This stretch of our anniversary trip along Route 66 took us through a part of Arizona that’s easy to overlook, but really shouldn’t be. Between Albuquerque and Flagstaff, we slowed down to explore a few classic stops along Route 66 Arizona, spending time in both Holbrook and Winslow.
This area has a little bit of everything: desert landscapes, roadside history, and some surprisingly meaningful stops if you take the time to look for them. From revisiting Petrified Forest National Park and wandering through quieter trails, to checking out some of the more well-known things to do in Holbrook, like the Wigwam Motel, to exploring things to do in Winslow, including Standin’ on the Corner Park and the historic La Posada Hotel.
In this post, I’m sharing a full recap of this part of our trip, along with tips to help you plan your own visit, whether you’re doing a full Route 66 road trip or just passing through this section of Arizona.
Where We Stayed in Winslow, AZ
We stayed at Homolovi State Park, and it was honestly really nice to be back in a state park for a few days. The campsites here are great- spacious, level, and easy to get into, which is always appreciated after bouncing between different types of stays. Everything felt well maintained, and the campground itself is set up in a way that gives you some really nice open desert views.
One of the unexpected highlights was the park’s burro herd. They’ll wander through the area from time to time, and it was so fun just sitting outside and watching them pass through. Definitely not something you get everywhere.
Overall, this is a really solid spot if you’re visiting Winslow or just passing through on Route 66. We’d absolutely stay here again.
How We Spent a Sunday in Holbrook
Holbrook wasn’t new to us, we’d actually spent a couple nights here last September while visiting Petrified Forest National Park, but this time we were focused specifically on the Route 66 aspects of it.
The Plotz Plot
We started at the Plotz Plot. If you’ve spent any time on Atlas Obscura, it has a certain mythology to it- this idea that the world is still full of strange, overlooked places, if you know where to look. The Plotz Plot is one of the few times that idea becomes physical. It was created as a tribute to former CEO David Plotz, but it doesn’t feel like a monument so much as a collection of small endings.
Inside the shipping container, already a replacement for the original structure that didn’t survive the wind, is a loose archive of objects people have left behind: notes, photos, pieces of things that used to belong somewhere else. The idea is simple: mark a transition, leave something behind. It’s the kind of place you think you’ll spend 10 minutes in, and then suddenly you’re deep in someone else’s story, reading handwritten notes and turning over tiny artifacts that somehow hold entire chapters of a stranger’s life. I could’ve stayed there for hours.
How to Visit the Plotz Plot
Petrified Forest National Park
From there, we went back into Petrified Forest National Park, but since we had been there so recently and had already done all the overlooks and developed trails, we skipped around more. There are a handful of routes the National Park Service labels “off the beaten path,” which mostly means they stopped maintaining them and let them return to something closer to what they were. We did the Jasper Forest route, which follows an old CCC roadbed. There’s no real trailhead to speak of, just a place where you start walking and keep going.
It didn’t take long before we were completely alone- no voices, no footsteps, no other humans in sight. It’s a completely different experience from the overlooks and paved trails, and honestly, one of the most memorable parts of the day.
We did go back to Blue Mesa, because some places justify a second look. The formations there don’t read as natural at first, they look painted with their blues and purples.
On the way out, we passed the Painted Desert Inn and the preserved stretch of Route 66 that cuts through the park. It’s easy to miss if you’re not looking for it, which feels appropriate. Route 66 has a way of slipping in and out of places like that.
We finished our visit with lunch at the cafe!
How to Visit Petrified Forest National Park
Holbrook Geocaching
Our first stop in town was a geocache tucked into a small, easy-to-miss pocket park, it has no official name on Google Maps, but it has a labyrinth built by a local Girl Scout troop, which made it feel like one of those small, meaningful community spaces you’d never find unless you were looking for it.
Bucket of Blood Street
From there, we leaned into Holbrook’s rough-around-the-edges history with a stop at Bucket of Blood Street. Long before it was a Route 66 stop, Holbrook was a railroad town with a reputation, and after a deadly fight at the original saloon, the name stuck. The building itself, Bucket of Blood Saloon, is still standing and even listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which makes it feel less like a story and more like something you can still stand in front of and picture.
