This is a fun visitor center with a little something for everyone. Two wonderful gift shops, a…read moresecond floor free museum, a super neat pay museum (that I would strongly recommend), a dog park, and several photo ops. The gift stores had moderate priced items and a nice selection. The free museum gave a nice history of this Route 66 stop. The gem was definitely the pay museum. We learned so much about the history of the area and the dust bowl. As an added bonus was the electric car display. So much fun! We almost skipped this because we were just planning on a short stop. Glad we stayed and explored! We were traveling with an active 6 year old and she stayed engaged throughout. So many fun photo backdrops made this a stop that made our highlight reel from our vacation. Plan to spend at least an hour. Your paid admission to the museum also includes 3 other stops. Not all are open every day. We only made it to one of the 4. Again, good for all ages. Entertaining and informative.

Across the street from Locomotive Park [Kingman AZ]…read more Formerly the Powerhouse, Arizona's oldest known reinforced concrete industrial building, according to the roadside attraction marker in front of the building. The historic Powerhouse generated electricity from 1909 to 1938. The side of the building has 16 Tesla Superchargers ツ The Visitor Center has a gift shop that carries maps, brochures and mostly American-made souvenirs. They have a nice selection of stickers and postcards. They also sell stamps so it was perfect for the postcards I was sending. The stickers are my latest collection (it doesn't take up much space LoL!) Upstairs is the Route 66 Museum (stairs and elevator are available for use). Before heading to the museum, stop to read about the Guardian Angel of Route 66 StoryFile Experience, Angel Delgadillo. He has a very special relationship with the road called Route 66. The employees are friendly. They also have clean restrooms. Before leaving the parking lot drive through the Route 66 roadside attraction and snap a photo of your car underneath the sign. A "must see" attraction for Route 66 travelers in Kingman... highly recommended! Review #3695

I met #3759 and 999520! [Kingman AZ]…read more Just like my hometown where a large piece of Roseville's history is the railroad. We have the major Southern Pacific rail yard, a major West Coast rail center as part of Roseville's railroad heritage,... Kingman was founded in 1882 as a small railroad town during the construction of the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad and in 1883 Kingman was established as a railroad stop. Locomotive Park is not very big, you can see the "Welcome to Kingman" archway from the park. There is ample parking spaces for visitors. This is home to famed Steam Engine #3759. Visitors can climb aboard the train but use caution. It was retired in 1953, having traveled over 2,585,600 miles. The marker at the park was an interesting read. When #3759 was retired and given to the town of Kingman Santa Fe section crews laid a temporary rail line across Route 66 to the park. As soon as the engine was across the street, the track was torn up. It was the shortest-lived railroad line that the Santa Fe had ever built, lasting for about 45 minutes. It was then it had its official dedication "old 3759." In 1987 caboose 999520 was retired and donated to Kingman to be added to the #3759 display. In its operational life, it was used in mainline transcontinental pool caboose services. Visitors can also climb aboard the front and the back end of the caboose. A community project called "The Great Locomotive Pull" was organized and drew a crowd of 4,000 where some 1,200 of them took rope in hand to move the nearly half-million pound iron creature 30 feet forward to its new resting spot. Wow! instead of just bringing in a heavy equipment and move the locomotive they got the whole town involved. Amazing! It took "10 seconds." Near the west end of Locomotive Parks is the Beale Monument on which is inscribed the story of Lt. Edward Beale. The Visitors Center is just right across the street at the old Powerhouse. Review #3694

Nice little park accessible from the Route 66 visitors center. At this park you will find a…read morebeautifully preserved historic Santa Fe 3759 steam locomotive! Pretty cool. The park offers picnic tables, a grassy area, and a self-guided walking tour. Great park to relax, stretch your legs and take some really nice pictures.

