Time to welcome the soft revolution of spring. It’s a season of rebirth and no one can appreciate that more than Route 66 aficionados. We are the champions of rebirth, renewal, and rejuvenation.
Welcome to the quarterly newsletter of the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona. I’m Roger Naylor, Arizona author and travel writer, and it’s my privilege to pen these newsletters that we hope will inform and entertain. Let’s jump right in.
It was a sad winter for the Route 66 community because we lost a cherished icon. Lilo Russell, longtime owner of Westside Lilo’s Café in Seligman passed away in January at the age of 83. Her little cafe was beloved among Route 66 travelers, known for scratch-made food in plate draping portions. Her carrot cake, made using her great-grandmother’s recipe, is legendary. She made cream pies using mascarpone cheese—the same cheese used in tiramisu—infusing them with a defiant silkiness. Her family continues to run the restaurant so Lilo's legacy of good food, kindness, and hospitality lives on. But she will be missed by so many.
I first met Lilo almost two decades ago. It was my privilege to write about her for books, magazines, and newspapers, so not only did I get to eat her divine food, I spent time chatting with her as well. When I posted about Lilo’s passing on Facebook in January, I said that it felt like I had lost an aunt who always watched over me. She was a little German woman who fed the whole world. Make sure you stop at Westside Lilo’s Café the next time you’re driving through Seligman. Because nothing would make Lilo happier than knowing that her Route 66 people were content and well-fed. RIP, Lilo.
There’s going to be all sorts of festivals, fandangos, special events, and parties during 2026 to celebrate the Route 66 Centennial. And we’ll try to keep you apprised of all of them. If you know of something fun that’s going to be happening, clue us in so we can broadcast the news.
The inaugural centennial bash will take place on November 15, 2025 in Kingman. That’s when the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona holds its Night at the Museum event in the Powerhouse. All the details will be forthcoming in the coming months. We just want to make sure you save the date.
Williams plans to kick the centennial year off in dramatic fashion with a special New Year’s Eve tradition. They’re going to ring in 2026 with a Car Drop! It’s the first annual (hopefully) 1927 Chevy Capitol Car Drop. Forget about Times Square shenanigans. Anyone can drop an apple. An automobile, now that’s impressive. The party will include fireworks, as well as a beer and wine festival. Be sure to make room in your holiday plans to attend on December 31, 2025. That’s when Williams, the last Route 66 town bypassed by the interstate, officially rings in the Mother Road Centennial.
Nothing warms the heart of a Route 66er than when an old property is saved and brought back to life. And if we can swill a cold beer and eat a delicious sandwich in that property, surrounded by nostalgia, well, it doesn’t get any better than that. That’s why we should all rejoice over the rebirth of the Old 76 Station in Valentine.
Steve and Colleen Smith purchased the abandoned property in 2021 and kept the look of the old gas station from the 1960s while adding a few modern amenities so they can dish up food and drink. After opening last year, they’ve already become a popular stop serving wine, beer, and a menu comprised mostly of sandwiches. Their signature sandwich is a twist on an Arizona classic, called Sonoran Desert Dog. They split an all-beef hot dog, paint it with a shmear of refried beans, pile on the lettuce, tomato, onion, homemade pickles, and thin-sliced jalapeno, and then serve it with a house-made special sauce. Holy cow! I can’t wait to try one. My mouth is watering just typing the description. Colleen says they love meeting Route 66 travelers and hearing their stories. They’d like to start booking special events such as car shows and live entertainment in the future. So stop by, swap some tales and wrap your taste buds around a devastating sandwich. A welcome addition to Valentine, the Old 76 Station is open Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday noon to 6. 928-692-5915.
One thing that Route 66 specializes in is helping travelers relive their youth. That’s what makes the Barefoot Trail in Bellemont such a perfect fit for the Mother Road community. If anything is likely to make you feel like a kid again, it’s kicking off your shoes and planting bare feet in grass, sand, and mud. The Barefoot Trail is a mile-long manicured pathway that lets you do just that. Feel nature squish between your toes again.
The Barefoot Trail reopens in May. This is a great tactile experience designed to engage all your senses and heighten awareness of your surroundings. Have a blast while reaping plenty of health benefits. The mostly shaded trail includes adventure stations and reflexology pathways. Adults and kids are welcome but pooches have to stay home. They might leave a little something behind and there are some things you don’t want squishing between your toes. 928-405-6944.
FYI, does anyone remember the song Barefootin’ from 1966? It was written and performed by Robert Parker. If you do, you’ve now probably got the chorus stuck in your head for the rest of the day. Sorry about that.
Take part in the festivities of the Route 66 Fun Run! Set up a chair at a likely spot to watch the hundreds of classic vehicles roll past. Stake out a favored photo op. Be there for the Show N Shine Car Show in Kingman on Saturday to admire those classic beauties gleaming in the Arizona sun. Or come hungry to Topock on Sunday for the big finale that includes a community barbecue, raffle, live music, drinks, and plenty of camaraderie among like-minded souls.
