My Route 66 adventure:

I suppose anything with decent fuel mileage, cruise control and a decent trunk will work. The important thing is to give yourself time - a minimum of 7 days, with more being better - and have a copy of Jerry McClanahan's "EZ66 Guide" with you at all times. You can learn more at https://www.facebook.com/groups/846509458891412/.

 

I've driven most of 66, albeit not at once and in segments, cruise control when you get out west would be a definite plus. I'd add a fully charged cell phone and top level AAA membership...T

 

Probably a good idea. The stretch west of Seligman, where you are well away from I-40, feels pretty remote at times, ditto for the stretch thru Oatman and even between Barstow and Needles.

 

Great post! Love it!


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On our move west from VA, wife and I stopped in Seligman, AZ for lunch in mid December. During our meal, three cowboys, and I mean real wranglers, stopped in for their meals. I would have guessed the three men were in their early 30s.

Their attire was right out of any period western film from the 19th century, and their winter clothing showed all the earmarks of being heavily abused. Likewise, their faces were brown and leathery.

We knew we had reached the real West.

 

Next year, I'll be driving from Atlanta to Las Vegas for a hobby convention in August, and the direct route already includes about 1/2 of Route 66, from Oklahoma City to Kingman. I've already determined that I can add a little more by driving up to Paducah, KY first and then cutting over to Springfield, MO, which appears to be four-lanes most of the way. I figure that I can catch some of the places that I missed on my trip last year, especially if I follow that routing in both directions.

If you haven't seen it yet, there's a good bimonthly magazine called ROUTE that originated in 2018 and has both interesting articles and advertisements. It's not necessarily entirely devoted to 66, but for most intents and purposes, it is.

https://www.routemagazine.us/

 

Hopefully you get a chance to choose something more exiting/interesting to drive than a modern Civic or some other late-model “appliance”.
Trust me, it will make a huge difference in experience.

 

Having driven across the U.S. in just about every direction for more than couple of dozen times in past 35+ years, with exception of 1 or 2, the ones in classic/vintage cars were all exceedingly adventurous and memorable.

 

when we can finally bust out of jail and AZ is safe we are doing a 7-10 day ride through northern AZ, Grand Canyon sites, Rte 66 and on to LAS. Maybe in the spring?

 

will share our proposed itinerary and agenda for the trip and would very much appreciate guidance and advice of my valued colleagues here on F Chat

 

THX. What a great travel diary.

 

Gentlemen. May I have your insights, opinions, recommendations and guidance on our proposed trip (once it is safe). We have never driven through this part of the country. Here's the plan: Fly into PHX and spend night in Scottsdale. Then a night or two in Sedona. Then up to Page for two nights. First day do Vermillion Cliffs loop on 89 and Alt 89. Second day boat trip and Glen Canyon. Then down to El Tovar (opinions on this lodge?) for a night. Then down 64 to Williams and 40 and Rte 66 to LAS. Is there anything worth seeing / doing or place worth staying between Williams and Kingman? Thanks for your consideration and all advice welcomed , Keith

 

The train from Williams to the Grand Canyon is nice tourist excursion. Basically an all day affair with a return around dinner time. There are a number of motels in Williams from which to chose for an overnight stay. A lot of RVs this time of year, however, who knows given the COVID situation. There is a great cafe in Williams that sells quite an assortment of hand made pies on the west side of 2nd Street.

Parts of 66 parallel I-40 for local color and restaurant selections, e.g., Seligman

Rt 93 from Kingman to the damn dam is ruler straight; you can get off the bypass to visit the Hoover visitor center and follow the story how the dam was built and observe how low the water levels have deteriorated.

 

In June 2010 I had business in the Phoenix area but some extra time. I drove up to Williams and stayed two nights at a motel right on Route 66 a few blocks from downtown. Williams is much higher than Phoenix and thus much cooler, so I had dinner outdoors and they actually closed the street and had a bit of a wild-west show; there was also a band of youngsters dressed in Civil War uniforms and playing music from that era.

The next day I took the Grand Canyon Railway to the south rim. They had another wild-west show before we boarded, and on the return trip we were stopped and boarded by "desperados" who were actually collecting money for charity; the kids had a ball!

There was enough time at the rim to have a nice lunch at El Tovar and walk along the rim to enjoy the spectacular view and watch the local condors. The Grand Canyon is probably the one place I've been to in my life that one MUST experience in person!

Seligman is between Williams and Kingman and should be experienced. Angel Delgadillo, who started the Historic Route 66 movement that saved a lot of properties along the entire road, has a barbershop that is also a gift shop and visitor's center. The Snow Cap drive-in a block east was run by his late brother Juan and is worth a look. Although I haven't eaten there, the Roadkill Cafe is apparently worth a meal, and the Historic Route 66 motel is the place to stay. Seligman is fairly close to I-40.

 

Thanks boys, keep 'em coming. Great stuff Jim. I have read your opening posts here 3 times.

