The Wigwam Motel
by Grace Sydney

Photos courtesy Wigwam Motel

If your dream vacation involves a vision of the open road, the two of you can hop behind the wheel and make some road trip memories on Route 66. Cutting a swath across eight states from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California, retro romantics are rewarded with a view of America that many only see in faded post card photos beneath the scrawled message "Wish You Were Here!" or in flickering images on the silver screen.

Transforming over the course of time from decommissioned miles of asphalt into a pop culture icon, the surreal stretch of road was immortalized in the 2006 Pixar movie "Cars." Movie buffs traveling through San Bernardino County will recognize the shapes of the animated film's Cozy Cone Motel on the horizon when driving toward the roadside teepees at the Wigwam Motel, a budget-friendly blast from the past on the Mother Road.

Straddling the line between Rialto and San Bernardino, the 19 conical concrete and stucco tents have caught the eye of curious tourists since their construction on the site in 1949. The last in a chain of seven teepee-style motels which once dotted the American landscape (only three remain), co-owner Manoj Patel states that today the Wigwam Motel/Villages are a loving homage to the days "when motor court type of motels were around, before Motel 6s." Purchasing the property in 2003, the Patel family have faithfully restored creator Frank Redford's original concept, and in the process have preserved a piece of American history.

Accommodations: Whether your car is a vintage vehicle or the latest model off the lot, you can park your ride right next to your assigned, air-conditioned teepee, a surprisingly spacious room which combines 50's era nostalgia with Native American nuances. Inside each of the cozy quarters, a patchwork-patterned quilt drapes over a queen-size bed (two teepees are furnished with two queen-size beds). Wigwams are also equipped with a 25" TV, a refrigerator, and free high speed internet access is available.

Stepping outside the 30-foot-tall whimsical wonders, guests are often greeted with the savory aroma of hamburgers or steaks as fellow travelers test their cooking skills on a barbecue grill while children splash around on the property's kidney-shaped pool.

Nearby Attractions: If you want to "get your kicks on Route 66," there are a number of attractions and activities near the Wigwam Motel to keep you entertained:

* The city of San Bernardino is known as the "City on the Move," and nowhere is that more evident that at the Arrowhead Motor Speedway, Glen Helen Raceway Park or the Orange Show Speedway, while nearby Fontana is the home of the California Speedway.

* High rollers on a holiday can try their luck at the San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino in Highland, where players know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em when cards are dealt in the poker room, while those looking for more a more sedate game of chance can yell "Bingo!" inside the venue's 2,500-seat bingo hall.

* Auto enthusiasts will get revved up when 19,000 classic chassis roar through the streets of San Bernardino during the Statler Bros. Route 66 Rendezvous. Held annually each third week in September, the retro rides rumble through a 36-block route while 50's fans move their feet to a rockabilly beat during a four-day display of the joys of yesterday.

For more information:

• Visit www.wigwammotel.com
• 2728 W. Foothill Boulevard, Rialto, California 92376
• (909) 875-3005