It's the summer of the motel. An epic guide to the best roadside havens in California
(Photographs by Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times; Al Seib, David Fotus, Jacob Tovar and Megan Morello / For The Times)
The motel, a word born in California, turns 100 this year. And for road trip adventurers, there have never been more options.You might stay at the legendary pink palace that is the Madonna Inn. Or Surfrider Malibu, where you can borrow a Mini Cooper and cruise along PCH. There's Sea & Sand Inn, which clings to a breathtaking Santa Cruz clifftop. And Pioneertown Motel, a charming desert outpost with Old West vibes.In this guide, we jangle our room keys to explore the greatest motels across the state. Along the way, we stop to discover cool vintage history, iconic restaurants and essential roadside attractions.
Ready to hit the road?
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
American Military News
17-05-2025
- American Military News
Yosemite National Park won't be opening its coveted High Sierra Camps this year. Here's why
The highly coveted High Sierra Camps in Yosemite National Park that have been closed since 2018 will remain closed this summer because potable water and toilets won't be available, according to park officials. 'This decision was made in collaboration with the National Park Service (NPS), which manages the utilities necessary to run the camps,' according to the park's website. 'Impacted guests have been contacted and can book alternate accommodations within the park and will be offered priority booking for next year's lottery.' Every year, more than 13,000 people stay at the Yosemite camps — five separate locations that offer various glamping amenities such as high-end meals and access to running water. Waste is recycled and composted and guests have access to either flush or solar-powered composting toilets, according to the park. Showers are available at May Lake and Sunrise Camps, depending on water availability. The cabins fully reopened for the last time in 2018 and opened on a limited basis during the summer of 2024. Only three of the camps welcomed guests and the camp's 56 tent cabins have mostly stayed closed because of COVID-19 restrictions and extreme weather. The Yosemite camps are spaced 6 to 10 miles apart along a loop trail and are open seasonally from June to September. Dates are heavily dependent on weather. Park visitors can book guided and unguided trips between the cabins. Guided trips are either five or seven days and include a guide and all three meals at each camp. Unguided trips are self-guided and include two meals, with sack lunches available for an additional fee. Visitors can enter a lottery for the 2026 season, which will open Nov. 1 and close Nov. 30 at the end of the day. Winners are notified by email. ___ © 2025 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Los Angeles Times
15-05-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Madonna Inn's Pink Cloud cocktail
Picture-perfect and pink, Madonna Inn's signature cocktail matches the famous San Luis Obispo hotel in every regard. The Pink Cloud is the most ordered drink at the inn's Silver Bar, where patrons sit on swiveling wood and pink-leather stools or colorful high-backed chairs to sip this strawberries-and-cream concoction topped with pink sugar (available in the baking aisle of many grocery stores) and a neon-red cherry. At the cocktail's originator, legendary tiki chain Trader Vic's, the Pink Cloud is considered an after-dinner drink and — at least initially — called for only four ingredients: ice, crème de cacao, crème de noyaux and evaporated milk, all shaken together. At the Madonna Inn the drink can be ordered as early as 10 a.m., and it involves a bit of extra flair. The bar team amps up the pink hue with strawberry purée, and the fruity sweetness via flavored vodka, then blends it to a frosty, thick consistency. But the Madonna Inn also can make this 'adult milkshake' nonalcoholic, and so can home mixologists: Just swap the strawberry vodka for white chocolate syrup, and powdered cocoa mix for the crème de cacao.
Los Angeles Times
15-05-2025
- Los Angeles Times
It's the summer of the motel. An epic guide to the best roadside havens in California
(Photographs by Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times; Al Seib, David Fotus, Jacob Tovar and Megan Morello / For The Times) The motel, a word born in California, turns 100 this year. And for road trip adventurers, there have never been more might stay at the legendary pink palace that is the Madonna Inn. Or Surfrider Malibu, where you can borrow a Mini Cooper and cruise along PCH. There's Sea & Sand Inn, which clings to a breathtaking Santa Cruz clifftop. And Pioneertown Motel, a charming desert outpost with Old West this guide, we jangle our room keys to explore the greatest motels across the state. Along the way, we stop to discover cool vintage history, iconic restaurants and essential roadside attractions. Ready to hit the road?