The important thing is to just come on out and support the businesses along the old highway from Seligman to Topock/Golden Shores. It’s going to be a blast. The colorful caravan pulls out of Seligman and travels the longest intact stretch of Route 66, and just like the name implies, there will be fun every mile along the way.
And keep in mind that the 2026 Centennial Fun Run is going to be an absolute extravaganza. It’s one you don’t want to miss and those slots are going to fill up fast. But it’s never too early to register. Visit the Fun Run and sign up for 2026 now!
Now in its 10th year, the Williams Historic Route 66 Car Show just keeps growing bigger and better. They’re expecting close to 600 entrants for June 6 and 7. That’s a lot of stylish metal lining the Mother Road. Plus, there’s plenty going on through the weekend, including Vendor’s Row, a Burger Burn, a swinging dance, a live auction, and a Cruise the Loop. This year’s theme for Cruise the Loop is “Classic Generations” and is always eagerly anticipated. There’s something truly special about so many classic cars rolling down 66 through the heart of Williams on a Friday evening with the neon flickering on. For a little while, everyone gets to live in a simpler world.
Best of all, the money raised goes to benefit veterans’ groups and the local community. This is a great event, the perfect way to spend a June weekend. If you’ve got a classic car, enter it now. Otherwise, just come out and be part of the fun. They had me hooked with the Burger Burn. 928-637-4494.
Speaking of burgers, happy National Burger Day! Yes, that holiday magic is in the air. You can smell it sizzling on the flattops in diners and on backyard grills up and down Route 66. National Hamburger Day is observed each year on May 28, honoring America’s most popular sandwich. As a nation we consume more than 50 billion burgers annually. (If you don’t include me, that number drops significantly.) Burgers have been my favorite food since childhood, a taste encouraged and developed by my father.
In honor of this joyous day, here’s a partial list of some wonderful burgers you can find in Route 66 towns across Arizona.
| Tom & Suzie's Diner, Holbrook | Cruiser's Route 66 Café, Williams |
| Turquoise Room, Winslow | Rulu's 66 Bar & Grill, Williams |
| RelicRoad Brewing Company, Winslow | Delgadillo's Snow Cap Drive-In, Seligman |
| Miz Zip's, Flagstaff | Westside Lilo's, Seligman |
| Diablo Burger, Flagstaff | Roadkill Café, Seligman |
| Mama B's, Flagstaff | Mr. D'z Route 66 Diner, Kingman |
| Brown Bag Burger, Flagstaff | Stuff It Burger, Kingman |
| Tiki Grill, Flagstaff | Dambar & Steakhouse, Kingman |
| Bun Hugger's, Flagstaff | Oatman Hotel Restaurant & Saloon, Oatman |
| Pine Country Restaurant, Williams | Topock66 Restaurant, Topock |
At the Museum of Northern Arizona people come together over the fourth weekend in June to celebrate art, culture, and community. The 2025 Heritage Festival takes place June 28-29 on the forested grounds surrounding the Flagstaff museum with the sacred San Francisco Peaks rising overhead. This all-inclusive gathering highlights all the diverse Indigenous cultures of the Colorado Plateau. Participants will include the Acoma, Apache, Navajo, Havasupai, Hopi, Hualapai, Pai, Ute, Yavapai, and Zuni.
Visitors will enjoy traditional dances, music, food, and informative talks by cultural experts. A sprawling artist market will offer a remarkable collection of work in a variety of genres. And best of all, every purchase at the Heritage Festival benefits the artists directly who take home 100 percent of their earnings.
On a final note, I wanted to let everyone know I’m working on a new book about the Arizona portion of Route 66. So expect to have me underfoot for much of the spring and summer as I travel back and forth across our state on the Mother Road. This will be a companion to my first book, Arizona Kicks on Route 66, but more of a nuts-and-bolts dining and travel guide. It will be packed with places to eat, places to stay, attractions, events, outdoor recreation, and more. It should be a welcome guide for seasoned Route 66 travelers but also designed to introduce newbies to everything our wonderful small towns have to offer.
Thanks to a generous cost share grant from the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona, I was able to get started quickly. I hope to have it completed and available in stores for the centennial kickoff. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me with news, updates, or suggestions. And with a new Route 66 book out, it will give me a chance to travel the state giving presentations on the Route 66 centennial and sending more travelers toward our Mother Road. Once again highlighting the benefits of the funds and grants provided by the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona that are invested right back into the community.
Speaking of presentations, I’ll be giving a talk on my book Arizona National Parks and Monuments at Riordan Mansion State Historic Park in Flagstaff on June 9 at 12:15. Stop by and say hello.
Well, that’s it for now. We’re all looking forward to a 2025 full of Route 66 and Arizona adventures. And let’s start finalizing those centennial plans! Look for the next newsletter to land in your inbox in summer.
If you have items of interest you’d like to share in an upcoming newsletter, you can email them to me, Roger Naylor, at [email protected], or to Nikki Terlesky, Director of Operations at Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona at [email protected].
Thanks for being part of the Route 66 family. Happy motoring!