Holiday Motel (Gone)
Wisconsin Dells, WI
Photo courtesy Dan Schuster

Motels named Holiday Motel always seemed to have colorful signs designed to catch your attention, and this one in Wisconsin Dells certainly doesn't disappoint. The Googie-shaped marquee and bright multicolored neon letters make it one of those signs that's hard to drive past without taking a second look. 12-06

Located along the busy Wisconsin Dells Parkway, the Holiday Motel was one of many independently owned motels competing for the attention of vacationers heading into the Dells. Fortunately, it had a sign that stood out from the crowd. The sweeping Googie design and colorful lettering gave the property a fun, optimistic look that fit perfectly with the area's roadside atmosphere. If the sign didn't catch your eye, you probably weren't looking.

UPDATE: The Holiday Motel no longer operates as an independent business. It became part of the Mt. Olympus Hotel Village during the area's large-scale resort expansion, and the colorful Googie marquee has disappeared. 07-26

Cavalier Motel (Demolished)
Detroit, MI
Photo courtesy Kelly Coalier

The colonial-themed sign at Cavalier Motel gave Woodward Avenue a different kind of roadside welcome. Standing in Highland Park, Michigan, it suited the motel’s name and helped distinguish the property along one of the Detroit area’s best-known automobile corridors.

Cavalier promoted itself as a modern motel for vacationers and business travelers. Air conditioning, televisions, Hi-Fi sound systems, and conference facilities were among its advertised attractions. The sign borrowed from an earlier era, while the rooms promised the conveniences motorists expected from an up-to-date overnight stop.

UPDATE: Cavalier Motel has been demolished, and a small retail shopping center now occupies the property. The colonial-style sign is gone as well. Another independent motel has disappeared from Woodward Avenue, taking its distinctive roadside introduction along with it. 07-26

Wayfare Motel
Jeffersonville, IN
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

The Wayfare Motel in Jeffersonville, Indiana has a roadside sign that looks like it could have come straight from the 1930s or '40s. It's the kind of marquee that reminds you of an earlier era of roadside travel, when a distinctive sign was often the best advertising a motel could have.

Located along 10th Street just a few miles from downtown Louisville, the Wayfare has been welcoming travelers since at least the 1960s. The motel still has its classic drive-up layout, where guests park outside their room and check in through an old-fashioned walk-up window instead of a lobby. It's a setup that feels increasingly rare today.

The sign is what really makes this place memorable. While many older motels have replaced their vintage marquees with modern signs, the Wayfare's pylon still gives the property a bit of old roadside character. It's easy to imagine generations of motorists spotting it from down the road and deciding to pull in for the night.

UPDATE: The Wayfare Motel is still open and continues serving travelers. The vintage roadside marquee is still standing, making it one of the few reminders of Jeffersonville's earlier motel era. 07-26

Downers Grove Motel (Demolished)
Downers Grove, IL
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

The Downers Grove Motel sports a huge arrow that practically demands your attention from the road. The marquee looks to be in great shape, and it's always fun to see an old motel sign proudly advertising "Color TV." There was a time when that alone was enough to get travelers to pull in for the night.

Located along historic Ogden Avenue, the motel opened in 1960 and was also known as Duellman's Motel. Like many suburban motels of its era, it offered a small collection of drive-up rooms that catered to motorists traveling in and out of the Chicago area.

The oversized arrow is the star of the show. Signs like this were designed to stand out among the growing number of businesses lining the highway, and this one certainly did its job. It's another reminder that motel owners once competed as much with their signs as they did with their rooms.

UPDATE: The motel closed around 2012 and was later demolished. Today the site has been redeveloped with newer commercial buildings, and the big arrow sign is gone. 07-26

Melody Lane Inn (Demolished)
Branson, MO
Photo courtesy Kelly Coalier

The Melody Lane Inn features something you don't see every day on a motel sign—a giant musical note. It's the perfect fit for Branson, where music has always been part of the town's identity. You have to give the owners credit for matching the sign to the location. There's no mistaking where you are.

Located right on Branson's famous 76 Country Boulevard, the Melody Lane Inn welcomed visitors in the middle of the city's busy theater district. With show ticket services, a ballroom, and views of the Ozarks, it catered to travelers who came to town for the entertainment as much as the scenery.

The musical note made this one easy to remember. While many motels relied on arrows or stars to grab attention, the Melody Lane used a symbol that fit Branson perfectly. It's little touches like that which give roadside signs their personality.

UPDATE: The Melody Lane Inn closed and was later demolished around a decade ago. The musical note sign disappeared a few years after the motel shut down, bringing an end to another colorful piece of the Branson strip. 07-26

Chippewa Motel (Gone)
Wisconsin Dells, WI
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

The Chippewa Motel in Wisconsin Dells features a distinctive marquee topped with a Native American headdress. It's the kind of themed sign that fit right in with the colorful attractions and motels that made the Dells such a memorable roadside destination.

Located along Broadway, the Chippewa Motel welcomed visitors for years with a mix of traditional motel rooms and a large indoor pool complex. It stood out from many of its neighbors by offering one of the larger indoor swimming facilities in the area, along with a game room and sauna for guests looking to unwind after a day of sightseeing.

The headdress marquee gave the motel an identity all its own. Whether you were driving into town for the first time or returning for another family vacation, it was one of those signs that helped define the look of the Wisconsin Dells strip.

UPDATE: The Chippewa Motel has been remodeled and now operates as the Woodside Dells Hotel & Suites. The old headdress marquee is gone, but the motel buildings continue welcoming visitors under their new name. 07-26