Two nights in Williams, the last Route 66 town bypassed by the interstate, with a day on the train to the Grand Canyon and a morning in Seligman before you head home.
From$1,190per person, double room
Overview
Many of our guests finish a Route 66 trip in Flagstaff or pass through northern Arizona and want the Grand Canyon without driving there. This short add-on does it the old way. The Grand Canyon Railway has run from Williams to the South Rim since 1901, and the trip of about 2 hours and 15 minutes each way crosses open ranchland and pinyon forest, with musicians walking the cars. You see the canyon for the first time from the edge, not from a parking lot.
Road captain Joe Begay, who grew up near Gallup, leads all three days. You stay two nights in a hotel on Route 66 in Williams, ride the train to the canyon for a guided walk along the rim and come back in time for dinner. On the last morning we drive west to Seligman, where Route 66 was saved, before returning to Flagstaff for afternoon flights. It works on its own, or after our convertible drive or Arizona section trip.
Photos
Itinerary
Meals: B breakfast, L lunch, D dinner. Day 1 is arrival day; flights to the start are optional.
Joe Begay meets you at Flagstaff Pulliam Airport or your Flagstaff hotel at 2 pm. The drive west to Williams is about 32 miles through ponderosa pine at close to 7,000 feet. After check-in we walk Route 66 through the historic district, two one-way streets lined with motels, saloons and souvenir shops. Williams held out until 1984, when it became the last Route 66 town bypassed by I-40. Welcome dinner at a steakhouse on the old road.
Breakfast, then a short walk to the 1908 Williams Depot for the 9:30 am departure. The ride takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes, and we reach the log depot at the South Rim at about 11:45. Lunch near El Tovar, then Joe leads a rim walk of about 2 miles past the Hopi House and the Kolb Studio, then out toward Yavapai Point. The train leaves the canyon at 3:30 pm and brings us back to Williams by about 5:45. Free evening.
A morning drive 44 miles west on the old road through Ash Fork to Seligman. Angel Delgadillo, the barber who founded the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona in 1987, worked in a shop on the main street, and his brother Juan built the Snow Cap Drive-In in 1953. Time for a malt and the souvenir shops, then back east past Williams to Flagstaff, about 75 miles. Drop-off at the airport or a Flagstaff hotel by about 2 pm.
Pace: RelaxedTwo to four hours on the road on most days, long stops, short level walks in towns and at roadside sights. Every stop is optional; you can always stay with the vehicle.
Route map
Map tiles © Esri, HERE, Garmin, map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Straight lines join the stops; the trip follows the old Route 66 alignments between them.
Route at a glance
Road miles are rounded and include the detours to the stops named in the itinerary. 1 day with no driving at all.
| Day | From and to | Miles | On the road |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Flagstaff to Williams | 32 | Ponderosa pine at 7,000 feet |
| Day 2 | Williams | No driving | Grand Canyon Railway, 65 miles each way by train |
| Day 3 | Williams to Flagstaff | 120 | Ash Fork, Seligman and back east |
| Total | 3 days | 152 | Arizona |
Where you stay
Rooms by town and style. The exact motels and hotels for your date, these or similar ones, are confirmed in your travel documents.
2 nights
3-star hotel on Route 66 in the historic district, walking distance to the depot, or similar
Already included
2 nights, 2 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner, 2 entries and guided visits
Straight talk
Dates and prices 2026-27
Per person in US dollars, sharing a double room. Group up to 14 guests.
| Dates | Status | Double roomPer person | Single roomPer person |
|---|---|---|---|
| to Friday arrival | AvailableLast minute: save $150 | $1,040 | $1,430 |
| to Friday arrival | AvailableLast minute: save $150 | $1,040 | $1,430 |
| to Friday arrival | AvailableEarly booking: save $150 | $1,190 | $1,580 |
| to Friday arrival | GuaranteedEarly booking: save $150 | $1,190 | $1,580 |
| to Friday arrival | AvailableEarly booking: save $150 | $1,190 | $1,580 |
| to Friday arrival | AvailableEarly booking: save $150 | $1,190 | $1,580 |
| to Friday arrival | Few seatsEarly booking: save $150 | $1,190 | $1,580 |
| to Friday arrival | AvailableEarly booking: save $150 | $1,190 | $1,580 |
Guaranteed means enough guests have booked and the departure will run. Seats change every week. Email [email protected] and we hold a seat for 72 hours. All departures on one page.
Optional add-on
Economy on scheduled airlines into Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG), or join in Williams, per person including taxes. Add them when you book, or fly on your own and meet us on day 1.
Fares are held for 72 hours with your seat and confirmed when you pay the deposit. Extra nights before or after the trip on request.
Practical
Weather in Arizona
Cool plateau with winter snow from Holbrook to Williams; hot low desert from Kingman west; summer storms July to September; dry, mild spring and fall
Time zone
Mountain Standard Time all year: Arizona does not observe daylight saving time, so in summer it matches California, but the Navajo Nation does observe it
Where it starts and ends
Start: Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG), or join in Williams. End: Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG), or join in Williams.
What to eat
Navajo tacos on frybread, the Turquoise Room at La Posada, burgers at the Snow Cap in Seligman, steak and beer in Flagstaff and Williams
Luggage
One medium suitcase and a small bag per person. Vintage motel rooms are compact and some have no elevator.
Your road captain
New Mexico and Arizona
Joe is Navajo and grew up near Gallup. He leads the New Mexico and Arizona sections and brings the history of the Navajo and Pueblo lands the road crosses to every trip.
Road captains rotate on some dates; the name for your departure is in your documents. Meet all the road captains
FAQ
Booking, motels, flights and insurance questions are answered on the main FAQ page.
Yes. If you arrive by car or on the Amtrak Southwest Chief at Flagstaff, you can meet Joe at the Williams hotel at 3 pm on day 1. The price is the same.
About 3 hours and 45 minutes between the train's arrival and departure. That is enough for lunch and a relaxed rim walk, but not for hiking below the rim. If you want more time, we can book a night at the South Rim and a return train the next day.
The South Rim sits at about 7,000 feet. In November, December and March daytime highs are often 40 to 55 degrees and mornings below freezing, and snow is possible. In summer expect 75 to 85. Bring layers in every season.
Yes. First class has wider, reclining seats, and the dome and luxury cars add a glass roof or an open rear platform. Tell us when you book and we add the fare.
Other trips
New Mexico and Arizona
New Mexico and ArizonaNext departureAvailable
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Arizona and CaliforniaNext departureFew seats
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Email us the date you like, how many of you are traveling and whether you need flights. We hold the seat for 72 hours while you decide.
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From$1,190
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