South Pacific Motel (Closed)
Miami, FL
Photo courtesy Paul Bauke

That tall neon sign looks right at home along Biscayne Boulevard. With its tropical name and colorful glow, South Pacific Motel advertised a little vacation atmosphere before travelers even reached the office. It was the kind of roadside invitation that fit Miami perfectly, especially after dark when the lettering stood out above the passing traffic. 04-06

Built in 1953 and designed by architect Charles Giller, the South Pacific was part of the motel development that gave Biscayne Boulevard its distinctive Miami Modern character. Its name suggested an exotic getaway, while the building and sign brought that promise down to a roadside scale. The property later became part of the effort to restore the boulevard’s older motels through new uses.

UPDATE: The former motel was restored and converted into creative office space. In a clever change, the “M” on the historic signs became a “W,” turning MOTEL into WOTEL, a combination of work and motel. Good to see the familiar sign carrying on with a new job. 07-26

Luckey's Motel (Gone)
Dania, FL
Photo courtesy Paul Bauke

Check out the neon at Luckey's Motel in Dania. Every letter on the tall roadside sign is glowing, giving this little motel a nighttime presence that was hard to miss. Keeping all that tubing working took some attention, and this view catches the sign putting on a complete show. It certainly made a colorful invitation to stop for the evening. 04-06

Luckey’s belonged to the older generation of independent motels along U.S. 1, where the sign out front helped distinguish one overnight stop from the next. Here, the lettering supplied much of the personality. Rather than hiding the motel’s name inside a plastic cabinet, the neon traced it out against the dark sky, making the advertisement part of the attraction.

UPDATE: Luckey’s Motel is gone, and its colorful neon sign has also disappeared. This photograph preserves a nice look at the place when the lights were still doing their job. 07-26

Lancaster Apartments
Miami Beach, FL
Photo courtesy Paul Bauke

At first glance, this looks more like a motel sign than an advertisement for an apartment building. The flowing neon script and smaller “and efficiencies” panel give Lancaster Apartments plenty of roadside character. That second line also recalls a term once commonly seen on Florida lodging signs, promising compact accommodations for visitors planning to stay a little longer. 04-06

Built in 1951, the Lancaster belongs to North Beach’s postwar generation of apartment buildings. An efficiency generally combined living and sleeping space with a small cooking area, making it a practical choice for seasonal visitors. Historical advertising offered weekly and longer rentals here, illustrating how buildings like the Lancaster served both vacationers and residents during Miami Beach’s rapid growth.

UPDATE: Lancaster Apartments continues to operate as a residential property. The vintage sign is reported to remain in place, although its current nighttime illumination has not been confirmed. Its script lettering and “efficiencies” panel remain the memorable features of this older Miami Beach scene. 07-26

Diplomat Motel (Closed)
Ellisville, FL
Photo courtesy Greg West

Some motel signs offered a little more ceremony than others. Topped with a bright crown and outlined in neon, the Diplomat Motel marquee gave this Ellisville roadside stop a suitably regal introduction. The stacked lettering helped carry the name above the surrounding property, while the crown supplied the finishing touch. Not bad for a place offering motorists a night’s rest. 08-06

The Diplomat served travelers near the junction of Interstate 75 and U.S. 441, where older highway travel met Florida’s growing interstate network. Independent motels at interchanges needed to catch a driver’s attention quickly, and this sign certainly understood the assignment. Its combination of a recognizable symbol and large illuminated lettering made the business easy to identify without reading a lengthy advertisement.

UPDATE: The Diplomat Motel has closed and was reported vacant in later years. The current condition of the property and the survival of its crown-topped sign remain uncertain. Hopefully, this distinctive piece of Florida motel advertising escaped the scrap pile. 07-26

Travelers Inn (Gone)
Ellisville, FL
Photo courtesy Greg West

There’s plenty to enjoy on the Travelers Inn sign in Ellisville. Glowing neon letters share the display with a border of incandescent bulbs, giving the marquee two different kinds of nighttime sparkle. It didn’t need a giant sculpted figure or elaborate theme to attract attention. The combination of lettering and lights gave this roadside motel a personality of its own. 08-06

Located near Interstate 75, the inn catered to motorists looking for an overnight stop while traveling through northern Florida. Its sign reflected an older approach to motel advertising, when individual businesses used distinctive lighting to compete with their neighbors. The bulbs added another layer to the display, framing the neon rather than leaving the lettering to do all the work.

UPDATE: The Travelers Inn and its roadside sign have been removed. The property reportedly became the site of a Burger King, replacing the overnight stop with a different kind of highway business. This photograph recalls the corner when neon and light bulbs still welcomed travelers in for the night. 07-26