This is a cute little town with a strong sense of community. We ended up in Williams, AZ due to its proximity to The Grand Canyon. It's basically why most tourists were in this town. With The Grand Canyon Railroad being centrally located in the city, you could see what the main draw was to this town. Tourism is the main source of revenue for the city.
Williams is a city that has a mix of the old west with a few modern additions. There is a McDonald's and a 24 hour Safeway store for your convenience. However, you'll find several mom and pop shops throughout the city. Also, there is strong support for the military and a tremendous amount of patriotism! You can buy your hunting and fishing license at the local stores as well. This town has something for everyone!
We happened to be in town during the Williams Christmas Parade. So many locals lined the streets, anticipating the arrival of the floats. The fire trucks and police cars were decorated with Xmas lights. Local children rode on the back of the floats wishing everyone a merry Christmas. People passed out candy and beads as they were working their way down the street. They were even passing out free cups of hot cocoa, warm cookies, and candy canes.
Williams is a great city to visit when you want to explore The Grand Canyon. When you return to the city, there are plenty of restaurants for you to chose from. The souvenir chops are reasonable, offering a great assortment of products. It can be very cold in Williams as well. It does snow here and I think we missed the snow by a week! Nevertheless, I really enjoyed staying in this little town. The locals are very friendly and this is a great getaway from the big city! read more