• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Hourless Life Logo

Hourless Life

Love. Explore. Study. Share.

  • Overlanding
    • South America
    • North America
    • Gear and Build
    • Resources
  • RV Travel
    • RV Life With Kids
  • Off-Roading
    • Off-Roading Trails
    • Jeep Life
    • Go Prepared
  • Travel Tips
  • Family Travel
  • About
    • Map of Travel Content
    • Press
    • Gear Sponsors
    • Contact
  • Store
    • Cart
    • Returns
  • Show Search
Hide Search
Kingman Arizona on Historic Route 66

Getting Our Kicks in Kingman, Arizona

Kingman Arizona on Historic Route 66

Our travel itinerary is typically planned months in advance, and stays pretty firm. So while changes of plan can be disconcerting, they’re also exciting. We were supposed to spend two weeks in Sedona, followed by two weeks in Lake Havasu City. We never intended to go to Flagstaff, or Kingman to the west. But because plans changed, we ended up getting to stay in those two cities we wouldn’t have seen otherwise, and they were both super cool.

Fort Beale RV Park

Fort Beale RV Park Kingman
Meriwether’s site at Fort Beale RV Park

Historic Route 66 runs right through Kingman, population 28,000. Fort Beale RV Park isn’t anything fancy, but it does have a pool and laundry room, the owners are kind, and most of the sites are a decent size. The best part is that it’s within walking distance of the main strip, visitor’s center and Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner. We would stay there again.

300 Metcalfe Road – Website

Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner

Mr. D'z Route 66 Diner
I’d stop for this guy

Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner is so retro. Get ready for a shock of bright pink on every surface around you, like Frenchy’s hair in Grease. Then order a root beer float, with root beer made in-house. They’ll bring you refills until your ice cream is gone, and even afterwards, if you like.

Mr. D'z Route 66 Menu
Vinyl-shaped menu at Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner

We went for Sunday brunch, complete with French toast and coffee, and later in the week for dessert with new RV friends, John and Sharon Abert. Mr. D’z is one of those places where everything on the menu is good.

John and Sharon Abert
Dessert with John and Sharon

If the food isn’t enough, Oldies tunes play overhead. Considering “Oldies” radio stations are now playing music from the ’70s and ’80s, where else can I go to get the real thing?

Mr. D'z Route 66 Diner Kingman
Before my Sunday French toast–see what I said about Frenchy?
Mr. D'z Route 66 Dining Room
Throwback dining room

105 E. Andy Devine Ave. – Website

Kingman Visitor’s Center

Since Mr. D’z is obviously going to be the first place you go once you get to Kingman, waddle across the street after your meal to get acquainted with the town. You probably haven’t been to a visitor’s center like this before, considering its housed in what used to be a power plant. In fact, it even provided electricity for the construction of the Hoover Dam!

We didn’t stay for it, but there is a 3,600-square-foot museum within the visitor’s center you can see for a nominal fee.

120 W. Andy Devine Ave. – Website

Historic Downtown Kingman

Locomotive Kingman Arizona
Gigantic locomotive

If you’re walking back to Fort Beale RV Park, make sure you stop and take photos of the gigantic locomotive. You can’t miss it.

Metal Rabbit Sculpture Kingman
Metal rabbit art

If you wander around the rest of the historic downtown area, you’ll find antique shops, art and more eateries.

Pixar's Cars Mural in Kingman
Playing with Cars in Kingman

Day Trip to Oatman

Historic Route 66 Cities
Cities along Historic Route 66

It just so happened that I was leafing through old issues of Escapees Magazine and found a fun piece by Thelma Gillette about “Strange But True” travel discoveries. In it, I read about the wild burros of Oatman, AZ, that were released by miners. Their descendants now roam the town. (You can read the online version of the article here.)

I looked at the map, and Oatman was less than an hour away from us. So later in the week, we took the winding Historic Route 66 to Oatman. I’m talking Dramamine-winding. Having just finished Grapes of Wrath, I can’t see Route 66 without thinking of the Joads, Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. The roadway is so desolate now. I can use my imagination to picture it as a major thoroughfare, but its layout sure makes me appreciate modern road construction. We don’t believe in guardrails on Route 66.

Mother Road Route 66
Beautiful, rugged landscape along the “Mother Road”

As the terrain is changing from flat to not, we came up to Cool Springs Camp. We had just seen this place featured on a public access channel. There isn’t much to it now, but it has a storied history.

