History, high desert, pine forests, mountain towns and plenty of mid-century Americana are highlights of this iconic highway as it spools across the northern reaches of the state. Jump into the passenger seat and let us take you on a journey exploring every inch of Arizona’s stretch of US Highway 66. Our complete Arizona Route 66 guide reveals the best places to stop, stay, eat and explore along the Mother Road.

A brief history of Arizona’s Route 66

Exactly 385.2 miles of the fabled Route 66 winds through northern Arizona, from the state’s New Mexico border all the way to the Colorado River on the California line. On it, motorists have traversed the state’s high deserts and pine forests, passed through Navajo lands, Mormon settlements, ranch communities, timber towns and gold-mining camps, and stopped at the gas stations, cafés and motels that popped up to serve weary drivers.

In its early days, Arizona’s Route 66 was unpaved and often treacherous, winding around hairpin turns and turning into a mud bog after torrential summer rainstorms. In the 1930s, the Mother Road, as it was known, became the first US highway to be paved all the way from Chicago to Santa Monica, thanks in large part to Arizona congresswoman Isabella Greenway, who helped push through the legislation. Arizona’s Route 66 spawned many American cultural touchstones, including the 1969 movie Easy Rider, filmed partially in the state, and more recently, the Pixar animated movie Cars, inspired by Arizona stops along the road.

By 1985, the last stretch of modern-day Interstate 40 opened in Williams, Arizona, supplanting the old highway. With that, Route 66 was officially decommissioned. While some segments of the historic highway have turned to dust, many Arizona stretches are well preserved, offering delightful slices of nostalgic Americana, including the country’s longest stretch of uninterrupted Route 66 – 158 miles from Seligman to Topock.

The ultimate four-day drive

Day 1 – Holbrook to Winslow: You’ll be driving on short stretches of Route 66 when you exit Interstate 40 to explore small towns and parks. 33 miles; approximately 33 minutes of driving. Towns and parks along the way: Petrified Forest National Park, Joseph City, Homolovi State Park, Meteor Crater. Spend the night: Winslow.

Day 2 – Winslow to Flagstaff: Interstate 40 connects stretches of Route 66 in both cities. 58 miles; approximately one hour of driving. Towns and parks along the way: Winona, Walnut Canyon National Monument, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Wupatki National Monument. Spend the night: Flagstaff.

Day 3 – Flagstaff to Kingman: Veer off Interstate 40 for a long stretch of Route 66. 164 miles; approximately three hours of driving. Towns and parks along the way: Williams, Grand Canyon National Park, Ash Fork, Seligman, Grand Canyon Caverns, Hackberry. Spend the night: Kingman.

Day 4 – Kingman to Topock: Another stretch of Route 66 off Interstate 40, this one with twists and turns. 53 miles; approximately 90 minutes of driving. Towns and sights along the way: Sitgreaves Pass View Point, Oatman, Colorado River. Spend the night: Kingman (go back via Interstate 40).

Towns along the mother road

Holbrook: Founded in the late 1800s as a railway and ranching town, Holbrook sits in the midst of pastel-hued badlands, a segment of which is preserved as the Painted Desert, part of the nearby Petrified Forest National Park.

Holbrook is also a launching point for exploring the Navajo Nation and Hopi Reservation, just to the north and east. In town, the much-photographed Wigwam Motel is a 1950s wonder. Stroll down Bucket of Blood Street, the site of an 1886 gunfight, or learn about the past at the Navajo County Historical Society’s museum.

Flagstaff: At the base of snow-capped San Francisco Peaks, Flagstaff is northern Arizona’s largest mountain city. In 2001, it was designated the world’s First International Dark Sky City for its pioneering work in protecting the nighttime environment. It has an organic, outdoorsy vibe thanks to a university and access to pine-shaded hiking and mountain-biking trails, ski runs and even snowshoe paths. Counterbalancing the northwoods ambience is a vibrant foodie scene, with chef-driven restaurants and on-trend cocktail lounges.

Highlights include the historic downtown, Lowell Observatory (where Pluto was discovered) and three national monuments: Wupatki and Walnut Canyon offer glimpses of ancient Pueblo communities and cliff dwellings, while Sunset Crater Volcano is the site of a massive eruption that happened a millennium ago. The Museum of Northern Arizona offers more about natural history and Indigenous peoples.

Williams: Ranching, railways and lumber built Williams in the late 1800s, but today it boasts one of the state’s longest walkable stretches of Route 66, brimming with shops, restaurants and great dive bars.

