Marco Polo Motel
Seattle, WA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Marco Polo Motel has one of those signs that's hard to miss. Rising above Aurora Avenue, the colorful neon has been greeting travelers for decades and remains one of the classic roadside landmarks along old Highway 99. 07-08

Built during the motel boom of the 1950s, the Marco Polo is one of the few survivors from the days when Aurora was lined with independently owned motor courts. The sign has become so familiar that it even appears in historic photographs showing pieces of the Space Needle being hauled down Aurora in 1961.

While many of Seattle's vintage motels have disappeared over the years, the Marco Polo and its bright neon continue to light the way for travelers passing through the city.

UPDATE: The Marco Polo Motel remains open, and its iconic sign still shines along Aurora Avenue. The neon is long gone. 07-26

Rose Motel (Demolished)
Edmonds, WA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Rose Motel had one of the nicest neon signs along Highway 99. The glowing rose lit up right alongside the lettering, giving the motel a little extra character and making it hard to miss after dark. 07-08

Built in the early 1950s, the Rose Motel was one of many independent motor courts that once lined this busy stretch of highway. While there were plenty of motels to choose from, few had a sign quite as distinctive as this one.

It's another reminder of when a motel's sign was just as important as the rooms behind it.

UPDATE: The Rose Motel was demolished in 2004, and the classic neon sign no longer stands along Highway 99. 07-26

Park Plaza Motel (Gone)
Seattle, WA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Park Plaza Motel had an interesting sign that looked like it belonged to two different eras. The upper half still glowed with classic neon, while the lower half had been updated with backlit plastic. It wasn't quite all vintage and it wasn't completely modern either, giving it a character all its own. 07-08

Like so many motels along Aurora Avenue, the Park Plaza had changed with the times without completely forgetting where it came from. Instead of replacing the whole sign, someone simply modernized part of it. That kind of patchwork update happened at a lot of motels over the years, and today it's almost a reminder of another chapter in roadside history.

Driving along Highway 99, the Park Plaza blended in with Seattle's long row of motor courts, yet the mixed-up sign made it worth a second look. Sometimes it's those little details that make an old motel memorable.

UPDATE: The Park Plaza Motel has closed, and its familiar roadside sign has been removed. 07-26

The Legend Motel
Des Moines, WA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

With a name like The Legend Motel, the place should be, well... legendary. The motel itself is pretty modest, but the roadside sign was enough to make me pull over. The simple neon lettering gave it just the right amount of old highway character, especially along busy Pacific Highway. 07-08

Places like this were built for travelers who just needed a room for the night before getting back on the road. The Legend is one of many old highway motels that once lined this stretch of Highway 99, each trying to catch your eye with a glowing sign out front. Sometimes that's all it takes.

UPDATE: The motel is still open. 07-26

Lynnwood Motor Inn (Rem.)
Lynnwood, WA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

It's always nice to find a motel where every letter in the neon sign is still glowing. The Lynnwood Motor Inn had one of those signs that looked like it had been welcoming travelers along Highway 99 for years. It wasn't flashy, but it certainly caught your eye. 07-08

Highway 99 was once lined with places like this, each trying to stand out from the next with a little neon and a promise of a good night's sleep. Signs like this are becoming harder to find, which made this one worth stopping for.

UPDATE: The motel is still open, now operating as the Best Lynnwood Inn. The original Lynnwood Motor Inn sign has been removed and replaced with a modern sign. 07-26

Budget Motel
Portland, OR
Photo courtesy Matthias Tippner

The Budget Motel has one of those signs that does exactly what it was built to do. The neon lettering stands out along busy Interstate Avenue, letting weary travelers know there's a room waiting just up the road. 01-09

Motels like this once lined the old highway through Portland, each hoping a glowing sign would catch the eye of passing motorists. The Budget Motel isn't fancy, but its classic roadside sign gives it plenty of character.

UPDATE: The motel is still open and the sign appears the same. 07-26

Glacier Motel (Rem.)
Fife, WA
Photo courtesy Matthias Tippner

The Glacier Motel had one of those signs that was impossible to miss. Topped with a snow-capped mountain outlined in neon, it was a perfect fit for the Pacific Northwest and looked right at home along old Highway 99. 01-09

Even if you never stayed the night, the sign was enough to make you slow down for a better look. It was a fun piece of roadside advertising that gave the motel a personality all its own.

UPDATE: The Glacier Motel is still open, but the mountain-shaped neon sign was removed in 2019 during highway improvements. 07-26