Arizona driving tour, day five (part four)

I was a little focused on the Crown (it really felt like ours even if just for one night) but the rest of the Shady Dell is worth some discussion too.

Here we have the Airstream, the Spartanette, the Mansion, and the Manor, with the Mule Mountains off in the distance.

Let's have a closer look.

Here's the classic Airstream in all its shiny chrome glory. I think if I came back I might like to stay in this one.

The Royal Mansion.

The Airfloat, which seems like it might be one of the more luxurious stays in the Shady Dell. According to the website, it not only has its own toilet and full shower, but comes equipped with a working vintage TV and record player. They provide some Rat Pack-era records but I'll bet we'd have some of our own to listen to. Maybe we'll splurge for the third visit.

The Tiki Bus. I'm not all that into tiki stuff but this one looks pretty fun.

A jungle-view of the Airstream.

Right next to the Crown is Dot's Diner. If it were open for dinner I would have had myself a chocolate shake, but it just didn't feel right for breakfast.

According to the Shady Dell site: "Built in the 1950s by the pride of Wichita Kansas, The Valentine Manufacturing Company, this authentic diner was originally purchased by John Hart in 1957 and delivered to the corner of Ventura and Topanga Canyon Blvd in Los Angeles. The diner was transported by flatbed truck to the Shady Dell in November, 1996. It was run by Dot Bozeman, chief cook and bottle washer until 1999."

I woke up to the smell of Dot's breakfast wafting through the open window of our trailer. It was a lovely way to greet the morning. The food was delicious, and actually seemed to be cooked with real, fresh ingredients (for instance, the jam available was strawberry-lavender, and was scooped out of an unlabeled jar into a small metal cup for our use).

Part of the outdoor seating a few steps from Dot's. I love this metal umbrella.

Dot's at night.

In the center of the Shady Dell is this gazebo, which is probably quite nice for nighttime relaxation when the weather is right. There's something unsettling about the duck though.

I like the touches of neon around the gazebo roof. Music is playing constantly from somewhere as well, which kind of makes it feel a little surreal.

A detail that I find kind of amusing is the white picket fences placed all over the park. There also seems to be an abundance of Pepsi memorabilia in this town, which is forgivable.

Nextdoor to the Shady Dell is a cemetery, which we did not get a chance to explore. I love these crazy tall trees.