Here’s a good idea: Esotouric, a husband-and-wife team that specializes in offbeat bus tours of the Los Angeles region, led one down Route 66 on Saturday, reported the Pasadena Star-News.
Sights included the Aztec Hotel in Monrovia, the last commercial citrus orchard in Sierra Madre and the Golden Spur restaurant in Glendora.
One particularly intriguing stop was the Covina Bowl, which opened in 1955:
In those days, a three-hour road trip to Las Vegas was not an option and folks came to Covina Bowl to catch lounge acts, Schave said.
He sighed.
“This world is so different,” Schave said.
Inside, Covina Bowl’s one- time Egyptian theme had largely been lost. Murals had been painted over and features modernized.
“It’s such a shame that they renovated,” said Cooper as tour participants snapped photographs of the towering neon “BOWL” sign.
“Supposedly there’s a room upstairs that no one has a key to and is all original,” Cooper said. “It really is like an Egyptian tomb.”
A photo gallery of the tour can be seen here.