Tarrymore Motel (Gone)
Jackson, MS
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

Cruising along old Highway 80, the vintage sign for the Tarrymore Motel is the kind of thing that makes you glance twice. The arrow still points the way, even if it's hard to tell whether the sign ever lit up or had been dark for years by the time this photo was taken. Either way, it has all the character of a classic roadside motel sign.

The Tarrymore welcomed travelers along one of Jackson's busiest highway corridors for many years and even had Johnny's Restaurant nearby for folks looking to grab a bite before settling in for the night. By the early 2000s the motel was nearing the end of its run, and today it serves as another reminder of the days when Highway 80 was lined with independent motels competing for passing motorists.

UPDATE: The motel has long been abandoned, and the vintage roadside sign is long gone. 08-26

Motel Sign
AR
Photo courtesy Stewart Isbell

This motel sign billboard still sits outside this quaint looking lodging area in Arkansas.

Sometimes a motel doesn't even need a name to catch your eye. This simple Motel sign somewhere in Arkansas has all the ingredients of a classic roadside stop, a tall billboard, an arrow pointing the way, and a row of cozy cabins tucked back from the highway. It's the sort of place that looks like it has welcomed weary travelers for generations.

There isn't much to tell about this forgotten little motel, but that's part of its charm. Places like this once dotted highways all across Arkansas, offering a clean room and a quiet night's sleep before getting back on the road. Even without knowing its story, the old sign is enough to make you wish you'd pulled in.

King Motel (Gone)
Little Rock, AR
Photo courtesy Stewart Isbell

Need a place to cool off after a long day on the road? The King Motel once offered travelers just that, complete with a swimming pool and a classic roadside sign inviting motorists to pull off the highway. Judging from Stewart Isbell's photo, it looks like one of those family-run motels that did a steady business before the interstate changed the way people traveled.

The King Motel once advertised around 30 rooms and welcomed families passing through Little Rock along the old New Benton Highway corridor. It's easy to picture kids making a beeline for the pool while their parents carried suitcases into the room. Those were the little roadside moments that made a family vacation memorable.

UPDATE: The King Motel has closed, and its vintage roadside sign is gone. 08-26

Warrior Motel (Gone)
Whittier, NC
Photo courtesy Steve/Back on Tack

By all accounts, it looks like the Warrior Motel in Whittier, NC has gotten the chop. A drive through the parking lot revealed vacant motel rooms and a registration office that had become a ghost rider in the sky. Hopefully, the classic motel along US 19 is just undergoing renovations. When its majestic sign was lit, the Indian yielded a neon tomahawk that bobbed up and down. Many thanks to Steve/Back on Tack for info.

Cruising U.S. 19 between Cherokee and Bryson City, the Warrior Motel was impossible to miss. Towering above the highway was a giant Native American warrior whose neon tomahawk rocked back and forth, beckoning travelers to pull in for the night. It was one of those classic motel signs you remembered long after the trip was over.

The motel welcomed guests beginning in the late 1950s and became a familiar stop for families exploring the Great Smoky Mountains. It even boasted what was once promoted as the largest guest swimming pool in the area. The motel closed in 2009, but for another 15 years the towering sign continued watching over U.S. 19, giving travelers one last glimpse of a Smoky Mountain roadside classic.

UPDATE: The famous animated roadside sign was removed in 2024. 08-26

Lookout Lodge (Demolished)
Chattanooga, TN
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

The Lookout Lodge in still standing in Chattanooga, TN. The hotel itself is spooky and empty. Many thanks to Tony Craig for info.

The Lookout Lodge was one of the many roadside motels that once lined Cummings Highway, welcoming travelers on their way to attractions like Ruby Falls and Rock City. Its vintage sign proudly advertised comforts that sounded pretty impressive at the time, including Beautyrest mattresses and free television.

For years after the motel closed, the empty buildings sat quietly along the highway, slowly being reclaimed by nature. Broken windows, overgrown trees, and weathered walls gave the place an eerie appearance that made it a favorite stop for photographers and curious passersby. Even abandoned, it was hard not to wonder what the lodge looked like during its busy days.

UPDATE: The long-vacant motel was demolished in 2023, and the familiar roadside sign was removed. 08-26

Birmingham Motel (Gone)
Birmingham, AL
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

Here's another classic motel sign that was hard to miss along U.S. 78. The Birmingham Motel featured a diving woman perched high above the marquee, a familiar symbol from the days when a swimming pool was one of the biggest attractions a roadside motel could offer. It was the kind of sign that made you wonder if there was still a vacancy waiting at the end of the driveway.

The motel stood along one of Birmingham's busiest highway corridors, welcoming travelers headed into the city for many years. Like so many independent motor courts, it eventually changed with the times before fading into history, but the diving woman remained a familiar landmark long after the motel's best days were behind it.

UPDATE: The old motel has been converted into housing, and the vintage roadside sign has been removed. 08-26

Etowah Motel (Demolished)
Etowah, TN
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

If you're traveling U.S. 411 through Etowah, it's hard not to notice the weathered sign for the Etowah Motel. The faded aqua colors, retro lettering, and pointed spire had plenty of mid-century style, even as time took its toll on the property. It was the kind of old marquee that made you wonder how many travelers it welcomed over the years.

The Etowah Motel once offered both lodging and a restaurant, making it a convenient overnight stop for motorists exploring eastern Tennessee. Long after the guest rooms disappeared, the old stone office building and vintage sign still hinted at what once stood here. For a while, the marquee outlasted the motel itself, quietly greeting traffic on U.S. 411 one last time.

UPDATE: The motel's guest buildings were demolished, and the vintage roadside sign has since been removed. 08-26