Arrêts insolites et spots photo : Parcourez la Route 66 de l'Arizona au Kansas

Embarquez pour une escapade routière le long de l'historique Route 66 à travers les États du Sud-Ouest que sont l'Arizona, le Nouveau-Mexique, le Texas et l'Oklahoma, pour finir dans l'État du Midwest, le Kansas. En chemin, immortalisez votre voyage avec des images de merveilles naturelles dans les parcs nationaux et d'excentricités dans les petites villes – des fossils et formations rocheuses aux enseignes au néon et sculptures géantes. Profitez d'hébergements où le décor et l'hospitalité rappellent les jours d'antan. Envolez-vous vers l'aéroport international Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) à Phoenix, Arizona; louez une voiture et roulez trois heures jusqu'à Winslow, Arizona, pour commencer votre voyage.

Ambiance Sud-Ouest et air du désert en Arizona

Your escapade routière officially begins in Winslow, Arizona, at the corner of Kinsley Avenue and East Second Street. Here, you’ll find “Standin’ on the Corner” Park, so named for the lyric “standin’ on a corner in Winslow, Arizona,” from The Eagles’ hit song, “Take It Easy.” It’s an ideal spot to photograph the giant Route 66 badge in the middle of the intersection. After a long day of travel, stay in style at one of the les États-Unis’s most treasured and historic properties, La Posada Hotel. Just a few blocks from the famous corner, this 1929 gem was designed by Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter, also famous for her buildings near the Grand Canyon. Wander the on-site gardens, check out the incredible art collection, and dine on contemporary Southwestern cuisine at the highly rated Turquoise Room.

When you’re ready to get back on the road, myriad photo ops await just 30 minutes away in Holbrook, Arizona. Cruise through town and you’ll spot old-school motels, diners and shops (even a few long-closed ones) still showing off ultra-cool vintage signs made for retro-feeling shots. Head just east of Holbrook to Stewart’s Petrified Wood Shop. You can’t miss the gigantic green dinosaur sculpture marking the shop’s location. Stop for the photo; stay to browse geographic oddities like a 255-million-year-old piece of petrified wood.

Next stop is Petrified Forest National Park, where you’ll see more fossils from the Triassic Era. Drive through the park in an hour, or park and hike on the trails for swoon-worthy photos against the surreal backdrop of the Painted Desert. Shade is scarce and the sun is strong, so bring plenty of water, sunscreen and a hat, and remember to pack in and pack out, leaving everything in the park just as you found it. Just before the Mexique state line, make one last stop in Lupton, Arizona, at the roadside attraction known as Chief Yellowhorse (Hole in the Wall). This natural cave formation was once home to a historic Navajo trading post, and today eccentric sculptures dot the property, making for quirky photo ops. Next up, your drive continues into New Mexico.

Découvertes enchanteuses au Nouveau-Mexique

As you cross the state border into New Mexico on Route 66, your first stop is the small town of Gallup. Take in the sights downtown, including murals inspired by the town’s history and culture. Browse gift shops for authentic Navajo-made pieces like handmade beaded crafts and woven blankets. Back on the road, enjoy gorgeous desert vistas across New Mexico; it is one of the most scenic drives in the les États-Unis.

As you near Albuquerque, take a short detour up the Turquoise Trail to Tinkertown Museum in Sandia Park. This one-of-a-kind folk art museum is built from more than 50,000 glass bottles and packed with hand-carved, animated miniatures that make for delightfully quirky photos. Plan ahead: It’s open seasonally, April through October, Friday through Monday.

Back on the road, about two and a half hours east of Albuquerque, you’ll find Tucumcari, which is laden with Route 66-themed nostalgia. Grab a photo with the Route 66 monument sculpture and shop for souvenirs at Tee Pee Curios. Stay overnight in Tucumcari at the Blue Swallow Motel. Its glowing neon sign is one of the most iconic and photographed on all of Route 66, a nod to the era when many businesses along the route were bedecked in the glow of neon advertisements. Next up: The great state of Texas.

