Road Runner’s Retreat Sign
Near Chambless, California
Located east of Amboy, California, the Road Runner’s Retreat restaurant and service station opened in the early 1960s, welcoming guests with its neon sign. The buildings were constructed in the Googie style of architecture—influenced by car culture and hypermodernism—and quickly became an essential stop on Route 66 as well as a place where travelers looking for work could fill a job opening. Though the Road Runner's Retreat closed in 1973, the restaurant was dressed up as the “Expressway Diner” to set the scene for a TV commercial in 1986.
The 30-foot Road Runner’s Retreat sign still stands today, a historic landmark that awaits tourists as they drive through California’s Mojave Desert. Come back soon to learn more about the Road Runner's Retreat, its unforgettable sign transformation, and the story of how this Route 66 destination was loved by three families over the decades.