Ride Historic Route 6: A Motorcycle Itinerary From Provincetown To Long Beach

Note: “Historic US Route 6” ran coast-to-coast (1937–1964) from Provincetown to Long Beach and is officially the Grand Army of the Republic Highway. Today the signed western end is at Bishop, CA; to finish at Long Beach you’ll follow the former CA alignment (US-395/CA-14/I-110) to the coast. A 22-day, moto-friendly, rest-smart itinerary (with options + budget)

Day-by-day route (built for comfort, scenery, and real rest)

Daily mileages are “reasonable-pace” estimates with time for photos, food, and fuel. Where “REST/SHORT” appears, plan a later start, earlier finish, or a no-ride afternoon.

D1 — Provincetown ➜ Providence (~130 mi)
Cape Cod sweep on US-6: Race Point, Pilgrim Monument, Sandwich Boardwalk; canal views at Sagamore. Federal Hill for dinner.
Sleep: The Dean (Providence); Eat: Federal Hill trattorias.

D2 — Providence ➜ Danbury, CT (~150 mi)
US-6 across RI & CT mill towns. Stops: Willimantic’s Frog Bridge; Mark Twain House (Hartford).
Sleep: Danbury hotels near Main St; Eat: Yankee-style diners.

D3 — Danbury ➜ Milford, PA via Bear Mountain Bridge (~140 mi)
Hudson Highlands crossing on US-6/202; pause at Perkins Memorial Tower. Historic Milford for the night.
Sleep: Hotel Fauchère (classic Route-6 lodging); Eat: Bar Louis / Milford taverns. Hotel Fauchère

D4 — Milford ➜ Wellsboro, PA (~200 mi)
Classic PA Route 6 towns: Hawley, Honesdale, Tunkhannock, Towanda. Sunset at the PA Grand Canyon overlooks (Leonard Harrison or Colton Point). Pennsylvania Government+1
Sleep: Penn Wells Hotel; Eat: Wellsboro Diner. Penn Wells

D5 — Wellsboro (REST/SHORT)
Morning hike at the canyon, optional night ride to Cherry Springs dark-sky area (if skies are clear). National Park Service

D6 — Wellsboro ➜ Bradford/Warren, PA via Kinzua Sky Walk (~160 mi)
Detour to Kinzua Bridge State Park for the famous skywalk over the gorge. visitanf.com
Sleep: Warren/Bradford motels & inns.

D7 — Warren, PA ➜ Cleveland, OH (~210 mi)
Lake-shore US-6 via Ashtabula and Euclid. Sunset at Edgewater Park; browse West Side Market.

D8 — Cleveland ➜ Bowling Green, OH via Sandusky (~140 mi)
Harbor towns (Lorain, Vermilion, Huron). Optional Cedar Point detour.
Sleep: Bowling Green; Eat: downtown pubs/BBQ.

D9 — Bowling Green ➜ Goshen/Elkhart, IN (~190 mi)
Small-town Ohio (Napoleon, Bryan) into Indiana’s Amish country.
Sleep: Hotel Elkhart; Eat: South Side Soda Shop (retro diner). South Side Soda Shop

D10 — Goshen ➜ Utica/Starved Rock, IL (~220 mi)
US-6 through South Bend, Joliet, Morris, Ottawa. Late-day canyon stroll at Starved Rock State Park.
Sleep: Starved Rock Lodge; Eat: Lodge dining room or Nonie’s. starvedrocklodge.com Illinois Department of Natural Resources

D11 — Utica ➜ Iowa City/Amana, IA (~210 mi)
Quad Cities crossing; Mississippi views; roll to Iowa City or the Amana Colonies.
Sleep: Hotel Millwright (Amana); Eat: Ox Yoke Inn, Millwright’s Indigo Room. Hotel Millwright Amana Colonies in Amana, Iowa | Tourism

D12 — Iowa City/Amana (REST/SHORT)
Stroll historic Amana workshops, breweries, bakeries.

D13 — Iowa City ➜ Omaha/Council Bluffs (~250 mi)
Grinnell & Des Moines corridor; Missouri River sunset in the Old Market.
Sleep: Downtown Omaha.

D14 — Omaha ➜ McCook, NE (~280 mi)
US-6 across Nebraska heritage towns (Lincoln, Hastings, Holdrege) to McCook. Wikipedia
Sleep: Local motel; Eat: steakhouses along B St.

D15 — McCook ➜ Denver/Golden, CO (~270 mi)
Plains to Front Range (Sterling, Fort Morgan) on the US-6/I-76 corridor.
Sleep: Golden or Denver.

D16 — Denver/Golden ➜ Glenwood Springs, CO via Loveland Pass (~180 mi)
Ride Loveland Pass (11,990 ft) on historic US-6 over the Continental Divide; soak at Glenwood Hot Springs. US Route 6 Tourist Association
Sleep: Glenwood Springs.

D17 — Glenwood Springs ➜ Price/Helper, UT (~220 mi)
Glenwood Canyon to the Book Cliffs; mining art in Helper.

D18 — Price/Helper ➜ Delta, UT (REST/SHORT, ~150 mi)
Short day to reset; Great Basin Museum, desert sunset.

D19 — Delta, UT ➜ Ely, NV (~155 mi)
US-6/50 loneliest stretch; railroad history at Nevada Northern in Ely. (Top off fuel at every chance from here on.)

