2022-08-31 09:35:58
Get a dose of neon nostalgia with these restored relics down Route 66 and beyond. As U.S. car culture boomed in the 1950s and ‘60s, so did neon signs, lighting the way to roadside motels, diners and kitschy stops for traveling road trippers. In Williams, drive the Neon Loop through town to get a taste of the old Route 66 days, especially at night when the street glows from the neon lights of saloons, restaurants, motels and shops. Bask in the beautifully colored and vibrant lights in the 4-acre, outdoor Neon Lights Park in downtown Casa Grande, showcasing 14 lovingly restored and salvaged signs mostly from the 1950s. And a block north of Route 66 in Kingman, you’ll find the iconic “Kingman Club,” now reopened as Rickety Cricket Brewing on Beale Street. Many Route 66 travelers make a point of finding the neon sign, making it one of the most-photographed sites in Kingman. If your travels take you south to Tucson, be sure to check out the Ignite Sign Art Museum. Miracle Mile, Oracle Road and Drachman Street—collectively known as Tucson’s “Miracle Mile Strip”—was a haven for neon, when flashing signs beckoned to road-weary visitors. Today, one of the most recognizable signs is the 30-foot “Gateway Saguaro,” designed by local artist Dirk J. Arnold and installed in 2010, though nearby Drachman Street is lined with original midcentury signs.
©Arizona Official Travel Guide. View All Articles.