We’ve gotten our kicks on historic Route 66 on several occasions: like the time we hand-fed the wild burros of Oatman Ghost Town, went face to face with an inquisitive Alaskan Tundra Wolf, conquered Flagstaff Extreme Adventure, walked along the edge of a meteor crater, and hiked the Island Trail of Walnut Canyon. Our Route 66 adventures this time took us to Kingman, Arizona.
Kingman is just 4.5 hours from home so we took a half-day off on a Friday and headed north for our 4-day road trip to Nevada. After getting through Phoenix, the drive northwest on I-93 was easy with weird roadside attractions not worth stopping for to keep us from zoning out: like a giant Snoopy on a Rocket, the world’s largest spurs, and a “town” called Nothing (there was Nothing there).
We arrived in Kingman just as the sun was setting. We checked into the best hotel in town, which happened to be the 2.5 star hotel. 😉
At the suggestion of the hotel clerk, we headed to the historic area for dinner at Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner, where they make homemade root beer!
If you couldn’t tell, husband was excited about the home made root beer. He ordered the float, I ordered the slush. I’m generally not a root beer person but I sure could go for another home made one from Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner! They are the best!
After a comfortable night, we checked out of our hotel and headed down the historic street, where many of the businesses are no longer running. Hotel Beale once serviced guests like Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earheart. Today it’s boarded up but it’s still neat to see the old sign standing proudly over the empty building.
We had limited time in Kingman so we spent less than an hour perusing the Powerhouse Route 66 Museum before continuing on our road trip to Nevada.
The Chat n’ Chew storefront exhibit in the museum seemed to be modeled after Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner!
The bottom floor of the Powerhouse Route 66 Museum is home to a collection of electrical cars. The golf cart on the left with the Rolls Royce style grill once belonged to Willie Nelson (a gift from his 3rd wife).
The Buckeye Bullet 2.5, an alternative-fuel race car which once set two international land speed records in the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Lightning Rod 2, the world’s first all electric Hot Rod.
An Electric Wheelchair constructed of parts from a 1940s WWII B-17 bomber. I’ll take one of these when my legs are too old to participate in our hiking adventures
Route 66 Museum Overview
- Address: 120 W Andy Devine Ave # 2, Kingman, AZ 86401
- Fees:Adults $4; Seniors $3; Children 12 & under FREE
- Usage: Light
- Pets allowed: No