Rachel, Nevada: The Little A Le Inn: Bar and Motel

Definitely worth the detour if you are into aliens, conspiracy theories and are on the hunt for good, old fashioned American Road Trip relics! The restaurant was actually really tasty; they take credit cards and there are a lot of cool things to look at. Be prepared with a full tank of gas, there is no gas on 375 at all, middle of nowhere!

We just made the trip to UFO Mecca Little A'le'in near area 51. Interesting place in the middle of the "extraterrestrial highway" about 2.5 hours north of Vegas. BE WARNED and Fill up the tank, as gas stations (and people and signs of life in general!) are few and far between. The E.T. Highway runs thru a place with cows (although we didn't even see one) so we were warned to take it slow. There are some great places for photos inside and outside of this Bar/Restaurant/Gift Shop/UFO Memorabilia spot. The inside is packed with every alien thing you can think of, including some 'life sized' models you can pose with.

We stayed for the night at the Little A'le'in. The lodging set-up is 10 mobile homes on the same property as the bar/gift shop/restaurant/UFO education center. It was about $50 bucks for the night's stay. We had to share a bathroom with some folks who arrived before us who rented the other half of the trailer. The beds were comfy and there were more UFO photos on the walls.

The whole staff is very friendly, we called to tell them we were running late and they kept the place open til about 10:30 pm. In the morning, we had a great breakfast there.

For our seventh anniversary, my husband and I decided to take a walk on the far side. So we drove six hours to Area 51, the UFO capital of the World, and stayed at the only business in a 45 mile radius "The Little A'Le'Inn," in Rachel. The closest gas station is 45 miles away and their grocery store is 150 miles down the road.

We walked into the Little A'Le'Inn restaurant/bar/hotel to check in and were greeted by four locals in the middle of a heated debate about teleportation. One local, Ken Langley, was trying to convince us this science has already been achieved, and showed several documents to prove his theory. He gave the greatest quote of the night. "This has been done. They have already moved molecules through time and space. This means the general's dog has been transported."

Ken also proudly claims his family as being responsible for the industrial revolution, World War II, flight and makers of the most luxurious car ever made, the Duesenberg. He also confesses he was abducted by UFOs more times than he can remember in the early to mid-70s.

Then there's Pat, owner of the Little A'Le'Inn. She and her husband Joe, who has since passed away, bought the establishment over 20 years ago and have made it the success it is today. Most movies filmed about Area 51 have the restaurant/bar featured, including two that are set to be released this spring, Pauly and Area 51.

Inside the bar is a ceiling plastered with signed dollars, lira, yen and other bills from all over the world left by UFO seekers that come for a visit.

Visiting the Little A'Le'Inn is an experience like no other and is certainly a requirement for any seeker of the the wonderfully absurd.

Make sure you examine every inch of this bar. There are some very convincing photographs of UFOs as well as any type of souvenir one could imagine. The bartender is friendly and the food is digestible. I didn't spend the night in the inn but I imagine it is as extraordinary as the bar restaurant. No trip on the extraterrestrial highway is complete without a stop at this rare roadside gem.

The infamous "Black" Mailbox with the word Alien on it has been painted white. The word Alien is still visible on it and even has it's own mail slot. The mailbox belongs to Mr. Steve Medlin, a Cattle Rancher in Rachel, NV, a town with only 98 people inhabiting it and on the edge of the famous "Secret" Area 51 Government Test Facility.