Ashland Motel
Ashland, OR
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The colorful Ashland Motel sign is hard to miss as you drive along old Highway 99. Rising above the parking lot with its bright mid-century styling, it looks like the kind of motel sign that was built to catch the eye of every passing traveler. 02-06

The motel has been welcoming guests for decades and still keeps much of its vintage roadside charm. While the sign has changed a bit over the years, its distinctive shape remains one of the more recognizable motel landmarks in Ashland. It's the kind of place that makes you wonder how many family vacations and road trips began or ended here.

If you're exploring southern Oregon's collection of classic neon, this is one motel that's worth slowing down to see.

UPDATE: The Ashland Motel remains open, and its vintage roadside sign still greets travelers today. 07-26

Manor Motel
Ashland, OR
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The Manor Motel brightens up the street with a wonderful old neon sign that looks just as inviting today as it must have decades ago. Best of all is the glowing vacancy arrow, pointing travelers straight toward the office. It's a simple touch, but one that brings back memories of the days when every stop along the highway had its own personality. 02-06

The Manor opened in the late 1940s and has been welcoming road trippers ever since. Unlike many vintage motels that have disappeared over the years, this one still retains the comfortable feel of an old motor court. The neon script, colorful arrow, and tidy grounds make it easy to imagine pulling in after a long day on the road.

Ashland has several classic motel signs worth seeing, and this is certainly one of them. Sometimes it's the little details, like a glowing vacancy arrow, that make an old roadside motel so memorable.

UPDATE: The Manor Motel remains open, and its classic neon sign continues to greet travelers along North Main Street. 07-26

Viking Motel
Portland, OR
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The Viking Motel has been catching the eye of passing motorists since the late 1950s with its colorful neon sign and Viking ship perched on top. The glowing marquee proudly advertised TV and a heated pool, two features that were sure to grab the attention of weary travelers looking for the night. 02-06

Located along old Highway 99 in north Portland, the motel is one of those classic roadside stops that has managed to outlast many of its neighbors. Family owned for decades, it still has the kind of mid-century character that's becoming harder to find with each passing year.

UPDATE: The Viking Motel remains open, and its vintage neon sign continues to light up North Interstate Avenue. 07-26

Westerner Motel
Portland, OR
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The Westerner Motel still knows how to catch your eye with a bright neon sign topped by a giant cowboy hat. Standing along North Interstate Avenue, it's the kind of roadside sign that seems to wave you in from a block away. The old "Direct Dial Phones" message near the bottom is a fun reminder of another era. 02-06

The motel has been welcoming travelers for decades along what was once Highway 99. While many of Portland's roadside motels have changed or disappeared, the Westerner continues to keep its western theme alive with one of the city's most recognizable motel signs.

After dark is when this sign really shines. Between the glowing cowboy hat, neon lettering, and rows of chasing bulbs, it's easy to see why it has become a favorite stop for photographers exploring Portland's vintage roadside neon.

UPDATE: The Westerner Motel remains open, and its classic cowboy hat marquee continues to light up North Interstate Avenue. 07-26

Motel
Portland, OR
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The red neon spills across the parking lot at this old roadside motel, giving the whole place a warm glow after dark. It's the kind of simple scene that was once common along America's highways, where a bright sign was all it took to let weary travelers know there was a vacancy. 02-06

There's nothing flashy here, just a classic motel sign doing exactly what it was built to do. The red neon lights the rooms, reflects off the pavement, and creates the sort of nighttime roadside atmosphere that's becoming harder to find with each passing year.

Timbers Motel
Ashland, OR
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The Timbers Motel features one of those interesting "mixed" motel signs that tells a story all by itself. The name has been replaced with backlit plastic, but "MOTEL" still glows in bright red neon beneath it. It's an unusual combination that makes you wonder what the original sign looked like before it was updated. 02-06

Located along old Highway 99 in Ashland, the Timbers has been welcoming travelers for decades. While the motel has changed with the times, the vintage sign still hints at its mid-century roots. That splash of red neon is enough to catch your eye as evening settles in.

Sometimes the best roadside signs aren't perfectly preserved. They simply show the changes that have come with the years while still managing to do the job they were built to do.

UPDATE: The property continues to operate as Timbers Inn & Suites, and the vintage roadside sign remains standing. 07-26

Sis-Q Motel (Gone)
Medford, OR
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The Sis-Q Motel added another splash of neon to old Highway 99 in Medford. Its bright roadside sign welcomed travelers heading through southern Oregon, proving once again that even a modest motel could stand out with a little colorful glass and steel. 02-06

Named for the nearby Siskiyou Mountains, the Sis-Q served motorists for many years along Riverside Avenue. It was one of those classic highway motels where the glowing sign often made the first impression, inviting weary travelers to pull in for the night.

Like many independent motels from the postwar road trip era, the Sis-Q eventually gave way to changing times. Fortunately, photographs like this still capture the sign doing exactly what it was built to do.

UPDATE: The motel has been converted to another use, and the vintage neon sign has been removed. 07-26

Ranch Inn Motel
Portland, OR
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The Ranch Inn Motel has one of those neon signs that's hard to drive past without taking a second look. Bright colors, glowing lettering, and a curved arrow pointing into the parking lot all come together to create a classic piece of roadside advertising. 02-06

The motel has been welcoming travelers along old Highway 99 for decades. Barbur Boulevard was once lined with motor courts, each trying to outshine the next with bigger and brighter signs. Today, the Ranch Inn is one of the few reminders of that era still welcoming guests.

UPDATE: The Ranch Inn Motel remains open, and its vintage neon marquee continues to brighten Barbur Boulevard. 07-26