926 as part of America’s new national highway system and soon became a symbol of freedom, migration, and adventure. The highway helped farmers transport goods, guided Dust Bowl migrants west to California, and...

Can I download this Plain English episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!