TWO DAY raft tour review (will be long, so I apologize in advance!). I noticed there weren't a lot…read moreof reviews on overnight (two day) rafting trip, so I wanted to show some pictures and give a good overview. My dad and I went on this trip We booked this trip just a few months ago, after finding this is the only rafting company that has just a two-day paddle rafting tour. All others were 4, 8, or more days. We found out that the Hualapai tribe has the only road that leads down to the bottom of the canyon that isn't at the very start of the canyon, or end of the canyon (where you end your ride). So you can essentially "jump" on the river mid-canyon and you raft 53 miles to the end of the canyon, where you exit. There is a one day tour done by this company that is NOT paddling, but just riding in a motorized boat. They go the whole 53 miles in one day. They start and end at the same place we did, we just stop halfway (around 32 miles) to sleep for the night. We obviously go slower because we have to paddle the first 13 miles. You will have rapids and paddle for the first 13 miles of the trip. Once you complete those 13 miles (about 7-8 rapids), you will tether up to a motorized boat and be towed the other 20 miles to camp (with no rapids). Trust me -- it's hot and exhausting, so you will be ready to be towed! Day two is being towed all day. No more paddling, no more rapids. I highly suggest getting a room the night before the trip at the lodge (on the website). But BEWARE the lodge is literally right beside a very active train track. So it's loud throughout the night with train horns. Do what you will with that. Ear plugs? Ambien? Whatever suits you. But it's definitely the best place to stay the night before. They have a nice little restaurant in the lodge to grab dinner. I really liked the stew and fry bread, but they have a nice selection of other items. The ride down to the river is only about an hour, and pretty fun. You go on a bus (no air conditioning, but windows open and it's early in the day, so it's not hot at all), and the drivers will inform you about things you see and the history of the Hualapai tribe who owns the land. Once you get to the river, they will assign you a boat and captain, and you will get your life jacket and helmet on (both required). You put your things in a big red dry bag about 3 foot tall. I would say you have one dry bag for every two ppl. You will hit a rapid right when you take off, which is pretty fun! Better learn how to row as a group quick. Ha! Our captains were Cody and Scott, both who were excellent at guiding our groups through the rapids. There is a supply boat that will follow with your dry bags, tables for dinner, food supplies, etc Not even one person fell off either of our boats on our trip . We had lots of big rapids, but great captains who guided us through safely! Remember there are only 7-8 total rapids, and they all happen in the first 13 miles. So enjoy the "crazy adventure" at the beginning, because you won't get more rapids the rest of the day or next day! It is HOT, so make sure to have your water bottle and ample sunscreen. And a hat to block the sun. We stopped at a beach (not a camping park, just a Sandy beach along the River) for the night. There is no electricity, no running water, and no porta potties. They do setup a "bathroom" on the beach that is a can with a toilet seat lid on it. Not luxurious, but it's setup in a private area, and gets the job done! You pick your campsite, and they provide the sleeping bags, pad for the bags to lay on, and tent (if you want it). It was BEAUTIFUL. And I am not an "outdoor" sleeper. But the stars and the sound of the river, and the breeze. It was wonderful! Make sure to stay up until about 10pm to see a SKY full of stars! They make an amazing dinner for you of steak, mashed potato and salad. Even more delicious after a tiring day!! Sodas are also available! The next morning, they will have eggs, bacon, coffee (bring your own cup), cereal, fruit --- a fantastic breakfast. You get towed about 4.5-5 hours that day (stopping for lunch), and then stop at the end of the canyon at the first exit road there is (53 miles later!). It's a lengthy ride back (2.5 hours), and you maybe in an air conditioned van, or on the bus. We got the vans today, so were pretty comfy. We booked another night at the lodge, and ate at the restaurant again, and had the stew!! Overall it was an amazing experience. Truly one you can't get anywhere else. Because the tribe owns this part of the river and the ONLY access road, it is the most unique way to see the bottom of the canyon. Cody, Scott and Dale were absolutely out of this world in knowledge and service . Very kind, helpful and taking care of every need (and taking lots of pictures!).