How to Visit Bucket of Blood Street
Wigwam Motel
Then, one of the most iconic stops: the Wigwam Motel. Built as part of a small chain in the 1930s and 40s, these concrete “wigwams” (yes, they’re technically tipis, but the name stuck) are pure Route 66 nostalgia. There were originally seven locations, and now only three remain- including this one. Vintage cars are scattered across the property, and you can still book a night here, which honestly feels like the kind of experience you do at least once.
How to Visit Wigwam Motel
We wrapped up the day with a drive down Holbrook’s stretch of Route 66. You can still see glimpses of what it must have been- old motels, souvenir shops, giant dinosaur statues, but a lot of it sits quiet now, faded and empty. Between the interstate rerouting traffic and the newer hotels popping up closer to the national park, much of the life has shifted away from the original main drag.
It’s a little bittersweet. But also kind of fitting for Route 66, this constant mix of nostalgia, reinvention, and places caught somewhere in between.
How We Spent an Afternoon in Winslow
It rained most of the day, which wasn’t ideal, but we still managed to get out and explore a good bit of Winslow. We actually went into town first during our lunch break to try out their Pizza Hut buffet- because we always have a hard time resisting a Pizza Hut buffet. Then, after work, we had more time to explore.
Homolovi State Park
We started in Homolovi State Park, where we were staying. We stopped into the visitor center first, then headed out to Homolovi II. This area was home to the Hopi people from around 1260–1400, and there are several pueblo sites spread throughout the park. Homolovi II is the largest and most excavated, so it’s the main one to visit.
It’s mostly foundations now, but you can still clearly see the layout of the village- rooms, walls, how everything was connected. It started raining while we were walking around, so we didn’t stay as long as we probably would have otherwise, but it was still worth seeing.
How to Visit Homolovi State Park
Winslow HGTV Art Cars
After that, we headed into town. First stop was the HGTV art cars, which we knew about from watching Home Town Kickstart before coming here. The two cars currently there were created with the Winslow Art Council for the show, and the idea is that more businesses around Winslow will eventually add their own. So far a church and the Rotary club have created their own cars too.
How to Visit the HGTV Art Cars
Standin’ on the Corner Park
Then we went to Standin’ on the Corner Park, which is definitely the main attraction in town. It’s based on the Take It Easy lyric, and honestly, they’ve done a really nice job with it. It’s clean, well set up, and there are shops and restaurants all within walking distance. Since Route 66 runs right through here, it makes sense that it’s such a popular stop.
How to Visit Standin’ on the Corner Park
Las Posada Hotel
We walked around the area for a bit, picked up a couple souvenirs, and then went over to La Posada Hotel. This was one of my favorite stops of the day. It was built in 1929 as a Fred Harvey hotel and designed by Mary Colter, who also worked on buildings at the Grand Canyon.
Because of the rain, we skipped the gardens and spent more time inside, which ended up working out. The architecture is really cool- lots of wood, unique details, and it doesn’t feel like a typical hotel. There’s also a ton of Southwestern art throughout, so it’s worth taking your time walking around.
How to Visit La Posada Hotel
Root Beer Stand
After that, we stopped at Root Beer Stand for a quick treat. I had seen it on Google Maps before just because of the name, but it was also featured on Home Town Kickstart. They kept the vintage look but updated it, and it’s a fun little stop. I got a root beer float, Josh got a shake- exactly what you’d expect.
How to Visit Root Beer Stand
And then we ended the day in the most realistic way possible for full-time RV life… Walmart. Groceries still have to happen, no matter where you are.
Winslow feels like it’s in the middle of a bit of a comeback. Some parts are really well done, especially around the corner, and other areas are still catching up. But overall, it’s a solid stop along Route 66, especially if you like a mix of history and those classic roadside attractions.
More to Do in Winslow & Holbrook, Arizona
- Navajo County Historical Society, Holbrook
- Roxy Theater, Holbrook (only operating theater on Route 66 in AZ)
- Holbrook has multiple petrified wood/souvenir shops
- Arizona Sake, Holbrook
- Jack Rabbit Trading, Joseph City
- Old Trails Museum, Winslow
- Winslow Visitor Center & Hubbell Trading Post
- Meteor City, Winslow
- Meteor Crater, Winslow
- Apache Death Cave, Winslow
Make sure to check out the rest of our Route 66 posts!
