On October 13, 1984, the interstate finally swallowed the last mile of Route 66. Williams threw a party. Every other town on the 2,448-mile corridor had already folded. Williams held the line longer than anywhere else on the Mother Road — and when the bypass came, the town did not grieve quietly. It invited Bobby Troup, the man who wrote the song, staged a media event visible to the entire country, and dared the world to forget it. The world tried. Williams won.
The bypass opened and nearly a third of the population vanished inside of twelve months. The word “ghost town” began to circulate. It was not wrong — not entirely. The storefronts went dark. The through-traffic evaporated. Five years of economic pressure that would have broken a less stubborn town pressed down hard on six blocks of high-desert main street at 6,770 feet.
Williams did not break. It polished its neon instead.
In 1989, the Grand Canyon Railway returned to service after a 21-year silence and the equation changed. The town that had been bypassed by the future discovered that the past was the product. Heritage travelers do not want the interstate. They want exactly what Williams refused to give up.
Standing on the main street of Williams today, the traveler is standing on the original 1920s Route 66 alignment. The asphalt underfoot is the same road that carried the Dust Bowl migration, the postwar family road trip, and every generation that drove west with a paper map and something to prove. The interstate runs parallel and invisible. Williams simply declined to follow it.
Williams also holds a specific connection to the Route 66 preservation movement. Before Angel Delgadillo became the Guardian Angel of Route 66 in Seligman, he completed his barbering apprenticeship on this same corridor. The revival that saved the Mother Road has roots in Williams. The story did not start in Seligman. It started here.
Grand Canyon Railway — The iron horse that saved Williams in 1989 continues to operate today, offering daily departures from Williams Depot at 9:30 AM. January through October, and departures at 8:30 AM November and December. Arrival at the South Rim two hours and fifteen minutes later with zero parking decisions required. A Wild West shootout at the depot kicks off before boarding. The traveler who values a low-stress rim experience and living history in a single ticket understands immediately why this train still runs. And don’t forget the Annual Polar Express that operates every winter and has delighted adults and kids for over 25 years!
📍 GET DIRECTIONS — 233 N. Grand Canyon Blvd, Williams, AZ 86046 · (800) 843-8724
Bearizona Wildlife Park — A drive-through safari in a natural ponderosa pine forest. Bears, wolves, bison, and bighorn sheep wander around a habitat designed to provide them with more freedom than a traditional ‘zoo’, and provides visitors a unique viewing experience.. Less than two miles from downtown. The traveler whose empathy runs toward wildlife in their own habitat finds the answer here without a flight to Alaska. The animals are not performing. The human is the guest.
📍 GET DIRECTIONS — 1500 E. Route 66, Williams, AZ 86046 · (928) 635-2289
Pete’s RT 66 Gas Station — A functioning micro-museum. Vintage pumps. Personal stories from owners Pete and Ester. The kind of stop that travel guides dismiss and road veterans return to. Every object in this station carries a story that may not have made it into a traditional guidebook, but they are stories that helped build this area.
📍 GET DIRECTIONS — 101 E. Route 66, Williams, AZ 86046 · (928) 635-2591
Sultana Bar — Built 1912. Beneath the floorboards a sealed wooden hatch once led to tunnels used by bootleggers and Chinese railroad workers. The bar staff carry the stories of a preserved time capsule underneath. The tunnels are mostly closed to the public, but the history is still preserved and available to everyone who visits.
📍 GET DIRECTIONS — 301 W. Route 66, Williams, AZ 86046· (928) 635-2021
Keyhole Sink Trail — A short hike from remnants of the old road leads into a box canyon with prehistoric petroglyphs and a seasonal waterfall. The point where Route 66 history and ancient geological history share the same frame. Most travelers drive past the trailhead without slowing down, but they are missing out on some excellent history.
📍 GET DIRECTIONS — Forest Road 49, Williams, AZ 86046
The Poozeum — A world-class free museum dedicated to coprolites — fossilized evidence of prehistoric life that most natural history institutions decline to feature. The science is legitimate. The presentation is exactly the kind of quirky American original that belongs on Route 66 and nowhere else.
📍 GET DIRECTIONS — 200 E. Route 66, Williams, AZ 86046 · (928) 225-8080
Red Raven Restaurant — Pepper steak and sophisticated mountain-town dining on the main corridor. The kitchen has genuine range. The room does not announce itself. The traveler who wants a serious meal at elevation without driving to Flagstaff stops here.
