30 Roadside Motels You’ll Want to Book for Your Next Road Trip

Nostalgia getaways never seem to go out of style. There’s just something about roadside motels, with their clean lines, retro aesthetics, pops of color and neon accents that encourage many travelers to seek out these stays. It’s as if we want to go back in time to the golden age of road trips, to the days when we would stop at greasy diners and stay at midcentury modern classics. When you want to grab a piece of nostalgia, here are 30 swanky roadside motels you’ll want to book.

Set off US-101 in Santa Rosa, California, The Sandman offers a refreshingly modern take on the roadside motel of yesteryear thanks to a thoughtful renovation across the property. All 135 bright and airy guest rooms have modern furnishings, flat-screen TVs and luxurious Malin+Goetz bath products. Order refreshing cocktails, like a Blood Orange Margarita, in the remodeled Pool House & Bar before splashing around in the outdoor pool with a floatie. Kids will love sipping on Ocean Water (flavored soda with gummy fish floating in the glass).

A former 1960s motor lodge in North Carolina, the Jack Tar Motor Lodge received new life in mid-2017 as Unscripted Durham, a 74-room boutique hotel with a midcentury modern vibe, a swanky rooftop pool and a retro poolside lounge. Guest rooms boast sleek designs with pops of bright colors, like teal and pumpkin. Playful accents, like "Hang Out" mats, welcome guests at check-in. A mixed-use coffee bar gives guests a place to grab a bite or simply relax in between meetings, while The Studio serves as a "rec room" for socializing and drawing inspiration.

The Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona, is among the most celebrated and distinctive roadside motels on Route 66, effortlessly conjuring images of the Great American Road Trip. Once called Wigwam Village #6, it has 15 concrete teepees that serve as guest rooms. As you pull into the motel you’re greeted with classic cars, neon signs and Route 66 memorabilia. At one time there were seven Wigwam Villages. All were built in the 1930s and 1940s, but just three remain today. They are still popular with motorists, too. The Wigwam Motel is a short drive from Petrified Forest National Park and the Geronimo Trading Post.