Tasteful Travel

houston- copy Chile: From the desert to the mountains – and the wine that flowsbetween

A Huaso or cowboy, in the Colchagua Wine Valley.
Photo by Shelley Seale
Plaza de Armas, Santiago
Photo by Shelley Seale
Villarrica Lake, Pucon.
Photo by Shelley Seale
Atacama Desert.
Photo by Shelley Seale
Woman at the salt flats, Atacama Desert.
Photo by Shelley Seale
Valley of the Moon, Atacama Desert.
Photo by Shelley Seale
Volcano Villarrica.
Photo by Shelley Seale
Elisa Cea Epuin of La Cocina de Elisa.
Photo by Shelley Seale
Termas Geometricas.
Photo by Shelley Seale

The narrowest country in the world is, despite the sliver of land it occupies, a country of wild contrast. The north of Chile is home to the driest desert in the world while, in the south, great glaciers move among the fjords and straits that connect the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. In between these wildly diverse topographies are sophisticated cities, beaches, lakes and verdant green forest—all in the backdrop of the Andes Mountain Range.

Most visits begin in Santiago, with a vibe of energy that blends the traditional with cosmopolitan modernity. The rich cultural scene and abundance of 19^th century Beaux-Arts architecture gives it a European feel, with a decidedly South American flavor.

“A hundred years ago we wanted to be French,” says Andreas Garrido, an architect who started the Paseos en Bicicleta bicycle tour company. Bikes are a terrific way to explore the dense capitol city, and are Garrido’s only mode of transportation. “We will let the city speak to us today,” he poetically advised as we set off for Old Santiago.

From La Moneda presidential headquarters to Plaza de Armas and the colorful Central Market, there exudes a sense of Chile’s incredible, and sometimes brutal, history. “Chile is changing so rapidly, and we are right in the middle of it,” Garrido says. “Under the dictatorship, no one came here. We were always overshadowed by Buenos Aires. But now that the New York Times put Santiago as the top place to visit, everyone is coming.”

Time given to meandering the neighborhoods is also well spent, from the quiet back streets of Barrio Yungay to the bohemian Bella Vista, full of trendy restaurants, bars, shops and art galleries. Santiago is also a very literary town; visit the home of Pablo Neruda or Centro Gabriela Mistral to immerse in Chile’s Nobel Prize winning heroes. Two things not to miss in Santiago for the experience alone: a completo, a Chilean hot dog topped with mayo, tomato and avocado that is their most popular fast food; and leggy coffee, which is served in shops where the baristas wear impossibly short skirts. Basically, the Latin coffee house version of Hooter’s.

In the Desert

A two-hour flight north from Santiago, and you find yourself in another world in the Atacama Desert. The immensity of the landscape is breathtaking, miles of open red sand and rock with smoking Andes volcanoes looming over it all.

My time in the Atacama yielded some of the best moments and memories. The forbidding geography, where some places haven’t seen rain in recorded history, is home to an incredibly hardy people who have a long lineage in human history. The Atacameño people were relentlessly persecuted by the Spanish, their religion and culture and language under attack for centuries; yet somehow they have preserved a way of life that is fascinating, and very welcoming to visitors. For a real look at the history of the Atacameño, hike up the Pukara de Quitor, a fort just outside San Pedro de Atacama that was built around 900 B.C., until the Spanish overtook it centuries later.

My best day was spent wandering these ruins and then hopping on a loaner bike from the Alto Atacama Desert Lodge to explore the surrounding valleys and villages. After a traditional asado (barbeque) lunch, I visited the Salar de Atacama, the largest salt flat in Chile and third-largest in the world. It was like another planet—jagged salted rocks rising from the ground and the desert’s rare water. The salt lakes also held the most incongruous, but enchanting, sight: dozens of vivid flamingos. Three species of flamingo live in the Salar, some of the only animal life outside llamas and lizards to exist in the harsh climate.

But perhaps the most breathtaking sight in the Atacama is sunset at the Valley of the Moon. The rock formations and colorful striated mountainsides are reminiscent of the American Southwest, and with the clearest skies in the southern hemisphere, stargazing after the sun goes down provides a magical show.

“There’s something spiritual about this place,” says Kristina Schreck, co-author of Frommer’s Chile. “Patagonia is a place for your outside, but this is a place for your inside. After two or three days here, you can feel it in your soul.”

In the Mountains

The central and southern part of Chile is as different from the northern desert as is possible. An hour and half flight south from Santiago lands you near Pucón, the top outdoors destination in Chile with shimmering lakes, lush forests and rolling farmland, punctuated by the snowcapped volcanoes. Volcano Villarica is the most active, a perfectly conical cone that operates as a ski resort in the winter – providing one of the few places in the world where you can climb an active volcano, and then ski or snowboard back down.

