66 Day Ten: Grand Canyon, AZ to Needles, CA

Williams was the final Route 66 town bypassed by I-40. The town took its battle against the bypass to the courts, but stopped fighting in 1984. Despite the setbacks, Williams has held on thanks to its status as the “Gateway to the Grand Canyon.” This stretch of the Mother Road is particularly well-preserved and features many eateries, shops, museums, parks, and lakes. Williams’ Main Street has been designated a National Historic District, and it’s a great place to relax and refuel before you tackle the Grand Canyon.

The famously beautiful Havasu waterfalls are located on tribal land within the canyon and just outside the national park. If you're up for a multi-day hike, it's well worth the trip. Just make sure to start planning early as hiking permits are both expensive and extremely difficult to get your hands on; reservations go on sale once a year and tend to sell out almost immediately.

The adorable Pine Country Restaurant is old-school through and through, from the menu of classic favorites (think chicken and steak dinners) to the gift shop and incredibly warm service. Don’t forget to save room for a slice of pie.

It's nice to leave the park’s lodge dining rooms and find some local gems. Red Raven is a great option for lunch or dinner if you're craving something a little funkier. It offers dishes that are a little more exciting than some of the other park options, such as ginger beef salad, brochette of lamb, and fruit and cheese plates.

The largest motel in Seligman is the Stagecoach 66 Motel. It has some great neon out front, a few themed rooms (including one inspired by Cars), an onsite pizza joint with a bar and pool table, plus WiFi and coffee and pastries in the morning. Even if you don't stay the night, snap a picture with the sign and chat up locals in the bar over a cold beer.

When Juan and Mary Delgadillo opened the Snow Cap Drive-In on Route 66 in Seligman in 1953, they probably didn’t anticipate it becoming a worldwide tourist attraction. More than 60 years later, Delgadillo's Snow Cap Drive-In is one of the most sought-out Route 66 destinations. Built with scrap lumber from the Santa Fe railroad yard, the Delgadillo family constructed the drive-in on an absolute shoe-string budget.

To attract travelers, Delgadillo took a 1936 Chevy, cut the top off, and decorated it with every weird paint color and doodad he could find, including a Christmas tree in the back. The plan worked and it’s still one of the most photographed pieces of Route 66 Americana.

Known for bantering back and forth with his customers, Juan would often joke, “Do you want cheese on that cheeseburger?” He passed away in 2004, but his spirit lives on at the Snow Cap today.

The drive-in isn’t the only iconic Route 66 location in the Delgadillo family. Juan’s brother, Angel, made his mark on the Mother Road with his barber shop (now a gift store). Angel, affectionately known as the “guardian angel” of Route 66, founded the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona in 1987, a move that would quickly be imitated in other states along the route.

Angel and Juan are regarded in such high esteem that when Disney/Pixar’s John Lasseter wanted to learn more about Route 66 for his movie Cars, he went to Angel for a history lesson. The friendly barber told the tragic tale of how traffic all but dried up after I-40 opened. Both brothers are listed in the credits of Cars, and if you stop by Angel’s Barbershop, you’ll see a signed Toy Story sketch hanging on the wall.

An inspiration for Disney’s Cars, Seligman has retained its historic charm, working hard to preserve the early 20th century buildings that line Main Street, Railroad Avenue, and Chino Street. Throughout town you'll see old-timey cars parked in front of businesses, which makes for great photo ops.

The Roadkill Cafe sets itself apart from other retro diners on the route by being totally strange. The menu features dishes such as Bad-Brake Steak, Fender Tenders, Splatter Platter, Swirl of Squirrel, and Highway Hash. The same building houses the O.K. Saloon, which features Wild West memorabilia and pays tribute to Arizona's rough and tumble past.

As far as photo ops in Seligman go, The Rusty Bolt is easily the most ridiculous. Old storefronts are lined with signs and topped with posed mannequins in wacky costumes. Humorous jokes, weird props, eccentric employees, and cute souvenirs make this a must-stop.

The Historic Seligman Sundries is located in one of the town's oldest buildings, which dates back to 1904. It's utterly adorable and has been a dance hall, a theater, a trading post, and a soda fountain. It was refurbished in 2005, and a lot of the signs hanging up inside are authentic vintage artifacts uncovered during the renovations. Sit at the counter, which used to serve as a soda fountain, and enjoy a coffee or bottled soda.

Hackberry General Store is a travel photographer’s playground. You may not find gas here, but you will find vintage gas pumps, beautiful signage, a diner, and old, rusty cars to photograph to your heart’s content.

Kingman sits at the heart of an unbroken, 158-mile stretch of the Mother Road. Its historic downtown includes more than 40 places listed on the National Register of Historic Places, museums, historic homes, hiking trails, and colorful murals.

Mike’s Route 66 Outpost & Saloon is beloved by locals and tourists alike but it’s not just a dive bar and pub—it’s also an RV park where you can enjoy a cold beer after a long drive and tuck in for the night. The Outpost is situated right next to the train tracks, so be prepared for trains to pass by every 15 minutes or so.