7 Pixar's "Cars" Location Inspirations

Above, the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is hard to believe that Pixar's Cars was released back in 2006.

Many locations, some of which are on Historic Route 66, served as inspirations for some of the movie's features. 

Roadtrippers has listed seven iconic Route 66 locations that inspired the movie.

They begin with:

Nearly two decades after its debut, it’s almost impossible to travel along any portion of Route 66 and not see several references to Disney Pixar’s 2006 animated movie Cars. Inspired by director John Lasseter’s real-life cross-country road trip, the film still draws families and fans to iconic attractions featured (or riffed on) in the movie, including the remaining Wigwam Villages, trading posts, curiosity shops, and vintage filling stations. 

Here are seven real-life locations that inspired the makers of Cars. 

To see what they are, go here. 

Roadtrippers: 6 Steps To Planning A Successful RV Road Trip

Above, The Beast in Seligman, Arizona. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

RVing for the first time? (Either your own or in a rental.)

There's a few things that newbies should know before heading out on the road to make that RV road trip a successful one.

Roadtrippers has an article on "6 Steps To Planning A Successful RV Road Trip".

It starts with:

When I bought my first RV more than a decade ago, it wasn’t because I loved camping. Rather, I was a dedicated roadtripper who spent all my vacation time driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway in the east, the Pacific Coast Highway in the west, or any scenic byway in between. As I entered my 30s—with a couple of babies in tow—I still desperately wanted to be a road warrior. However, I also wanted to bring some of the creature comforts of home along on the adventure. Enter the RV road trip. 

Why road trip in an RV rather than a car?

Eleven years after that first RV purchase I can say the big bet paid off. My family has spent hundreds of days roadtripping around the country exploring national parks, historical landmarks, kitschy roadside attractions, urban destinations, and beach resorts. Here are the reasons why I choose to plan RV road trips more than any other type of travel.

Above, the Roadkill Cafe in Seligman, Arizona, a kitschy diner (they do have good food). Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here. 

Celebrate National Park Service's 103rd Birthday, Free Day Sunday

Above, the Colorado River is still carving into the Grand Canyon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For those who do not have a national park pass of any kind, are low income or just plain too cheap (only kidding) to pay an entrance fee to any of the national parks and sites, they're in luck.

Roadtrippers reported:

On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Park Service Organic Act into law, thereby establishing the National Park Service (NPS). To celebrate its 103rd birthday, the NPS is waiving entrance fees to all national park sites across the U.S. on August 25. It’s one of five fee-free days in 2019 (the two remaining ones are National Public Lands Day on September 18 and Veterans Day on November 11).  

The National Park System includes 419 sites covering more than 85 million acres throughout the country. In addition to 61 national parks, it also includes national monuments, national historical parks, national seashores, and more. The newest national park was established in February of this year, with the upgrade of Indiana Dunes from national lakeshore to national park. 

To read more, go here.