Buckville Motel (Rem.)
Mayo, FL
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The Buckville Motel looked to be open but the sign no longer lights up. In fact, the "Buckville" lettering portion of the sign looks like its lost most of its neon and the "motel' lettering doesn't look much better. Buckville is just a crossroads in Florida. Many thanks to Alan Culley for info. 02-09

The Buckville Motel is the kind of place you almost expect to find on a quiet stretch of U.S. 27. The simple roadside sign won't win any beauty contests, but it has probably convinced plenty of weary travelers to pull off the highway over the years. Out here, a clean room and a friendly place to spend the night are all you really need.

The Buckville Motel serves a little bit of everyone, from motorists passing through to campers and RV travelers exploring North Florida. It still has the relaxed feel of an old highway stop, the kind of place that fits right in with the slower pace of this part of the state.

UPDATE: The Buckville Motel continues operating along U.S. 27 with motel rooms, cabins, and RV sites. The sign has been gone for about a decade. 07-26

Sunny Side Motel (Rem.)
Miami, FL
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

Check out this gem of a motel sign for the Sunny Side Motel. The bright lettering, the promise of kitchenettes and a pool, and that big arrow pointing the way are enough to make anyone driving down Calle Ocho take a second look. It has all the ingredients of a classic Florida motel sign, the kind that was built to catch the eye long before GPS and online reservations. 02-09

The Sunny Side has been welcoming travelers along the Tamiami Trail since the 1930s. Like many old roadside motels, it grew over the years to include a trailer park as vacation travel became more popular. The motel has changed with the times, but the vintage sign still does what it was designed to do. It slows you down just enough to wonder what the place must have looked like during Florida's great roadside travel era.

UPDATE: The Sunny Side Motel is still operating, and a version of its classic roadside sign is on site. 07-26

Oaks Motel
Brooksville, FL
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The Oaks Motel is one of those places that looks like it has quietly watched the traffic roll by for years. The old roadside sign is still standing out front, letting travelers know there's still a vacancy, even if most of the guests these days are staying a little longer than a night or two. 02-09

Located along U.S. 41 in Brooksville, the Oaks dates back to Florida's roadside motel era. While it has gradually become more of a weekly and monthly operation, the vintage sign and low-slung layout still hint at the days when motorists pulled in for a night's rest before continuing down the highway.

UPDATE: The Oaks Motel remains open as a long-term lodging property, and the roadside sign still stands along U.S. 41. 07-26

W-W Motel
Miami, FL
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The W-W Motel in Miami, FL is another roadside motel found in a pretty seedy area of town. The motel sign is relatively nondescript with just the name of the motel and a "vacancy" lettering below. Not sure if the motel sign once sported more interesting lettering, design, or even neon in its heyday. Many thanks to Alan Culley for info. 02-09

The W-W Motel is one of those roadside mysteries. The unusual name alone is enough to make you wonder what the two "W's" stand for. Whatever the answer, the old sign certainly managed to get the attention of passing motorists. Sometimes that's all it takes to make a place memorable.

Unfortunately, very little information has turned up about the motel itself. Like so many small roadside businesses, it seems to have quietly slipped into history. At least this photograph preserves one more interesting piece of old Florida roadside Americana.

Orange Grove Motel
Miami, FL
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

Miami is also home to the Orange Grove Motel and this great old rooftop sign. Perched high above the building, it was designed to catch the attention of travelers long before towering hotel signs became the norm. It is the kind of sign that makes you slow down for a second look, especially as you drive along busy Calle Ocho. Even after all these years, it still gives the motel a personality all its own. 02-09

The Orange Grove has been welcoming guests since the early days of Florida's postwar motel boom. Back then, independent motels like this lined the highways leading into Miami, each trying to stand out with a memorable sign or a catchy name. While many of those old places have disappeared, the Orange Grove is still here. The motel has changed with the times, but the rooftop sign remains a nice reminder of the days when finding a room meant watching the roadside instead of a phone screen.

UPDATE: The Orange Grove Motel is still open, and its vintage rooftop sign continues overlooking Calle Ocho. 07-26

Park View Motel (Demolished)
Hollywood, FL
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The Park View Motel is on US 1 across from Gulf Stream Park but looked not so nice. Many thanks to Alan Culley for info. 02-09

The Park View Motel was one of those little roadside places that blended right into the flow of U.S. 1. The vintage sign wasn't especially flashy, but it had enough character to catch the eye of motorists looking for a room for the night. Motels like this were once a common sight along Florida's highways, each with its own personality and a promise of a vacancy just ahead. 02-09

The Park View had been welcoming travelers along Federal Highway for decades. It was the kind of independent motel that helped define roadside travel before the larger chains took over. By the time this photo was taken, it already looked like a survivor from an earlier era, quietly hanging on as the busy highway continued to grow around it.

UPDATE: The Park View Motel has since been demolished, and the old roadside sign is gone. 07-26

Pasco Motel (Demolished)
Dade City, FL
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

Here's the marquee for the Pasco Motel in Dade City, FL. The Pasco looked pretty down on its luck. The neon has been replaced with what looked like LED string lights. Many thanks to Alan Culley for info. 02-09

The Pasco Motel is the kind of roadside place that was easy to overlook if you were in a hurry. Sitting along U.S. 301 just north of Dade City, its simple roadside sign let passing motorists know there was a room waiting ahead. It wasn't flashy, but it didn't have to be. Thousands of travelers found places like this simply by watching the highway. 02-09

Small independent motels once lined U.S. 301, serving vacationers, truckers, and anyone making the long drive through central Florida. The Pasco Motel was one of those familiar stops, offering a no-frills place to spend the night before getting back on the road. By the time this photo was taken, it already felt like a survivor from an earlier era of highway travel.

UPDATE: The Pasco Motel has since been demolished, and the old roadside motel is gone. 07-26