Route 66 Stays with Personality
For the Car Junkie The 1939-built Blue Swallow Motel, in Tucumcari, is a classic motor-court gem. Sure, guests love the glowing neon and restored midcentury decor, but the historic garages attached to…
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Tag: El Vado Motel
New Mexico’s Route 66 Neon
GET YOUR FIX Johnnie Meier picks a few of his favorite renovated signs. Blue Swallow Motel, Tucumcari “A blue swallow is the symbol for safe homecoming, and the sprig of laurel leaves invokes the…
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Route 66 Road Trip: Tijeras to West Albuquerque
ROUTE TIJERAS TO WEST ALBUQUERQUE • Roughly 30 miles • Nob Hill, Central Avenue, Fourth Street EAT. Housed in a former Phillips service station, the 66 Diner channels the 1950s, with burgers, shakes…
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Gather Round at El Vado Motel
AS YOU CRUISE DOWN Albuquerque’s Central Avenue, the remnants of Route 66’s once-thriving motel culture often fade into the background—boarded windows, weed-covered entryways, a dark neon sign in an…
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Rediscover the Magic of Route 66
WAKING UP IN THE MYSTIC’S 1950S-THEMED ROOM IS A TRIP. The bedside radio clock, kitschy cowboy tabletop lamp, and other throwback decor could make a drowsy guest at the Santa Fe roadside motel believe…
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Eat Around the World at El Vado Motel
EL VADO MOTEL’S SUNNY COURTYARD is hopping on this Sunday afternoon. A happy crowd of motel guests, local families, friends, and couples toting leashed dogs hang out beneath umbrella-shaded tables…
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