Route 66 in Arizona

Route 66 in Arizona is a ribbon tying together spectacular natural attractions such as the Grand Canyon, the Petrified Forest, the Painted Desert, and the Meteor Crater. There were plenty of man-made diversions along the way, too. Roadside businesses used Native American and Western imagery to lure travelers to fill up their gas tank, grab a meal, or spend the night. Roadside signs featured shapely cowgirls and big black jackrabbits, or warned of killer snakes and prehistoric monsters. Between wails of "Are we there yet?" children pleaded to stay at motels shaped like wigwams, explore the Apache Death Cave, or pick up a rubber tomahawk at a trading post.

Author Joe Sonderman has assembled hundreds of nostalgic images of Arizona's Route 66 and detailed histories of the attractions found along the way. Many images from his collection of 5,000 vintage Route 66 postcards have never been published before. These pictures of natural wonders, mom-and-pop businesses, bustling main streets, and good old-fashioned tourist traps recall a time when getting there was half the fun. Arizona may be the most spectacular state on Route 66, and the visuals are as stunning as the stories behind them.