Who doesn’t love the Disney/Pixar movie Cars? From little kids, to Route 66 aficionados, to the everyday car enthusiast, it’s one of those rare kids movies pretty much everyone can tolerate, even love. Here are the most iconic real-life places (and things) that inspired the locations from "Cars."
If you’re a NASCAR fan, you recognized the Motor Speedway of the South almost immediately as paying homage to the high-banked short track Bristol Motor Speedway.
The movie's Cozy Cone Motel draws inspiration from two Route 66 icons...one of them is the Cozy Dog Drive-In in Springfield, Illinois, inventor of the corn dog. Stop by for some battered, fried deliciousness served on a stick and enjoy the retro memorabilia and vintage cars.
Already a well-known Route 66 icon, the Tower Conoco/U-Drop Inn in Shamrock, TX, was a logical choice to show up in the movie as Ramone’s House of Body Art. The real-life former Conoco gas station has been lovingly restored and is now as popular as ever, thanks to the movie!
So Ornament Valley and Monument Valley don’t necessarily look super similar per se, but it’s safe to say that Monument Valley, given its size and notoriety, is the valley that gave them the idea for Ornament Valley. Of course, it's the American West, so pretty much pick a valley and it probably applies.
Director John Lassester has mentioned that much of the film was inspired by conversations about the struggles for Route 66 towns with barber Angel Delgadillo of Seligman, AZ. The barbershop is covered wall-to-wall in Route 66 memorabilia, and the Delgadillo family won't mind if you just want to peek in.
Nailing down the exact town Radiator Spring was modeled after is a little tricky. Truth is it could be any little Route 66 town that I-40 has now passed by. Geographically, the one-horse town of Peach Springs, AZ matches up best though, and is a must-stop for anyone taking a classic Route 66 road trip.
Hackberry General Store is another location that seems to represent pretty much any little oddity shop along Route 66. It used to be a functioning gas station but these days, its just a great photo op and souvenir store.
The Cozy Cone Motel is without a doubt paying its respects to the Wigwam Motels that used to dot the country. Today, you can still stay at one of the few remaining Wigwam Motels (Wigwam Village #7) in Rialto, CA. It doesn't get any more kitschy-cool than that!
The movie's LA International Speedway is a combination of the LA Memorial Coliseum, the Rose Bowl, Auto Club Speedway, and the legendary timing tower at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Since LA is the official end of Route 66, stop by the Memorial Coliseum to cap off your road trip!
Of course, there are loads of other little tributes to Route 66 and automotive history hidden all throughout the movie, which is one of the things that makes it so great! Checking out some of the most memorable spots that appear in the movie make for a great start when planning a Route 66 trip, especially with kids. Kachow!