Located along the western Arizona stretch of Route 66, the Cool Springs Station is a restored service station and a unique little roadside attraction that dates back to the 1920s. It's pretty much in the middle of nowhere, but Cool Springs rose to popularity as a notable stopping point before the steep grades and canyon passes that greet you as you head west to Oatman.
With the eventual decline of Route 66, Cool Springs eventually became a ruin before it was rebuilt and reopened in 2005. Today the location has a small museum and gift shop, plus some great photo opportunities. Also, if you're familiar with Radiator Springs from Cars, you'll recognize a lot of similarities with the scenery in this area providing inspiration for the film.
Vintage neon signs, classic cars, and an old power plant turned visitor center greeted me as I pulled into Kingman, Arizona along Route 66. There's still a lot of motoring history to be found in Kingman, and from the themed diners to the restored motels, it was exactly the type of scene that I had hope to discover along this stretch of the Mother Road. Explore more from journey along Route 66 in my Roadside California and Middle America collections.
