My friend Sara and I went on a Northern Arizona RV trip with Cruise America last fall. We spent a day exploring the town of Winslow, an adorable town about an hour southeast of Flagstaff. While I had only heard of Winslow in reference to The Eagles‘ song “Take It Easy”, it ended up being my favorite stop on our trip.
Read about our day exploring the very RV friendly town of Winslow!
Exploring Winslow
Winslow, Arizona is a small, walkable downtown with historic buildings, local businesses, and visitors who love stopping here to take pictures. The population of around 10,000 swells daily with those seeking a selfie at the famous corner and a gander at the famous remaining railroad hotel. Winslow is an excellent place to get away from the thick crowds at some of Arizona’s larger attractions, and enjoy a luxury stay, tasty meal, and bit of American and Route 66 history.
The Old Trails Museum is well worth a visit (and it is free!). It details the culture and history of Arizona, including early Native American tribes that inhabited the area. The Museum does a great job explaining the railroad expansion through photographs, displays, exhibits, and personal accounts. My favorite part of the Old Trails Museum? Looking at The Harvey Girl costumes and memorabilia.
A Tasty Meal
After visiting the museum and wandering through town, Sara and I had a tasty Mexican lunch from Brown Mug Cafe. This (true) hole in the wall restaurant has fantastic and reasonably priced food. Our tacos, beans, rice, and tamales were all top-notch.
The Famous Eagles Reference
More than 100,000 visitors come to Winslow every year to see the “Standin’ on the Corner” foundation mural and sculpture at the intersection of North Kinsley Avenue the iconic Route 66. Obviously, Sara and I had to do the same!
Here, you will find a bronze statue of Glenn Fry (the co-writer and vocalist of the infamous song), several stores selling The Eagles trinkets and memorabilia, plus a mural dedicated to ____ that covers an entire building.
The enormous Route 66 mural was my favorite. If you didn’t know, Route 66 (referred to as The Mother Road) ran from Chicago to California. It was a very popular route from the 1920s to the 1980s.
Stop in the Visitor’s Center while you are here to learn more or ask any questions you may have about Winslow.
The La Posada Hotel
Next, Sara and I headed to the historic La Posada Hotel. This beautiful hotel (designed by renowned architect Mary Colter and built by the Santa Fe Railroad) has gorgeous gardens, paintings, sculptures, and a world class restaurant. It was fashioned to be the nicest hotel in the Southwest for its time–and I’m guessing it succeeded.
Today, this historic hotel and restaurant has been completely remodeled and is home to incredible memorabilia and a fabulously stocked gift shop (shop interesting treasures, artwork, china, jewelry, Navajo rugs, and more), and Tina Mion art gallery.
Fun Fact: Will Rogers, Amelia Earhart, and Clark Gable have all stayed here.
You don’t have to be staying at the La Posada Hotel to come by and enjoy its Southwestern beauty.
Have lunch here, at the Turquoise Room. Try the Fred Harvey French Dip Sandwich, Don Juan Quesadilla, or the Box Car Burger paired with the restaurant’s specialty drink, prickly pear lemonade. For a more elegant meal, the Churro Lamb is the most celebrated dish at the restaurant.
Need More?
If you’re looking for more to do around Winslow, the Petrified Forest National Park, Homolovi State Park, and Meteor Crater are all nearby. You’re sure to score epic photo ops and see jaw dropping scenery at all three.
I hope you will enjoy your chance to stand on the corner in Winslow, Arizona, just like I did. There is something special about Winslow, that made me want to see and do much more here.
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