With three national parks or reserves, at Huerquehue and Villarica, hiking through dense forests of monkey puzzle trees and huge ferns is a popular activity in this green, untamed land. There are also underground caves formed by lava flow to explore, zip-line canopy courses, rafting and kayaking, horseback riding and world-class fly-fishing in the crystal clear waters.

But despite Pucón’s draw for adrenaline junkies, the nature here is a quiet one, and many people come simply to immerse themselves in peaceful, reflective journeys. An exquisite place to do this is Termas Geométricas, a natural hot springs with more than 20 pools of varying temperatures, surrounded by forests and wooden walkways. The place has a style and feel that is more Japanese Zen than Chilean, and is a cure for both body and soul. Lying in a 40-degree-Celsius pool amid snow-covered trees and hillocks, I could literally feel all tension – indeed any coherent thoughts – melting away. Moving between differently heated thermal pools creates an increased energy in the body, and if you’re really brave you can end with a cold plunge. Afterwards, a cozy lodge is the perfect place to have tea or coffee and a light meal in front of the central firepit.

Like the Atacama, the Pucón area is also a place to explore ancient culture and cuisine. The Mapuche, Chile’s largest indigenous group, have a number of cultural centers, artisan craft cooperatives and festivals. Curarrehue is a small village where 80 percent of the inhabitants are Mapuche and the centerpoint of the culture. A small museum is also a gathering place where you can hear stories and watch demonstrations of traditional weaving or cooking. A couple of blocks away on the main square is La Cocina de Elisa, a small restaurant owned by Elisa Cea Epuin, whose culinary skills have drawn several Chilean presidents.

Wine Routes: The Road to Terroir

Spanish conquistadors must have thought they had reached Eden when they arrived in the verdant valleys and mild climate of Chile in the early 16^th century – bringing with them Vitis vinifera vines. French Bordeaux grapes arrived in the mid-1800s, along with European winemaking techniques, and a love affair was born. The most common wine grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Carmenère, and Chilean grapevines are not grafted, having remained free of the phylloxera louse which nearly destroyed France’s wine industry in 1860.

Today Chile is the fifth largest wine producing country in the world, although Chileans themselves are not big wine drinkers and the industry is mostly an export one. They prefer pisco, the national drink that is a sort of brandy made from distilled wine. Claudia Olmedo is the only pisco specialist in Chile, and co-author of a guidebook to the liquor, called 40 Grados.

“In 2005, the longest Wine Road in the world was opened in Chile,” Olmedo says. “From the Colchagua Valley, it stretches along the Tinguiririca River all the way to the coast.” That same year, the Colchagua Valley was named the best wine region in the world by Wine Enthusiast.

Centered around the colonial town of Santa Cruz, the valley is home to 18 vineyards that produce wine that is big and bold – and also some of the oldest vines in Chile. Viña Neyen de Apalta is the oldest vineyard in the region, with some vines that are 120 years old, planted by Jaime Larrain’s ancestors and remaining in his family ever since.

"We produce only one wine, a cabernet sauvignon/carmenère blend," Larrain says. "We have a lot of high-volume wineries in Chile, and they do it very well. So I decided to focus just on one, very high quality wine. It is not cheap to do, so I must achieve the highest quality.” Neyen’s wine has never received a rating of less than 90, but there have been struggles to get there. The family stopped bottling wine 60 years ago, but in 2000 Larrain brought in new technology and started production again. The original cellar, 120 years old, was destroyed during the land reform and a new one had to be built. Neyen also suffered greatly in the 2010 earthquake, but Larrain has persevered and the wine today is stellar, producing about 6,000 cases annually.

Of course, nothing pleases a wine lover more than pairing the nectar of the gods with good food. Chileans have a lovely tradition called onces, which is a sort of Latin tea or snack time. The word means “eleven” in Spanish, and is a reference to aguardiente, or “fire water,” liquor. Olmedo says onces originated as a way for the housewives to get together in the afternoon and have gossip and camaraderie, over a drink – an old-fashioned happy hour, as it were. Other tales credit 19^th century miners who invented onces as a code to hide their afternoon drinking.

Whatever the origins, it is a lovely tradition best accompanied by a glass of Chilean wine or even a pisco sour. Whether in the mountains or desert, relaxing by a serene lake or in a trendy Santiago bar – you are in Chile, my friend, so enjoy!