This was a truly amazing, bucket-list experience. Our son just graduated as a geologist and we…read moretook a week long vacation with the first half dedicated to touring various natural wonders. We were there Friday, 7/8/22. This was one of our favorites (a close second to the beauty of Carlsbad Caverns!). Victor was our "skipper" and he and the photographer were great people to have spent the day with. It was my husband, my son, myself, and a family of four (young-adult children) from the UK. We stayed the night at the Hualapai Lodge where we spent two pleasant evenings. The restaurant was basically cafeteria food, and no other real options nearby. But it was decent enough. The rooms were clean and the beds were comfortable and the staff was friendly. We were picked up that morning in the bus. It was a retired school bus with the windows down and the air temp was comfortable enough. The bus driver made sure to offer us water the entire ride which took about an hour and a half, with one or two stops for pics along the way (as requested by one of the other travelers). There were 35 of us that day. There are porta potties at the river before you take off. They had one very large drybag available to stash your things in, and we had already brought our own, so they stashed that for us, too. They had plenty of water and soda available in their cooler if you needed it. We started our very hot day riverside and before we hit our first rapids were given a quick safety lesson about what to do if we fell within or outside of the boat. At one point my husband slipped inside the boat after the most "severe" rapid and sat as told, until we were cleared. Viktor kept us safe and worked the rapids well. While still traversing the rapids, we stopped at the falls. I was surprised that the stop was so soon during the trip, but that's how the geography worked out. It was beautiful and an easy climb/hike up to the falls. The fresh water was cool and refreshing and we got to spend a good amount of time exploring the beauty of the area. After that stop we stopped 3 or 4 more times along the river. Once for lunch (which was simple but perfectly satisfying). We all had a deli meat sandwich with lettuce and tomato and cheese, a packet of mayo and mustard, and a bag of chips to choose from as well as a bag of carrots and water or soda to choose from. After that, we stopped another time to cool down in the water as the air gets super hot down there once the rapids aren't actively splashing you. (There is almost always spray coming at the front of the boat, so rotate there if you need to cool down.) They gave us more snacks to choose from- nuts/cookies/chips/etc. Another time we stopped for another cool down and one of the other riders in our boat asked if we could float down the river in our life vests for a while. Viktor obliged the request and we were allowed to float down the river for about half an hour until Viktor powered back up and came and scooped us out of the water- that was such an amazing experience! We stopped at least once more to cool down, it was about once an hour. The water is very cold- no more than 60 degrees (it gets warmer the further down the river you go). At one point we saw wild ram along the cliffside and Viktor made sure to stop and point them out to us so we could watch them hop un and down the cliffs. I saw the repeated warnings about the trip and was concerned that we'd not have a good experience, but we'd all do it again in a heartbeat!! Look, this is not a ride at an amusement park. This is mother nature. And she can be a real b!tch. These guys are working with decent equipment but are working on real rapids on a real river in real conditions. We had amazing skippers, more than enough food and water, and plenty of chances to stop to cool down. We did get some good water shoes with treads, a long sleeve UV shirt, and hats and glasses with straps because without them we most certainly would have lost them on the rapids. Also- a waterproof pouch for your phone is a good idea. We did bring snacks and water "just in case", but they were not needed. We stopped at the end of our day ("docked" about 5pm) at the Family Dollar where we grabbed some ice cream and snacks- but they still had plenty of powerade etc available for us if we needed/wanted it. There were some weak bladders on the bus, so we also had to stop at a gas station which delayed our 2.5 hour bus ride back home. The bus windows were up and the air was on, but it wasn't exactly cold air we had. That being said, it wasn't uncomfortable either. There is a QR code provided to access the professional photos that were taken on the trip. This really was an amazing adventure and we are so grateful that the Hualapai share the beauty of their canyon with us!

Visited the Arizona Route 66 museum/visitor center in Kingman on our way to The Town of Oatman, AZ…read more The visitor center is on the 1st floor and offers a nice size gift shop with so many cool souvenirs. They also have nice clean bathrooms. The 2nd floor is the entrance to the Museum. The Museum was very informative about the history of Route 66 and Kingman. We also got to tour the electric vehicle museum. Admission was only $10 for adults. Unfortunately the day we went The Bonelli house was not open which is included in that price. It's a self tour and they also have an hour long movie about Route 66 and the boom and bust that happened. After visiting the shop and touring the museum we had a little picnic lunch outside before continuing our road trip. They had some clean picnic tables under an awning with some shade so we were able to enjoy our lunch outside instead of in our car which was nice! Great place to stop and take a break while visiting Arizona.

