IT’S A MOTEL EXPERIENCE THIS SUMMER

By Nancy Clark

Grammie, Nana, PopPop (plus other affectionate nicknames for grandparents) grew up knowing motels and summer vacay were synonymous. After a day on the road in America’s 1950s, families would unbundle from the car and switch into swimsuits (and flowery swim caps). They’d pop into the motel pool to cool off. AC was not a given anywhere, home or on the road.

En route from Point A to Point B, travelers relied on easily accessible overnight accommodations close to the main routes. 1964 marked the peak of motel operations with 61,000 motels across the USA. By 2012, that number had fallen to 16,000.

In 2024, grandparents are again hitting the road…this time with their grandchildren. They seek a multi-generational adventure vacation experience, one that’s sentimental to the Baby Boomers. It might be a specific route, particular motel, or a shared dream.

Guests in their 70s remember staying in motels. Their kids in their 40s, might remember a random motel stay. Twenty-somethings pretty much never stayed in a motel.

So if you’re looking for a simple bit of adventure travel in Summer 2024, you don’t need to hit the zip line in South America or the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Try a down-to-earth getaway that let’s you reminisce and share those valuable details from the front seat to the back with your grandchildren.

Book a stay at the Rainbow in Greeley, CO on your way to the Rocky Mountain National Forest. Or like me, plan a summer of short trips to Colorado’s forts. It’s a great way to delve into history and fast-forward to today to sort through the impact frontiersmen had on the Wild West.

Book a stay at the Rainbow, Greeley’s most iconic and modernized motel. We’ll wrap you in chic bathrobes and provide plenty of room amenities to keep the kiddos and their grandparents satisfied.