An evening glimpse at Downtown Williams. Photo from the City of Williams

Route 66 conjures thoughts of rich history, neon lights, classic cars and fun for the whole family.  Williams was the last town in America on Historic Route 66 to be bypassed by the I-40 freeway in October 1984.  Only in Williams will you enjoy the beauty of a mountainside town, the best-preserved stretch of Route 66, outdoor adventure to suit every need, a railway to get you to the Grand Canyon in style, an outdoor drive-thru wildlife park, a true western setting with cowboys swaggering through town, and a friendly atmosphere greeting you the moment you arrive and bidding you farewell when you depart.

Williams was the last town in America on Historic Route 66 to be bypassed by the I-40 freeway. Photo from City of Williams

Some of those same motor hotels from back in the day have been revitalized with all the comforts modern travelers expect and the storefronts of Main Street are preserved as a designated National Historic District. With its preservation of an authentic small town atmosphere and history, Williams is the perfect place to “Get your kicks on Route 66” before you visit the Grand Canyon and after!

Williams has the best-preserved stretch of the Historic Route 66. Photo from the City of Williams

A sign and statue greet visitors on U.S. 60 entering Downtown Wickenburg. Photo from the Town of Wickenburg

Wickenburg boasts one of the American West’s classic downtowns, featuring unique shops, eateries, public art, and activities. Decades of investment in streetscape improvements by the town have made Wickenburg a popular destination among tourists and Arizona natives alike, who flock to the community for its cowboy culture and Western charm.

Ben’s Saddlery is one of the longest-operating businesses in downtown Wickenburg. Photo from the Town of Wickenburg.

The Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe steam locomotive No. 761 sits near the original train depot, which now serves as the Wickenburg Visitor Center and Chamber of Commerce offices. Photo from the Town of Wickenburg.

Visitors can explore the downtown’s public art, including life-size sculptures depicting scenes of the old west. The Desert Caballeros Western Museum, a world-renowned fine art institution, also resides downtown just a short walk from the visitor center in the old train depot. During the busy season, team roping at two nearby arenas is in full swing, and popular events such as the annual Gold Rush Days celebration fill the downtown with excitement.

The Hassayampa River Walk, completed earlier this year, is an adaptive reuse of the 1962 ADOT bridge over the Hassayampa River that hosts downtown events. Photo from the Town of Wickenburg.

In May 2015, the town completed the Hassayampa River Walk, an adaptive reuse event space overlooking the Hassayampa River.

A statue sits in the roundabout connecting US 93 and US 60 at the entrance to downtown Wickenburg. Photo from the Town of Wickenburg.

Welcome to Old Town Scottsdale. Photo courtesy of Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau

Downtown Scottsdale is among the most vibrant and unique urban centers in the American Southwest.

It provides a mix of specialty retail, art galleries, dining to suit every taste, legendary nightlife and public art and cultural attractions with broad appeal. It is also home to one of the most successful shopping centers in the southwest – Scottsdale Fashion Square.

The LeKae Gallery in Downtown Scottsdale. Photo Courtesy of Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Scottsdale’s Downtown is also known for hosting lively events throughout the year such as farmers and artisan markets, art walks, festivals, parades, concerts and block parties.

But Downtown is more than a visitor destination. It’s also the city’s second largest employment center and a budding hub for technology and health care companies like Yelp, Weebly, Zenefits, McKesson Pharmaceuticals, ZIVELO, ZocDoc, Digital Air Strike and ReplyBuy.

This employment hub has brought an increased demand for residential projects, so people can live near their jobs. Downtown Scottsdale provides a sustainable live, work and play lifestyle for residents within a vital urban environment.

The Scottsdale Waterfront, conveniently located near the Scottsdale Fashion Square, includes high-rise living and favorite local shops and restaurants. Photo Courtesy of Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.

A birds-eye view of Downtown Prescott. Photo from the City of Prescott

In the center of Prescott’s picturesque downtown area is the historic tree-lined Yavapai County Courthouse Plaza, around which the town was designed and built.  Known as the “jewel” of downtown Prescott, the plaza is a majestic, man-made urban forest in the heart of a historic commercial district. For more than 140 years it has served as a gathering place for celebrations, commemorations, campaign kick-offs, concerts, movies, and festivals.

