There’s a decent chance that Madonna Inn is the sole reason you’re even coming to SLO. But in case it’s not, know that spending an evening inside this iconic roadside hotel is a required human experience. If we could give you some guidance on how to spend a night here, it would be to skip the food entirely and go straight for their famous, all-pink Silver Bar (which has been pink since long before pink became a thing). From there, proceed to drink martinis, get involved in a tango competition with a retired art teacher named Ellen, and stumble back to your room wondering if you’ve slipped into another dimension or if your bed is actually a covered wagon.

photo credit: Jakob Layman