Proclaimed the "Mother Road" by John Steinbeck, Route 66 stands as a nostalgic reminder of days past. Arizona's section of the "66" is dotted with small towns filled with quirky attractions, colorful history, road-side diners and historic restaurants and some of the most beautiful landscapes in the Southwest.
#RockTheRouteAZ
In 1926, the Bureau of Roads created the Federal Highway System and Route 66 was created from existing local, state and federal roadways hobbled together to create what the Route 66 Highway Association touted as the “the shortest, best and most scenic route from Chicago through St. Louis to Los Angeles." Businesses popped up along the route to serve travelers, but it hit its heyday after World War II when rationing ended, car ownership increased and the family roadtrip became wildly popular.
After serving as the "main street of America," Route 66 was decomissioned after 59 years and replaced by Interstate 40 — it gradually fell out of use and into disrepair — drivers instead opting for the newer, faster highway.
Route 66 may have represented the past, but to many it was forever in their memories and immortalized in American culture. Thanks to the preservation efforts of Angel Delgadillo, the main founder of the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona, Arizona can claim the longest stretch of the original Route 66 in the United States — stretching 385.2 miles from the town of Lupton on the Arizona-New Mexico border to just west of Kingman near California.
Whether heading west to east or east to west on the Mother Road, be sure to check out the quirky landmarks and destinations of Arizona’s Route 66 below:
Travel the Mother Road
Holbrook
Travelers from around the globe get their kicks in this Northern Arizona gateway to the mother road as well as to an amazing national park, the Petrified Forest.
Nature, geology, archaeology, paleontology and even architecture meet at this high-desert park. Stretching for miles on both sides of Interstate 40 and located near the town of Holbrook in Northern Arizona, Petrified…
Explore an otherworldly landscape at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Arizona's most recent volcanic eruption site, which offers unique hikes and sightseeing.
Midway between Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon, Williams' small-town charms invite lingering. This gateway to the Grand Canyon boasts a vibrant historic downtown district, plenty of lodging and dining options, and access…
A quirky small town along a preserved section of Route 66 captures a vibrant slice of Americana. Between Flagstaff and Kingman in Northern Arizona, Seligman preserves the Americana of yesteryear at the…
Journey with us as we meet some of the more unusual and famous people and places along the route, starting in Hackberry, 20 miles northeast of Kingman, and ending in Seligman.
Caleb Schiff, owner of Pizzicletta, gives his cycling buddies a taste of Flagstaff's culinary scene-a scene he helped elevate in a mountain town better known for hiking, star-gazing and high-altitude training.
Explore the Grand Canyon State your way with our Visit Arizona Experience Passes. Rock the Mother Road, discover over 50 Arizona Park locations...
Rock the Route Check-in Challenge
At nearly 100 years old Route 66 — the Main Street of America — evokes memories of roadside attractions, rock on the radio and road trips with the family where the journey was as much fun as the destination.
In Arizona remains the longest stretch of the original Route 66 in the U.S., where you’ll find a wigwam-shaped motel, a petrified forest, kitschy shops, a street corner dedicated to an Eagles song, and so much more. Now, it’s your turn to visit these and other unique landmarks with the Route 66 Check-in Challenge Passport and interactive map.
As you visit each location, be sure to check in and be automatically entered to win cool prizes from the Arizona Office of Tourism and the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona. Every check-in counts as an entry, so the more places you explore the better your opportunity to win:
4 Check-ins = A Route 66 Sticker Pack
7 Check-ins = A Retro Route 66 Magnet
While you’re exploring Route 66, be sure to share or upload your photos using #RockTheRouteAZ and we may float a Random Act of Sunshine into your DMs.
Winners of prizes will be notified via the passport portal.