hotel – Love, Laughter, and Luggage

Oklahoma 16 Jun 2026

Desert Hills Motel and Tally’s Good Food Cafe in Tulsa on Route 66

We are pretty fortunate to live in Joplin, just a few blocks from Route 66. Since we live in Missouri, we can also easily experience some attractions on the Route in either direction. Tulsa is a great example of a city on the Mother Road that is well within a day trip and a quick getaway for us. So one summer, when I had a medical procedure scheduled in Tulsa, Jeff and I made an overnight of it and booked a room at the Desert Hills Motel on Route 66. I won’t lie; this place often has mixed reviews, and some people question the safety of this particular area. Still, I was drawn in by the classic neon, so for one night, I thought we could give it a try. And I’m glad we did. Is this luxury lodging? No. But many old classic motels on Route 66 aren’t. Does…

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New Mexico 31 Jan 2026

Staying a Night at the El Vado Motel-ABQ on Route 66

One of the most adorable places we’ve ever stayed is along Route 66 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The historic El Vado Motel originally opened in 1937 as a motor court with open garage spaces to park your car, not unlike many motor inns along Route 66, including the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari. Built in the Spanish Pueblo Revival style, this motel makes your imagination a reality as you experience the Southwest corner of the U.S. In 2005, the El Vado Motel closed, its future uncertain. For a while, it looked like demolition would be the motel’s fate, but in 2008, the City of Albuquerque made it a city landmark. Then, in 2028, the El Vado Motel reopened as a boutique motel that honored the motor inn’s past while giving it a fresh, new vibe. On a road trip in 2022, we gave the motel a try. “El Vado…

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Massachusetts 21 Oct 2024

A Night at the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, Massachusetts

As we planned our summer East Coast road trip, we knew we wanted to spend some time in Salem. Initially, we set aside two nights for our visit, though arrival day and departure day would involve a lot of traveling. We narrowed our accommodations down to two places–the Hawthorne Hotel and the Salem Inn. In the end, I picked the Salem Inn because it was the hotel was divided among three historic homes in Salem, The rooms had been converted to suites, and we would have a separate bedroom and a kitchenette. Why I am talking about choosing the Salem Inn in a post about the Hawthorne Hotel? Well, as luck would have it, we ended up staying at both! As our time in Salem drew near, I started second-guessing how much time we’d truly have in Salem and if I’d allowed enough time for everything we wanted to do;…

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California 22 May 2023

Staying at Yosemite Valley Lodge

Yosemite Valley Lodge turned out to be the perfect place to relax on our trip. When planning our trip to Yosemite National Park, one of the first things we narrowed down was lodging. Since national park lodging can fill up early, it’s best to plan your trip a year out or more. And though I would’ve loved to stay at the flagship lodge, The Awahnee, it’s a little pricy. Since we were on a three-week road trip, we chose a more economical choice this time–Yosemite Valley Lodge. On this road trip, we’d already had several adventures that included four national parks–Grand Canyon, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Death Valley. We’d also been to some great cities (and towns) in California–Lone Pine, Monterey, and San Francisco. Even after all those experiences, we still were awed by the sheer beauty of Yosemite. It’s like no other place we’ve seen. Arriving at Yosemite Valley…

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Utah 8 May 2023

Staying at The View Hotel Cabins in Monument Valley

Monument Valley is just one of those places everyone should see at least once. The landscape is breathtaking, and when you’re at Monument Valley, it feels like you are in a completely different world. Located within the Navajo Nation in Utah, Monument Valley is a sacred place to the Navajo, or Dine, their name for “the people.” Jeff, Kristin, and I are so grateful to experience a moment in this special place. Our visit is one that we will never forget. It’s no wonder that so many great Westerns and other films were made here. The land, for the most part, looks the same as it has for centuries; it’s absolutely stunning. It’s also wonderful that the Navajo continue to welcome visitors to Monument Vally, and that there is a pretty unique place to stay with breathtaking views. The View Hotel is the perfect place to stay for a night…

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Wyoming 15 Feb 2023

Three Days in Grand Teton National Park

As we planned a trip to Yellowstone National Park, we quickly discovered that we needed to spend some time in Grand Teton National Park, as well. I’d never heard much about this park, but when I saw others planning their trips, I realized that the parks were so close and it would be a mistake to miss this beautiful park. This is our experience. When I plan trips, I like to know what others have done. Hopefully, our experience can help you plan your trip! Planning Our Trip to Grand Teton National Park As we planned the trip a year out, we initially planned to spend two days in Yellowstone and one day in Grand Teton. We soon realized we wanted more time. In the end, we spent just the right amount of time in both parks with three days in each. To read about our Yellowstone adventure, click here.…

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Utah 23 Jan 2023

Staying at the Lodge at Bryce Canyon

You may find this hard to believe, but the Lodge at Bryce Canyon is my favorite national park lodge. We’ve even stayed at Old Faithful Inn. On my birthday. While sleeping in Old Faithful Inn is one of my favorite travel experiences, there’s something special about the Lodge at Bryce Canyon. We didn’t stay in the main lodge; we had an adorable cabin a stroll away from the canyon’s edge. While we only stayed here one night, this experience will always hold a special place in my memories. One thing I’d like to mention early on in this post—make reservations early! When we booked Old Faithful Inn and Yosemite Valley Lodge, we made the reservation a year out. I know those are more popular, but don’t wait too long to book. It’s January as I write this post, and there are already dates in May and June without availability. Arriving…

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Arizona 28 Aug 2022

Experiencing Grand Canyon Village at Night

When we visit national parks, we often stay on-site in a national park lodge if it makes sense for that visit. For our first visit to the Grand Canyon, we knew we wanted to check out the Grand Canyon Village, so why not stay the night there? Located at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in the northwest corner of Arizona, Grand Canyon Village features lodging, shopping, and dining options right along the canyon. There are several benefits to staying right on property at a national park lodge; one of our favorites is to see park features at different times of the day. We hoped that during our Grand Canyon visit that we could see the light changes at sunset and sunrise. Another benefit is that often the day visitors thin out as dusk approaches and you may get to experience the park with fewer people. And often, national…

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New Mexico 21 Aug 2022

Staying a Night at the Historic El Rancho Hotel on Route 66

If you spend enough time driving Route 66 and learning about the highlights along the way, you’ll inevitably stumble upon the El Rancho Hotel and its movie star history. When we found ourselves driving through the American Southwest, we couldn’t resist staying a night. Located right on Route 66 in Gallup, New Mexico, this historic hotel is not only a fun place to sleep, it’s also a fun Route 66 attraction that will have you looking in every nook and cranny for its surprises. History of El Rancho Hotel In the 1930s, a man named R.E. Griffith, known as Griff, came to Gallup. He liked the area enough that he decided to build a hotel, so he hired Joe Massaglia to build the hotel on Route 66. In 1936, the hotel was completed. Griff’s brother, movie director D.W. Griffith, used the hotel to house movie stars and production crews that…

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