 

Sorry, but I just discovered this thread. What a fantastic write up. You nailed all the cool details. Made the trip from Michigan to LA via Rte.66/40 3 times during the early-mid ‘70’s. In my wife’s VW Beetle.
One of the comments stated the Cadillac Ranch was a disappointment. Today it is a disaster. However, in May 1974, I had just graduated from design school in LA and was making the trip to Michigan to commence my career. Just outside of Amarillo, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a weird apparition. There seemed to be a row of cars buried in a field. Mouth agape, I slammed on the brakes to get a better view. There it was, a row of Cadillacs buried In a line, facing LA. I thought I had been in school too long and had lost my mind. My wife assured me that wasn’t the case. Arriving in Michigan, I found out the Ant Farm Collective had completed an ‘art installation’ in Texas.
Unfortunately over the years, everyone and their brothers felt the need to graffiti paint the vehicles. And evidently it wasn’t discouraged. What a waste of a very cool work. But when I saw it freshly installed, it was truly a sight to behold.
Your coverage of all the other cool sites on that trip brought back some great memories.
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Exactly one year ago on this date, I was enjoying a nice, comfortable evening in Tucumcari, NM, sitting on the patio at the Motel Safari chatting with some Dutch tourists who were also staying there.

Right now, it is 41 degrees there, with rain in the area and winds gusting to 45 MPH! What a difference a year makes! 2020 strikes again!

 

I've posted some of my thoughts on that area and routes here before, but not sure where. There were some other good threads on this too (albeit without the OP's awesome photos).

Off the top of my head, my highlights/recommendations for that area (in no particular order):

- Kingman to Oatman section of Route 66 Drive (imho far and away - and I mean "far" - the single must-do section of Route 66 in CA/AZ. Put simply, I've driven all of Route 66 out here and if I hadn't done this section, I would have wondered what all the fuss was about.)

- Monument Valley (stay in the little cabins on the northside of the indian-owned property) do the full loop drive inside their "park" - after GC, Bryce and Zion, the most impressive natural site in the region imho - closely followed by Arches if pressed. If you liked The Searchers - and a dozen other movies - its a pretty cool place to check out. The sunrise and sunset views from the little cabins are amazing (and from the nearby restaurant and viewing areas). Unforgettable imho.

- North rim of the GC drive (past vermillion cliffs, past the bison to the north rim vistor center for lunch with a view)

- GC El Tovar and south rim drive

- I wouldn't stay in Page unless the itinerary called for a night there. The boat tour of the lake/cliffs is only "okay"

- Sedona (Oak Creek canyon drive north to Flag)

- Stopping, driving over and parking, and walking Hoover dam is a must-do

- Scottsdale - there have been many threads here re where to stay and where to eat and what to see (the Botanical Garden is pretty good if that is of interest to you, and of course FLW's Taliesin West. Search for recs or ask here if you want some - tell us food/ambiance wants).

 

After passing I-40, the first 10-or-so miles of road is straight and level, and has only a 45 mph speed limit, since there are a number of "washes" that cross the road and at times of the year, it could be under water. I set my cruise control at about 49 and relaxed. Having just gassed up in Kingman before leaving town, I was astonished to see the tank MPG meter in my Honda Civic keep climbing, all the way up to 51 MPG, a number I had never seen in the car before!

Of course, after that, the road starts climbing and twisting, all the way up to Sitgreaves Pass. I believe the speed limit drops to 25, and you couldn't go much faster than that. I wondered how the dust bowl refugees, heading that way in often dilapidated vehicles, managed to do that section of road. (The replacement for the road, the section that was later utilized for I-40, didn't open until, I believe, 1948.) After that twisty climb, stopping in Oatman was a nice change of pace, though I was disappointed that I missed seeing any of the resident burros!

 

Happy birthday to Route 66, established on Nov. 11, 1926!

 

If any of you are planning to do the Route in 2021, you might want to consider picking up a copy of "Route" magazine at your local newsstand. It's a bimonthly with some lively articles, not entirely about 66 but about driving older roads in general. The new issue has articles about "muffler men" and about the Rail Haven motel in Springfield, MO, one of the classic motels on the Route. Even more valuable might be the many ads about attractions and cities on the Route.

 

Thanks again Jim. As soon as it is safe (and we are lucky enough to get our vaccines) we are making our long awaited AZ - Route 66 - LAS 2 week trip. I willc heck to see if Route mag has an on-line version. Cheers and HNY, Keith

 

If you're staying in Kingman, I can recommend the El Trovatore motel, Mr. D'z Diner, and the museum at the Powerhouse visitor's center.

 

What is best high end hotel in Scottsdale? The El Tovar gets mixed reviews for service, food quality, etc. but I think it's a must stay for one night just for the view and history. Yes? Thanks

 

Janet and I will have our second vaccines in a couple of weeks, and safety permitting, are planning our AZ driving tour in Mid May. Any new suggestions (best luxury hotel Scottsdale and Sedona) most welcomed. Thanks for all of the insights and recommendations already shared. We're flying into PHX, driving around, and then out Rte. 66 to LAS. Still planning on El Tovar for a night for the history and the view, although service and food quality reviews aren't so hot. Thanks! Keith