The original U-Drop Inn. Photo by Clay Gilliland on Flickr

Once a cafe and gas station, this building on historic Route 66 is now a visitors center. The unique design and architecture were referenced during the design of Ramone’s House of Body Art in Radiator Springs, as seen in the Pixar’s Cars series of films.

Ramone’s House of Body Art in the background, as seen during Cars 2 (2011). Image ©Disney/Pixar

Much like in the film, the advent of interstate highways caused areas of Route 66 to fall into disrepair. Luckily, the city of Shamrock completed a restoration of the building in 2003, complete with beautiful green neon along the facade.

Besides visiting the real-life version in Texas, you can also visit the Cars version in Disney California Adventure as well as see a scale version in the indoor scene during Radiator Springs Racers.

The U-Drop Inn lit up with neon green accents. Photo by Jerry Huddleston on Flickr

Address: 111 Rte 66, Shamrock, TX 79079
Visitor Information: National Park Service