Arizona Official State Travel Guide - Arizona 2025-26
66 Ways to Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Route 66
2025-08-25 07:53:19
Spanning 2,448 unforgettable miles from Chicago to Los Angeles, the legendary U.S. Route 66 is more than just a road — it’s a living, ever-evolving piece of American history. When it first opened in 1926, this continuously paved highway was a marvel of its time, forging a vital link between rural towns and major cities across eight states.
In the 1930s, Route 66 became a lifeline for families fleeing the economic hardship of the Dust Bowl, offering a path to hope and opportunity out west. Following World War II, Route 66 pulsed with promise once again, as returning soldiers traveled its lanes in search of a fresh start.
Today, Route 66 beckons road-trippers with a nostalgic slice of Americana: classic diners, neon-lit motels and quirky roadside attractions. In 2026, the journey becomes even more meaningful as Route 66 celebrates its 100th anniversary with commemorative events along the route.
Pack your bags, cue up your road-trip playlist and hit the highway for a legendary adventure. Our list of 66 trip ideas will help get you started as you rediscover the road that shaped a nation.
LUPTON
1 As soon as you cross the ArizonaNew Mexico border, pull over at Yellowhorse Trading Post for authentic American Indian pottery.
HOUCK
2 Turquoise enthusiasts won’t want to miss Chee’s Indian Store, a Navajo-owned gift shop with display cases chock full of gorgeous jewelry.
8 STATES CROSSED
HOLBROOK
3 Before reaching Holbrook, drive along the 28-mile scenic road from one end of Petrified Forest National Park to the other and pull over along the way for outlooks, ancestral pueblos, crystal-laden petrified logs, striped badlands and hiking trails.
4 Also located within park grounds, explore Hopi murals while enjoying a scoop of ice cream inside Painted Desert Inn, a Pueblo Revival-style adobe structure.
5 Want your own piece of petrified wood? Pull into Stewart’s Petrified Wood Shop to purchase fossilized wood pieces, plus dinosaur bones, meteorites and crystals.
6 Peruse everything from tribal crafts to an old chuckwagon to vintage surgical equipment to Route 66 memorabilia at the Navajo County Historical Society, housed in an 1800s courthouse.
7 Snap a selfie with one of the many dinosaur statues around town, such as outside Rainbow Rock Shop and Jim Gray’s Petrified Wood Co.
8 Spend the night at the iconic Wigwam Motel, a historic landmark featuring tipi-style rooms and classic cars.
WINSLOW
9 At Homolovi State Park, enjoy fresh air and incredible sights on the half-mile, wheelchair-accessible Homolovi II Trail, which leads to the largest of the park’s archaeological sites, containing more than 1,200 rooms originally inhabited by Ancestral Puebloans.
10 Sip on an old-fashioned soda or root beer float in the retro-style Sipp Shoppe.
11 Steep in the Spanish-style architecture (designed by architect Mary Colter), picturesque gardens and Southwestern-chic rooms at La Posada, a hot spot among Hollywood’s jet set in the 1930s.
12 At 2nd Street and Kinsley Avenue in the historic district, take a picture in Standin’ on the Corner Park, which pays tribute to the Eagles tune that put Winslow’s stretch of Route 66 in the history books.
13 Visit Sept. 25–26, 2026 for the annual Standin’ On the Corner Festival for live music, a jovial beer garden, a horseshoe tournament and a live auction.
14 Enjoy a moment of quiet inside the World’s Smallest Church.
15 At RelicRoad Brewing Company, pair a craft beer with a loaded-up Southwest burger, and don’t forget a side of the house-made onion rings.
16 See exhibits about Route 66, the Santa Fe Railway, Harvey Girls and more at the free Old Trails Museum.
17 Pick up tchotchkes, vintage-style toys and cold drinks at the Meteor City Gift Shop, a historic trading post inside a geodesic dome.
18 Take a 45-minute tour of Meteor Crater Natural Landmark, where 50,000 years ago, a meteor slammed into the earth with the force of more than 20 tons of TNT, creating a crater nearly a mile across and more than 550 feet deep.
FLAGSTAFF
19 Before reaching Flagstaff, be dazzled by fast-paced casino action, live entertainment and a steak and seafood dinner at Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort.