For more information about Chile: Visit the Turismo Chile website

For tours and day trips: Santiago Adventures

Where to Stay:

Santiago - The Aubrey

Atacama Desert - Alto Atacama Desert Lodge & Spa

Pucon - Hotel Antumalal

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Get your kicks

Texas is just the start of the ultimate Route 66 road trip

Cadillac Ranch/ Facebook

Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo is an essential stop on a Route 66 road trip.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — There are faster ways to get from Chicago to Los Angeles, but none have the allure or cultural cachet of Route 66.

To John Steinbeck, it was the Mother Road that led poor farmers from Dust Bowl desperation to sunny California. To Native Americans along the route, it was an economic boon that also left scars. To Black travelers, it offered sanctuary during segregation. And to music fans, it was the place to get their kicks.

Route 66 marks its 100th anniversary this year. Despite losing its status decades ago as one of the nation’s main arteries, people from around the world still flock to it to take perhaps the quintessential American road trip and soak in its neon lights, kitschy motels and attractions, and culinary offerings.

The dream
Route 66, which runs for roughly 2,400 miles (3,860 kilometers) from Chicago through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona before ending in Santa Monica, California, was stitched together a century ago from a collection of Native American trading routes and old dirt roads with the goal of linking the industrial Midwest to the Pacific coast.

Oklahoma businessman Cyrus Avery, known as the Father of Route 66, saw it as more than just a way to cross the country efficiently. It was a chance to connect rural America and create new pockets of commerce.

Avery knew the number 66 would be ripe for marketing and could be seared into drivers' minds, and he was right: Route 66 has been immortalized in movies, books, including Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, and songs such as Bobby Troup's “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66,” which served as an anthem for post-World War II optimism and mobility.

If you’ve ever planned to motor west and take the highway that’s the best, the year of Route 66's 100th anniversary just might be the time.

Many stretches of Route 66 may be littered with abandoned buildings and faded signs, but there's still much history and magic to be discovered. With each stop the wheels of imagination turn, leaving travelers to contemplate what life was like for the people and communities that made the road hum.

Here are essential stops and sights to see on a road trip along historic Route 66.

Somewhere along Route 66. Photo by Morten Andreassen on Unsplash

Illinois
Chicago has long been one of the country’s economic engines, with access to international waters and railroads that linked all corners of the country.

For some travelers, the journey is fueled more by the food than the scenery, and there’s plenty to choose from — slices of homemade pie, thick shakes, cheeseburgers and an assortment of fried delights.

The Cozy Dog Drive In in Springfield, the Illinois capital, is one of the many diners that sprang up along Route 66, and its breaded hot dogs on a stick have stood the test of time. Third-generation owner Josh Waldmire says the recipe is a secret.

Waldmire’s grandfather, Ed, saw the concoction’s potential as fast and convenient road food and developed a system for frying the dogs vertically.

Missouri
Route 66 has its share of twists and turns, and it’s no surprise that a highway famous for its quirky roadside attractions would cross the nation’s most famous river on one of the more peculiar bridges known to modern engineering.

As the road nears St. Louis, the mile-long (1.6-kilometer-long) Chain of Rocks Bridge hovers more than 60 feet (18 meters) above the Mississippi River.

Engineers eventually built a straighter, higher-speed option, and a poor resale market spared the original bridge from the scrap heap. Today it’s reserved for pedestrians and cyclists.

A median in Missouri is home to St. Robert Route 66 Neon Park, which features orphaned neon signs that once beckoned travelers to stop at certain sites and businesses along the highway. Often handcrafted, they weren’t only markers for motels, cafes and gas stations, but were also folk art and symbols of local culture.

Kansas
The Sunflower State hosts only a short stretch of Route 66, but it packs a punch with the Kan-O-Tex Service Station in Galena. A classic example of roadside fare, the station served as inspiration for the animated 2006 Pixar film Cars.

Director John Lasseter and his crew took road trips along the route, digging into history and looking for elements that could bring the project to life. It was in Galena where they spotted the old boom truck that served as the basis for the character Tow Mater. The plot wasn’t far off, as so many once bustling towns — like the fictional Radiator Springs — nearly faded away after being bypassed by an interstate.

Kansas also is home to the Brush Creek Bridge, otherwise known as the Rainbow Bridge. It’s on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of few remaining examples of the concrete arched bridges designed by James Barney Marsh.

Neon signs along Route 66. Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash

Oklahoma
There was a real danger for some who traveled the road, particularly Black motorists passing through inhospitable and segregated areas during the Jim Crow era. The Green Book — a guide first published in 1936 by Victor Hugo Green — listed hotels, restaurants and gas stations that would serve Black customers.

