Search hotels in Independence, CA

Booked to stay in Independence as we wanted to visit Manzanar on our way south. But we wished we had gone further south to Lone Pine and then doubled back north in the morning as there was much more choice of accommodation in Lone Pine. Manzanar is worth visiting as is the Film Museum in Lone Pine.

Independence is a small town with quite a history of boom and bust. It is a short drive from the "Alabama Hills", recommended by our host at the motel and the location of filming of hundreds of both B movie and well known Westerns and other films of the past. The majestic eastern slope of the Sierras is just across the valley to the west. A must is a visit to the Manzanar National Historic Site, 9 miles south, where Japanese Americans were confined during WWII - an evocative, contemplative place with great lessons to all in the visitor center and the drive around the camp. The area has surprisingly good restaurants; ours for dinner was the French/ North African Still Life Café on the main drag where there was a fine setup, great family host, and very good eats. For breakfast our motel host directed us to the bustling and characterful Alabama Hills Cafe & Bakery. In the summer, there's a road near here which is an eastern portal to Yosemite, but closed at our winter visit.

This little motel is big on service and convenience, especially if you're hiking one of the long trails. I came down into civilization after 3 weeks on the trail a little shell-shocked. Gita, God bless her, greeted me by name with fruit and a cold bottle of water. Mana. She helped with my laundry and was a fount of knowledge for the surrounding amenities in town. The room included things that a hiker needs, like an extra toothbrush, a comb, toothpaste - things you just don't get in ordinary hotels anymore. I recommend this lovely, clean little oasis in Independence to anyone who will be on a trail for awhile.