Las Vegas to Flagstaff Road Trip: Route 66 Stops and Drive Guide

The most direct drive from Las Vegas to Flagstaff is 253 miles and takes around 4 hours via US-93 and Interstate 40. While the historic Route 66 detour adds time, this beloved road trip is the point for most people who come this way. You can, and certainly should, add a detour up to the Grand Canyon, which is an additional 60 miles. From Flagstaff, you’ll also have the option to visit Sedona, which is also just 30 miles away.

If the point is to get there quickly take the direct I-40, otherwise, follow along the historic Route 66 through Kingman and Seligman to experience the classic drive. While Route 66, fondly dubbed the ‘mother road’, isn’t one continuous road anymore, you’ll still be able to dip in and out along the way. You can join the historic Route 66 after passing over Hoover Dam and into Arizona, where you’ll pick it up in Kingman and travel onward to Seligman, Williams and onto Flagstaff.

On this drive, you barely get out of Las Vegas before you reach a must-stop spot on the map, Hoover Dam, and the reasons to pull over keep on coming as you follow the famous Route 66 to Flagstaff.

Hoover Dam

Just outside of Las Vegas at an easy 40-minutes, the first stop has to be Hoover Dam. This engineering marvel is as astonishing today as when it was first constructed in the 1930s. On your visit, you’ll be treated to a 360-degree view of the dam, Lake Mead, which is the reservoir formed by the dam, and the Colorado River.

Hoover Dam sits on the river between Nevada and Arizona and you can get a real sense of this state line at the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge in Boulder City. Spanning the Colorado River at 900 feet you can get a fantastic panoramic view of Hoover Dam from the pedestrian walkway, accessed from the Lake Mead Recreational Area.

After filling your camera roll with dam selfies, you can head into Boulder City for lunch. The city was originally built to house the workers employed to construct the dam, but these days it’s better known as a tech-savvy satellite city with a lifestyle focus.

Kingman

Calling itself the ‘heart of Route 66’, Kingman is the first stop on this trip where you’ll really feel the history of the iconic road. This Mohave Desert city was transformed from outpost to vibrant hub when Route 66 came through in the late 1920s, and you can certainly feel the love the community still has for it.

While you’re here fueling up with gas and grabbing something to eat, head to the Arizona Route 66 Museum to absorb the cultural significance of the former arterial highway. Find the museum in the Kingman Powerhouse and spend some time taking in the photographs murals and life-size dioramas that celebrate the ‘Mother Road’.

Seligman

The birthplace of Route 66, Seligman is a small and slightly eccentric town full of Americana nostalgia. When the Interstate 40 bypassed Seligman in 1978, the town rallied to preserve this slice of motoring history and became the official start of the Historic Route 66, as recognized by the state of Arizona. Seligman now marks the beginning of the longest-remaining stretch of the Mother Road, which runs through to Topock, Arizona.

You can’t wander through town without being swept up in a revival of the golden years with shops selling Route 66 memorabilia and diners with classic signage that lean right into the theme. There’s plenty of photo-ops here, so dedicate an hour or two to wandering around and don’t leave without a little kitsch souvenir of your own.

Williams and the Grand Canyon detour

The small town of Williams in Arizona’s Ponderosa pine country is self-proclaimed as the gateway to the Grand Canyon. From here, you can add a south rim detour to your trip before driving onto Flagstaff.

Aside from its proximity to the south rim of the Grand Canyon, Williams is also proud of its Route 66 roots. Here you can roam six blocks of heritage buildings full of mementos that recall the high point of the road. At sunset, the road is illuminated with retro neon signage, so make sure you hang around until dark.

You’ll also find the Grand Canyon Railway in Williams, which takes you through the Arizona high country to the southern rim. It’s a relaxing 2.5-hour trip via the railway, but if you’re driving yourself, you can get to the south entrance in around 1 hour and 20 minutes. Once here, get your bearings at the visitor center, walk the 12-mile Rim Trail and take in the south rim views from Mather Point.

Flagstaff is another historic Route 66 mountain town that makes a good base for visiting the Grand Canyon and Sedona. It’s a lot quieter than Sedona and has a college-like atmosphere, but after the small and dusty Route 66 towns you’ve been passing through, it feels positively buzzing.

Flagstaff has plenty to offer travelers year-round with its snowy San Francisco Peaks to whoosh down at the Arizona Snowbowl in winter, brilliant fall colors, spring blooms and incredible hiking come summer. And, of course, it offers easy access to the Grand Canyon and the red rock resort town of Sedona.

While there’s plenty of mountain and canyon action to get in to, be sure to dedicate some time to Downtown Flagstaff. This historic part of town connects with Route 66 and is full of activity, from restaurants and bars to galleries, breweries and boutiques.

While Flagstaff is the cool-climate, forested mountain town, Sedona is the richly colored and vibrant resort town. Given it’s just 60 miles away, the contrast between the two towns’ landscapes is remarkable. Roughly the same distance from Flagstaff as the Grand Canyon’s south rim, Sedona is well-worth the one-hour-or-so drive to experience. Here the high-desert is breathtaking with rich-red formations that are truly magnetizing. As in Flagstaff, there’s loads of activities to fill your itinerary, from hiking and wine-tasting to spiritual and wellness pursuits.

If you’re visiting Sedona in spring or summer, one attraction you can’t miss is Slide Rock State Park in Oak Creek Canyon, where you can take a cooling dip in a swimming hole beneath an apple orchard. In summer, it does get busy, so aim to arrive by 8am to grab a spot in the parking lot.

While it’s easy enough to drive from Las Vegas to Flagstaff in a day, it’s best to allocate at least 2 to 4 days. Otherwise, you’ll be missing some of the biggest icons in the country, such as the historic Route 66 towns, the Grand Canyon and Sedona. Adding the extra days ensures you properly relish the experiences of sitting in a classic diner and exploring the astonishingly vast landscape.

This southwest road trip is the most rewarding during the shoulder seasons of spring and fall. You’ll be encountering different climates along the route, from desert to mountain elevation, so this is the sweet spot to avoid extreme temperatures. Flagstaff sits at 7000 feet, so in winter there’s snow and plenty of chill. It’s also good advice to avoid summer, if you can, as this is peak time for the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas can be scorching, making it an uncomfortable drive.

Renting a campervan from Las Vegas suits this Southwest loop perfectly, because it’s one of those trips that can surprise you with its dramatic scenery and character-filled towns. If you’re traveling in a campervan from Travellers Autobarn, you’ll get free unlimited miles with every rental, so if you’re having far too much fun exploring the Grand Canyon and Sedona, just add an extra night or two and delay your return. Or, you might decide you’d like to keep on driving toward the coast and return your vehicle to Los Angeles. With a campervan, you have the freedom to design your perfect road trip.

When you rent a campervan from Las Vegas, not only will you find the best rates available but you can choose the right vehicle for your trip from our range of campervans that suit everyone from couples through to families. With free unlimited miles on every rental, get ready to follow the road to some of the most iconic landscapes and sights in the country.

Set the GPS for journeys into the desert and beyond when you pick up your campervan rental in Las Vegas. The road awaits, so check out these incredible Las Vegas adventures:

• Las Vegas to Yosemite road trip
• Las Vegas to Reno road trip
• Las Vegas to Grand Canyon
• Las Vegas to San Francisco

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