What to KnowThe Great Los Angeles WalkSaturday, Nov. 21Meet time: 9 a.m.Gather at the Lady of the Lake Statue in Echo Park for the walk’s kick-offThe 21st annual urban adventure will follow the entirety of Santa Monica Boulevard to the ocean in celebration of Route 66’s 100th anniversaryThe event’s end point is Santa Monica Pier, home of the famous “End of Route 66” signFree to join; bring funds for snacks and water along the way

Driving the entirety of Route 66 way back when?

Roaming the legendary Mother Road could take a road-tripper the better part of a week, if the traveler stopped at most every diner and souvenir stand along the scenic way.

But walking Santa Monica Boulevard, the final leg of Route 66 before it meets the ocean, over the colorful course of an adventure-filled, community-cool Saturday?

That won’t take a week, but rather just over six hours, depending on the pace.

That’s the path that the Great Los Angeles Walk will set out on this November, as the beloved and free event marks 21 years. And if you know your major transportation milestones, you’ll know why a portion of Route 66 was selected for this year’s outing: The Mother Road turned 100 in 2026.

Founded by writer Michael Schneider in 2006 as “a way to mark my first decade in L.A.,” the Great Los Angeles Walk has become a November tradition for many Southern Californians. You might even say that the sizable saunter has grown into a sizable celebration over the years.

Scratch that… decades.

Now hundreds of people turn up at the designated meet-up location on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, all to soak in the sights and sounds of our tremendous metropolis from a close-up vantage point, rather than from a vehicle.

The 2026 route was revealed Sept. 21, two months ahead of the Nov. 21 adventure.

You’ll meet other explorers at the Lady of the Lake statue in Echo Park, then, as a group, you’ll head up Sunset Boulevard to Santa Monica Boulevard.

After a westward turn, you’ll follow Santa Monica Boulevard all the way to the “End of Route 66” sign at Santa Monica Pier.

If you’ve joined every Great Los Angeles Walk since its plucky 2006 inception, you’ll recall walking Santa Monica Boulevard in its entirety in 2008.

Supporting local restaurants and checking out quirky and/or significant attractions, landmarks, and plaques is part of the Great Los Angeles Walk scene. “(P)eople will eventually start to space out” due to the number of participants.

“This is not a race,” advised Mr. Schneider on the 2025 Frequently Asked Questions page. “Sure, you can sprint all the way to the end, but where’s the fun in that?”

“There’s no prize for who gets there first.”

The aim is to “leisurely stroll” while admiring intriguing discoveries and longtime favorites among the shops, eateries, businesses, and bounty of locations you’ll pass by (and occasionally stop by).

There are more details to come, but the big reveal is now here: Santa Monica Boulevard, from Sunset Boulevard to the sand of Santa Monica, is the 2026 route, a take-it-all-in tribute to Route 66.

Once you do reach Santa Monica Pier, be sure to join the annual group photo, a spunky snapshot celebrating those Great Los Angeles Walkers who completed the entire invigorating, city-embracing escapade.