Laissez votre marque au Texas

Route 66 served as a vital artery in Texas during the mid-20th century, and plenty of fun stops still stand to welcome travelers today. Outside the city of Amarillo, Cadillac Ranch is an outdoor art installation where you can walk through rows of graffiti-covered Cadillacs half-buried in sand. Buy a can or two of spray paint and leave your own piece of Route 66 history: Visitors are welcome to add to the colorful creations. For overnight accommodations, check out the Big Texan Motel in Amarillo. Its bright, multicolored façade and Old West-themed rooms make for great photos. And its proximity to the Big Texan Steak Ranch & Brewery, home of the 72-ounce filet, is also a bonus.

Une fois que vous êtes bien nourri et reposé, reprenez la route vers l'est pour un arrêt à la Conoco Tower Station & U-Drop Inn Café dans la ville de Shamrock. Également connu sous le nom de « Taj Mahal du Texas », il abrite une boutique de souvenirs, un café, un centre d'information touristique et une riche histoire de la Route 66. Les amateurs d'Art Déco apprécieront les détails distincts de ce joyau architectural, des deux tours à une façade fantastique de vert, d'or et de rose pastel. Si vous passez en voiture la nuit, les lumières néon éblouissantes mettent en valeur ce bâtiment, véritable écrin. Quand vous êtes prêt, le voyage continue vers l'Oklahoma.

Attractions grandioses en Oklahoma

Oklahoma holds a sizeable stretch of the Mother Road and there are several iconic photo stops along the way. In Oklahoma City, don’t miss the looming neon sign over the Tower Theatre, the massive bottle on top of Milk Bottle Grocery and the shiny geodesic roof of The Gold Dome building. Just northeast of Oklahoma City, stop for “food, fuel and fizz” at Pops 66 Soda Ranch in Arcadia. Visit this diner and service station at night to see a gigantic 21-meter-tall soda bottle illuminated outside. At the diner inside, enjoy burgers, sandwiches and a plethora of vintage and modern sodas and candy to fuel your trip. About an hour and a half east in Tulsa, don’t miss the 6-meter-tall sculpture standing outside Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios. He’s a refurbished version of one of the remaining mammoth-size fiberglass figures once ubiquitous along Route 66 known as “Muffler Men.” Nearby, don’t miss the chance to explore the award-winning Mother Road Market, where you can eat, drink and shop your way among more than 20 vendors. Next stop is the Blue Whale of Catoosa, just outside Tulsa in Catoosa, Oklahoma. This 6-meter-tall, 24-meter-long sculpture was handmade using welded metal and cement as a place for the artist’s grandkids to play and swim. You can’t swim there now, but you can walk onto and through the whale for photos. For the final stops of your journey, drive northeast into the Midwestern state of Kansas.

Arrêts de service et boutiques mignonnes au Kansas

Le Kansas a peut-être la plus courte portion de la Route 66, mais il regorge de trucs originaux et d'Americana. Dès sa façade accueillante, on voit bien que la Route 66 Visitors Station de Baxter Springs accueillait autrefois les voyageurs comme une station-service. Prenez une photo, puis dirigez-vous vers le Baxter Springs Heritage Center & Museum pour voir une exposition sur la Route 66. Continuez vers Riverton, tout près, pour un arrêt au Nelson's Old Riverton Store, une épicerie-charcuterie familiale inscrite au Registre national des lieux historiques. Commandez un sandwich personnalisé à la charcuterie réputée, puis jetez un coup d'œil au magasin. Il est rempli d'une variété de souvenirs de la Route 66, des t-shirts aux décorations de Noël. Ensuite, dirigez-vous vers Main Street dans la ville voisine de Galena, qui abrite une autre station-service vintage, Kan-O-Tex, aussi connue sous le nom de Cars on the Route. L'attrait rétro du bâtiment en a fait un point de repère de la Route 66 depuis son ouverture en 1934. À l'extérieur, vous verrez le camion « Tow Tater », une super occasion de prendre des photos pour les fans du film Pixar « Cars ». À l'intérieur, prenez un sandwich à emporter avant de rentrer chez vous depuis l'aéroport international de Kansas City (MCI) à Kansas City, Missouri, à environ 270 kilomètres ou trois heures de Galena.