Last year when we stayed at the iconic Wigwam Motel in Holbrook whilst driving Route 66 through Arizona, we said we would also love to stay at the other location in San Bernardino but unfortunately for us on that trip, we simply did not have enough time to be able to fit both into our plans. We did however make a quick stop when we drove past the motel on the final day of our road trip on our way to Santa Monica and said that we would definitely come back and stay on a future trip to California. We made sure to keep that promise that we made to ourselves so whilst in Los Angeles for work this summer, we drove to San Bernardino for one night to finally stay there and sleep in a wigwam once again!

The Wigwam Motel on Historic Route 66 (also known as Wigwam Village #7) in San Bernardino is one of three surviving Wigwam villages – the other two being in Holbrook in Arizona and Cave City in Kentucky. It was the final Wigwam Village opened by Frank A. Redford in 1949 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012.

After spending the day exploring the Salton Sea area (somewhere else I had wanted to visit for ages) and after driving back through Palm Springs, we arrived at the Wigwam Motel to the warmest of welcomes and the offer of a tea or coffee which was a great touch. The front office is also a gift shop where you can purchase any Route 66 souvenirs and they had one of the best selection of pins that I saw along the Mother Road.

There are a total of nineteen wigwams in two rows in San Bernardino which circle around the front office and the small swimming pool which is located in the centre of the property. We took a few minutes to explore and take photos whilst it was still quiet and I loved seeing the little Route 66 signs everywhere. Spoiler alert – spending the night here has made me want to drive Route 66 again!

Towards the back of the motel is a small collection of vintage cars. I had also read online that the “Do it in a Teepee” sign which used to be displayed by the entrance many years ago during some earlier seedier times in the area when you could rent rooms by the hour (before the current owners took over in 2003 and completely renovated the property) could be found here but it sadly no longer exists.

Our wigwam for the night was Number 18 and each wigwam has an assigned parking space right next to their room so you do not have to walk (or carry your bags) very far at all!

When we stayed in Holbrook last year, we had booked a wigwam with only one bed (which was tiny!) so for this stay, we made sure to make a reservation for two beds which gave us a lot more room and made for a much more comfortable stay.

Each wigwam also comes with a large television, refrigerator, fast wifi, telephone and a wall-mounted air conditioning/heating unit.  There are also plenty of power sockets (some with USB) although these are not right next to the bed so make sure to bring a longer cable with you if needed. There are no tea or coffee making facilities but tea and coffee is available in the front office.

There is a small bathroom inside each wigwam which has a toilet, sink as well as a shower – and the good news was that the shower head is much higher than in Holbrook making having a shower and washing your hair a lot easier.

We both had a great night’s sleep. The beds were very comfortable and it was very quiet as there was no busy train line right next to the motel (like there is in Holbrook with noisy freight trains passing every few minutes) and there was also hardly any noise from passing traffic on Foothill Blvd outside during the night.

One great feature of the Wigwam Motel in California is the swimming pool which is the perfect spot to relax after a long day on the road.  It is not heated so it did feel cold for the first few minutes until we got used to the temperature and sitting in the water under the stars with a drink in hand was a great way to finish our day.

So if you could only stay in one of the two Wigwam Motels on Route 66 which would it be?  The Holbrook location is definitely more “vintage” (which is not a a bad thing) with a beautiful neon sign which looks incredible at night whilst the San Bernardino location has better facilities, is a little more modern and is much better maintained. I’m so happy that I can finally say that I have stayed in both of them as they were both completely different albeit amazing experiences.

Also if you are a fan of the Pixar movie Cars, the San Bernardino location is also an easy drive one hour from Anaheim meaning you could combine a trip to Disney and a visit to Cars Land along with a stay at the inspiration for the Cozy Cone Motel.

I would definitely recommend spending a night in a wigwam to anyone. The price is very reasonable and it’s such a fun, quirky and unique place to stay whether you are driving Route 66 or not. However if travelling during peak season, make sure to make a reservation in advance due to limited availability.

So after sleeping in two different wigwam motels, I think I now have to plan a trip to Kentucky and stay at the final one. It has to be done!

This blog post was written in 2024 so some of the information may no longer be accurate or up to date. Be sure to do your own research and check official websites for the latest details before making any of your own travel plans.

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