Happy April! This is the month when road trip season really heats up across Arizona. Travelers will be coming out in force. Don’t miss your chance to be part of history. Put your tires on the pavement and roll into the Route 66 Centennial.
Welcome to the monthly 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.
Not only is Route 66 marching toward 100 years old but it will soon be joined by the man who saved it. Our very own Angel Delgadillo turns 99 on April 19. It’s only right that the man known as a barber, a business owner, the founder of a movement, an ambassador, an author, a guardian angel, an international celebrity, and a friend to literally millions and his beloved highway share this momentous year together.
We’ll wish Angel the happiest of birthdays here. But don’t forget to do the same in person. When you’re traveling through Seligman, be sure to stop by Angel and Vilma’s Original Route 66 Gift Shop in Seligman and express your good wishes and profound thanks to the man himself. If he’s not there (he might be at home building some Route 66 themed birdhouses), I’m sure his family will be happy to pass along your good wishes.
Get ready to write the heck out of some letters. Then send them on their way wearing a special brand-new Route 66 stamp. The U.S. Postal Service will commemorate the centennial year with a set of eight Route 66 stamps. And the first-day-of-issue event will be May 5, right here in Arizona. The event is free and open to the public. It will take place at the National Postal Forum, in the Phoenix Convention Center, 100 N. 3rd Street in downtown Phoenix.
Eight different photographs, featured twice on the stamp pane, represent a site from each of the Route 66 states. These little beauties will become instant collectibles, and Arizona residents have the chance to snag them hot off the presses. The May 5 event will take place at 9:15 a.m. No tickets are required but attendees are encouraged to register online ahead of time.
To honor the Route 66 Centennial, Yelp released its list of the Top 25 Mother Road restaurants, and guess what? Nearly half of them are in Arizona. That’s right, from Chicago to Santa Monica, 11 of the best restaurants can be found in the Grand Canyon State. No doubt about it. We are a culinary oasis! So, remember to let your belt out a notch and put in your Sunday teeth when driving across Arizona. Here are those 11 eateries and where they ranked. A hearty congratulations to all. Dig in!
2. Westside Lilo’s Café, Seligman
7. Grand Canyon Coffee and Café, Williams
8. Rutherford’s Diner, Kingman
10. RelicRoad Brewing, Winslow
11. Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In, Seligman
12. Nanys Tacos, Williams
14. Brewed Awakenings Coffee, Williams
21. Calico’s, Kingman
22. Fat Olives, Flagstaff
24. MartAnne’s, Flagstaff
25. Pine Country Restaurant, Williams
Accolades keep rolling in for Williams. In March, the geography website www.worldatlas.com ranked the seven coziest towns in Arizona, and right there—hanging out with the likes of Sedona and Prescott—sat Williams. No surprise to any Route 66 traveler but always nice for other folks to recognize so much great stuff contained in a small pine-forested package.
The article singled out Pete’s Gas Station Museum, Wild West Junction, and nearby Raptor Ranch, among others. You can read the story right here.
Events are really starting to heat up this month. Please remember, you can find all Centennial information and events on the Association website.
April 11 – Route 66 Centennial Celebration, Peach Springs
This all-day event (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) offers a mix of cultural experiences, live entertainment, and exclusive offers throughout the Hualapai Nation. Historical site tours begin at Veterans Memorial Park, with tribal vendors and cultural experiences at the Hualapai Cultural Center. There will be carnival games, live music, and children’s activities through the day. Diamond Creek Tours depart from Hualapai Lodge. Giveaways to the first 200 guests.
April 18 – Route 66 Race for Hospice, Kingman
A 5K and a 10K begin at the Powerhouse Visitor Center and raises funds for KRMC’s Joan and Diana Hospice House. There’s also a 1K for juniors, 12 and under, and a 5K walk for everyone. Come out and enjoy a beautiful spring day in Kingman along the Mother Road while helping a most worthy cause.
April 23-26 – Route 66 Bike Week, Statewide
This rolling rally covers plenty of ground with many of the activities based at Saddle Sore Ranch, Cool Springs, and Oatman. There are scenic rides, scavenger hunts, games, vendors, campfire parties, and live music on Saturday night.
April 28 – Route 66 Centennial Celebration and Weenie Walk, Flagstaff
Flagstaff taps into the Fun Run magic with this inaugural event. A great selection of classic cars will be on display in downtown Flag from 4-8 p.m. There will be food and drink specials, local shop deals, and plenty of excitement leading up to Fun Run.
April 30 – Seligman Centennial Celebration, Seligman
This is designed to be a great daylong party in the town where history was made. Here are just a few of the highlights to expect:
10 a.m.: Opening ceremony in Seligman Park.
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Route 66 book signings starring Bob Boze Bell, Nicole (N.C.L.) Sarno, Zach Efron Lopez, Greg Gasak, and Roger Naylor (hey, that’s me!).
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.: DJ and vendors at Seligman Park.
Noon to 5 p.m.: Food trucks serving on Route 66.
2 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Party time! Live music, dancing, food trucks, and a Mother Road Brewery booth, all on the original alignment of Route 66.
5 p.m.: Angel Delgadillo receives a proclamation from Yavapai County Supervisor Chris Kuknyo.
