Northern Arizona consists of more than 200 miles of highway along historic Route 66, featuring more than a dozen historic cities and town, national parks and monuments. A road trip on route 66 is so much fun for the family! You will find below 5 Route 66 attractions in Arizona worth seeing.
Arizona Route 66 attractions
Travellers on Route 66 see sweeping vistas of mountains, canyons and pine forests. It’s like taking a nostalgic journey back in time, with building and structures that look the same as they did when the affectionately called “Main Street of America” was constructed in 1926.
1. Petrified Forest National Park, Holbrook, AZ
On Route 66 in Arizona, you can see the Petrified Forest National Park. The Petrified Forest is a 93,533-acre concentration of multicoloured petrified woods in the badlands of the Painted Desert. The site contains 200-million-year-old fossils, historic structures and Native American archeological sites. Navajo and Hopi natives put on cultural demonstrations during the summer months, November and March, including dancing, singing, basket weaving and crafts.
2. Flagstaff, AZ
Flagstaff, the home of Northern Arizona University, boasts ponderosa pine forests, the 12,000-foot San Francisco Peaks and the Coconino National Forest. It offers year-round entertainment options, including ski slopes in the winter. Flagstaff has historic areas that pay homage to the lumbermen, ranchers, railroad workers and Native Americans who shaped it. The Flagstaff Convention & Visitors Bureau has created a historic walking tour of places and attractions on route 66 in Arizona.
3. Seligman, AZ
Seligman, a Route 66 town, was once a railroad camp and a tourist stop on this historic highway. In the late 1970s, the town, like so many on Route 66, was bypassed with the construction of the interstate 40 highway system. The Copper Cart diner, Roadkill Steakhouse and the Snow Cap drive-in still operates in the town, as well as a few historic motels. Visitors can shop for Route 66 souvenirs at the town’s gift shop.
4. Peach Springs, AZ
Peach Springs, located along an unspoiled stretch of historic Route 66, is the tribal home of the Hualapai Indian Reservation and contains dozens of unpaved roads along Peach Springs Canyon and Havasu Canyon, part of the Grand Canyon. The reservation covers more than a million acres which can be driven during the dry season and access undeveloped sections of the Grand Canyon.
5. Kingman, AZ
Kingman, called the Heart of historic Route 66, is the gateway to Hoover Dam and Lake Mead and is the home of the Historic Route 66 Museum. Outdoor lovers have ample space for fishing and hiking. Historic downtown has 60 National Register of Historic Places, including St. Mary’s Catholic Church, the Bonelli House, Locomotive Park, Hotel Beale and Hotel Brunswick. The Mohave Museum of History and Arts and the Kingman Powerhouse provide walking tour guidebooks.
Northern Arizona has hundreds of Route 66 attractions that predate the construction of the historic highway. Several structures built after its construction has disappeared; however, some places have maintained their charm. The Route 66 Association of Arizona and other historic societies have worked hard to preserve landmarks on this road that connected parts of the United States together.
I would love to visit Arizona so beautiful