Visitors to Williams will find one-stop-shopping when seeking information about Williams and the surrounding area.
Williams Visitor’s Center is located in the historic Santa Fe Freight Depot on the northwest corner of Grand Canyon Boulevard and Railroad Avenue. This historic brick structure was built in 1901 as a passenger train depot, replacing an earlier wooden depot that was destroyed by fire. It later became a telegraph and railroad office and then was used as a freight depot.
Abandoned by the early 1970s, the building remained sound and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. The City of Williams bought it in 1992, and a dedicated group of citizens raised funds and restored the building. The Visitor’s Center celebrated its grand opening in 1994.
The Visitor’s Center partners with the Kaibab National Forest Service to provide interpretive exhibits that are informative and educational while sharing the history of the area. The exhibits delve into the history of Williams and the Forest Service.
The Visitor’s Center — an official Arizona Tourist Information Center — is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. It offers a bookstore and full concierge service.
The bookstore provides gifts and books on the Grand Canyon, Route 66, and local history; hiking maps, Forest Service maps and videos. The friendly staff offers a wide variety of information about local restaurants and businesses, lodging, camping, hiking, fishing, and can be one of your best northern Arizona resources.
The concierge can reserve your Grand Canyon Railway trip, book a once-in-a-lifetime helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon, help you schedule a jeep tour, or even arrange a smooth-water rafting trip down the Colorado River.
For more information, call the Visitor’s Center during regular business hours at (928) 635-1418 or visit the City’s website www.williamsaz.gov or www.Experience Williams.com.