“It winds from Chicago to LA, more than 2000 miles all the way. Get your kicks on Route 66.”

Every year thousands of tourists from America and around the world fall under the spell of “The Mother Road”— U.S. Route 66.

The most avid fans of the highway turn the journey into an automotive pilgrimage, taking weeks to drive the entire length of the historic road, from its origin on the shore of Lake Michigan in Chicago to its surf city culmination in Santa Monica, CA.

There is an allure—historical, cultural and spiritual—to Route 66 that you cannot truly appreciate until you get off the whizzing realm of Interstate 40 (which replaced the venerable old highway) and begin to motor your way along the remaining sections of the old road which have been designated “Historic Route 66.”

Everything immediately slows down, both because of the decrease in the speed limit and the uneven condition of the road itself (some sections are pretty bumpy).

Suddenly the compulsion to zoom through the landscape at top speed evaporates. You relax instead into a cruising state of mind— you could call it the Zen of Route 66. You pass through small towns, many of which, unfortunately, have sunk into desperate collapse since being bypassed by the Interstate. Authentic remnants of a bygone era compete with kitsch merchants anxious to exploit their proximity to the highway by selling every form of memorabilia imaginable to the non-stop stream of tourists that pass through.

On a recent road trip I explored many of the existing sections of Route 66 between Barstow, CA and Williams, AZ, “Gateway to the Grand Canyon.”

Williams is the perfect example of a small town that blends the old with the new. Located in the middle of the main drag is Cruiser’s Café 66— a hip fifties-style diner (made from a converted filling station) that features barbecue with live music in the summer. In contrast, just down the road, is Rod’s Steak House— a family-style eatery where the cuisine and the crockery haven’t changed since the restaurant’s founding in 1946. It’s an historic Route 66 culinary artifact.

Whether you need gas or not, be sure to drop into Eddie’s Tires on Railroad Ave. It has to be one of America’s last family run service stations, where they clean your windows and check your oil! The shop is run by Eddie Sandoval, a Williams’ native who knows just about all there is to know about the town— from the location of it’s former brothel, to its illustrious visitors, which included Gene Autry, Andy Divine and the Wrigley family. No visit to Williams is complete without getting to know Eddie.

For most travelers Williams has always been a stopover, whether they were heading east or west, or to the Grand Canyon 50 miles to the north. In addition to the usual motel chains, the town offers several more authentic places to stay. There’s the historic Grand Canyon Hotel (built 1891), the recently renovated Lodge on Route 66, and the Canyon Motel (on the outskirts of town) where you can spend the night in a converted old Grand Canyon Railway Pullman car or a Santa Fe Railroad caboose!

Williams is also the “All aboard” departure point for the Grand Canyon Railway (operated by Xantera Parks and Resorts). The venerable old rail line, which began transporting passengers to the South Rim of the canyon in 1901, recently traded in its classic steam locomotives for modern, more economical and less polluting diesels. But the locals and visiting tourists alike bemoan the loss of the romantic old locomotives. Seeing the old train pull into its station at the Grand Canyon with the bell clanging and engine belching steam was, perhaps, worth the cost and its ecological incorrectness. Xantera should at least consider firing it up for special occasions, like the Fourth of July!

One of the most beautiful sections of Historic Route 66 runs between Seligman and Kingman as the road separates itself entirely from the Interstate. In Seligman you’ll find the Roadkill Café where the motto is: “You kill it, we grill it,” and the treasure trove of flavors offered at the Snow Cap ice cream parlor. In Kingman be sure to visit the Powerhouse Visitor Center and its Route 66 Museum.

The long dry section of Route 66 between Kingman and Barstow is parched desert, except where the highway crosses the Colorado River at the town of Needles. During the Dust Bowl era this was the migrant entry point to California immortalized in the pages of John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath.” Today it’s a boater’s paradise with the high-stakes gambling Mecca of Laughlin, Nevada, a few miles away.

There is one eatery on the way that’s definitely worth a visit— the Bagdad Café in Newberry Springs, designated an official “Route 66 Historic Roadside Attraction.” Stop in for a buffalo burger, shake and fries and be sure to add your business card to the visitor’s wall of fame.

There are miles and miles of Route 66 to explore. And lots more stories to tell.

If You Go
For general information: www.historic66.com.

Route 66 Museums:

Route 66 Mother Road Museum
681 N. First Ave., Barstow, CA, 92311
(877) 997-8366
www.route66museum.org.
Open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday-Sunday or by appointment.

California Route 66 Museum
16825 D St., Victorville, CA, 92395.
(760) 951-0436 or www.califrt66museum.org.

Powerhouse Visitor Center and Historic Route 66 Museum
120 W. Andy Devine Ave.
Kingman, AZ, 86401.
(928) 753-9889.
9 a.m.-5p.m. daily.

Where to stay in Williams:

The Grand Canyon Hotel
145 W. Route 66.
(877) 635-1419.
www.grandcanyonhotel.com.
Rates: $60-$145.

The Lodge on Route 66.
200 E. Route 66.
(928) 635-4041
Rates: $69-$200.

The Canyon Motel & RV Park
1900 E. Rodeo Rd.
(800) 482-3955
www.thecanyonmotel.com.
Rates: Caboose $135. Large Railcar $105.

Roadside Attractions and Dining:

Rod’s Steak House
301 E. Route 66, Williams.
(928) 635-2671.
Hours: 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Closed Sunday.

Cruiser’s Café 66
233 W. Route 66, Williams.
928) 635-2445.

The Roadkill Café
502 W. Route 66, Seligman, AZ.
(928) 422-3554.
Open 7 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.

The Bagdad Café
46548 National Trails Highway (Route 66), Newberry Springs, CA.
(760) 257-3101.
Open 6 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.

The Grand Canyon Railway
Train station, Williams.
(800) 843-8725 or www.thetrain.com.
Various packages are offered that include the train only, or the train plus accommodations at the Grand Canyon and Williams.