FLAGSTAFF, Ariz — America may be celebrating its 250th anniversary in 2026, but its most fabled highway is doing some celebrating of its own.
Route 66, running from Chicago to Santa Monica through eight states, turns 100 in November of this year.
(If you are a keeper of trivia, those eight states are Illinois, Missouri, Kansas — even if it’s for only 13 miles — Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.)
Over that century, the highway has had an indelible influence on America’s pop culture.
Jazz musician Bobby Troup persuaded many Americans to "come get your kicks on Route 66.”
A 1960s TV series, “Route 66,” boosted the popularity of both the storied highway and Corvettes.
In literature, Jack Kerouac took a devil-may-care approach to traveling Route 66 in his seminal novel “On the Road,” but John Steinbeck’s Okies in “The Grapes of Wrath” had a decidedly less exhilarating experience.
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I first traveled Route 66 as a teenager with my grandparents on a road trip from Austin, Texas, to California. The Mother Road, as it has come to be known, left an indelible imprint on my travel-hungry mind, but nowhere more so than in Flagstaff, Arizona.
We overnighted there, and my grandfather awakened me at 3 o’clock the next morning to drive 80 miles to watch the sun rise over the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. It was an experience I’ve never forgotten.
Now I was back and eager to recapture my youthful excitement with a return trip to the canyon.
Grand Canyon Adventures and my excellent guide Sam (for Samantha) were the perfect choice for a full-day tour.
During our drive, Sam pointed out the Ponderosa pine forests and explained how the rocky lunar landscapes in this part of northern Arizona are used by NASA to train every astronaut that has ever been part of a space mission.
Although it’s one of the most photographed spots on the planet, nothing quite prepares you for your first sight of the canyon, or even your second.
It seems inconceivable that this massive chasm (the state of Rhode Island could fit inside with 700 square miles left over) was carved by the Colorado River, at times a mere trickle, flowing through it over millions of years.
This time we arrived not at sunrise, but at lunch, and Sam was prepared. She spread the repast that is included in the tour price on a smooth slab of rock some 12 feet from the canyon’s edge. It proved an ideal vantage point, and I can honestly say I have never enjoyed a table with a better view.
After exploring various points along the South Rim, I had time to shop at the trading post in Grand Canyon Village and stop in for a coffee at the El Tovar Hotel on the canyon rim that has been welcoming guests since 1905.
Along the way, I learned some fun facts about the Grand Canyon:
—There is a town inside the canyon, Supai Village, that is home to 208 members of the Havasupai Tribe.
—A pink rattlesnake can be found here and nowhere else in the world.
—Fewer people have completed a continuous hike of the canyon’s length than have walked on the moon.
I could go on. However, once back in Flagstaff, I realized that there is more than proximity to the Grand Canyon to recommend the city as a major stop on Route 66.
The biggest draw is Lowell Observatory. Appropriately perched atop Mars Hill, the astronomy center, founded in 1894, is one of the oldest independent research observatories in the U.S.
It’s a must-stop for astronomy nerds and those who champion underdogs, as Lowell Observatory is the place where a staff astronomer named Clyde Tombaugh first identified Pluto in 1930.
Pluto became science’s most famous underdog in 2006 when it was demoted to the status of dwarf planet, but at Lowell it remains one of the galaxy’s giants.
Every February the Observatory stages the I Heart Pluto Festival, a multiday celebration that blends science, history, and fun — especially in the form of a pub crawl where guests share Pluto-themed drinks and love for the icy rock with Lowell astronomers stationed at each pub along the way.
If you can’t make it in February, there’s still plenty to do the rest of the year. At the Astronomy Discovery Center, check out the Stardust Lab and the Orbits Curiosity Zone, or take a self-guided tour through the dome and see the telescope used by Tombaugh to first spot Pluto.
If you visit at night (and I highly recommend you do), follow the illuminated path of the solar system for a peek through the Clark Telescope, where on clear nights the Milky Way appears closer than 26,000 light years away.
But the one thing you absolutely won’t want to miss is an evening of stargazing on the outdoor Giovale Open Deck Observatory.
Programs change regularly, and “Strange New Worlds,” the one offered during my visit, focused on the oft-asked question "Are we alone?"
Since Flagstaff holds the designation of the world’s first Dark Sky City, we were rewarded with sights most of us never see (the first thing I witnessed after leaning back in my comfortable chair was a shooting star).
My stargazing was guided by a member of the Observatory staff, allowing the magic to be enhanced with knowledge, making for a memorable evening.
Another don’t-miss sight is the small but impressive Museum of Northern Arizona. The physical setting – at the base of the San Francisco Peaks, considered sacred by the indigenous tribes – is stunning, and the museum’s nine galleries showcase the Colorado Plateau’s diverse Native cultures, natural sciences, ecology and art.
A current temporary exhibit focuses on Route 66 – not just its mythologies, but its harsh realities as well. I particularly enjoyed the replica of one of its iconic roadside diners.
Fun fact: Actor Ted Danson spent his early years in Flagstaff while his father, a prominent anthropologist and archaeologist, served as the museum’s director.
While many of the original lodgings along Route 66 have sadly been lost to demolition, the Americana Motor Hotel is a fitting testament to the road’s heyday.
The Americana’s bold exterior colors (think royal blue and tangerine), its outdoor spaces with firepits and chairs for guests to congregate, and its assortment of kitschy in-room furnishings (it took me 15 minutes to figure out how to stop the flashing of the disco ball so I could get some sleep) make for a fun stay.
With desert atmosphere, laid-back lifestyle and diverse offerings, and of course, its special slice of Route 66, the same can be said for Flagstaff.
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