Miami seeing spike in hotel rooms

The town of Miami, Okla., has made ambitious (and welcome) plans to play up its Route 66 connection in recent months. If all those additional Route 66 tourists show up, they'll need a place to stay. Miami has that covered, too -- the number of hotel rooms in the city are projected to nearly double … Continue reading Miami seeing spike in hotel rooms

A Vespa on 66 … and other notebook items

Eric Swanger is planning on driving the length of Route 66 in a few days. What makes his trip special is he's doing it entirely on a Vespa scooter. He starts from Chicago on May 6. He e-mailed: I am keeping a blog and posting a ton of pics. For the Route 66 segment, I'm … Continue reading A Vespa on 66 … and other notebook items

A dining option?

The Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader published a review of a restaurant on Route 66 of which I was unfamiliar. It's the Rockwood Court Cafe at 2204 W. College St. in Springfield. The reviewer summed it up as: "Delicious home-style food at great prices in an eclectic atmosphere make the Rockwood Court and Café stand out on … Continue reading A dining option?

Wigwam makes list of Top 10 novelty hotels

This is getting to be old hat for the Wigwam Motel, but it recently made the "Our Favorite Novelty Hotels" list for Frommer's, the well-known international travel guide. Frommer's cited the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Ariz. It said: As someone who edits a number of travel guides each year, I often find myself wishing I … Continue reading Wigwam makes list of Top 10 novelty hotels

Honeymoon sweet

Lovetripper.com is an online travel site, specializing in honeymoon destinations and romantic getaways. On Sunday, it was a pleasant surprise to see that the Wigwam Motel on Route 66 in Rialto, Calif., was prominently featured. Contributor Grace Sydney wrote: Whether your car is a vintage vehicle or the latest model off the lot, you can … Continue reading Honeymoon sweet

Michael Wallis takes Disney Imagineers down Mother Road

Taking Hollywood types on a tour down historic Route 66 is getting to be old hat for best-selling nonfiction author Michael Wallis He hasn't been guiding just Tinseltown actors, however. The first two tours Wallis guided were for employees of Pixar Animation Studios, who were researching the Mother Road for the 2006 summer hit movie, … Continue reading Michael Wallis takes Disney Imagineers down Mother Road

Notes from the road

A few things that should be of interest to most roadies: Roadside America has revamped its Web site. Not only did the purveyors of roadside oddities give it a spiffier design, but there's a new blog, more animation, new tools and more videos. Route 66 roadie Mark Potter reports that the Hot Dogs and Hot … Continue reading Notes from the road

Extension denied for Eagle Hotel

After the Eagle Hotel's owner failed to show up, the Wilmington (Ill.) City Council unanimously voted to reject an 18-month extension that he requested for the historic property off Route 66, reports the Joliet Herald News. Eagle Hotel owner Bill Scales had been working to restore the property for seven years and had requested another … Continue reading Extension denied for Eagle Hotel

Missouri motor tour runs in September

This hasn't yet been posted on the Route 66 Association of Missouri's Web site, but I received a mailer that announces the association's 19th annual motor tour will be Sept. 5-7. The tour starts with registration at the Comfort Inn in Collinsville, Ill., on Friday. Saturday includes dinner at Zeno's Motel and Steakhouse in Rolla, … Continue reading Missouri motor tour runs in September

The saga of the Eagle Hotel

The Chicago Tribune has just published an exemplary article about Bill Scales' efforts to renovate the historic Eagle Hotel on Route 66 in Wilmington, Ill., and the city's growing impatience over the long-delayed project. Check it out.