The Art + Craft of Route 66

I happened to visit Flagstaff the year Route 66 celebrated its 90th anniversary.

View across Historic Route 66, west of Flagstaff — Historic Route 66 between Flagstaff and Williams, AZ

Now, a decade later, my mom and I will be returning for the famed road’s Centennial Celebration.

Mural in heritage square in flagstaff — Mural by Joe Sorren outside of Diablo Burger in Flagstaff

aRT 66

While we’re there, we’ll also be exploring the art and craft in Route 66 communities – like artisan ceramics, jewelry, food and beverages, sculptures, weaving, mixed media, and murals. We’re planning to visit community craft spaces, quilt shops, museums, artist studios and galleries, historic sites, and more!

Once we’re done, we’ll create a guide, so you’ll be able to visit our favorite spots too!

High Country Motor Lodge, Flagstaff, Arizona — High Country Motor Lodge, Flagstaff

We’re calling the project aRT 66.

And since I’m all about attainable goals, we’re going to start small, exploring the (roughly) 66 miles from Homolovi State Park in Winslow to the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff.

rugs from the Hubbel Trading Post on display at Tucson Festival of Books — Rugs from the Hubbel Trading Post on display at Tucson Festival of Books

If we’re able to, we’ll expand our project to visit more of the Route this year, but there’s a lot to see even in that comparatively small section of Northern Arizona.

Is there a place you’d love to visit on Route 66?

Flagstaff Heritage Square — Heritage Square in Flagstaff

More Route 66 Centennial Info

Flagstaff Route 66 Birthday Celebration

6/6 at 10am
In Heritage Square (Historic Downtown Flagstaff)
Full day of festivities: sky writing, live music, craft stations, reenactments, a classic car show, interactive street murals, a photo booth
Activities for kids include balloon animals, face painting, bookmobile with storytelling area, and a coloring station.
At dusk, there will be an outdoor screening of the movie Cars

All Route 66

Find more Route 66 festivities and projects taking place throughout the year on the Route 66 Centennial site.

Route 66 mural outside Matador Coffee Roasting Company, Flagstaff — Matador Coffee Roasting Company, Flagstaff

August 14, 2025April 10, 2026

Roadside Motel Gets Elevated

The last time we were in Flagstaff we stayed in a cute, recently-renovated motel called Hotel Elev8. It was pet friendly, had free wifi and little local gifts for sale in the lobby.

There’s also an outdoor pool, indoor hot tub, and a sauna – in case you need to warm up or cool off.

When I say the place was recently renovated, I mean some of the construction was still in progress when we were there, but it was already a nice place to stay.

Landscape photography and a "renovations in progress" sign at Hotel Elev8. — Landscape photography and a “renovations in progress” sign at Hotel Elev8.

Location

Hotel Elev8 is about 10 minutes from Downtown Flagstaff. It’s actually right off I-40, which basically follows the historic Route 66.
Continue reading “Roadside Motel Gets Elevated”

May 29, 2025April 9, 2026

Free Admission to Arizona Museums with the Culture Pass

Updated May 2025.
Originally posted November 2017.

Over 30 Arizona museums and attractions offer free passes to local library card holders through the Culture Pass program!

“G’s Horn” sculpture of bronze and living plants by Robert Wick at **Tucson Botanical Gardens.**

What is a Culture Pass?

Culture Passes are a limited number of free admissions to cultural, historic, and other educational sites in Arizona that libraries make available to patrons. It was created by Act One, a 501(c)3 charitable organization.

Libraries that offer Culture Passes have a certain number available for each museum, etc. Different libraries have a different selection and number of Culture Passes that they offer.

long reading tables with lamps and library bookshelves in the background — Great Reading Room at Burton Barr Central Library in Phoenix

About 175 libraries statewide and the library districts for 11 out of Arizona’s 15 counties participate in this program.

Desert Botanical Garden pathway

Who Can Check Out a Culture Pass?

To check out a culture pass you must…

Be a current cardholder for a participating library.
Live in the district (or be a member of the community) that library serves.
Be 18 or over.

abstract sculptures at Museum of Contemporary Art Tucson — “Measures of Separation” sculptures by Nazafarin Lotfi at **Museum of Contemporary Art Tucson**

How to Use a Culture Pass

Each pass is good for free general admission for two people on one visit.

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October 20, 2024April 9, 2026

Pairings: Arizona Autumn + Fall Decor

I’ve paired nine shots of Arizona fall color with Etsy finds that match their autumn vibes! Each pair is a place to go along with fall-inspired decor and other fun stuff.

You can see more on Etsy’s Fall Decor Essentials guide or check out my personal picks.

Artificial stems with fall foliage in a glass jar vase — Six fall foliage stems from BoutiqueBarn in New Hampshire.

1. Fiery Orange Trees + Stems

Go: Boyce Thompson Arboretum in Superior, Arizona

Every fall, this Chinese Pistache Tree at Boyce Thompson Arboretum turns brilliant shades of orange. You can see it from far away, as it stands out from the green leaves of trees surrounding it.

BTA is a great day trip from the Phoenix area! It’s just about 45 minutes from the East Valley via US 60.

Get it: Rustic Fall Branch

In similarly striking oranges and yellows, you could use these fall foliage stems as part of a flower arrangement or on their own, grouped together to make a standout seasonal centerpiece.

- At 24 inches tall, they could really add some height to your Thanksgiving tablescape!
- Sourced by BoutiqueBarn + shipping from New Hampshire.

shelves that look like mushrooms — Ceramic floating shelves made by LeilyCloud

2. Stump Mushrooms + Wall Mushrooms

Go: Summerhaven, Mount Lemmon near Tucson

I wasn’t planning on taking a photo of a tree stump while I was admiring the view from Mount Lemmon. Then I noticed teeny – almost cute – little mushrooms growing out of it, and those needed to be captured!
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June 14, 2024April 9, 2026

A Short Walk in Flagstaff, Arizona

Flagstaff is a great place to take a walk. For one thing, the summer weather is gorgeous! Plus, there’s the Flagstaff Urban Trail System (FUTS), a network of over 56 miles of walking and biking paths throughout town.

Wheeler Park

When we were in Flagstaff recently, I wanted to take Quijote on a short walk before we went to meet up with family. I found a nice little quarter-mile route downtown from Wheeler Park to Heritage Square.

Wheeler Park has a central location with free parking nearby. I recognized the park name from Happenings List events that take place there, like Flagstaff Art in the Park.

I had done a quick search, and it didn’t seem like anything like that was scheduled for that day.

chaotic mural — “Sound of Flight” mural on the side of the Orpheum Theater by Sky Black and Mural Mice.

Unexpected Hullabaloo

But there was. The sidewalks got more crowded the closer we got. The street we planned to turn on to get to the park was completely closed. As we circled around the block, we realized the entire park was fenced off. And so was the parking lot.
Continue reading “A Short Walk in Flagstaff, Arizona”