Wyoming Motel (Sign gone)
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

How about this character for a motel marquee? The Wyoming Motel sign is certainly one to remember. With its elaborate design, bold colors, and distinctive figure perched atop the sign, it stood out as one of the more memorable roadside marquees found in Wyoming.

Built in 1936 along historic U.S. Route 30, the Wyoming Motel served travelers for decades and became a familiar landmark along West Lincolnway. The property's eye-catching sign helped distinguish it from countless other roadside lodging options during the heyday of automobile travel.

UPDATE: The Wyoming Motel remains in operation today, but its iconic neon sign is gone. After being damaged by high winds in 2023, the historic marquee was removed from the property and replaced with a modern and much more smaller sign. The last time I passed through Cheyenne, I almost fell out of my seat when I saw the replacement for the first time. The original sign was large, colorful, and impossible to miss. Its loss marked the end of one of the city's most memorable roadside landmarks. 06-26

Dine-A-Ville Motel (Demolished)
Vernal, UT
Photo courtesy Shawn Church

Welcome to Vernal, UT, home to the land of the dinosaurs. Well, not really, but it was home to one of the most memorable roadside attractions in the West. The Dine-A-Ville Motel was known for Dinah, a giant pink dinosaur that towered above the property and greeted travelers passing through town. Dinah has found a new home now.

The motel opened in 1946, but Dinah arrived in 1958 as part of an effort to capitalize on tourism associated with nearby Dinosaur National Monument. Standing more than 40 feet tall, the massive dinosaur quickly became a local landmark and one of the most recognizable roadside attractions in Utah.

UPDATE: The Dine-A-Ville Motel is gone, having been demolished in 1999. Fortunately, Dinah survived. The beloved pink dinosaur was rescued, relocated to a public park in Vernal, and fully restored. Today, she remains one of Utah's most famous roadside attractions and continues to welcome visitors to Dinosaur Country. 06-26

Desert Inn Motel (Rem.)
Shoshoni, WY
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

The Desert Inn Motel in Shoshoni, WY features one of the more distinctive motel signs in the region. While the name "Desert Inn" is fairly common across the roadside landscape, few examples can match the personality of this marquee with its camel-topped design and colorful mid-century styling.

The unusual desert theme stands in sharp contrast to the Wyoming landscape, making the sign especially memorable to travelers passing through town. It is the kind of custom artwork that helped independent motels establish their own identity during the golden age of roadside travel.

UPDATE: The property continues to operate as the Desert Inn & RV. Fortunately, the iconic camel-topped sign remains standing and continues to greet travelers passing through Shoshoni. Its survival makes it one of the more memorable examples of Wyoming roadside architecture and a welcome reminder of the era when motel signs were designed to be attractions in their own right. 06-26

Niagara House Motel
Denver, CO
Photo courtesy Jason Carlton

The Niagara House Motel features a classic roadside marquee that has welcomed travelers along East Colfax Avenue for decades. The sign's distinctive shape and mid-century styling help it stand out among the many motels that once lined one of Colorado's most famous commercial corridors.

Built in 1957, the motel opened during the height of automobile tourism along historic U.S. Route 40. Its vintage neon sign remains a reminder of an era when independent motels relied on bold roadside advertising to attract passing motorists.

UPDATE: The Niagara House Motel remains in operation along East Colfax Avenue, and its original roadside sign is still standing. While the marquee survives, the decorative panel seen in this photograph has since been replaced with a plain panel, giving the sign a more subdued appearance than in its earlier years. 06-26

Ranger Motel (Closed)
Aurora, CO
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

This marquee for the Ranger Motel uses bright green paint to capture the attention of prospective customers. Combined with its classic mid-century design, the sign stands out among the many surviving roadside motels found along East Colfax Avenue.

Established in 1947, the Ranger Motel welcomed travelers during the golden age of automobile tourism. Promoting itself as the "Home of Western Hospitality," the property served generations of motorists making their way across Colorado on historic U.S. Route 40.

UPDATE: The Ranger Motel is no longer operating as a motel following a 2022 fire that damaged portions of the property. While the future of the site remains uncertain, the motel's vintage roadside marquee continues to stand out front, preserving a visible reminder of the property's long history along East Colfax Avenue. 06-26

Thunderbird Motel (Gone)
Riverton, WY
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

The Thunderbird Motel carried a name found across America, but this marquee was anything but ordinary. Framed in the shape of a giant thunderbird with outstretched wings, the sign remains one of the more distinctive examples of roadside architecture found in Wyoming.

Built during the heyday of automobile travel, the Thunderbird welcomed generations of travelers passing through southern Wyoming. Its eye-catching sign was designed to do exactly what great roadside advertising was meant to do—make drivers slow down, take notice, and remember the property long after they had passed by.

UPDATE: The Thunderbird Motel is gone, but its iconic sign survives. Saved from demolition in 2024, the giant thunderbird marquee was removed and relocated for restoration. Once the work is completed, the sign is expected to become part of the Frontier Auto Museum's Neon Park in Gillette, ensuring that one of Wyoming's most memorable roadside signs will continue to be enjoyed by future generations. 06-26

Siesta Motel
Somewhere in CO
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

This cactus sign depicts a character taking a siesta under a cactus at none other than the Siesta Motel. With its playful design and unmistakable Southwestern theme, the marquee is one of those signs that travelers remember long after they've left town.

Built in 1956, the motel welcomed visitors traveling through southwestern Colorado during the postwar boom in automobile tourism. The distinctive cactus sign helped set the property apart from countless other roadside motels competing for attention along the highway.

UPDATE: The Siesta Motel remains in operation and continues to embrace its vintage character. Fortunately, the iconic cactus sign survives and remains illuminated, greeting travelers just as it has for decades. In an era when so many roadside signs have disappeared, the Siesta Motel remains one of Durango's great surviving neon landmarks. 06-26