Gallup, New Mexico

We’ve driven past and through Gallup many times but never actually stopped, so we decided it was time to visit. 

 

Our first stop was on Route 66 to visit the world famous El Rancho Hotel http://historicelranchohotel.com

 

Built in 1937 the hotel is on the National Historical Register and was used as a base for film stars and film crews on location.   Photographs of the film stars who have stayed at the hotel, John Wayne, Errol Flynn, Kirk Douglas, Doris Day to mention but a few, cover the walls.

Two Presidents, President Regan and President Eisenhower have also stayed there.   Rooms are named after film stars and I am absolutely convinced I sat in a chair used by John Wayne, okay probably not, but he did stay there so who knows?

 After reading some of the posters on the walls

we enjoyed coffee in the restaurant, we asked the hostess if anyone famous had stayed there recently apparently Paul McCartney had visited not long ago.   No-one famous was staying the day we visited, but let’s face it the hotel wouldn’t tell us if there was would they?   Our next stop was the Cultural Centre where we had a very nice, although rather large, lunch before looking around.

Inside the Story Teller Museum at the Cultural Centre

Sand paintings,

Native American pottery,

Kachinas

After looking round the museum we found an RV park that has fairly good reviews and then drove back to Grants. 

There’s a lot more to see in Gallup, so I think next time we travel this way, we’ll stop and explore some more. 

Have fun, we are!