Your 2026 Route 66 Bucket List

26 Things to Experience on the Route in AZ

1. The Petrified Forest National Park: Stretching for miles on both sides of Interstate 40 in northern Arizona, Petrified Forest National Park is a high-desert geologic treasure chest, where visitors can experience one of the world’s largest and most vibrantly colored assemblies of petrified wood, historic structures, tools, and archaeological sites. Visitors can experience the park by car on the 28-mile-long Main Park Road, visiting the museum exhibits, walking one of the short maintained trails, or even hiking into the backcountry. The only national park in the country that includes and protects a section of historic Route 66. It's an original alignment off 66 and the pavement was actually taken out, but if you look hard enough, you can see the roadbed.
2. Meteor Crater and Barringer Space Museum: See the best preserved meteor impact site on the planet. A 550-foot-deep bowl is all that remains of a meteor weighing several hundred thousand tons that crashed into Earth 50,000 years ago. Meteor Crater not only preserves the site but lets you walk the rim on an informative guided tour. Other attractions at the center include a 4D immersive experience, a space museum and discovery center, an Apollo 11 space capsule, a short film, and a gem and mineral store.
3. Meteor City: Reopened in May 2025, and is bout 20 miles west of Winslow, and gives travelers plenty of reasons to aim for the off-ramp. Housed in a distinctive geodesic dome, the old trading post has been reimagined as a vintage roadside attraction, brimming with games, gifts, and photo ops. The high-ceilinged dome contains a quirky mix of activities. Ride a dinosaur, enter a hurricane simulator, mine for gemstones, test your skill at a shooting range, pose with an alien, drive though a lane of dinosaurs, and plenty more.
4. Seligman: A charming, historic, and colorful town known as the Birthplace of Historic Route 66, with quirky shops and diners. Stop by the newly opened Highway Hotdog for a hotdog, espresso, gelato, and a cigar! Visit the place where the rebirth of Route 66 all began- Angel & Vilma Delgadillo's Original Route 66 Gift Shop.
5. Standin' on the Corner Park: When songwriter Jackson Browne wrote The Eagles' famous hit "Take it Easy," with its iconic line about standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona, he was actually driving through Flagstaff. But he thought Winslow had a better ring to it. Route 66 trundles through the heart of Winslow, and at the center of town you'll find this corner park. A life-size statue of a man with a guitar perches in front of a two-story mural that pays tribute to the popular 1970s song. In September, Winslow hosts a Standin' on the Corner Festival featuring Eagles cover bands. The town estimates that 100,000 people stop by every year simply to stand on its corner.
6. The Old Route 66 Parks Store: The original Parks General Store was built in 1906- predating Route 66! Previously known as the Parks in the Pines Store & Deli, this establishment has seen different owners over the years. Veronica and Paul Hausmann remodeled and reopened the establishment, now called the Old Route 66 Parks Store, in 2025 with the help of their family. Today travelers can stop in for food, vintage candy, Route 66 memorabilia, and a glimpse into the past.

7. Oatman: The former mining town of Oatman sports all the hallmarks of its Gold Rush past: plank sidewalks, burros descended from those brought by miners in the 1800s, and Old West buildings. Enjoy live gunfight reenactments and interact with the friendly burros. Stop by the historic Oatman Hotel that has more than 100,000 dollar bills tacked the walls. The oldest note — framed behind the bar — dates to 1923. The tradition started with miners who needed a safe way to store their money, and continues today as tourists from all over the world leave a bill or two.

   Drive between Oatman and Kingman: Enjoy some of the most jaw-dropping scenery of the Mother Road on the portion of Route 66 between Oatman and Cool Springs, known as the Arizona Sidewinder. 8 miles packed with 191 curves, the old highway curls through rocky hills that go shambling off in all directions. Just past milepost 30 (on your way out of Oatman), watch for the pullout on your right with steps cut into the rock. These lead up to Shaffer Fishbowl Spring, a tiny desert waterhole, crucial for wild burros and bighorn sheep, and home to a few goldfish.

