The Desert Dispatch passed on some encouraging news -- the historic El Rancho Motel on Route 66 in Barstow, Calif., is undergoing renovations and improvements after a long slide into mediocrity and worse. Since the motel changed ownership about a year ago, general manager Tracey Ellison said motel staff have embarked on a process of … Continue reading Barstow’s El Rancho Motel getting a face-lift
Category: Motels
Eagle Hotel owner pays off city debt
The owner of the historic Eagle Hotel along Route 66 in Wilmington, Ill., has paid the $45,000 he owed the city plus a very small amount of interest since his contact expired in May, reports the Joliet Herald News. Owner Bill Scales failed in to live up to an agreement to rehab the 19th-century building … Continue reading Eagle Hotel owner pays off city debt
Route 66 on $250 a day?
Here's an interesting news release today from Best Western, the hotel chain: PHOENIX--Today Best Western International announced that it is partnering with veteran travel journalist Amy Graff to give vacationers a bird’s-eye view into Gen-X travel, via a blog and regular columns hosted on bestwestern.com. Amy, 34, will serve as the company’s new leisure travel … Continue reading Route 66 on $250 a day?
Barstow museum to mark eighth anniversary
The Barstow Route 66 Mother Road Museum in Barstow, Calif., will mark its eighth anniversary with a special event on Saturday, June 14, reports the Desert Dispatch. There will be a car and motorcycle show from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day. A registration form for those wanting to participate is here. One of … Continue reading Barstow museum to mark eighth anniversary
Skateboard kicks
Here's a short video of a bunch of skateboarders who took a trip on Route 66, looking for adventure. At one point, you'll see them at a certain landmark in Holbrook, Ariz.
Leave the driving to them
Here's a good idea: Esotouric, a husband-and-wife team that specializes in offbeat bus tours of the Los Angeles region, led one down Route 66 on Saturday, reported the Pasadena Star-News. Sights included the Aztec Hotel in Monrovia, the last commercial citrus orchard in Sierra Madre and the Golden Spur restaurant in Glendora. One particularly intriguing … Continue reading Leave the driving to them
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