Williams Arizona is considered the gateway to the Grand Canyon South Rim. It is 60 miles from the Grand Canyon and is home to the Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel.
If you base your Grand Canyon trip out of Williams there are several other excursions you can enjoy in addition to the Grand Canyon.
- A stretch of Route 66 “The Mother Road” is the main drag in Williams. It was also the last part of the route to be decommissioned on Oct. 13, 1984. So Get Your Kicks on Route 66!
- 18 miles west of Williams is the town of Ash Fork which has a small Route 66 Museum with memorabilia and artifacts from the road’s glory days.
- If you go further west, Seligman has unique roadside architecture including the Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In, with its “Sorry, we’re open” neon sign.
- Grand Canyon Caverns is 66 miles west of Williams near Peach Springs and offers cave tours and cave adventures.
- The Hackberry General Store which is 93 miles west of Williams has a vintage 1957 red Corvette outside along with Route 66 memorabilia and a vintage diner where you can order Route 66 “root” beer.
- Bearizona Wildlife Park in Williams is worth planning a day around. The drive-through park is home to bears, bison, wolves, and other North American animals. You can self-drive or join a bus tour with an expert guide. There is also a 20-acre walking area which is home to otters, beaver, porcupines, and more. There are animal “meet-n-greets,” participatory animal feedings, and birds of prey shows.
- Flagstaff is a college town just 35 miles east of Williams at an elevation of 7,000 feet. It is surrounded by ponderosa pine forests, mountain scenery, Southwestern culture, and easy access to outdoor activities. The well-preserved downtown has a blend of Old West, Native American, and railroad history evident in locally owned shops, restaurants, and galleries. The Museum of Northern Arizona has an excellent collection of Native American artifacts.
- Wupatki National Monument, 79 miles northeast of Williams, takes a fascinating peek into life among ancient Pueblo peoples who occupied the stone structures from as early as 500 A.D. until its abandonment in 1225.
- Ten miles southeast of downtown Flagstaff at Walnut Canyon National Monument you can hike among ancient cliff dwellings within the red rock canyon.
- For a gorgeous drive take Route 89 leading south to Prescott.
- Prescott is a former ranching town 68 miles south of Williams. Its stately elm-shaded courthouse plaza is the setting for frequent community events and weekend concerts. The 19th-century saloons of nearby Whiskey Row display its rough-and-wooly past. Shops sell locally made art and other items and restaurants and brewpubs abound.
There are plenty of things to do in the Williams Arizona area once you have taken in all of the natural beauty of the Grand Canyon.
