Roadside Motel Gets Elevated

The last time we were in Flagstaff we stayed in a cute, recently-renovated motel called Hotel Elev8. It was pet friendly, had free wifi and little local gifts for sale in the lobby.

There’s also an outdoor pool, indoor hot tub, and a sauna – in case you need to warm up or cool off.

When I say the place was recently renovated, I mean some of the construction was still in progress when we were there, but it was already a nice place to stay.

Landscape photography and a "renovations in progress" sign at Hotel Elev8. — Landscape photography and a “renovations in progress” sign at Hotel Elev8.

Location

Hotel Elev8 is about 10 minutes from Downtown Flagstaff. It’s actually right off I-40, which basically follows the historic Route 66.
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April 2, 2020April 10, 2026

The Word

In many cultures, around the world and across time, the spoken word has been seen as having a power to create and destroy. In the Hebrew Bible, creation is spoken into existence with the words “Let there be light.”

The words of the Diné (or Navajo) people helped to bring an end to World War II. Diné serving in the U.S. Marines developed a code adapted from their tribal language that baffled the Japanese. These “Code Talkers” were able to communicate top secret information to aid the Allied Powers’ efforts in the brutal theater of war in the Pacific.

The Navajo Code Talker program has grown in public consciousness over the last 40 years and has been the subject of many books, documentaries, and even the 2002 film Windtalkers. Yet, with all this focus on what the language accomplished, you couldn’t watch a Hollywood film in Navajo until recently.
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November 10, 2016April 22, 2026

Route 66’s 90th Anniversary in Flagstaff

Does hearing about Route 66 put Nat King Cole’s “Get Your Kicks” in your head too?

I don’t know the whole song, but I always chime in when he gets to “Flagstaff, Arizona.”

scenic highway — Hwy 87 north of Payson, one of the routes from the Phoenix area to Flagstaff.

The “Mother Road” turns 90 this year, and Flagstaff is celebrating the milestone Friday (11/11). There will be food, music, games, classic cars, and bowling from 12-5pm between the Historic Museum Club and Starlite Lanes Bowling Alley. Bring cash – proceeds benefit the Military Order of the Purple Heart and Bowling for Vets.

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June 9, 2016April 22, 2026

The Ups and Downs of The Canyon Motel (Williams, AZ)

It’s not every day that your mom gets her master’s degree. So if her graduation is in another city, you make travel plans.

After getting back from our last big extended-family trip to my cousin’s wedding in Virginia, we started planning for Mom’s Northern Arizona University graduation in May. We were looking for somewhere that everyone making the trip to Flagstaff could stay.
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