In Arizona, most road trippers drive down from Las Vegas, following Highway 93 to Kingman. However, those in the know drive from Vegas to Topock instead. This trip takes the same amount of time, and gives you access to one of Route 66’s highlights: the 191 corkscrew turns through the Black Mountain on Oatman Highway.
If you’re following Route 66 east, you’ll be coming from LA, following I-15 to I-40, with detours along historic stretches of the road.
If you’re following Route 66 west, you’ll take I-40 from Gallup, New Mexico, to the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona.
Las Vegas
The Harry Reid Intl Airport in Las Vegas (LAS) is roughly 105 miles northwest of Kingman; the drive takes roughly an hour and 45 minutes along Highway 93. From Vegas to Topock also takes an hour and 45 minutes, following Highway 95. There are plenty of car rental options at the airport; however, lines can be long and you need to take an additional shuttle to get to the car rental center. Some travelers prefer to take a taxi straight to their hotel and then rent a car.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is the second-busiest airport in the United States, serving over 150 destinations worldwide. Car rental should be booked ahead of time. Los Angeles is about 300 miles west of Topock and the obvious starting point if you’re driving all of Route 66—the starting point is the Santa Monica Pier. Many road trippers spend two to three days on the California section; however, you could drive all the way to the Arizona border in five hours or so.
Phoenix
Sky Harbor Airport (PHX) is only two hours and change from Flagstaff, although this puts you smack in the middle of Arizona’s section of Route 66. However, if you’re traveling one way (e.g. to Vegas or LA), this could be a convenient option.