From Missouri to California, these wonderfully kitschy hotels keep the Mother Road’s neon heartbeat going. Book a room, grab your camera, and prepare for stories you definitely can’t get at a chain off the interstate.
Boots Court Motel · Carthage, Missouri
This little white motor court has serious star power. Opened in 1939 in sleek Streamline Moderne style, Boots Court still glows with black glass trim and green neon at the “Crossroads of America.” Inside, rooms are restored to their 1940s vibe, right down to the chenille bedspreads and that famous “radio in every room.” It feels like checking into a black-and-white movie, in the best way.
Wagon Wheel Motel · Cuba, Missouri
Stone cottages, crooked chimneys, and glowing neon? Yep, you’ve found Cuba’s long-running Wagon Wheel Motel. Operating since the mid-1930s and billed as Route 66’s oldest continuously operating motel, it mixes serious history with serious porch-sitting. Expect cobblestone cabins, shady lawns, fire-pit patios and an on-site boutique full of Route 66 loot. It’s part time capsule, part backyard hangout, and totally worth an overnight detour.
Big Texan Motel · Amarillo, Texas
If you’ve ever dreamed of sleeping inside a Wild West movie set, mosey over to the Big Texan Motel. The 54-room property is built like an Old West main street and sits right next to the Big Texan Steak Ranch, home of the infamous 72-ounce-steak-if-you-can-finish-it challenge. Expect saloon doors, bold cowboy décor, and parking so close you can practically roll from your room to your ribeye.
Blue Swallow Motel · Tucumcari, New Mexico
Quite possibly the world’s most photogenic motor court, the 1939 Blue Swallow is all pink stucco, attached garages, and neon promising “100% Refrigerated Air.” The sign alone is a Route 66 icon, and the rooms lean hard into 1950s nostalgia without skimping on modern comfort. Park under your own little carport, snap a million blue-hour photos, then sit outside and watch the glow of the sign do its thing.
El Rancho Hotel · Gallup, New Mexico
El Rancho is where Route 66 meets Old Hollywood. Built in 1937 as a lodge for Western film crews, it hosted stars like John Wayne and Katharine Hepburn, who still stare down from the lobby’s photo-lined walls. The grand staircase, timber beams, and Navajo rugs make it feel like a movie set, only with a restaurant, bar, and plenty of cozy corners for star-spotting and people-watching.
La Posada Hotel · Winslow, Arizona
Part museum, part garden oasis, part train-watcher’s dream, La Posada is Fred Harvey’s 1930 desert showpiece brought gloriously back to life. Architect Mary Colter considered this her masterpiece, and it shows, from the hand-carved details to the shady courtyards. Today, it doubles as an art hotel with galleries, lawns that roll right to the tracks, and the Turquoise Room restaurant, turning train-spotting into fine dining.
Wigwam Motel · Holbrook, Arizona
Why stay in a normal hotel when you can sleep in a concrete teepee? Holbrook’s Wigwam Motel, also known as Wigwam Village #6, has fifteen cone-shaped units arranged around a classic neon sign and a lineup of vintage cars. Built in 1950, it is one of just three surviving Wigwam Villages in the country. It is pure mid-century roadside fantasy, right down to the curved walls and cozy interiors.
Hotel Monte Vista · Flagstaff, Arizona
Flagstaff’s Hotel Monte Vista is equal parts vintage glamour and ghost story central. Opened in 1927 along the original Route 66 alignment, it has hosted everyone from John Wayne to presidents, plus, if the legends are true, a few permanent spectral guests. Ask staff about the phantom bellboy who knocks, calls “room service,” then vanishes. Pack your camera, your courage, and maybe some earplugs for mysterious midnight noises.
Wigwam Village #7 · San Bernardino, California
Palm trees, a retro kidney-shaped pool, and towering white teepees, Wigwam Village #7 in San Bernardino looks like a roadside mirage in the best possible way. Built in 1949, this final Wigwam Village lines its concrete “wigwams” along historic Route 66, each with modern creature comforts inside. Outside, that classic “Have you slept in a teepee lately?” sign dares you not to pull over for the night.
Route 66 Motel · Barstow, California
Route 66 Motel in Barstow is basically an open-air Route 66 museum that just happens to rent rooms. Dating to the 1920s, this retro stop shows off a famous neon shield sign, a parade of vintage cars, and, in some rooms, wonderfully kitschy round beds. Inside, you get simple, comfy digs with modern basics. Outside, you get instant road-trip bragging rights with every photo you snap in the parking lot.
