Arizona Route 66 Road Trip Attractions

Arizona has the honor of having the longest stretch of Historic Route 66 in the nation.  While there is not much left of Route 66 in the eastern part of the state, western Arizona has approximately 140 miles of uninterrupted Mother Road stretching from Topock to Seligman.  To celebrate Route 66’s 90th anniversary, we took a road trip along Arizona’s Route 66 and visited Route 66 attractions and towns.

Three of the Best Mexican Restaurants in Yuma Arizona

As residents of San Diego, when we hear someone say they “ate at the best Mexican restaurant” in some state in the middle of the country, or even in the middle of California, we nod and smile, but we sometimes have our doubts about how good that Mexican food could have really been.  With our close proximity to the Mexican border, we know what good Mexican food tastes like.  We’ve also learned from our travels that while indeed there are some really good Mexican restaurants around the country, Mexican food is one of those ethnic foods that somehow loses its traditional and authentic flavors the farther away it is made from its homeland, and therefore there are a lot of bad Mexican restaurants.  On a recent weekend trip to Yuma, a city also close to the Mexican-American border, we decided to take on the challenge of finding the best Mexican restaurants in Yuma.  We ate at four and, while all were good, three of them made our list.  These three Yuma Mexican restaurants are completely different from each other and special in their own ways.

Preserved History Sites to See in Yuma

We visited Yuma for the second time, this time to attend Yuma Lettuce Days.  We had already crossed a lot of the things to do in Yuma off our list when we explored Yuma’s historic districts, but one thing we hadn’t done on our first visit to Yuma was visit the Sanguinetti House Museum, so we decided to add that to our itinerary.  Through our visit to the museum, a historic walking tour offered by the museum, and our stay at the Historic Coronado Motor Hotel, we learned more about the great job the city of Yuma has done in preserving many of its historic sites.

Things to Do in Kingman Arizona on Old Route 66

When we were planning our short Route 66 road trip from California to Arizona, we needed to decide in which cities to spend the night.  We wanted to stay in cities that had Route 66 history, so Kingman, Arizona seemed like a good choice.  After all, it is one of the cities mentioned in Nat King Cole’s (Get Your Kicks on) Route 66.  Little did we know that there are so many things to do in Kingman, Arizona!  What we thought was just going to be a couple hours spent in this Route 66 town turned into almost a full day. 

History and Route 66: Things to Do in Flagstaff in One Day

An original section of Route 66 is preserved in Flagstaff Route 66 Park.

Flagstaff is a Route 66 town not like many other Route 66 towns.  While Route 66 bypassed a lot of towns, causing those towns to disappear, Flagstaff wasn’t affected in the same way.  Flagstaff was established in 1882 and has a lot of history that predates Route 66, so Flagstaff didn’t completely rely on Route 66 to survive.  Today it is a bustling college town with a historic downtown and some remaining remnants of Route 66.  While there are a lot of things to do in Flagstaff, many of Flagstaff’s historical and Route 66 sites are close together and can be visited in one day. 

Happy 90th Anniversary to Route 66!

California Route 66 between Victorville and Barstow.

I’ve become a little obsessed with how people in the past went on vacation.  Travel is such an important part of our lives; it’s how we get through the workday, knowing our hard work not only keeps food on the table and a roof over our heads but also provides us with the privilege of seeing how other people live on this great earth and touching and feeling and seeing history.  Travel is fairly easy and quick nowadays, but it didn’t use to be.  One particular type of vacation that fascinates me is the all-American road trip.  This is something we still enjoy today, but we can buzz from one destination to the next using our wide, multi-lane interstates.  It wasn’t always so quick, like when families hit the road and traveled along Route 66.  We kicked off 2016 with a short Route 66 road trip through California and Arizona to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Route 66 and get a glimpse of what it was like for families of the past to get their kicks on Route 66.

10 Things to Do at the Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon in Arizona is one of the seven natural wonders of the world and a World Heritage Site.  This geological wonder is one mile deep, 18 miles wide, and 277 river miles long.  Some visitors to the Grand Canyon only spend a few hours there, driving into the park, peering down into the big hole in the ground in front of them, and then going on their way.  But there is so much more to see and so many things to do at the Grand Canyon you can easily spend a few days there if not even longer.