Yavapai County Courthouse in Downtown Prescott. Photo from the City of Prescott.

Adjoining the courthouse plaza are fine establishments including a large assortment of locally owned and operated bars, breweries, coffee shops, restaurants, art galleries and museums.  The main street in town, Montezuma Street, includes a one block historic area known as “Whiskey Row,” the town’s center of recreation during the early days of the wild west, when cowboys, miners, gamblers and brawlers reigned over the cluster of rustic saloons and put the “wild” in Wild West.

The Wild West will always be part of Downtown Prescott. Photo from the City of Prescott

The City of Prescott’s famous Whiskey Row. Photo from the City of Prescott

Skyline view of Downtown Nogales. Photo from the City of Nogales

At the southern point of Arizona, just a stone’s throw from Mexico, the City of Nogales is a center of culture and connection. Downtown Nogales is filled with historic architecture, unique local stores and restaurants, and picturesque views.

Morley Avenue is home to classic boutique department stores and local shops, serving as the nucleus of the Nogales Downtown. Owners of the shops hail from all over the world, each with a unique story and collection of goods. Avenida Obregon is a peek at another world of shopping – small shops, vendors, restaurants and clubs give this area character of “Old Mexico” and many annual festivals are held right here.

Nogales City Hall serves as the political center of the city. Photo from City of Nogales.

The park in front of City Hall boasts the Santa Cruz County Wall of Honor, a splash pad for children, and an LED fountain. Photo from City of Nogales.

Visitors will also experience history and architecture, with the Historic 1904 Courthouse and Old City Hall and Pesqueria and Ochoa Plazas offer areas of activity, arts and culture for visitors and residents alike.

Historic 1904 Courthouse, an architectural masterpiece that houses a gorgeous period courtroom. Photo from the City of Nogales.

Kingman hosted the International Route 66 Festival in 2014. Photo from the City of Kingman.

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Caption: Downtown Kingman. Photo from City of Kingman.

Visitors and residents alike have been enjoying the historic architecture, community events, and businesses in Kingman’s revitalized downtown. In 2014, Kingman hosted the International Route 66 Festival, which brought 8,000 attendees from 24 different counties to downtown to celebrate the historic road. This year Kingman combined the celebration of Route 66 and classic cars with its love for rodeo in the Inaugural Best of the West on Route 66 Festival September 25 -27.

Kingman Club. Photo from City of Kingman.

In addition to public events, two event centers have opened in previously vacant historic buildings and are available for private parties, weddings and community fundraisers. The success of events in historic downtown could not have taken place without many improvements, beginning with the elimination of non-emergency train whistles. The reduction in noise also led to the opening of several new businesses including a boutique hotel, restaurants and bars. Beautification projects including ADA compliant upgrades and repairs to the sidewalks, park improvements, and abatement projects have helped create a welcoming atmosphere to compliment the area’s growth.

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Caption: Hilltop Motel in Kingman. Photo from City of Kingman.

Historic Caitlin Court in historic Downtown Glendale. Photo from City of Glendale.

Historic Downtown Glendale has been named by USA Today & Sunset Magazine as one of the country’s ten best places for shopping. The historic downtown has two neighborhoods – Historic Catlin Court with its white picket fences and mature shade trees welcoming visitors to the bungalows-turned-specialty shops, and Old Towne, boasting brick-trimmed sidewalks and glowing gaslights leading the way to the famous antique stores and ethnic eateries.

