Things to Do in Flagstaff on Route 66
A downtown walking guide to the neon, the motels, the murals, and the original 1926 alignment of the Mother Road, all within a 1.3-mile loop.
Book the Walking TourMost "things to do in Flagstaff" lists send you to Lowell Observatory, the Snowbowl, or the Grand Canyon day-trip. Those are great. But there is a whole second city hiding in plain sight: the original 1926 alignment of Route 66, still running straight through downtown, lined with neon signs, Green Book–era motels, and the brick storefronts where the Mother Road was actually born.
This guide is the short list, the eight stops on Route 66 in downtown Flagstaff most worth your time, plus the one tour that ties them together.
The 8 Best Route 66 Stops in Downtown Flagstaff
Want all 16 stops? See every Route 66 landmark in downtown Flagstaff →
Why Downtown Flagstaff Is the Best Stretch of Route 66
Route 66 ran 2,448 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica. Most of the original road has been bypassed, demolished, or absorbed into Interstate 40. Downtown Flagstaff is one of the few places where you can still walk the original 1926 alignment as it threads past buildings that were already standing when the highway was commissioned.
The stretch is dense. Sixteen significant Route 66 landmarks sit inside a 1.3-mile loop, neon signs lit nightly since the 1950s, the Train Depot the Riordans built, Green Book–era motels that quietly served Black travelers during segregation, and the speakeasies and red-light blocks the city would rather you forgot.
It is also walkable. No driving, no shuttle, no parking lot at every stop. Just a flat downtown grid at 7,000 feet of elevation.
Self-Guided or Guided?
Self-guided
- Free, walk it any time of day
- Use our landmarks guide or the route map
- Best for repeat visitors who already know the broad strokes
Guided (recommended)
- 90 minutes, 16 stops, 1.3 miles, flat downtown loop
- The full stories you will not find on a plaque
- Led by a trained local storyteller
- 990+ verified reviews (4.9★) · 30,000+ guests
Quick Questions
What are the best things to do on Route 66 in Flagstaff?
Heritage Square, the Train Depot, the vintage motel-row neon signs, Motel DuBeau (a Green Book site), Mother Road Brewing, the Mother Myth mural, the Tourist Home, and Mike's Pike toward Mars Hill. All eight sit inside a 1.3-mile downtown loop.
Is Route 66 in Flagstaff worth visiting?
Yes, it is one of the most intact downtown stretches of the original 1926 alignment left in the country, and unlike most Route 66 towns, the road still runs through a living, working main street.
How long does it take?
About 90 minutes on a guided tour, or a relaxed half-day if you wander on your own.
Walk the Mother Road With a Guide
Ninety minutes. Sixteen stops. A century of stories that did not make it onto the plaques.