The Grand Canyon Railway chugs visitors to the national park’s South Rim and is a star attraction, but Williams has other must-sees. Canyon Coaster Adventure Park offers thrill rides on a raised track and glissading downhill via inner tubes.

Kingman: Cattle and gold marked Kingman’s history. Today, the city’s Arizona Route 66 Museum is a Mother-Road magnet, detailing the roadway from its Native American trade-routes origins, while the adjacent Route 66 Electric Vehicle Museum showcases plug-in cars dating back to 1909.

Kingman makes a good springboard for treks to see Oatman’s wild burros, Topock’s Colorado River shores and Grand Canyon West, the Hualapai Tribe’s privately held end of the world’s most famous abyss – and home to the Skywalk, a vertiginous glass walkway that cantilevers over the canyon.

Winslow: Located in the high desert, Winslow is a railroad town, most notable today for its restored Spanish hacienda-style La Posada hotel: a Fred Harvey hostelry dating to 1930. Winslow is an arts hub thanks to the Affeldt-Minion Museum on the hotel’s property. A must-stop for Eagles music fans is Standin’ On The Corner Park, which commemorates the rock group’s hit, Take It Easy.

Winslow makes a good base camp for treks to Meteor Crater or Homolovi State Park, which preserves archaeological sites of Hopi ancestors and offers monthly stargazing parties.

The weird and the wonderful

Ride the Rabbit: In Joseph City, a big bunny invites drivers to pull over and pose. Technically a jack rabbit (a type of hare), the large fibreglass mascot has been parked in front of Jack Rabbit Trading Post since the 1940s and sports a saddle for some cowboy flair.

Dino-mite: Part of a trading post established in 1938, the Dino Drive-Thru at Meteor City lets you cruise past some 30 dinosaur statues, including a few that may have once roamed northern Arizona. Look for stegosaurus, raptors and more.

Meteoric Surprise: Just be glad you weren’t around 50,000 years ago. That’s when a meteor hit the high desert outside Winslow, creating a bowl-shaped cavity that’s 550ft deep and a mile wide. Today, Meteor Crater welcomes visitors with a discovery centre, tours and a café.

Caving In: Near Peach Springs, Grand Canyon Caverns is said to be one of the largest dry caverns in the United States. Take a tour of this limestone marvel, book a lunch down under in the restaurant or spend the night in an above-ground cabin.

Immortalise your car: Route 66’s vintage highway signs now adorn everything from key chains to T-shirts. In Kingman, you can drive through a garage-sized version of the classic shield, stopping long enough for a picture. By night, neon lights illuminate the setting

Home of the Bray: Oatman, a former gold-mining town with an Old West ambience, is well-known for its four-legged panhandlers. Wild burros, descendants of miners’ donkeys, roam the streets brazenly braying for handouts – and amiably posing for photos.

Head Case: He’s big, green, silent and sports a prominent brow. Outside Kingman, artist Gregg Arnold’s Giganticus Headicus is a 14ft-tall, Easter Island-ish statue that stands guard over Route 66.

Where to spend the night

Wigwam Motel: Since 1950, this Holbrook hostelry has been welcoming guests to 15 concrete, tipi-shaped guest cottages, where cosy accommodations include one or two beds and a private bathroom. Once part of a chain of conical Native American-themed motels, this Holbrook location is now on the US National Register of Historic Places.

Americana Motor Hotel: Originally opened in 1962 as a roadside motel, Flagstaff’s Americana Motor Hotel has been updated into a hipster haven with a space-age theme. It’s big on nostalgic touches such as wood-panelled rooms and vivid ’60s colour schemes. Check out the 89 rooms, outdoor pool, firepits, canned adult drinks and lawn games. It’s pet-friendly too, so you might make a furry friend.

La Posada: Hospitality entrepreneur Fred Harvey and noted architect Mary Colter collaborated on Winslow’s La Posada, the grand railroad hotel that opened in 1930, and where the likes of Clark Gable, Hopalong Cassidy, Lionel Barrymore and John Wayne spent the night. Now lovingly restored, the rambling, Spanish rancho-style inn offers 54 rooms, a restaurant, shop, gardens and an art gallery.