A Weekend Exploring Yuma’s Historic Districts

The Colorado River, the old gateway to California.

Yuma is often viewed as nothing more than a way-point to bigger cities like Phoenix, Tucson, or San Diego (depending on your direction).  However, Yuma has a lot of history for travelers looking for a small town weekend getaway.  Yuma’s part in United States history began during the California Gold Rush when the Yuma Crossing over the Colorado River was used as the gateway to California.  Today Yuma is an important agricultural town, but it still has vestiges of its past preserved in its historic districts. 

A Small Town Wild West Weekend in Yuma

A weekend visit to Yuma offers both the charm of a small American town and a unique glimpse back to the days of the Wild West.  Yuma has less than 100,000 citizens, though it is estimated its population doubles in the winter when the snowbirds come to town.  Yuma has quite a mix of things to do that highlight its small town charms and Wild West history. If you’re looking to get off the beaten path, Yuma definitely fits the bill with the types of attractions that can only be found in a small town.  

A Date with Yuma’s Agritourism

Agritourism in the United States is a fairly new concept, so you might be wondering, what is agritourism?  According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of agritourism is “the practice of touring agricultural areas to see farms and often to participate in farm activities.”  In this age where we want to know exactly where our food is coming from, agritourism is the perfect addition to a vacation itinerary, and Yuma, a small agricultural town in Arizona, is the perfect travel destination for agritourism. 

Monument Valley: Movie Set and Natural Phenomenon

What do the movies Stagecoach, National Lampoon’s Vacation, Back to the Future III, and Forrest Gump have in common?  They all have scenes filmed in Utah’s Monument Valley.  If you haven’t been to Monument Valley, it’s possible you haven’t even noticed how often this famous Utah landscape is featured in movies and commercials.  But once you’ve seen these red buttes and spires jutting up from an otherwise flat landscape in person, you’ll understand why Monument Valley became a favorite of John Ford for shooting westerns, catapulting it into the famous landmark it is today. 

Driving the Scenic Apache Trail

Part of the Apache Trail dirt road follows along the edge of the Salt River.

There are many scenic drives in the USA and one of the great American scenic drives is Arizona’s Apache Trail.  In addition to the natural beauty of this desert trail, travelers will be able to visit some great sites including Goldfield Ghost Town, Tortilla Flat, Roosevelt Dam, and Tonto National Monument.

The Apache Trail is easily reached from Phoenix, Arizona and runs as Highway 88 for approximately 80 miles from Apache Junction, past Apache Lake and Theodore Roosevelt Lake, to the Highway 60-70 junction.  Most travelers turn the drive into a loop, returning to Phoenix via Highway 60.

Tombstone Arizona: Historic and Haunted Ghost Town

Visitors can take a stagecoach ride through Tombstone.

I will preface this article by stating I am not a believer in ghosts.  Superstitious?  Yes.  Ghosts?  Not so much.  So when I learned many of Tombstone, Arizona’s attractions are haunted and that Tombstone is said to be one of Arizona’s most haunted towns, I shrugged my shoulders and didn’t give it a second thought.  Even if you don’t believe in ghosts, Tombstone’s attractions will appeal.  Kids will love the period costumed characters walking down the street and the stagecoach rides.  History buffs will love how much history has touched Arizona’s tiny ghost town.  Ghost hunters and believers will love even more the possibility of ghostly encounters.  But we didn’t encounter any ghosts.  Or did we? 

Chihuly After Dark at the Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden

Dale Chihuly, Blue Flori Sun

Dale Chihuly is an American glass artist, trained in the United States and Italy, who makes incredibly intricate and colorful blown glass sculptures.  His work can be seen in over 200 museums worldwide.  I first encountered Chihuly’s work in London at the Victoria & Albert Museum and have since seen it elsewhere, including the University of Wisconsin where he participated in their glass program, the first in the country.  He has created a number of exhibitions within botanical gardens including the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona.