Lockview Motel
Sault Ste Marie, MI
Photo and info courtesy Alan Culley

Check out the Lockview Motel in Sault Ste. Marie, where the colorful roadside marquee has been welcoming travelers for years. With its retro lettering and bright colors, the sign is a perfect fit for a motel sitting just across the street from the famous Soo Locks. It's the kind of marquee that's hard to miss as you drive down Portage Avenue. 09-08

The Lockview features a mix of traditional motel rooms and individual cabins, giving it a classic roadside feel that's becoming harder to find. Although it's located right next door to the well-known Lockview Restaurant, the two have always been separate businesses despite sharing the same name.

Between the vintage sign and its location overlooking one of Michigan's most popular attractions, the Lockview has remained a favorite stop for travelers exploring the eastern Upper Peninsula.

UPDATE: The Lockview Motel is still open and continues to welcome guests across from the Soo Locks. Better yet, the vintage neon roadside sign is still standing and remains one of the nicest surviving motel marquees in Sault Ste. Marie. 07-26

La France Motel (Gone)
Sault Ste Marie, MI
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The La France Terrace Motel was another roadside favorite in Sault Ste. Marie. While the motel itself had plenty to offer, it was the vintage roadside sign that helped catch the attention of travelers heading down Ashmun Street. It's always fun to come across another independently owned motel that once added a little personality to the highway. 09-08

The La France Terrace dates back to at least the 1960s and was known for amenities that were considered a real bonus at the time, including an outdoor swimming pool. Like many motels of its era, it welcomed generations of visitors exploring Michigan's Upper Peninsula and the nearby Soo Locks.

UPDATE: The La France Terrace Motel has since closed, and the old roadside sign is gone as well. It's another reminder of how many of these classic mom-and-pop motels have quietly disappeared over the years. 07-2

El Kay Motel (Closed)
Valparaiso, IN
Photo courtesy Kevin Heggi

The El Kay Motel was a familiar stop for travelers along U.S. Route 6 in Valparaiso. Its vintage marquee proudly advertised "Free TV," a big selling point back in the early 1960s, and helped draw motorists off the highway. 10-08

The motel dates back to at least the early 1960s and was operated by Tom and Eleanor Labney during its heyday. Today, the buildings still stand, but the property has been converted into the El-Kay Studio Apartments. Unfortunately, the old roadside sign has disappeared, replaced by a much more ordinary entrance sign.

UPDATE: The former motel now operates as El-Kay Studio Apartments. While it's nice to see the buildings still in use, the classic marquee is no longer part of the roadside landscape. 07-26

Moon-Lite Motel
Versailles, IN
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The Moon-Lite Motel in Versailles, Indiana, is home to one of those motel signs that instantly catches your eye. Topped with a crescent moon outlined in neon, it's a classic piece of roadside Americana that still welcomes travelers along U.S. Route 421. 11-08

The motel has been serving guests since at least the 1960s, when postcards proudly advertised modern amenities like color TV, air conditioning, and telephones. While the property has seen some updates under new ownership in recent years, it has thankfully kept both its historic name and vintage character.

The sign remains the star of the show. That glowing crescent moon gives the marquee plenty of personality and makes it one of Indiana's more memorable surviving motel signs.

UPDATE: The Moon-Lite Motel remains open under local ownership. The classic crescent moon sign is still standing out front, although it's not clear if all of the original neon still lights up at night. 07-26

Huron Inn Motel
Port Huron, IN
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The Huron Inn Motel in Port Huron, Michigan, still has its old roadside sign standing out front, although time hasn't been especially kind to it. The neon is gone, and even the "NO" portion of the old "NO VACANCY" display has disappeared, leaving only "VACANCY" behind. Maybe the motel doesn't fill up on busy weekends like it once did. 11-08

The motel has been a local fixture for decades and was once known as Darling's Huron Inn Motel. Today, it continues to operate, although much of the property now caters to longer-term stays and efficiency apartments. While the buildings remain in use, the sign is a reminder of its highway motel days.

UPDATE: The Huron Inn Motel remains open, and the vintage roadside sign is still standing. Unfortunately, the original neon has been removed, leaving only the stripped-down framework that hints at how eye-catching it once was. 07-26

Flamingo Motel
Port Huron, IN
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The Flamingo Motel in Port Huron, Michigan, is another survivor from the golden age of roadside travel. Its vintage sign still stands along Lapeer Road, and from the looks of it, it's the kind of marquee that really comes to life as dusk settles in. 11-08

The motel has managed to hang onto both its name and its mid-century character over the years. Even after a 2015 fire damaged part of the property, the motel remained in business and the classic roadside sign survived.

UPDATE: The Flamingo Motel is still open, and its retro sign continues to greet passing motorists. While it's not clear how much of the original neon still operates, it's great to see another vintage motel sign still standing. 07-26

Black River Motel
Wadhams, MI
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The Black River Motel near Wadhams, Michigan, has one of those signs that makes you do a double take. Even though it's called the Black River Motel, the river running across the middle of the marquee is painted blue with a yellow center line. Maybe the colors changed after the "MOTEL" letters disappeared from the sign...or maybe it was always meant to be that way. 11-08

Located along old M-21, the motel has been around for decades and still retains its distinctive roadside sign, although time has taken its toll. The missing letters and weathered appearance only add to its character. Today, the property has shifted away from serving overnight travelers and now operates primarily as long-term efficiency apartments.

UPDATE: The Black River Motel remains in use, though no longer as a traditional roadside motel. The sign has changed. 07-26