20 At Walnut Canyon National Monument, explore the 1-mile round-trip Island Trail to see 25 ancient cliff dwellings.
21 Attend the Flagstaff Route 66 Centennial celebration June 6, 2026 with a classic car show, streetscape chalk art and nostalgic re-enactments.
22 Bowl a strike at Starlite Lanes, open since 1958.
23 Admire classic cars in all their gleaming glory at the Mother Road Classic Car Show on Aug. 15, 2026, a charity event hosted by the Route 66 Car Club of Flagstaff.
24 Scoot your boots to some country music at The Museum Club. Originally opened in 1931 as a museum and taxidermy shop, this rustic log cabin is now a jovial roadhouse.
25 Enjoy a taste of craft brews with names like Tower Station IPA or Sunday Drive American Lager at Mother Road Brewing Company.
26 Choose from 100 different flavors of shakes and malts at Galaxy Diner.
27 Stop for the “Famous Breakfast” at Miz Zip’s, a 1952 diner beloved for its hearty plates of pancakes, French toast, and biscuits and gravy, plus freshly baked pie.
28 Learn about the enduring legacy of Route 66 at the new exhibit “Wagon Road to Mother Road” at the Museum of Northern Arizona.
29 Enjoy a playful, nostalgic retreat at Americana Motor Hotel, decked out in retro style.
WILLIAMS
30 Hand-feed deer, pet a goat and kiss a camel at the 10-acre Grand Canyon Deer Farm.
31 At Bearizona Wildlife Park, drive through more than 3 miles of ponderosa pine forests while bison, bears, wolves and bighorn sheep roam the habitat. Stretch your legs around the 20-acre zoo-like setting to see even more animals.
32 Buckle up and soar through the air on the car-themed adventure ride at Route 66 Zipline.
33 Visit during the Williams Historic Route 66 Car Show from June 5–6, 2026 to see vintage and custom vehicles lining downtown.
34 See fossilized dinosaur poop (yes, you read that right) at the Poozeum, a hilarious and educational dinosaur-themed museum and gift shop.
35 At Pine Country Restaurant, peruse the many flavors of cream pie in the display case before deciding on a slice.
36 Get behind a whole different steering wheel and race against your family at Grand Canyon Go-Karts.
37 Fill up on slow-smoked barbecue like brisket and ribs at Cruiser’s Cafe 66 Bar & Grill.
38 Before leaving Williams, pick up a postcard at Route 66 Museum and Gift Shop.
$25,000 amount awarded to Cherokee runner Andy Payne, who won the 1928 “Bunion Derby,” a footrace from Los Angeles to New York City, much of it following along the then-brand-new Route 66.
ASH FORK
39 If you’re pulling over for gas in the small town of Ash Fork, make a quick trip to the donation-based Ash Fork Museum to see historic vehicles, tools, artifacts and a scale model of the luxurious Hotel Escalante, which existed from 1907 to 1968.
SELIGMAN
40 Have an ice cream sundae or banana split at Delgadillo’s Snow Cap.
41 After a day on the road, relax and rest up at The Aztec Motel & Creative Space, featuring a cute courtyard and a co-working space with games and books.
42 Stop by the colorful and quirky Angel & Vilma Delgadillo’s Original Route 66 Gift Shop, where you can pick up souvenirs and see the original barber shop of Angel Delgadillo, known as the “Guardian Angel of Route 66.” In 1978 when the opening of Interstate 40 bypassed numerous small communities, Delgadillo fought for the revival of the retired stretch of Route 66, forming the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona and ultimately convincing officials to designate Route 66 as a historic highway.
43 Satisfy a hefty appetite with the triple decker “Chubby Sandwich” and a slice of carrot cake at Westside Lilo’s Cafe.
44 Sip a sarsaparilla or old-fashioned root beer while eying the taxi-dermied animals at The Roadkill Cafe/O.K. Saloon.
45 On April 30, 2026, watch the grand unveiling of Seligman’s Route 66 Centennial Monument Signs.
46 May 1–3, 2026, join the annual drive from Seligman to Topock — dubbed the Annual Route 66 Fun Run (no actual running required) — and stop along the 140-mile stretch for events planned in nearly every community along the way.