Glendale Glitters, an annual beautiful display of holiday lights, is one of several events that draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to Glendale each year. Photo from the City of Glendale

The 90-plus specialty and boutique shops in downtown Glendale are noted for the retail-chain-free collection of stores, which feature everything from eclectic and funky fashion and accessories to pop-culture collectibles, and the diversity of restaurants serve up everything from savory, wood-fired pizzas to two-scoop ice-cream cones. In fact, the critically-acclaimed collection of ethnic eateries in downtown Glendale includes Polish, Italian, German, Mexican and Vietnamese. Glendale’s downtown is also home to award-winning festivals that attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, which include Glendale Glitters and the Glendale Chocolate Affaire

Old Towne in Downtown Glendale. Photo from the City of Glendale

Caption: Historic Downtown Glendale has been named as one of the country’s best places for shopping. Photo from City of Glendale. Photo from the City of Glendale.

Payson’s Green Valley Park downtown is a community spot for events and gatherings. Photo from City of Payson

Payson is surrounded by the largest ponderosa pine forest in the world. To the north is the majestic Mogollon Rim that is home to some of the best camping, fishing, hunting and hiking trails in the southwest. In addition to all these surrounding recreational opportunities, in the middle of Payson is Green Valley Park, originally built as a water reclamation project.

From its inception, it was designed in a way that would collect runoff water but, at the same time, double as a park that offers residents and visitors alike beautiful surroundings and access to three lakes. These three lakes are stocked with trout and are part of the Arizona Game and Fish Rural Fishing Program. The park is also home to the Zane Grey Museum and the Rim Country Museum. During the town’s 4th of July Hometown Celebration, the park serves as the gathering place for over 15,000 people annually.

Payson’s Zane Grey Museum at the Green Valley Park Photo from the City of Payson

In June and July, on every Saturday night, you will hear the melodious sounds of great music coming from the ampitheater during Payson’s very popular Summer Concert Series. In the spring, Green Valley Park serves as the backdrop for over 300 classic cars that make up the Beeline Cruise-In Car Show. The economic vitality and all of these activities would not be possible if it were not for this great recreational venue.

We invite you to come to “Arizona’s Cool Mountain Town” and enjoy the “jewel” of Payson – Green Valley Park, located at the end of Main Street.

Downtown Payson’s Green Valley Park Photo from City of Payson

A view from above in Downtown Bisbee. Photo from City of Bisbee

Historically known as the “Queen of the Copper Mines,” Bisbee, Arizona, is now a charming destination for travelers to experience history and culture.

After large-scale mining operations became obsolete, the city evolved into an artist’s colony, a tourist attraction and a relaxing place to relocate. Visitors will delight in strolling the sidewalks of this community, experiencing art galleries, small specialty shops, bookstores, cafes and local restaurants.

The City of Bisbee has evolved into an artist’s downtown, full of galleries, shops, bookstores and local restaurants. Photo from City of Bisbee

Bisbee is also home to the Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum, an ideal location for history buffs to learn about copper, architecture and Bisbee’s past. Many will also come to Bisbee to take the Copper Queen Mine Tour, a look into the days when copper was dominant in Bisbee’s culture.

Many visit Bisbee for the Copper Queen Mine Tour. Photo from City of Bisbee

The Paseo de Luces revitalization project opened in 2014. Photo from the City of Tolleson

The 2014 revitalization project of Downtown Tolleson into Paseo de Luces has spawned into an entertainment destination that people want to experience. Paseo de Luces (Path of Lights) is more than a downtown; with its family-style seating, it has become a gathering place for all people.

Visiting Paseo De Luces offers the opportunity to enjoy an amazing art collection designed and fabricated by West Valley Fine Arts Council’s Gallery 37. This collection consists of seven sculptures that comprise the Paseo de Arte (Path of Art), which embodies the city’s past, present and future.

The West Valley Arts Council recognized the City of Tolleson as its Champion of the Arts. Photo from City of Tolleson

Paseo De Luces offers family-style seating, making it a gathering place for all people. Photo from City of Tolleson

In 2015, the West Valley Arts Council recognized the City of Tolleson as its Champion of the Arts for including this art collection as a staple in the new downtown design, as a symbol of the community’s commitment to the arts. In addition to this remarkable artwork, Paseo de Luces has a Central Plaza with a water feature, free Wi-Fi and a sound system that plays music all year long.

Crowds gather to celebrate the holidays in the new Paseo de Luces. Photo from City of Tolleson