City Center Motel
Medford, OR
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The City Center Motel has a sign that does more than advertise the business. Its bright red neon arrow actually points the way to the office, making it almost impossible for arriving travelers to miss the entrance. It's a clever design that gives this small downtown motel a little extra personality. 03-06

The motel has been welcoming guests in Medford for many years, and although the sign has been updated, the original arrow still does its job just as it always has. It's a nice reminder of the days when motel signs weren't just there to be seen, they were there to help guide you in.

Sometimes a single splash of red neon is all it takes to brighten an evening drive. This is one of those signs that's worth slowing down for.

UPDATE: The City Center Motel remains open, and its vintage arrow sign continues to welcome guests. 07-26

City Centre Motel (Demolished)
Vancouver B.C.
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The City Centre Motel greeted travelers with a bright neon sign mounted above the lobby, making it easy to spot as traffic headed out of downtown Vancouver. It wasn't the biggest sign in town, but it had the kind of simple roadside charm that fit the motel perfectly. 03-06

Built during the postwar motel boom, the City Centre spent decades welcoming visitors passing through the city. Its convenient location along Main Street made it a familiar sight for generations of motorists, and the glowing sign became part of the streetscape for many years.

The motel may not have been flashy, but it was another reminder of the days when neon signs lined the highways leading into and out of town.

UPDATE: The City Centre Motel has been demolished to make way for new development, and its vintage signs have been removed. 07-26

City Center Motel (Demolished)
Cottage Grove, OR
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The City Center Motel in Cottage Grove has a neon sign that does a fine job of catching your attention along the street. Even though the name isn't exactly unique, the colorful marquee gives this little motel its own personality. 04-06

Cottage Grove has long been a favorite stop for travelers exploring old Highway 99, and signs like this fit right in with the town's collection of roadside reminders from the automobile era. Sometimes it's not the biggest or fanciest sign that stands out, just one that has been welcoming motorists for years.

UPDATE: The original City Center Motel property has since been demolished, and the vintage neon sign no longer survives. 07-26

Park Lane Motel
Spokane, WA
Photo and info courtesy Josh Hudgens / 2007

The Park Lane Motel is a wonderful reminder of the days when motor courts were designed with individual cottages instead of long rows of rooms. Lined up beneath the neon sign on Sprague Avenue, the little cabins look much the way road trippers would have found them decades ago. 07-07

Originally built in the early 1940s, the Park Lane is one of the few surviving auto courts along old Highway 10. What really stands out is how well the property has been cared for. The neat landscaping and tidy cottages make it feel like a place where the owners still take pride in welcoming travelers, something that's becoming harder to find along this historic stretch of road.

UPDATE: The Park Lane Motel continues to welcome guests, and its classic roadside sign still stands along Sprague Avenue. 07-26

Hillside Motel (Rem.)
Seattle, WA
Photo courtesy Jim Zahniser

The Hillside Motel was one of those old Aurora Avenue motels that came alive as the sun went down. Its glowing neon marquee welcomed travelers along Highway 99, adding another splash of color to one of Seattle's best-known roadside strips. 01-08

Built during the postwar travel boom, the motel spent decades serving motorists heading into and out of the city. Wedged against the hillside, it had a setting unlike most of its neighbors, and the neon sign did a fine job of catching the attention of passing drivers.

Aurora Avenue was once lined with motels like this, each with its own glowing marquee trying to earn a second glance. The Hillside fit right in.

UPDATE: The motel is still open but the cool marquee is long gone. There is a colorful cardboard looking sign there now. 04-17

UPDATE: The vintage neon sign was removed several years before the motel was demolished in 2024. 07-26

Thunderbird Motel (Demolished)
Seattle, WA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Thunderbird Motel once stood out along Aurora Avenue with a colorful neon sign crowned by a large thunderbird. By the time this photo was taken, the motel had been renamed the Fremont Motel, but the old sign was still a reminder of its earlier days. 07-08

Built during the heyday of Highway 99 travel, the motel welcomed generations of motorists heading through Seattle. Even after the name changed, the vintage marquee continued to catch the eye of passing drivers and remained one of the more distinctive signs along Aurora's motel row.

It's always fun to find a sign that tells a little of a property's history. Long after the name on the motel changed, the old Thunderbird was still hanging on.

UPDATE: The motel was demolished in 2013, and the vintage roadside sign was removed. 07-26

Bay Motel (Gone)
Tacoma, WA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Bay Motel had a sign that did exactly what a good motel sign was supposed to do. Bright neon, a bold marquee, and the promise of "quality comfort" were all waiting for travelers passing through Tacoma. 07-08

Located along Puyallup Avenue, the motel welcomed road trippers for years with a classic roadside marquee that fit right in with the city's collection of vintage neon. It wasn't an elaborate sign, but its colorful glow and simple message made it memorable.

Sometimes that's all it took to get motorists to pull in for the night.

UPDATE: The motel continues to operate today as the Tacoma Center Motel, but the original Bay Motel neon marquee has been removed. 07-26

Golden West Motel (Gone)
Edmonds, WA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Golden West Motel made quite an impression with not one, but two classic signs. A large rooftop sign could be seen from down the road, while the street-side marquee welcomed motorists traveling along Highway 99. Together they made this one of the more recognizable motel stops north of Seattle. 07-08

Built in the late 1950s, the Golden West was part of the long line of motels that once served travelers on Aurora Avenue before Interstate 5 changed the way people moved through the region. The rooftop sign, especially after dark, was hard to miss and gave the property a little extra personality.

Sadly, signs like these are becoming harder to find every year.

UPDATE: The motel has closed, and both the rooftop sign and roadside marquee have been removed. 07-26