D20 — Ely ➜ Tonopah, NV (~168 mi)
One of America’s longest fuel-service gaps—plan for 170 miles between towns; carry extra fuel/water. Wikipedia
Sleep: Mizpah or retro motor-inns; Eat: Tonopah Brewing.

D21 — Tonopah ➜ Bishop, CA (~180 mi)
Basalt & Montgomery Pass into the Owens Valley; official modern US-6 western terminus at US-395 in Bishop (photo stop). Wikipedia
Sleep: Bishop (or push on if you’re fresh).

D22 — Bishop ➜ Long Beach, CA (historic finish, ~280 mi)
Follow the former US-6 alignment via US-395 ➜ CA-14 ➜ I-110 to the coast. Celebrate at the Ocean Blvd/Long Beach Blvd plaque area or the Queen Mary. (Historic AASHO documentation places the terminus at the Long Beach Fwy & PCH.) Federal Highway Administration AARoads

Eat + sleep: reliable, Route-6-flavored picks (east→west)

Milford, PA: Hotel Fauchère (lodging + dining). Hotel Fauchère
Wellsboro, PA: Penn Wells Hotel/Lodge; classic downtown eats (Wellsboro Diner, etc.). Penn Wells
Goshen, IN: South Side Soda Shop (retro diner). South Side Soda Shop
Starved Rock/Utica, IL: Starved Rock Lodge (rooms, cabins, dining). starvedrocklodge.com
Amana Colonies, IA: Hotel Millwright (on-site restaurant/tavern). Hotel Millwright
Ely, NV: Historic railroad-town inns; many riders like downtown motels near the Nevada Northern complex.
Tonopah, NV: Mizpah Hotel; barbecue & pub grub on Main.
Bishop, CA: Motor-inns on 395; walkable eats on Main.
(I kept this list compact; I can expand with 2–3 vetted options per stop.)

Essence of Historic US-6: must-do experiences

Climb a tower / cross a skywalk: Bear Mountain Bridge views (NY); Kinzua Sky Walk (PA). visitanf.com
Stand at the rim of the PA Grand Canyon (Colton Point or Leonard Harrison). Pennsylvania Government+1
Soak in history-rich main streets: Wellsboro gas-lamps; Amana Colonies workshops; Old Market Omaha.
Ride a high mountain pass: Loveland Pass, 11,990 ft—the high point of US-6. US Route 6 Tourist Association
Stargaze in true dark: Cherry Springs State Park (optional night leg from Wellsboro). National Park Service
Finish at Long Beach: grab a photo at the historic terminus area and the Queen Mary. Federal Highway Administration

Best time + weather (what to expect)

Prime windows: late May–June and September–early October balance cool Atlantic air, manageable Great Plains winds, and avoid peak desert heat.
Rockies: Even in summer, expect sudden cold, hail, or storms at high elevation; snow is possible any month over Loveland Pass (11,990 ft).
Great Basin (UT/NV): Dry, big-sky riding with long gaps between services; summer highs commonly 90–100°F+. Carry extra water/fuel. Wikipedia
Coastal SoCal: Mild but traffic-dense; plan urban hours off-peak.

Prep, packing & safety (motorcycle-specific)

Bike & body: fresh tires; brake pads/lines inspected; chain/sprockets or belt in spec; oil/filter; coolant; tools & tubeless plug kit + mini-compressor; spare key; daily chain lube on the road.
Fuel planning: From Ely↔Tonopah is ~168 mi with limited/no services—top off at every town; consider a 1–2 gal auxiliary can. Wikipedia
Personal kit: ATGATT (all-the-gear-all-the-time): mesh or vented jacket/pants + insulating layer + rain layer; heated gloves/liner for the Divide; earplugs; sunscreen; lip balm; hydration pack (2–3L); electrolytes; first-aid; paper maps as backup.
Operations: Early starts; 15-minute breaks every ~90 minutes; snack often; watch for wildlife at dawn/dusk; check DOT advisories for mountain weather and construction.
Overnights: Every 3–4 days, schedule a REST/SHORT day (already baked into this plan).

Budget (solo rider, mid-range)

(Assumes ~3,930 miles including the Bishop➜Long Beach historic finish.)

Fuel: 40–50 mpg bikes at national avg ~$3.16/gal ⇒ $250–$310. AAA Fuel Prices
Lodging: 21 nights × $110–$170 ⇒ $2,300–$3,600 (mix of motels, historic lodges).
Food: $45–$70/day ⇒ $1,000–$1,550.
Activities/Admissions: $150–$300 (museums, hot springs, etc.).
Contingency/Maintenance: $200–$400 (oil, chain lube, small repairs).
Estimated total: $3,900–$5,900 depending on hotel class, fuel economy, and splurges.

(National average gas price cited from AAA; your effective cost will be slightly higher in CA and lower in the Plains.) AAA Fuel Prices

GPX / maps / printable

If you’d like, I can generate day-by-day GPX tracks and a printable PDF checklist (packing list + fuel stops + lodging phones) from this plan in one go.

Why this route works

Honors the historic alignment (with modern signing realities) and hits the signature US-6 experiences from the Cape to the Continental Divide to the Nevada empties. Wikipedia Federal Highway Administration
Daily miles are humane for a loaded bike, with built-in recovery days and short Rockies days to respect altitude and weather.
Service gaps and photo-op finishes are called out so you can prep and celebrate properly. Wikipedia