Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
564
Get Your Kicks on Route 66
About 65 miles west of Flagstaff begins the longest remaining stretch of old
Route 66. Extending for 160 miles from Ash Fork to Topock, this lonely blacktop
passes through some of the most remote country in Arizona (and goes right
through the town of Kingman). In Seligman, at the east end of this stretch of
the highway, you'll find the
Delgadillo's Snow Cap
(
&
928/422-3291
), which
serves up fast food amid outrageous decor. Next door at
Angel & Vilma Del-
gadillo's Route 66 Gift Shop & Visitor's Center,
217 E. Rte. 66 (
&
928/422-
3352;
www.route66giftshop.com), owned by John's uncle Angel, you'll be
entertained by one of Route 66's most famous residents and an avid fan of the
old highway. The walls of Angel's old one-chair barbershop are covered with
photos and business cards of happy customers. Today, Angel's place is a Route
66 information center and souvenir shop.
After leaving Seligman, the highway passes through such waysides as Peach
Springs, Truxton, Valentine, and Hackberry. Before reaching Peach Springs,
you'll come to
Grand Canyon Caverns,
once a near-mandatory stop for fami-
lies traveling Route 66. In Hackberry, be sure to stop at the
Hackberry Store &
Old Route 66 Visitor Center
(
&
928/769-2605
), which is filled with Route 66
memorabilia as well as old stuff from the 1950s and 1960s. At Valle Vista, near
Kingman, the highway goes into a 7-mile-long curve. Some claim it's the lon-
gest continuous curve on a U.S. highway.
After the drive through the wilderness west of Seligman, Kingman feels like
a veritable metropolis; its bold neon signs once brought a sigh of relief to the
tired and the hungry. Today, it boasts dozens of modern motels and is still pri-
marily a resting spot for the road weary. Mr. D'z Route 66 Diner, a modern rendi-
tion of a 1950s diner (housed in an old gas station/cafe), serves burgers and
blue-plate specials. Across the street at 120 W. Andy Devine Ave. is a restored
powerhouse that dates from 1907 and is home to the
Historic Route 66 Asso-
ciation of Arizona
(
&
928/753-5001;
www.azrt66.com), the
Historic Route
66 Museum
(
&
928/753-9889;
www.kingmantourism.org), and the
Power-
house Visitor Center.
Each year over the first weekend in May, Kingman is the
site of the
Route 66 Fun Run,
which consists of a drive along 150 miles of old
Route 66, between Topock and Seligman.
The last stretch of Route 66 in Arizona heads southwest out of Kingman
through the rugged Sacramento Mountains and passes through the ghost
town of Oatman.
16
WHERE TO STAY
Moderate
Grand Canyon Railway Hotel
This hotel is operated by the Grand Canyon
Railway and combines modern comforts with the style of a classic Western railroad hotel.
The high-ceilinged lobby features a large flagstone fireplace and paintings of the Grand
Canyon. The very comfortable guest rooms feature Southwestern styling; ask for a unit
