A Softer Side of Route 66
In Williams, Sheridan House Inn trades neon and nostalgia for ponderosa pines, cool mountain air and a little grown-up luxury.
Recently named one one the best bed-and-breakfasts in the country. (2026 Travelers Choice Awards choice from TripAdvisor) Route 66 turns 100 this year, and there may be no better excuse to rediscover the road that helped define the American road trip.
In Williams, the Mother Road still runs straight through town, complete with neon signs, diners, storefronts and plenty of Route 66 nostalgia. But venture just beyond the bustle and you’ll find an entirely different Northern Arizona experience. Tucked beneath towering ponderosa pines at 7,000 feet, Sheridan House Inn is an intimate, adults-only bed-and-breakfast created by innkeepers Debbie and Mark Santy. It’s quiet, personal and wonderfully removed from the crowds — yet close enough to Williams, Historic Route 66 and the Grand Canyon to make it an ideal home base for exploring.
The setting alone is reason to linger. Summer days are refreshingly mild, evenings turn cool, and private patios and fireplaces make it easy to slow down. The surrounding forest is very much part of the experience, with the inn embracing the simple restorative idea of forest bathing: less screen time, more fresh air, quiet walks and time beneath the trees.
Hospitality here is decidedly personal. Guests are greeted with a complimentary drink, mornings begin with cooked-to-order breakfasts, and select evenings bring the option of intimate personal-chef dinners. Debbie and Mark also help guests plan everything from Grand Canyon outings to Route 66 adventures, with recommendations shaped around what each visitor actually wants to see and do.
It’s a lovely counterpoint to the classic Route 66 road trip: you can spend the day chasing neon, roadside landmarks and wide-open Arizona landscapes, then retreat to the forest when the sun goes down.
And perhaps that’s the best way to celebrate 100 years of Route 66 — not simply by retracing the old road, but by discovering something unexpected along the way.
An XO from AZ pick for a romantic Northern Arizona escape, a Grand Canyon getaway, or a quieter way to experience Historic Route 66.
