The New Route 66: Arizona Edition
Exit 359 Grants Rd
Before you even get to the Welcome to Arizona sign this exit pops up just across the border.
There is a truck stop that you can back track to on the north side of the interstate. There are also several gift shops that are scattered about at this exit.
Exit 357 AZ-12 N Window Rock
There is very little available at this exit.
Exit 354 Hawthorne Road
This exit is a pass for me.
Exit 351 Allentown Rd
There are a couple of gift shops at this exit. This was not enough to get me off the interstate.
Exit 348 Houck
A ghost tourist trap called Fort Courage is all that this exit features.
Exit 346 Pine Springs Rd
According to the sign right before the exit you are at 6000 ft elevation. That is the most interesting thing about this exit. There is nothing to see here.
Exit 343 Querino Rd
There is nothing nearby at this exit.
Exit 341 Ortega Road
There is an Indian Center on the north side of the exit that does have fuel.
Weigh Station/ Arizona Port of Entry
Exit 339 US-191 S/ St Johns
There is a gas station south of the exit. There is one restaurant. I would pass unless you're running low on fuel.
Exit 333 US-191 N/ Ganado
There is a gas station and hotel at this exit. Both have seen better days.
Exit 330 Mc Carrell Rd
There is nothing at this exit.
Exit 325 Navajo
On the eastbound side of the highway is the Navajo Travel Center. A convenience store with fuel and a sandwich shop. Honestly, the food options are better at the Petrified Forest. I will explain that later.
Exit 320 Pinta Rd
This exit is void of services.
Exit 311 Petrified Forest National Park
The Petrified Forest National Park is worth stopping even if you don’t feel you have a lot of time. Even the park visitors center is chock full of interesting facts and posters. There is also a park ranger on hand to answer questions. The one we talked to was very knowledgeable.
There is also a restaurant that shares a space with the gift shop across from the visitors center. It featured hamburgers and philly cheese steak sandwiches with fries. It was pretty moderately price which was nice for a touristy area.
Plenty of nice clean bathrooms as well. A full-fledged desert oasis.
This observation was made in May of 2024.
Exit 303 Adamana Rd
There are a couple of souvenir shops and a giant statue of Kachina at this exit.
Exit 300 Goodwater
Arizona must get a really good deal on building exits. This one has nothing at all as well.
Exit 294 Sun Valley Rd
There are souvenir shops directly off the interstate, but everything else is way off the beaten path.
Exit 292 AZ-77 N Keams Canyon
No immediate services off this exit.
Exit 289 I-40 Business Navajo Blvd
This exit has the best restaurants in Holbrook. There is a fairly new LaQuinta Inn at this exit. If I were going to spend a day at the Petrified Forest this would be the exit.
Exit 286 I-40 Business/AZ-77 S/ US-180 E/AZ-377 S/Show Low/Heber
More of Holbrook at this exit. You can exit more restaurants and the ones that you missed at the last exit.
Exit 285 I-40 Business Hopl Dr
At this point you missed most of the commercial part of Holbrook. You can backtrack and redeem yourself.
Exit 283 Golf Course Rd
There is a golf course on this road. Hidden Cove Golf Course, I bet it is a hidden cove because there is no water in the middle of the desert. I have seen what they call rivers in Arizona, and they are usually bone dry.
I digress, on a more useful note there is a truck stop at this exit if you don’t have your golf clubs and need fuel.
Exit 280 Hunt Rd/Geronimo Rd
There are no immediate services at this exit.
Exit 277 I-40 Business Joseph City
There is a Love’s Travel Center at this exit.
Exit 274 Joseph City
You can backtrack to Joseph City here, but there is not much immediately at this exit.
Exit 269 Jackrabbit Rd
Jackrabbit Trading post exists at this exit, but I am not stopping.
Exit 264 Hibbard Rd
Nothing to see here.
Exit 257 AZ-87 N/ 2nd Mesa
Nothing to get excited about at this exit.
Exit 255 I-40 Business Transcon Ln
East end of Winslow with a Best Western and a truck stop.
If you want to see the Standin’ on a Corner Park exit here and find your way to the old Route 66.
RelicRoad Brewing Company is a favorite if you are visiting the park.
Exit 253 N Park Dr
There is more of Winslow to see at this exit. There is a Walmart just north of this exit along with hotels and restaurants.
Captain Tony’s Pizza looks to be a promising stop for lunch. It is near Walmart.
Exit 252 I-40 Business/Hipkoe Dr
There are a couple of hotels at this exit, but you have pretty much gone by Winslow at this point.
Exit 245 AZ-99 North Leupp
There are no services at this exit.
Exit 239 Meteor City Rd
There are no services at this exit.
Rest Area
This is the Meteor Crater Rest Area.
Exit 233 Meteor Crater Rd
Meteor Crater & Barringer Space Museum is a little under six miles south of this exit.
Exit 230 2 Guns
There is not much in the way of services, but there are more than a few tourist attractions at the 2 guns exit.
Exit 225 Buffalo Range Rd
There are no services at this exit.
Exit 219 Twin Arrows
There is a Navajo Blue Travel Plaza to the north of this exit.
Exit 211 Winona
There is a gas station and Winona Trading post. This is a pass for me since Flagstaff is not far off
Exit 207 Cosnino Rd
Nothing at this exit unless you need a deer processed.
Exit 204 US 66 Historic
This is a great exit to take onto the old Route 66 into Flagstaff. It really puts you on the main drag, just don’t miss the turn for the Grand Canyon.
Walnut Canyon National Monument is also advertised as being at this exit.
Exit 201 I-40 Business W Country Club Dr/US-180 W/US-89 N Grand Canyon
Go North to get on old Route 66 into downtown Flagstaff.
South of the exit has some nicer hotels.
Restaurants are abundant at this exit.
Exit 198 Butler Ave
Butler Avenue takes you directly to the south side of Flagstaff which has a lot of shopping, restaurants, and hotels.
The Northern Pines Restaurant is just off of this exit, and it is really good. We ate there last month when we were in Flagstaff. I will warn you that prices are inflated in Flagstaff. Our server informed us that Flagstaff passed an $18/hr minimum wage. I had a french dip and Marcy had a reuben and it was over $40 with tip. It was great, but a bit overpriced by my standards. Expect high prices in Flagstaff above the usual touristy area prices.
To go to the Grand Canyon take this exit and get on Old Route 66
In about half a mile turn on N Switzer Canyon Dr
Turn Right onto AZ-64 this will take you to the Grand Canyon National Park
I am almost embarrassed to say that I did not visit the Grand Canyon until May 2024 when I was 56 years old. I think that everyone that lives in the US should visit the Grand Canyon. Your brain will not believe what your eyes are showing it. A picture is like a piece of a jigsaw puzzle. It does not do justice to the grandeur of this site.
Make it stand out.
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Chicago to Pontiac
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Build it.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
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Grow it.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.