Iconic Route 66 roadside landmark featuring a restored neon sign, historic gas station, souvenir shop, and preserved desert-era architecture that recalls the golden age of American highway travel.
How to Get There
From Barstow (51 mi): Take Interstate 40 east to Ludlow, exit onto historic Route 66/National Trails Highway, then continue east across the Mojave Desert to reach the landmark on the north side of the road in Amboy.
Overview
Roy's Motel and Café is one of the most recognizable symbols of historic Route 66 and a beloved landmark in California's Mojave Desert. Established in 1938, the complex began as a service station before expanding to include a café, repair garage, and motel cabins that served travelers crossing one of the most isolated stretches of the Mother Road. Its towering neon sign, installed in 1959 and visible from miles away across the desert, became a beacon for motorists seeking fuel, food, and lodging. The dramatic setting, surrounded by volcanic landscapes and vast open desert, gives the property an almost cinematic presence that continues to draw visitors from around the world.
The fortunes of Amboy changed when Interstate 40 diverted most traffic away from Route 66, leaving many roadside communities struggling to survive. Roy's endured as a historic relic and later became the focus of preservation efforts aimed at protecting an authentic piece of American roadside culture. Today, visitors stop to photograph the famous Googie-style architecture, browse memorabilia, and experience a rare surviving example of the businesses that once lined America's most celebrated highway. Its combination of history, nostalgia, and desert scenery makes it one of the premier Route 66 attractions in the Southwest.
This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles and official tourism pages for Roy's Motel and Café, which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0.