8. Jack Rabbit Trading Post: The notable "Here It Is" sign features an outsized silhouette of a jackrabbit, a kitschy attempt once used to encourage Route 66 motorists to stop. In this case, it also inspired the Ford Model T silhouette signage in the Disney movie "Cars." The jackrabbit is one of several Mother Road mascots beloved by Route 66 fans. An early owner of the trading post painted 30 jackrabbits on the building's roof to catch the attention of passersby. This evolved into a billboard campaign stretching more than 1,000 miles — from here to Springfield, Missouri — featuring rabbits. Today, you can take your picture by a huge fiberglass bunny in front of the trading post, then "hop" inside to shop.
9. The Wigwam Motel: Sleep in a concrete teepee at one of only three remaining Wigwam Motels in the country. The first Wigwam Motel — part of a chain called Wigwam Villages — was built in 1937. More soon followed in Florida, Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, California and Arizona. Only three remain open today, including two on Route 66. Each guest-room is a standalone, surprisingly large "teepee." In a nod to the motel's Route 66 location, parked among the 15 teepees are colorful vintage cars in pristine condition.
10. Winslow’s Historic La Posada Hotel: Designed by Mary Colter in the 1920s, La Posada was considered to be the finest resort hotel in the Southwest—and served as the Arizona headquarters of the Santa Fe Railway. When you enter the historic cool interior of La Posada, you're stepping inside a stunning example of Southwest architecture and design rivaled only by the hotel's rich history. The structure served as a Harvey House, a high-end stop for railroad passengers to dine, and was also a coveted destination for 1930s Hollywood glitterati like Howard Hughes, Mary Pickford, Jane Russell, and Clark Gable. Today, join a tour led by an original Harvey Girl—women who worked at Harvey Houses on the railroad—wander the gardens, eat at the restaurant or spend a night in the well-appointed guest rooms.
11. Hackberry General Store: When Route 66 came through Hackberry in 1926, this store was a popular desert stop. In later years, it was owned by famed Mother Road artist Bob Waldmire—he was also the sole resident in Hackberry from 1992-1997. The community of Hackberry is located about a mile from the store, you have to travel a dirt road, under a Railroad bridge, through a wash, and into the twilight zone... but you can see the town that was featured in the 1969 film Easy Rider. Even though the Hackberry General Store no longer serves as a fuel stop, you can still see an impressive collection of vintage gas pumps, as well as original Burma Shave signs, hundreds of old license plates, classic cars parked around the property and other Route 66 odds and ends. The store also sells sodas, and snacks, and souvenirs.
12. Topock66: An oasis in the Mojave Desert, Topock66 is the first Route 66 stop in Arizona—or last, depending on your travel direction. It's also across from the now-defunct Old Trails Arch Bridge, which carried Route 66 drivers across the Colorado River from 1916 to 1948. Topock66 offers travelers a waterside respite. Situated on the banks of the Colorado River, the destination features a restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner—a perfect refueling stop for the tummy no matter the time of day. If you have a few hours, relax on Topock 66's patio, complete with an outdoor pool, swim-up bar, and river views galore.
13. Bearizona: Bearizona is approximately 160 acres. Visitors will drive through more than three miles of Ponderosa Pine Forest, viewing North American animals in natural habitats when they visit. More animals are exhibited in Fort Bearizona, a beautiful 20-acre walk-thru area, along winding paths which is more of a “zoo” typesetting.
14. Keepers of the Wild: There's nowhere else on Route 66 where visitors get a chance to see over 150 wild animals—lions, tigers, wolves, bears, primates, and wildlife indigenous to the Southwest—up close and personal. Keepers of the Wild is a nonprofit sanctuary for abandoned, neglected, or retired wildlife. The organization opened its doors to the public, welcoming visitors to embark on a guide-led safari where they can meet the animals and hear fascinating and heartfelt stories about how each came to find a new home at Keepers of the Wild.
15. Affeldt-Mion Museum: Affeldt Mion Museum is located in the 1930 Depot at La Posada Hotel, and celebrates the artists who have contributed to the rich cultural heritage of Winslow Arizona. Home to the World’s Largest Navajo Rug and other art exhibits.
16. Poozeum: Poozeum celebrates coprolites, aka fossilized feces, with thousands of specimens on display. See “Barnum,” the world’s largest coprolite, and pose with a four-foot titanosaur poop replica. It’s weird, it’s free and it’s surprisingly educational! The Poozeum is the only museum in the world dedicated to the research and display of coprolites.
