Looking for places to stay on route 66 with a little more character? Think bright motel signs, a hotel with sweeping staircases and an entrance framed by garden greenery.
I especially love the neon signs. They make the overnight stops feel like part of the trip.
These 20 photos mix lodging inspiration with repeat views, roadside attractions and a few unidentified stays. They aren’t 20 separate bookable properties. Check current operations and locations before planning your nights around them.
Route 66 stays and roadside inspiration
Wigwam Motel
We’re starting off strong with this Wigwam Motel view. I love the turquoise signpost beside the cream-colored, cone-shaped buildings.
The little red diamond around the window is such a cute detail.
Save this as a starting point, then confirm which Wigwam Motel location fits your route before booking.
Blue Swallow in pink and blue
How pretty is this Blue Swallow Motel sign? The pink letters, blue bird and little oval TV sign have so much personality.
There’s even a classic car parked beside the office.
If the signs are a big part of the trip for you, consider leaving time to photograph them around dusk.
el rancho’s front porch
If you love a big porch, this El Rancho exterior is for you. Tall white columns frame two levels of covered porch beneath the rooftop hotel sign.
I especially love the white crisscross railing against the darker walls. This gives you something quite different from the low roadside motel buildings.
Munger Moss after dark
I am obsessed with the colors on this Munger Moss Motel sign. The green letters and red script look gorgeous beneath that huge bulb-lined arrow.
This photo is nighttime sign inspiration rather than proof of present-day room availability. Confirm the property’s current status before making overnight plans.
La Posada’s garden entrance
Want something a little different from neon? This La Posada collage shows an arched doorway, decorative lanterns and a garden entrance with a curling sign frame.
The image identifies Winslow, Arizona. I love the red pots beside the path, especially with all that greenery around them.
Boots Court at dusk
The green and orange-red pairing is so pretty on this Boots Court sign. My favorite detail is the round panel advertising a radio in every room.
Treat those old-style amenity signs as part of the photo’s charm. Check the current room listings for what’s actually included in a stay.
Another look at Munger Moss
Here’s the Munger Moss sign again, this time against a blue evening sky. You can see more of the building below it and the Route 66 shield near the base.
This is a second view of the same property, not another overnight option. I’d save it for the full sign shape alone.
Skyliner’s towering neon
If you are looking for a true eye-catcher, then this Skyliner Motel sign is for you. The stacked letters and long red arrow are hard to miss.
The photograph shows a no-vacancy panel, but that doesn’t tell you anything about availability for your dates. Verify the location and current booking details separately.
Turquoise diner stools
How cute is this counter? I love the turquoise stools with the checkerboard front and coral-colored pendant lights.
The Route 66 shields on the back wall finish the look.
This image shows a diner interior, not identifiable lodging. Keep it as a possible food-stop reference pending identification, rather than a place to book.
El Rancho’s twin staircases
This El Rancho interior may just be my favorite hotel photo here. The red staircases curve up on either side of the central fireplace, with framed pictures filling the walls above.
Look up at those wagon-wheel lights too! This is another view of El Rancho, giving you a peek beyond the porch shown earlier.
El Trovatore’s red arrow
There’s so much to love about this El Trovatore Motel sign, from the long red arrow to the separate blocks spelling out motel.
The lower panels advertise themed rooms. If that’s what catches your eye, check current room photos before choosing one rather than relying on the roadside sign.
Green neon and a Conoco tower
I love the green outline around this building and the pink lights beneath it. The tall Conoco tower makes the whole scene even better.
This is roadside attraction inspiration, not a hotel image. It needs to stay separate from your accommodation shortlist, even if you’d like to plan a stop nearby.
A trailer beneath the stars
Don’t want your whole trip to revolve around motel rooms? This rounded silver-colored trailer offers a different kind of inspiration.
There’s a small folding table outside and a star-filled sky overhead.
The photo doesn’t establish a campsite, rental listing or Route 66 location. Use it as a camping idea to research, not a confirmed stay.
Wagon Wheel’s giant arrow
How cute is the wagon wheel hanging beside this sign? The green lettering and red arrow outline give the Wagon Wheel Motel a lovely roadside look.
If you’re collecting sign photos along the way, this is a composition worth saving. Leave enough space in your frame for the wheel too.
A pier-side Route 66 stop
Who doesn’t love a colorful Ferris wheel? The red and yellow gondolas sit behind a big Route US 66 shield, with a ticket booth below.
This photo shows an attraction rather than somewhere to sleep. Keep it on the sightseeing side of your itinerary and research accommodation separately.
Blue Swallow and a green classic
I know the earlier Blue Swallow photo was pretty, but this pale green car is another favorite detail. It looks so good beneath the pink motel lettering.
This is the same motel from a different angle, not an additional property. The parked car belongs to the photographed scene, not a promised feature of your visit.
An A-frame among the trees
I am obsessed with that tall triangular window. The red chairs outside and amber-lit interior make this A-frame such a pretty cabin reference.
The overlay calls it an Arizona cabin, but there’s no identifiable listing or confirmed connection to Route 66. Its address and booking source need verification before it belongs on a stay shortlist.
Motel Safari’s camel sign
The camel above this Motel Safari sign is just too good. I love the oversized angled panel with its thin red outline against the evening sky.
Save this one if unusual motel signs are your thing. For room features, use current property information rather than the smaller advertising panels pictured here.
Ozark Court’s weathered sign
This Ozark Court sign gives you a very different look from the glowing neon above. The faded red panels, deer silhouette and large office arrow are full of little details.
The image carries a 1999 copyright date. Treat it as an archival roadside reference, not evidence that accommodation is available there now.
An open-road Illinois view
Last but definitely not least, we have this open-road scene with a green pickup, fields and a Route 66 sign. Sometimes the stretch between stops is the photo you want to save.
The overlay introduces Illinois road stops, but no lodging is shown. Use this as route-planning inspiration rather than another accommodation recommendation.
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