The Threatt Filling Station near Luther wasn’t listed in The Green Book, but it was a safe haven — not only for getting fuel, but for barbecue and baseball. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it was the only known Black-owned and operated gas station along Route 66.

Route 66 is littered with abandoned buildings and faded signs, but one example of the highway’s resilient spirit stands tall in Sapulpa, near Tulsa. The restored Tee Pee Drive-In Theater offers a step back into the 1950s, when the booming car culture helped spawn thousands of drive-in theaters nationwide.

Built in 1949, the drive-in officially opened in the spring of 1950 with a screening of John Wayne’s “Tycoon.” It was one of the few drive-ins at the time to have paved pathways. Over the years, it survived a tornado, a fire that destroyed the concession stand and break-ins before being shuttered for more than 20 years. It reopened in 2023.

route 66 historic district Get your kicks on Route 66 in Amarillo. Photo courtesy of Visit Amarillo

Texas
Blink and you might miss it, but a stop at the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo is a must for any Route 66 journey. For decades, visitors have been spray-painting the 10 vintage Cadillacs at the site and mulling the transitory nature of time as Bruce Springsteen did in his 1980 song of the same name.

It’s not a ranch, but rather a public art installation created in 1974 by the art and architecture collective Ant Farm. At first, the cars — which were half-buried front-down at a 60-degree angle — were used for target practice. Others would scratch their initials into the metal. The spray painting started later.

Arrive in Adrian and you’re halfway through your trip. Steps from a white line marking the midpoint of Route 66 is the Midway Cafe, where the “ugly pies” are anything but.

If you’re still hungry, head back to Amarillo for a 72-ounce (2 kilogram) steak and all the sides at The Big Texan. If you can finish the meal in an hour or less, it's free.

New Mexico
More than half of Route 66 cuts through sovereign Native American lands, often tracing routes used by tribes long before settlers arrived. Much like the railroad in the 1800s, the highway opened the door to a new era of commerce, but it also fueled stereotypes about cultures along the way.

There are still faded and crumbling references to tipis and feathered headdresses at some stops along the historic highway. The symbols were easily appropriated for marketing by roadside vendors but weren't indicative of the separate and distinct Native American cultures in the area.

Today, tribes are telling their own stories and showcasing their creations, whether it be pottery, fruit pies or poems.

Albuquerque boasts the longest intact urban stretch of Route 66. Those 18 miles (29 kilometers) pass through several neighborhoods and business districts, from historic Old Town to Nob Hill.

Some of the old motor lodges and neon signs along what is now Central Avenue have been restored. Other signs are being reimagined using hubcaps, elaborate lowrider-inspired paint jobs and New Mexico’s classic yellow and red license plates in a nod to the car culture that is very much still alive in the city.

Arizona
Musician Jackson Browne was taking his own road trip in the early 1970s when his car left him stranded in Winslow. The experience inspired the lyrics to the Eagles’ hit “Take it Easy.” But it’s certainly not the only song that is a must-have for a Route 66 playlist.

Bobby Troup created a classic American road anthem in the 1940s with “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66.” Nat King Cole, Chuck Berry, The Rolling Stones and Depeche Mode carried it through the decades, each covering the song with their own flair.

While standing on a corner in Winslow, don’t be surprised if someone saunters up with a guitar and starts strumming favorites from their own road trip playlist.

Before leaving the state, the one-time gold mining town of Oatman features a Wild West atmosphere, daily staged shootouts and beloved burros. Oatman was a destination along one of the original alignments of Route 66 via a treacherous path through the Black Mountains, but it was later bypassed as part of improvements made in the 1950s.

California
Once a desert oasis, Roy’s Motel & Café in Amboy is a quintessential Route 66 landmark. The towering neon sign is one of the most photographed spots along the road. Inside, foreign currency left by international visitors lines one wall. Across the street, a clothing post decorated with shoes, shirts and other items juts up from the desert floor.

This stretch of the highway through the Mojave Desert offers a special kind of solitude. The pavement gets rough in spots and the landscape takes charge, showing off Joshua trees, wide-open spaces and the remnants of ancient volcanic activity.

Much of the area is undeveloped, meaning it looks a lot like it would have when Route 66 was commissioned in 1926.

After making it through oft-congested Los Angeles, the iconic Santa Monica Pier marks the end of the line, and it’s nothing short of a perpetual party with a steady stream of spectators and performers. Although many stretches of Route 66 have lapsed into decay, the breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean are a reminder of the pursuits made possible by the road over the last century.

american road trip neon signs road trip route 66