Glacier Motel (Rem.)
Fife, WA
Photo courtesy John Spencer

The Glacier Motel had one of those motel signs that couldn't have belonged anywhere else. Topped with the outline of Mount Rainier, it looked right at home along old Highway 99 and was a perfect reminder that you were in the shadow of some of the Northwest's most impressive scenery. I always wondered which mountain it was supposed to represent, but it certainly captured the feel of the region.

Long before Interstate 5 carried most of the traffic, Highway 99 was lined with motels trying to catch the attention of passing travelers. The Glacier Motel did it with a little imagination. Instead of just another name in neon, the mountain silhouette gave the sign a personality all its own. The bright neon made it easy to spot from down the road, and once you noticed it, it was hard not to take a second look. It's the kind of sign that makes an ordinary roadside stop a little more memorable.

Glacier Motel close-up of marquee
Fife, WA
Photo courtesy Jeffrey Cook

There probably weren't many travelers who checked in because of the mountain on top of the sign, but it certainly gave the motel an identity. It's details like that which make old highway motels so much fun to photograph years later.

UPDATE: Here's another shot of the Glacier Motel marquee, located in Fife. 11-07,,

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

Cedar Lodge (Gone)
Medford, OR
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Cedar Lodge sits above the old highway with a quiet, peaceful setting that seems a world away from the traffic below. While the signs themselves aren't especially flashy, they're the kind that were once found outside countless roadside motels across the West. They simply let travelers know there was a place to spend the night, and sometimes that's all they needed to do.

North Riverside Avenue was once lined with motels like this, each hoping to catch the eye of motorists traveling Highway 99. The Cedar Lodge may not have relied on towering neon or an oversized marquee, but its simple signs and lodge-style setting had a comfortable, welcoming feel. It looks like the sort of place where you'd pull in after a long day on the road, unload the car, and relax before heading out again the next morning.

Cedar Lodge (Gone)
Medford, OR
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Sometimes it's the ordinary places that best capture what roadside travel used to be. The Cedar Lodge is a nice reminder that not every memorable motel needed a giant neon sign to leave an impression.

UPDATE: The Cedar Lodge has closed, and the roadside signs have been removed. 07-26

Wander Inn (Closed)
Cache Creek, B.C.
Photo courtesy Tim Perry

There's no better place to stop while wandering through British Columbia than the Wander-Inn. Sitting along the Trans-Canada Highway in Cache Creek, it was one of those classic roadside stops that seemed made for travelers looking to stretch their legs, grab a meal, or spend the night.

The big roadside sign was hard to miss, promising both a restaurant and motel to passing motorists. Places like this were once a familiar part of a road trip through the interior of British Columbia, where the next town could still be many miles away. Even the name made it feel like a place where wandering was encouraged.

The Wander-Inn became well known for its restaurant, serving hearty meals, including its popular Chinese food, to generations of travelers passing through Cache Creek. It was the kind of place that helped define the golden age of highway travel, when a good sign and a welcoming café could be enough to convince you to pull off the road.

Wander Inn
Cache Creek, B.C.
Photo courtesy Tim Perry

UPDATE: The Wander-Inn has since closed, and the property now sits vacant. Its familiar roadside sign still stands as a reminder of the travelers who once stopped here. 07-26

(Near right) A good look at the Wonder Inn from across the lot