Seeing the sights on California's section of Route 66

Before Route 66, railroads were the most common way to head west. In 1908, the El Garces Hotel was opened at the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad depot in Needles. At the turn of the century, it was a luxurious hotel, restaurant, and train station, and its Greek Revival style was super sophisticated for such a small town train depot. It was fittingly named for the first European missionary to cross the Mojave, Father Francisco Garces. At first, as road travel became more popular, the El Garces lured in motorists in search of a place to enjoy a meal with linen and silverware, but by 1949, the restaurant and hotel were just too expensive for most road-weary travelers, and they closed. The railroad continued to operate out of the depot until the 1980s, and in 1999, the city of Needles bought the abandoned building. The El Garces Hotel might be a shadow of its former grand self, but it's under construction and will reopen again soon as a "Harvey House Hotel" (named for the man who ran the popular hotel and restaurant), complete with a Route 66 museum and shops. In the meantime, you can admire its unique architecture as it gets fixed up.

The humble Bagdad Cafe in Newberry Springs might look like your average Route 66 roadhouse, but it's got a secret Hollywood past. It served as the inspiration and filming location for a 1988 comedy, also called "Bagdad Cafe," that was a bona fide cult hit in Europe, particularly France. Come in and grab a burger or a malt, and admire the decor while you wait. The walls and ceiling are covered in flags, letters, and pictures from international visitors, as well as Route 66 memorabilia.

What's a trip down California's Route 66 without a stop at a 50s-era diner? Peggy Sue's was originally built in 1954, and it was reopened in 1987 with an eye for preserving the vintage diner experience. Home-cooked food, 50s tunes on the jukebox, rooms crammed with pop culture artifacts, and a five-and-dime inspired souvenir shop make this a perfect atmosphere for a malt and a Buddy Holly Bacon Burger. The diner also has a sculpture park in back known as "Dinersaur Park," named for its giant metal dinos. Leave plenty of time to see all the sights at this stop.

Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch is a unique Route 66 attraction, since it came to be well after the Mother Road's glory days, yet it still has the same fun spirit as classic stops. The Ranch is a veritable folk art wonderland created entirely by one man from found, upcycled objects. Elmer Long has been making vintage glass bottle "trees" for years now, and has more than 200 on the property, along with old gas pumps, cars, signs, bird feeders, and whatever other interesting objects struck his fancy. It's a whimsical little place, with plenty of photo ops across the property. If you're lucky, Elmer Long might be around to chat about his inspiration and offer a tour.

What sightseer doesn't love a gorgeous, weird, old bit of vintage architecture? The Cucamonga Service Station in Rancho Cucamonga is one such building. It was originally constructed in 1915, more than a decade before Route 66 was established. It then served as an oil service station. It was lovingly restored, and today the bright yellow beauty is a museum and gift shop, dedicated to the history of Rancho Cucamonga and Route 66. The city’s historic landmark is superb photo op, especially for a vintage car.