Cool Springs Camp Arizona
Cool Springs Camp on Route 66
Old Gas Pumps Route 66
If these gas pumps could speak

See this old truck? Apparently it was the inspiration for the character Tow Mater in Pixar’s movie Cars.

Cars Mader's Inspiration
See the resemblance?

As we were snaking along at about 15 miles per hour, I spotted a random staircase in the cliffside and asked Eric to stop so I could check it out. There wasn’t anything at the top except a convenient cave. I would camp there if I were hitch-hiking along Route 66. But why were stairs built with concrete?

Historic Route 66 Staircase
Mysterious staircase along Route 66

Oatman was a lot of fun. We walked up and down the main street, petting the wild burros along the way (do so at risk of being bitten or kicked). Even though we didn’t do much there, friends have mentioned funnel cakes with extraordinary toppings at a place on the main street, and someone even said it was their favorite place…anywhere.

History of Oatman, Arizona
Oatman, Arizona history
Wild Burros Oatman Arizona
Visitors can buy food to give to Oatman’s wild burros
Brittany Highland Wild Burros of Oatman
Look! I’m touching a wild burro!
Wild Burros in Oatman, Arizona
Then there were four
Eric Highland Wild Burros Oatman
They look tame, but keep your distance from those hind legs
Oatman Mining Museum
Inside Oatman’s small mining museum

Website

Day Trip to Laughlin/Bullhead City

Don Laughlin's Classic Car Collection
Don Laughlin’s Classic Car Collection

Eric’s late father spent a lot of time in Laughlin, AZ in his later years, so Eric wanted to take a trip there–in a way, to be close to him. Laughlin and co-located Bull Head City are casino towns. But we needed no excuse to take the 40-minute drive from Kingman in the sparkling Saturday sunshine.

1933 Buick Two Door Coupe
1933 Buick Two-Door Coupe with rumble seat
1963 Studebaker Avanti
1963 Studebaker Avanti

The coolest thing we saw was Don Laughlin’s Classic Car Collection at the Riverside Resort. It was worth the trip, all by itself. We love car shows and classic cars, and dream about getting one ourselves one day. This was an impressive collection of beautiful, unique cars, many of them donated by the owners for display. We kind of took a lot of photos.

1957 Plymouth Fury
1957 Plymouth Fury
1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Ragtop
1957 Bel Air Ragtop
1949 Ford Woodie
1949 Ford Woodie
1962 Chrysler Laughlin
1962 Chrysler Laughlin
Classic Car Collection Laughlin Arizona
Such a sweet classic car collection

1650 S. Casino Dr. – Website

El Charro Bullhead City
Choriqueso at El Charro in Bullhead City

For lunch, we checked out El Charro in Bullhead City. This was our first time going to a Mexican restaurant since we got back from Cancun! We both had the lunch special, a sizzling platter of grilled and seasoned chicken, with ample portions of rice, beans, guacamole and fresh tortillas. I know the corn tortillas are made in-house, and I believe the flour are, too. Crazy good deal for only $7.95. The choriqueso was also delicious as an appetizer, with melted cheese and spicy ground beef.

2101 Zircon Ave. #3 – Yelp

Can I just say how confusing it is that Arizona doesn’t recognize Daylight Saving Time? Either we should all have it, or none of us should have it. How can Texas now be two hours ahead of me??

On a more positive note, we got our mail forwarded, and enclosed was our latest Escapees Magazine…with my first Escapees article in it! Look for an informative article from Eric in an upcoming issue, and thanks to everyone who has sent me pictures of my piece. All of your support is so sweet and very appreciated. <3

-B

Written by:
BrittanyHighland
Published on:
March 17, 2016
Thoughts:
No comments yet

Categories: RV TravelTags: arizona

Patreon is our community where we transparently share the wins and challenges of this unconventional lifestyle. When we must leave friends and family to continue our drive around the world, our patrons consistently offer support and encouragement. We invite you to join us on this journey of a lifetime!
Become a patron at Patreon!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hourless Life mark

Footer

Hourless Life

902 Ayers St. #331522
Crp. Christi, TX 78404

Copyright © 2023 · Privacy Policy · Legal

Join the Journey

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • TikTok
  • Twitter
  • YouTube