From trade route, to train route, to State Route 66 [Kingman AZ]…read more The Arizona Route 66 Museum is located on the 2nd floor of the Powerhouse. As we were leaving we didn't immediately notice that the museum was just above the Visitor Center. We went back inside LoL! General admission is $10/person but if you're a senior (60+) it's $6. The ticket can be used as a bookmark to remember your visit to Kingman AZ. The $10 ticket is good to see 3 places: The Mojave Museum (unfortunately was closed at the time), 'The Powerhouse' Route 66 Museum including the Historic Electric Vehicle Exhibit and The Bonelli House. Arizona Route 66 Museum ~ To summarize, the museum depicts the historical evolution of travel along the 35th parallel that became Route 66. We viewed vintage artifacts, dioramas, murals, photographs, and more that took us on a journey from a pre-Route 66 America to the present and, well, everything in between. Informative museum! Route 66 Electric Vehicle Museum ~ Why is there a Tesla in here?? Well, I did not know that they made Tesla's then. There is a 2008 Tesla Roadster "The Simo" on the exhibit floor. Elon Musk launched a Roadster into space carried by a Falcon Heavy rocket in a test flight on February 6, 2018. Route 66 Drive-Thru Shield ~ We drove through this roadside attraction that allowed cars to drive a loop and go under and through the classic Route 66 shield. Pretty cool! Review #3696

A truly unforgettable experience. We did the 4 hour deluxe option stopping at Emerald Cove. Aside…read morefrom the scenery being absolutely breathtaking and the water being the perfect temperature, our guide Tehya was the cherry on top. She made the experience significantly better offering personal stories and knowledge about the local flora and fauna. The trip would not have been the same without her! We enjoyed ourselves and can't wait to be back!

Our group enjoyed a fantastic 4-Hour kayaking tour. It exceeded my expectations and we all had a…read moregreat time. Our guide, Jayden, was awesome. She provided useful information, and we learned a lot about the area and environment. She is very good at her job. The equipment and lunch were top quality and overall we had a very, very good time. I highly recommend this tour and I would return for an even longer tour next time.

This is the best decorated house and property I have seen here. I've visited these lights two years…read morein a row and it is consistently amazing. If you can only go to one street this is the one. I hope they get recognized for a great job.

I was very happy with people, with the smoothness of how everything works out. Will be sure to…read moreshare my experience.

Decided to schedule a wine tour for my birthday with Desert Wonder Tours from Kingman. Arizona…read more My husband and I decided on the Route 66, wine and distillery tours. Easy and quick to book online and received confirmation emails after booking as well as a reminder email from Bob. Michael, our tour guide, did a fabulous job with our tour. He provided a little bit of background history on each place we visited as well as some history regarding Kingman! We would definitely recommend this company for their great service and the variety of tours they offer!

They ran our tour even though we were the only 2 people. We did the Kingman Wine & Distillery tour…read more It was nice to relax & be driven around. Excellent guide. The Distillery is a must if you are in the Kingman area. I would absolutely do another tour with this company.

First of all, the trains are nasty. They don't keep up on the bathrooms…read more Next, the snack bars food is nasty. I had trouble eating the Angus burger that I'd frozen food. Highly over priced. There restaurant is great but, you have to sit with other people. Can't sit by yourself. Also, my train was delayed over 4 hours and they only want to offer me a -200.00, next trip. Like I really want to do that expensive, dirty train again. I rather drive. So don't take a train unless your desperate. They are late, so what... you are forced to take ano6trsin trip to make up for there tardiness. What this world coming too.

Terrible experience with two Amtrak workers when I dropped my 83 year old step mom and her little…read moredog earlier this morning. One was so arrogant, harassing her over her dog. Asking over and over "What service does that dog provide you". She was in tears. He rudely told her to go get on. Then the guy that was supposed to help her get on wouldn't even help or look at us. These folks could use some training in compassion for the elderly. I'll never take her to that station again. I'll drive further and put her on where they may show respect for elders. They made me sick to my stomach how in humane they were.

What a fun Saturday afternoon! We stopped into the Desert…read moreDiamond Distillery with no preconceived expectations. Hoping to learn a little about their award‑winning spirits. I've toured many distilleries around the world, and this visit turned out to be enjoyable. We had the chance to taste some truly delicious and unique spirits, enjoy a beautifully crafted cocktail, and engage in fun conversation. Deborah was engaging, knowledgeable, and made the experience even more fun. Learning really can be enjoyable. The tasting room has a charming, well‑stocked shop with a great selection of spirits, fabulous mixers, and other fun items. We picked up a few things to take home. Tours are offered, but we were having too much fun right where we were. Stop in. You won't be disappointed!

