Reeds Motel (Rem.)
Avon Park, FL Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans
A diver frozen in midair is about the last thing you expect on a motel sign, which is exactly what made Reed’s Motel in Avon Park so memorable. Perched above the marquee, she looked ready to make a perfect dive toward the swimming pool below. It was a clever roadside invitation that probably had more than a few U.S. 27 travelers reaching for the turn signal.
The property opened in 1957 as the Bennett Motel before becoming Reed’s a couple of years later. Rebuilt after a devastating fire in 1960, it continued welcoming motorists and became especially recognizable for its diving-girl sign. The display was damaged during the 2004 hurricane season, but it received another chance when the familiar figure and colorful marquee were reconstructed. By 2006, the restored sign was back alongside a renovated motel.
Reed's Motel (Rem.)
Avon Park, FL Photo courtesy Alan Culley
UPDATE Reeds Motel is under new ownership and has been remodeled. It's one of the oldest motels in Avon Park, and can't be missed. It sits right on Hwy 27 and is known for it's big neon diver. The sign was destroyed during the 2004 hurricane season which hit our county, but the sign was brought back in its original form! The sign is back and is the same colors, same position and everything. A new gentleman bought the motel and has redone the entire thing, still basically the same set up but everything is new. Many thanks to Katrina Carroll for update. 08-06
UPDATE: (Left) Here's a photo of the Reed's Motel sign. This motel looks like a gem of a mom and pop type of motel. This is the restored sign after it received the storm damage described above during the 2004 hurricane season. Many thanks to Alan Culley for update. 02-09
UPDATE: Reed’s Motel continues to welcome guests, but the diving-girl sign has since been removed. After surviving a hurricane and returning to the roadside, the diver eventually disappeared from the skyline. Photographs preserve one of central Florida’s more imaginative motel advertisements. 07-26
Skylark Motel
Perry, FL Photo courtesy Steve/Back on Tack
The Skylark outdoes its script lettering sign with some strange
architecture over the check-in lobby. Many thanks to Steve/Back on Tack for info.
The motel dates to the 1950s, when this highway carried vacationers through Florida’s Gulf Coast communities. Together with the neighboring Skylark Restaurant, it offered the convenient combination of a meal and a room without another drive across town. For families covering long distances before the interstate became the usual choice, that arrangement had plenty of appeal.
UPDATE: The Skylark Motel remains open, and its familiar script sign continues to stand beside the highway. Good to see this independent motel carrying on with the roadside features that helped distinguish it from the competition in the first place. 07-26
Casa Catalina Motel and Restaurant (Gone)
Dundee, FL Photo courtesy Steve/Back on Tack
This sign for the Casa Catalina Motel and Restaurant was spotted in Dundee on US 27.
The four-lane road that runs the length of central Florida was a popular
tourist route called the Orange Blossom Trail. Citrus canker and early
frosts have killed off some of the orange groves along it, but there is
still ample opportunity to buy some Florida sunshine. Not far from the
Catalina is Cypress Gardens, one of the states first tourist attractions. Many thanks to Steve/Back on Tack for info.
Dating to the 1950s, the Casa Catalina offered the familiar motor-court combination of guest rooms, a swimming pool, shuffleboard, and an on-site restaurant. Nearby attractions such as Cypress Gardens and Bok Tower Gardens gave families reasons to stay in the area. Properties like this could serve as a vacation base rather than simply somewhere to sleep between long days of driving.
UPDATE: The former Casa Catalina property continues serving travelers under the OYO Hotel Dundee name. The buildings have survived changes in ownership and identity, but the classic Casa Catalina sign has been removed. Another old Florida motel lives on without the marquee that once announced it. 07-26
Family Inn (Removed)
Sarasota, FL Photo courtesy Steve/Back on Tack
The Family Inn offers sixteen rooms. For years it was known as
the Imperial Motel. Red neon lights up around the crown at night. This
is the place to be if you want to sleep like a king. (sic!) Many thanks to Steve/Back on Tack for info.
Located along Sarasota’s North Trail, the inn belonged to the older generation of independent accommodations serving U.S. 41 travelers. Its straightforward layout offered parking close to the rooms, while the sign supplied the personality. The crown also carried a trace of the Imperial name into the property’s later life as the Family Inn, a small reminder of how motel identities changed over time.
UPDATE: Unfortunately, the sign with the crown on top is no more. In its place is a generic rectangular sign. 02-09
UPDATE: The Family Inn remains open, but its crown-topped neon sign is gone. Its replacement with a plain rectangular sign had already been reported by February 2009. The motel survives, although the royal welcome pictured here has disappeared from the North Trail. 07-26
Allamanda Motel (Rem.)
Sarasota, FL Photo courtesy Steve/Back on Tack
The Allamanda Motel sign brought a fitting tropical touch to Sarasota’s North Trail. Flowing lettering set against bold geometric panels gave the marquee a look that belonged beside a Florida highway. After dark, its neon joined the colorful procession of motel signs welcoming travelers along U.S. 41. This was the sort of display that could make you notice a place even when you weren’t looking for a room.
The property opened in the early 1950s as the Floridora Motel before becoming the Allamanda in 1956. Its accommodations included standard rooms and efficiency units, serving both overnight motorists and seasonal visitors settling in for a longer stay. The efficiencies offered cooking facilities, a useful feature for families stretching their vacation dollars or escaping a northern winter for more than a weekend.
The location put guests within reach of Sarasota’s beaches and the Ringling Museum, while U.S. 41 provided a route to other Gulf Coast destinations. The Allamanda name, shared with a tropical flowering plant, suited the surroundings. Together with the distinctive sign, it gave the motel an identity of its own along a strip where neighboring properties were also competing for attention. You could remember the lettering long after forgetting the room number.
Allamanda Motel (Rem.)
Sarasota, FL Photo courtesy Georg Balandran
UPDATE: The Allamanda Motel remains open, but the vintage neon sign pictured here was removed around 2021 and replaced with a plainer modern display. The property continues its longtime role of accommodating travelers, although the change has taken away some of its roadside personality. Fortunately, photographs preserve the marquee from the years when the Allamanda added its own glow to Sarasota’s North Trail. 07-26
Reeds Motel (Rem.)
Reed's Motel (Rem.)
Skylark Motel
Casa Catalina Motel and Restaurant (Gone)
Family Inn (Removed)
Allamanda Motel (Rem.)
Allamanda Motel (Rem.)