That leads us right into the Centennial edition of Route 66 Fun Run, which kicks off the day after the Seligman festivities. Fun Run will take place from May 1-3 and feature a record number of participants. Friday May 1 is registration day, with hundreds of vehicles pulling into town, rumbling up and down the boulevard, and capped by an impressive evening cruise. On Saturday May 2, the colorful caravan pulls out of Seligman and travels the longest intact stretch of Route 66, with festivities at every stop. It’s too late to register a car for the event but you can still be an enthusiastic participant. All are welcome to ride along. 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. Fun Run finishes up on Sunday May 3 in Topock, on Arizona’s West Coast at the edge of the Colorado River.
Stick around after the car show ends in Kingman on Saturday, May 2 for the Fun Run Afterparty. The historic Hotel Beale neon sign is going to be relit for the first time in 40+ years! The party starts at 7:30pm with the sign relighting ceremony, immediately followed by live music. Dance the night away with us as we celebrate this historic occasion!
With Easter upon us, now is a good time to remember that when they open the Hare and Rabbit Hall of Fame, the first class of inductees will include three legends. The Easter Bunny, Bugs Bunny, and Mr. Rabbit from Jack Rabbit Trading Post. The first two may be elusive but Mr. Rabbit is constant, reliable, and easy to find. Just like the owners of Jack Rabbit Trading Post, Tony and Cindy Jaquez. It’s these family-run businesses that give Route 66 its special road trip flavor. Besides the great souvenirs and merchandise lining the shelves, and the one-of-a-kind photo-ops, guests will find a very special brand of hospitality when they stop in. Cindy almost always has games and scavenger hunts going. Prizes and fun are being handed out left and right in the historic building by the big bright “Here It Is” sign. You’ll likely end up on their social media page and walk away with a great memory.
So, when you’re traveling the Mother Road this season, don’t forget to visit not just the bigger towns and cities but the little outposts as well. We’re all part of that thriving community known as Route 66 Arizona.
It is with mixed emotions, I report that the deepest, darkest motel room in the world has closed for good. The Caverns Suite, the platform room that once accommodated overnight guests at the bottom of Grand Canyon Caverns, has closed for good. Please note that only the Suite is closing. The caverns will remain open with tours offered daily.
The Suite sat 210 feet below ground within an immense rock chamber and included two beds, two futons, a television, DVD player, and small bathroom with shower. It was a pricey but utterly unique overnight stay. I experienced one of my most memorable nights of Route 66 travel when I was a guest in the Suite many years ago. As a big 1950s sci-fi fan, I brought DVDs of Tarantula, The Mole People, and Monolith Monsters, along with a six-pack of beer. I wandered around the immense subterranean world all by myself, then settled into the room. I stayed up all night in the darkness watching movies and drinking beer. It was glorious! And while, personally I’m glad I got to have that experience, I won’t be sad to see the room disassembled and removed, and the caverns returned to a more natural state.
After taking over ownership of Grand Canyon Caverns, the Havasupai Tribe has committed to preserving this valuable resource. That was what led to the decision to close the Suite. Located between Seligman and Peach Springs, the largest dry caverns in the nation have been one of the ultimate roadside attractions since 1927. The Crystal Restaurant in the cave will remain open, and 25-minute and 45-minute cavern tours will be offered through the day. There’s also an above-ground restaurant. Traditional rooms and cabins are also available on the property at the Grand Canyon Caverns Inn.
Here’s your chance to be part of a new documentary celebrating the Route 66 centennial. Still Kickin' On Route 66 is a documentary short film seeking donations to help them complete it at the highest quality. They have received a $1,500 grant from the Arizona Commission on the Arts and are working to raise an additional $6,000 to finish the project.
They are creating a digital archive to share Arizona's Route 66 history while encouraging future preservation efforts. These funds will support both production and post-production costs, including crew wages, cinema cameras and lenses, travel and lodging, gas, meals, production insurance, sound mixing and design, color grading, voice-over narration, motion graphics, SSD storage, and final exports for digital distribution. The film is intended to be shared with Arizona PBS, film festivals, colleges and universities, and YouTube. Donors at certain levels will receive producer credits in film. To learn more, contribute, or get in touch, please visit their website.
Synopsis:
Still Kickin’ On Route 66 is a short documentary that traces the legendary highway’s journey through time, focusing on its lasting presence in Arizona. Through archival imagery, present-day footage, personal stories, and insights from historians and Route 66 preservationists, the film explores how the road shaped Northern Arizona. As the story broadens to consider Route 66 as a whole, the documentary ultimately returns to Arizona, looking ahead to the next 25 to 50 years and exploring what can be done today to preserve the road for future generations, so that it may one day celebrate another centennial milestone.
Consider grabbing a copy of my latest book, Arizona Route 66 Road Trip, to get the most out of your epic journey. The book is packed with more than 110 restaurants, 90 activities and events, and 40 motels, hotels, and inns. It’s a great way to enjoy some delicious food and small-town hospitality while supporting the mom-and-pop businesses we all love. All your favorites are here, plus some you may not know about.
Arizona Route 66 Road Trip sells for $18.95. It is available in Route 66 stores, on Amazon, and signed copies can be purchased through my website.
Well, that’s it for now. Make the most out of this magical year! Hit the Mother Road as often as you can during the 2026 Centennial.
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! 🚗💨