They don't serve food here but they do have good drinks. The drinks are on the expensive side…read morethough. I'd recommend the agave rum it was delicious. Service is hit and miss, sometimes great other times not good at all.

AMERICA'S MAIN STREET…read more I have always been fascinated by Main Street, USA. This is one reason I am fascinated by US 66. From 1926 to 1985 Route 66 was America's Main Street. From Santa Monica, California to Chicago, Illinois it travelled through eight states: California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois. Disparate from many of the US highways at the time, it did not travel in a straight line. Instead, it travelled diagonally to connect to downtowns that needed a connection to a major Highway in addition to large cities. US 66 grew with the popularity of the automobile and the migration west to California. With the popularity of US 66 came interesting roadside architecture. Examples are Cadillac Ranch, art deco motels, classic gas stations, drive-ins and restaurants. When traffic increased and cars became more powerful, US 66 evolved. For example the hairpin curves between Oatman and Kingman, Arizona were so dangerous that US 66 was relocated to the current I-40. By the 1960s, US 66 became an American institution. US 66 became as American as apple pie. There was a show about US 66 and the song "Get Your Kicks on Route 66." Meanwhile a pledging American institution was making America's Main Street extinct. It was the Interstate. Gradually the Interstate replaced US 66. In 1985 when I-40 was completed in 1985, US 66 was decommissioned from the highway system. It was replaced by I-10, I-15, I-40, I-44, and I-55. Americans love our heritage. US 66 is a part of our heritage. Groups such as the US 66 Association are working hard to preserve the existing segments of US 66 and to reinstate it as a US Highway. Thanks to their efforts "Historic US 66" route markers bring America's Main Street back to life in many of the existing segments. I have recently been on a few segments of US 66. Whenever I drove on US 66 pavement I felt a connection to America's heritage and a feeling of being in a real life train set. Whenever I am driving from Las Vegas to Southern California, when I exit the fast lane of I-15 for a break at a business off the slower lanes of the I-15 Business Loop, I am on US 66 most likely in a historic area. A not too distant experience was visiting the First McDonald's in San Bernardino off US 66. If I kept going West on the former US 66 that is now signed California 66, I'd end up taking the scenic route to Santa Monica Pier. When I drive from Vegas to Arizona destinations, I often stop on US 66. In Kingman, US 66 is both a Main Street and a I-40 Business Route. The US 66 Association is here in the Powerhouse Visitor Center. In downtown Kingman, US 66 looks like a charming train set turned to life. This is one of the larger segments of US 66. From Kingman, it changes into Arizona 66 and travels through the desert passing Grand Canyon Caverns until it rejoins I-40 West of Williams. When I vacationed in the Grand Canyon, it was US 66 in Williams that I stopped off before driving into the park. I knew I was on US 66 when I saw the bear attraction. When I drive the Laughlin route toward Lake Havasu City, I am driving on US 66 when I cruise through Needles, California . Recently I was hanging out on US 66 when I was spending a few hours in the ghost town of Oatman. And this summer when I walked in the Chicago Loop I was walking on the easternmost segment of US 66. US 66 is currently a discontinuous Main Street. Many have been negatively affected by the Interstate. A reinstated US 66 would connect these Main Street at the same time it would increase tourism. America needs it's Main Street back. The Route 66 Associations in each of the states that US 66 travels through are fighting the good fight by trying to reinstate US 66 to the highway system. I support them. And on the subject of US 66 for the next couple of days I will mentally be at the easternmost city of US 66 finishing up my 2014 Chicago reviews. I'll mentally be back in Vegas in a few days when the weather turns cooler. Most likely reviewing a Las Vegas Park or restaurant . So, my Vegas Yelper friends I will share my local experiences then. However, because this is the Internet you can join me on a mental trip to the easternmost city of US 66 in Chicago. If not I will leave you singing, "If you ever plan to motor west Travel my way the road that's the best. Get your kicks on Route 66."

Great Route 66 Museum! Very well presented history of Route 66. Worth the stop. I don't have kids…read morebut I think this would be an entertaining stop for kids as well. They also have a small electro car museum.