Best Western Space Age Lodge

Out in the Sonoran Desert along Interstate 8, the Best Western Space Age Lodge gives road-trippers a retro-futuristic landmark in Gila Bend, Arizona, its UFO-topped roof visible for miles across the open desert. Here the desert holds quirkier treasures than its cactus. The Painted Rock Petroglyph Site preserves hundreds of ancient carvings on a tumble of black boulders just outside town, while the Gila Bend Visitor's Center and Museum tells the area's railroad and ranching story. Local artisan shops and seasonal dove-hunting weekends round out a stay with genuine small-town character along the desert highway. Spacious rooms include pillow-top beds, free high-speed Wi-Fi, and cable television, and an on-site diner serves classic fare with a cosmic twist for fueling up before a desert run. An outdoor pool and a whirlpool hot tub cool things down, and the hotel welcomes pets. Quirky and remote in equal measure, Gila Bend lingers long after the road.