Features
11 thoughtful approaches to modern roadside design
Eleven practical approaches to contemporary roadside places that balance identity, safety, access, landscape, local business, and historic context.
Archive
August 2026
Features
A photographer's field list for neon sign restoration
A safe documentation checklist for historic neon signs in daylight, at night, during treatment, and after relighting.
Features
A photographer's field list for roadside architecture
A field checklist for safely and accurately photographing roadside buildings, signs, sites, materials, alterations, and context.
Guides
A two-day itinerary built around modern roadside design
A flexible two-day research itinerary for observing contemporary roadside buildings, public space, signage, local business, and historic context.
Rules
Accessible options for modern roadside design travelers
A planning method for accessible roadside design trips covering transport, parking, routes, rest, sensory needs, lodging, and current information.
Features
Best seasons to plan historic motel restoration in 2027
A 2027 seasonal planning framework for surveys, design, approvals, bidding, exterior work, interior work, testing, and motel opening.
Features
Best seasons to plan vintage diner interiors in 2027
A seasonal framework for diner research trips that accounts for operating hours, weather, daylight, crowds, events, archives, and night signs.
Costs
Historic motel restoration: costs and budget
A transparent budget structure for historic motel acquisition, investigation, building work, signs, rooms, operations, contingency, and incentives.
Features
Historic motel restoration: ideas worth trying
Eleven evidence-led ideas for rehabilitating historic motels while improving operations, access, maintenance, and interpretation.
Guides
Historic motel restoration: planning steps
A concise sequence for researching, documenting, designing, budgeting, approving, building, and operating a historic motel project.
Industry
How local businesses can support neon sign restoration
Ways property owners, sign shops, electricians, fabricators, museums, sponsors, and nearby businesses can support historic neon responsibly.
Industry
How local businesses can support roadside architecture
Practical ways owners, operators, trades, guides, and nearby businesses can support historic roadside places without erasing their character.
Reviews
How to choose vintage diner interiors without buying twice
A comparison guide for selecting and preserving diner counters, booths, stools, tables, lighting, finishes, equipment, and new reproductions.
Reviews
How to compare tours built around historic motel restoration
A method for comparing historic motel restoration tours by access, evidence, expertise, accessibility, permissions, and community value.
Reviews
How to compare tours built around vintage diner interiors
A method for comparing diner tours by access, evidence, operating context, accessibility, photography, food costs, and local benefit.
Industry
How to find local guides for modern roadside design
A process for finding and vetting local architecture guides, historians, designers, accessibility specialists, and community interpreters.
Guides
How to plan vintage diner interiors without rushing the trip
A slower planning method for researching, booking, eating at, observing, photographing, and documenting historic diner interiors.
Costs
Modern roadside design costs: transport, stays and tickets
A trip-budget method for transportation, lodging, admissions, guides, food, access needs, documentation, and contingency.
Costs
Neon sign restoration: costs, budgets and hidden expenses
A detailed budget guide for historic neon sign documentation, structure, metalwork, glass, electrical systems, permits, installation, and maintenance.
Guides
Planning historic motel restoration: the steps that matter
A U.S. planning guide for historic motel research, treatment, approvals, building systems, accessibility, budgets, operations, and documentation.
Guides
Questions to ask when booking neon sign restoration in 2027
Questions for booking neon tours, workshops, museums, demonstrations, private viewing, or documentation sessions in 2027.
Guides
Questions to ask when booking roadside architecture in 2027
Questions for booking historic motels, tours, museums, photo access, and guided roadside architecture experiences in 2027.
Guides
The 2027 field guide to roadside architecture
A responsible U.S. field guide to recognizing, researching, visiting, photographing, and supporting historic roadside buildings in 2027.
Features
Vintage diner interiors stops worth adding to a longer trip
A research-led shortlist of documented Route 66 restaurant interiors and a method for verifying public access before travel.
Costs
What a well-planned weekend of vintage diner interiors costs
A weekend budget framework for diner meals, transport, lodging, tours, museums, accessibility needs, documentation, and contingency.
Maintenance
What first-time visitors miss about neon sign restoration
Observation tips for seeing the structure, metalwork, glass, electrical equipment, evidence, and ongoing maintenance behind restored neon.
Maintenance
What first-time visitors miss about roadside architecture
Roadside architecture observation tips for recognizing alignments, site plans, signs, materials, later changes, and living local context.
Guides
What to pack when a trip centers on modern roadside design
A practical packing list for safely observing and documenting contemporary roadside buildings, signs, landscapes, and public spaces.
Industry
Where to stay near the best neon sign restoration
Two operating Route 66 motels with documented neon significance, plus a method for checking rooms, access, viewing, and current operation.
Industry
Where to stay near the best roadside architecture
Two operating historic Route 66 motels to research, plus a booking method for choosing lodging near roadside architecture.