PEACH SPRINGS
47 Visit vendors selling food and arts and crafts at Hualapai Tribal Park across from Hualapai Lodge.
48 Looking for a lunch spot with a view? Pull over at Grand Canyon Caverns & Inn to take the elevator 210 feet underground for a guided cave tour. Afterward, grab a seat at The Crystal Restaurant — nestled inside the cavern itself — for classic American eats surrounded by 360-degree views of the cave’s largest chamber.
VALENTINE
49 Let someone else do the driving while you do all the sightseeing at Keepers of the Wild. On the 1.25-hour guided safari tour, you’ll ride in an open-air vehicle through the 175-acre canyon and get in close range of more than 130 rescued animals, from lions and primates to wolves and bobcats.
HACKBERRY
50 Vintage gas pumps, rustic signs and a collection of old cars will signal that you’ve made it to Hackberry General Store, a time capsule-meets-convenience store. Head inside the ramshackle building (where the walls are plastered with license places and memorabilia) to grab a cold soda.
KINGMAN
51 Take a picture inside the Kingman Route 66 Arch before heading inside the Kingman Visitor Center, where you’ll find travel information, as well as exhibits and vintage cars at the Historic Route 66 Museum.
52 Stretch your legs at the White Cliffs Wagon Trail, part of an 1800s wagon route used to transport ore from area mines to the railroad.
53 Scoot into a booth at Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner, a teal and pink Americana dreamscape serving up comforting classics like chicken-fried steak, hamburgers, floats and sundaes — best enjoyed while Elvis croons from the jukebox.
54 Head inside the white and pink historic railroad depot that houses the Kingman Railroad Museum to see train memorabilia, artifacts and model trains.
55 See what kind of vintage treasures and rare collectibles you can find amid the packed shelves and displays at Time Was Antiques.
56 Pair a craft beer like Hippie Bus or Aiming Oil with an ultra-thick, Grandma’s-style pizza loaded with specialty toppings at Rickety Cricket Brewing.
57 On July 18, 2026 at Beale Street Theater, watch the screening of “Route 66: The Main Street of America,” a feature-length documentary celebrating America’s most beloved and historic highway.
58 From Oct. 9–10, 2026, enjoy live music, a vintage trailer show, pin-up contest, photo-booth and children’s activities during the Kingman Route 66 Fest at Lewis Kingman Park.
DETOUR
59 Approximately a 1.75-hour drive from Kingman, explore the wonders of the Grand Canyon from the horseshoe-shaped Skywalk at Grand Canyon West, a thrilling cantilevered glass bridge that extends 70 feet out over the rim of the canyon.
COOL SPRINGS
60 Pull over at Cool Springs, a historical service station turned landmark, and get a picture with the Route 66 shield in the road.
GOLDEN VALLEY
61 An 8-mile drive of 191 curves, turns and switchbacks through the mountains on the way to Oatman, the Arizona Sidewinder touts beautiful scenery and a fun drive (though not for the faint of heart).
OATMAN
62 It won’t be long before you spot one of Oatman’s free-roaming burros, descendants of miner’s pack animals during Gold Rush days. Pick up some burro chow to give them a snack and make some new friends.
63 Order a snack like seasoned potato chips or chili cheese fries inside the “Dollar Bill Bar” at the historic Oatman Hotel (famous for being where Clark Gable and Carole Lombard honeymooned). This watering hole is covered in $1 bills, perfect for a selfie backdrop.
64 On Main Street, watch the Oatman Ghost Rider Gunfighters perform a family-friendly, Old West-style shootout daily in the afternoon, blending history, theatrics and comedy.
65 If you’re visiting on Jan. 31, 2026, head down to Oatman’s main drag to watch the hilarious Oatman Bed Races, featuring pajama-clad, five-person teams racing — yes, you guessed it — beds.
TOPOCK
66 Raise a glass to toast the end of your Arizona Route 66 journey at Topock66, an open-air restaurant, bar and marina overlooking the Colorado River.
ROCK THE ROUTE 66 CHECK-IN CHALLENGE
Get the free mobile passport to visit iconic locations along Route 66. As you visit each spot, check in to be automatically entered to win cool prizes from the Arizona Office of Tourism and the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona. Scan the QR code.
PLAYLIST GET YOUR KICKS ON AZ’S ROUTE 66
Cruise down AZ’s stretch of Route 66 with Visit Arizona’s toe-tappin’ playlist full of vintage vibes and classic music legends. Scan the QR code to listen now.
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