📍 GET DIRECTIONS — 135 W. Route 66, Williams, AZ 86046 · (928) 635-4980
Cruiser’s Route 66 Cafe — The quintessential 1950s diner. Outdoor patio. Live music. The Route 66 shield photo op that every traveler eventually takes. The covered patio is pet-friendly. The energy is earned rather than manufactured.
📍 GET DIRECTIONS — 233 W. Route 66, Williams, AZ 86046 · (928) 635-2445
Station 66 Italian Bistro — Wood-fired pizza. Rooftop seating. Main street views at 6,770 feet. The traveler who wants Route 66 atmosphere with a kitchen that takes the food seriously finds the combination here.
📍 GET DIRECTIONS — 144 W. Route 66, Williams, AZ 86046 · (928) 635-3392
Grand Canyon Brewing Company — A massive brewpub and distillery serving as the social hub of the corridor. Twelve Tesla Superchargers on site. Pet-friendly outdoor space. High-quality craft beer that does not need a marketing campaign because the product makes the argument.
📍 GET DIRECTIONS — 301 N. 7th St, Williams, AZ 86046 · (877) 798-3752
Buck Wild Grand Canyon Hummer Tours — Discover the Grand Canyon National Park in an open air (seasonally!), former military humvee, customized to provide all front facing, stadium style seats for the best touring experience. Multiple Tour Experiences available including: 1) Drive yourself to Buck Wild Hummer Tours, approximately 1 hour from Williams, for morning, afternoon or sunset tours that can include Hummer Ground Tours, Hummer with Hiking, or Hummer with Airplane or Helicopter; 2) Book a Custom Private Tour with pickup in Williams AZ, choose from Hummer Tours, Hummer and Hiking Tours, Hummer with Helicopter, or Hummer with Airplane. 3) Book a Buck Wild Hummer Tour along with your Grand Canyon Railway Adventure (coming soon). Buck Wild Hummer Tours is a Boarding Pass Partner, check out the Buck Wild Page for discounts, review, and more.
📍 GET DIRECTIONS — 469 AZ 64 Suite A Tusayan AZ 86046 · (928) 362-5940
Canyon Coaster Adventure Park — Arizona’s first and only mountain coaster overlooking the old road from elevation. A modern addition that does not pretend to be vintage and does not need to. The traveler with younger companions finds it earns its place on the itinerary without argument.
📍 GET DIRECTIONS — 700 E. Route 66, Williams, AZ 86046 · (928) 440-5034
Seligman, AZ — 43 miles west on Historic Route 66. The birthplace of the Route 66 preservation movement. Angel Delgadillo’s barbershop is where the fight to save the Mother Road was organized in 1987. The town that started everything still operates as the corridor’s conscience. One specific detail no guidebook dwells on long enough — Angel still shows up. The conversation is still available to anyone who walks through the door. The fictional town of Radiator Springs from the 2006 “Cars” movie is based on a composite of multiple real-life locations along Historic Route 66, mostly in Arizona. The primary inspiration was Seligman, Arizona, specifically the stories of barber Angel Delgadillo regarding Route 66’s decline.
Flagstaff, AZ — 33 miles east on I-40 to US-180. A working mountain town with the Lowell Observatory where Pluto was discovered in 1930. The Museum Club on Route 66 — a 1931 roadhouse with taxidermy, live music, and a roof shaped like a giant log cabin — is the kind of place that exists nowhere else. Dark sky designation. University energy. .
Winslow, AZ — 91 miles east on I-40. Standing on the Corner Park: “Standing on a corner in Winslow Arizona” is the Eagles reference every traveler over 45 registers immediately (and of course, the kids and grandkids whose parents and grandparents subjected them to the amazing Eagles Band), and the Standing on the Corner Park is a must-see destination that captures the spirit of Winslow and its place in music history. The La Posada Hotel designed by Mary Colter in 1930 and restored to full operation is the most underestimated overnight on the entire corridor. The traveler who books one night at La Posada understands why the restoration took twenty years and why it was worth every one of them.
When a Grand Canyon park pass gets purchased before arrival, it does more than save time at the gate. It keeps the entrance lines shorter for every visitor behind. The National Park Service depends on advance sales to manage capacity and protect the canyon experience for everyone who follows.
Pick up the pass at Buck Wild Route 66 Travel Center on Highway 64 in Tusayan. Cash accepted. No Waiting. No stress. Purchase the park pass online and pick it up at Buck Wild, or just stop in and purchase in person.