Red Garter Inn: Red Garter Inn is an intimate place to spend the night in Williams. Its history is also quite intimate, to say the least. Opened in 1897 as a saloon with a bordello upstairs, the building’s front overlooked the railroad and, later, Route 66, allowing the ladies of the night to hang out of the windows for marketing purposes. Today, the restored hospitality enterprise boasts four charming rooms and a breakfast restaurant. And there’s nothing dirty going on.

El Trovatore Motel: Opened in the 1930s as a gas station and motel, funky 20-room El Trovatore in Kingman beckons with its towering vintage neon street sign and mural-covered walls – including a painting of the Route 66 map that’s 206ft in length. Rooms have Hollywood themes as a nod to movie stars like Marilyn Monroe, Charles Bronson and James Dean, said to have stayed here while travelling between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

Where to eat on Arizona’s Route 66

Delgadillos Snow Cap Drive-In: Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In has been a roadside landmark in Seligman since 1953, serving up hot dogs, burgers, burritos, tacos and shakes with a side of humour – such as the ‘cheeseburger with cheese’ or the ‘dead chicken’ sandwich. Still family-run, this classic drive-in, emblazoned with hand-painted signs, even has its own Wikipedia entry.

Atria: Flagstaff has become a hub for indie, chef-driven restaurants, and Atria – set in an old storefront – is among the most acclaimed. Chef Rochelle Daniel tempts with appetisers like roasted bone marrow and squash agnolotti, before delving into Iberico pork pluma, Sonoma duck, smoked short ribs and other mains. The wine list travels the world and includes an Arizona selection or two.

Proper Meats & Provisions: Opened in 1942, Grand Canyon Cafe was a fixture along Flagstaff’s stretch of Route 66 for decades. Proper Meats & Provisions, a nouvelle butchery, took over the space, preserving its art-moderne diner vibe. Their classic deli sandwiches, like the pastrami, Reuben and turkey club, are big enough to share, as are the gourmet offerings, such as the chicken-confit BLT or the pork-rich Cubano.

Cruisers Route 66: In Williams, Cruisers Route 66 is a monument to the Mother Road, bedecked with neon signs, vintage gas pumps and other artefacts. With its ’50s diner decor, the restaurant’s outdoor patio puts you just inches from Route 66 – while the menu goes down the usual burgers/nachos/wings route. Specialities include smoked brisket and a classic banana split.

Pine Country Restaurant: Who says you can’t eat pie for breakfast? Sure, Pine Country Restaurant in Williams serves up omelettes, lunchtime sandwiches and roast-beef dinners, but plus-size wedges of pie are the key attractions. Flavours vary daily, but coconut cream, chocolate-peanut butter, lemon meringue, apple, and strawberry cream cheese are usually among those displayed in a glass case for your choosing.

Kingman Airport Cafe: Sandwiched between Route 66 and an active runway, Kingman Airport Cafe is an under-the-radar spot for food and history. Founded as a World War II aerial gunnery training base, the airport complex returned to civilian use in 1949 and now also serves as an airline boneyard. Try the ‘Bombardier’ breakfast with corned beef hash and eggs or, for lunch, the ‘Swissair’ burger, topped with – yes – Swiss cheese.

Turquoise Room: At Winslow’s La Posada hotel, the Turquoise Room is infused with Native American and Southwestern culture, both in decor and menu. Start with a prickly pear margarita, then sample the yin-yang flavours of black bean and cream of corn in the signature soup, the churro lamb meatballs or pork carnitas. Save room for the cinnamon-scented Mexican chocolate brownie.

Where to capture the best photos

At the depot: Stalk the Grand Canyon Railway’s depot in Williams before the train departs for Grand Canyon National Park to get shots of vintage diesel and steam locomotives and passenger cars.

Bridging the Gap: Topock and the Colorado River mark one end of Arizona’s Route 66. Park to get a snap of the Old Trails Bridge: a graceful, historic span that carried cars across the river from 1916 to 1948.

Donkey tails: Oatman’s adorable burros are pack animals set loose after the gold mines closed in the 1940s. Today, the diminutive donkeys wander the streets demanding granola bars, but willingly posing for pictures.

Generally speaking: Hackberry General Store outside Kingman opened in 1935. Today, the souvenir shop offers rustic visuals with vintage gas pumps, road signs and the remains of cars that once travelled the Mother Road.

I-cone-ic: Holbrook’s circa-1950 tipi-shaped Wigwam Motel cabins are kitschy fun, with vintage cars that also beg to be immortalised by every passing Route 66 traveller.