17. Lowell Observatory: Founded in 1894 and one of the oldest observatories in the U.S., Lowell Observatory continues to be a research facility and instrumental in major discoveries including the first detection of the expanding nature of the universe, the rings of Uranus, the atmosphere of Pluto, moon mapping for the Apollo program as well as scores of others. The Observatory visitor center offers interactive, hands-on exhibits. Guided daytime tours that take visitors to the 24-inch Clark Telescope, built in 1896, the historic Rotunda library museum and the original 13-inch Pluto Discovery Telescope. Evening programming includes an open house at the Putnam Collection Center where visitors can look at historic items from the Observatory's collection, films, science demonstrations, a constellation tour and evening telescope viewing.
18. Osterman Service Station: Built in 1929, the Osterman Gas/Service Station is one of few remaining commercial buildings in Peach Springs from the early twentieth century. By the mid-twentieth century, Peach Springs was one of the busiest communities along Route 66 between Kingman and Flagstaff. The Osterman Gas Station exemplifies the privately-owned businesses that thrived along the historic route, catering to travelers and tourists before Interstate 40 was completed in 1979 and traffic on the “Mother Road” drastically slowed.
19. Ash Fork Route 66 Museum: Home to some 50 stone quarries, Ash Fork is known as "The Flagstone Capital of the World." Learn about this unique claim to fame and more at the Ash Fork Route 66 Museum. The Route 66 Museum shares details of the town's railroad history, stone mining industry, and Route 66 culture with interactive displays, dioramas, artifacts, even a scale model of Ash Fork's Harvey House, Escalante.
20. Grand Canyon Caverns: Welcome to the largest dry caverns in the United States. A stunning underground network of limestone caves located just outside Peach Springs, where guests can take guided tours to explore the impressive formations and learn about the cavern's history. The Grand Canyon Caverns plunge nearly 300 feet below the earth. Check them out on one of three cave tours, from a short 25-minute trip to a longer 45 minute tour. Stick around for lunch or dinner at the on-site restaurant.
21. Museum of Northern Arizona: Explore the wonders of the Colorado Plateau with engaging exhibits featuring geology, paleontology, archaeology, art, and Native American cultures. Open until January 2027 is their Wagon Road to Mother Road exhibit; this engaging exhibition traces the evolution of travel in northern Arizona from the Beale Wagon Road to Route 66 and reveals its deep imprint on landscapes, communities, and highway heritage.
22. Homolovi State Park: Homolovi State Park, near Winslow, Arizona, preserves over 300 Ancestral Puebloan archaeological sites, including several large pueblos (Homolovi I and II) dating from the 1200s to 1400s. The park offers hiking trails to ruins and petroglyphs, birdwatching with over 100 species, and a visitor center with artifacts and cultural exhibits. It is sacred to the Hopi people, who consider the sites spiritually alive. Facilities include a campground with electric hookups and interpretive programs. The park highlights the region's cultural heritage and natural diversity.
23. Route 66 to the Grand Canyon play: Part play, part interactive experience, and inspired by the British tradition of “end-of-the-pier” shows, Route 66 to the Grand Canyon is filled with groan-worthy jokes, delightfully over-the-top characters, and laugh-out-loud moments for audiences of all ages. This play-within-a-play celebrates Flagstaff, the Grand Canyon, and the strange, beautiful charm that makes Route 66 a road trip like no other. This show runs until November 2026. Incorporate this play in your 2026 road trip plans!
24. Canyon Coaster Adventure Park: Canyon Coaster Adventure Park is an amusement park in Williams. Founded in 2022, the 13-acre park is known for its mountain coaster and tubing in both summer and winter. It is the first mountain coaster in Arizona, and offers year-round family fun.
25. Arizona Route 66 Museum:  Take a trip down Arizona’s Main Street at the Arizona Route 66 Museum. From its earliest days as a prehistoric trade route, to its role as the Dust Bowl Refugee’s Road of Flight, to its revitalization in American Culture. Imaginative and ever-expanding displays present modern-day explorers with vehicles, photographs, and artifacts gathered over the history of The Mother Road. The Arizona Route 66 Museum was recently renovated in November 2026 and features a more inclusive narrative of Route 66 in Arizona. 

26. Giganticus Headicus: This unique, 14-foot work of art sits at Antares Point, the longest continuous curve—about two miles—on any U.S. highway. Meet Giganticus Headicus. In 2004, local artist Gregg Arnold built this towering pseudo-tiki sculpture out of metal, wood, chicken wire, styrofoam and cement. At the location, formerly Kozy Corner Trail Park, you can also see more of Arnold’s imaginative artworks.

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