Such a fine sight to see: Standin’ On The Corner Park in Winslow commemorates singer/songwriter Jackson Browne’s Take It Easy, a hit song covered by the Eagles. There’s a bronze statue of Browne and a flatbed Ford, referencing the Winslow-centric lyrics.

Ride the rabbit: In Joseph City, Jack Rabbit Trading Post’s extra-large saddled hare has been saying “take a picture of me” since the 1940s.

Volcanic nature: Otherworldly lava-flow trails provide the foreground for a volcano that erupted in 1085 at Sunset Crater National Monument near Flagstaff.

Big bang theory: Pose a friend or loved one along the rim of Meteor Crater for human scale – then try to imagine the enormity of the asteroid that made this mile-wide hole.

Beautiful Badlands: As part of Petrified Forest National Park, the Painted Desert’s sherbet-hued badlands geology is best shot late in the day from viewpoints along the park’s rim trail.

Detours worth taking

Pine and Strawberry: Follow the road less travelled (specifically, the one heading south out of Winslow) for a little more than an hour to the pine-scented twin towns of Pine and Strawberry. Sited along the Mogollon Rim, the escarpment that stretches along 200 miles of central Arizona, the communities were originally Mormon settlements established in the late 1800s. Recently, urbane weekenders have been drawn by the area’s new inns and restaurants, as well as Pine Creek Canyon Lavender Farm, which offers bath bombs, balms, beard oils and more. The area is also a launching point for more than 100 miles of trails for hikers and mountain bikers. Drive a little further south to find Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, home to what’s thought to be the largest natural travertine bridge in the world. Hiking trails, picnic spots and exhibits in the historic lodge building beckon.

Grand Canyon National Park: Yes, it’s the obvious journey, but you’re in Arizona – as if you’re not going to see one of the world’s wonders! Located about an hour’s drive north of Williams, the national park’s South Rim is a small village of rustic hotels, shops, museums, man-made attractions and places to eat along the edge of the spectacular abyss carved by the Colorado River below. The adventurous can tackle trails into the canyon, join guided mule rides or take bicycle tours along the rim. Everyone else can simply enjoy the scenic viewpoints and wander through historic buildings designed by noted architect Mary Colter. Cultural landmarks include the Kolb Studio (built in 1904), once home to pioneering photographers and now a gallery and performance space celebrating the canyon’s artistic legacy.

Don’t feel like driving to the park? Ride the Grand Canyon Railway’s vintage trains from Williams. If you’re planning on staying overnight inside the park, book campsites or hotels well ahead, particularly during peak summer months.

Dates for your diary

Route 66 Festival & Car Show – April (Holbrook): Classic cars take centre stage at this festival celebrating Route 66 motoring culture. Expect live entertainment, food stalls and plenty of chrome-gilded nostalgia.

Seligman Centennial Celebration – Late April (Seligman): One of Route 66’s spiritual homes marks the centennial with new monument signs and a full day of festivities – in the town that helped save the Mother Road.

Route 66 Fun Run – May (Seligman to Kingman to Topock): The oldest Route 66 celebration in the US sees vintage cars cruise a 140-mile stretch of historic highway, with events town by town.

Williams Car Show – June (Williams): A two-day downtown takeover with around 500 vehicles on display, turning this town into one of Arizona’s biggest and most photogenic Route 66 car gatherings.

Route 66 Centennial Event – June 6th (Flagstaff): A free, day-long, family-friendly celebration with re-enactments, a classic car show and streetscape chalk art in the only dark sky city
on Route 66.

Standin’ on the Corner Festival – September (Winslow): Two days of live music, food and festivities inspired by that famous Eagles lyric, centred on one of Route 66’s most well-loved street corners.

Kingman Route 66 Fest – October (Kingman): A two-day festival mixing live music, Route 66 displays and art installations in one of the key Mother Road hubs.

Photos for “Total Guide to Arizona Route 66”: An Pham Media, Dan Shewmaker, Arizona Office of Tourism, Shen Pei, Mark W. Lipczynski, NPS,  John Lutz, Wupatki National Monument, Flagstaff Convention and Visitors Bureau, Verde Canyon Railroad, Arizona Office of Tourism, Meteor City, Pinky, Route 66 Association of Arizona, Dreamstime, Kingman Office of Tourism, Practice Hospitality, Dreamstime, Kim Ulmanis, Cruisers Cafe, Jessica Dunham, Rieser Stills, Grand Canyon Village, Sirena Dufault.