Route 66 Motel
Seligman, AZ Photo courtesy Matthias Tippner
The glowing marquee for the Historic Route 66 Motel has marked the beginning of more than a few long Arizona road trips. Here it is at dusk, with its red, white, and blue neon beginning to stand out against the fading sky. 01-07
The property originally operated as the Navajo Motel before adopting a name that fully embraced its location on the Mother Road. Unlike many replacement motel signs made from plain backlit plastic, the newer Route 66 marquee included plenty of real neon.
The motel sits directly along the old highway in Seligman, the small town often called the birthplace of Historic Route 66. After Interstate 40 bypassed the community in 1978, local business owners helped organize the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona in 1987 and brought new attention to the forgotten road.
Route 66 Motel (2011)
Seligman, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
That revived interest helped turn Seligman into a popular starting point for Route 66 trips. The motel joined in with rooms decorated in retro Americana and Harley-Davidson themes, giving travelers a little more Mother Road atmosphere after carrying their bags inside.
UPDATE: The Route 66 Motel sign still serves as a beacon to Route 66 travelers passing through the landmark town of Seligman, AZ late at night. The neon still burns and hopefully will continue to for many years to come as other neon signs burn out or are removed. 10-20
UPDATE: The Historic Route 66 Motel remains open at 22750 W. Highway 66. Its colorful neon marquee continues glowing at dusk and welcoming travelers to Seligman. 08-26
Flamingo Motor Motel (Demolished)
Flagstaff, AZ Photo courtesy Alan Culley / 1992
Check out the pink neon marquee for Andy Womack’s Flamingo Motor Hotel along Route 66 in Flagstaff. The giant bowtie-shaped sign promised “low low” rates and hot-water heat. This nighttime view was taken in 1992. 03-08
The motel opened in 1947 and eventually grew to about 70 rooms with a coffee shop, dining room, and heated swimming pool. Owner Andy Womack was also a touring rodeo clown whose acts included trained mules and a chimpanzee. During the motel’s later years, the neon “O” in Flamingo stopped working, accidentally advertising the “Flaming Motor Hotel.”
UPDATE: The Flamingo Motor Motel has been gone for more than 10 years now, demolished to make way for a Barnes & Noble Bookstore that now sits on that site. The sign was probably destroyed along with the rest of the place. Many thanks to Ellen Roberts for update. 05-08
UPDATE: Andy Womack’s Flamingo was demolished in 1997, and its large marquee was removed. A smaller “No Vacancy” sign was saved and is on display at Northern Arizona University’s Cline Library through 2026. 08-26
The L Motel
Flagstaff, AZ Photo courtesy Alan Culley / 1992
Here’s the big roadside marquee for The L Motel in Flagstaff, photographed in 1992. With a name this short, the motel could put nearly the whole thing on one giant letter. 03-08
The property was built during the 1940s in a Pueblo Revival style. A major 1965 remodeling gave the motel a cleaner International-style appearance more in step with the modern roadside architecture of that decade.
The L later became a Rodeway Inn and carried the national chain’s branding for several years. New owners eventually returned the property to its original name and restored the familiar roadside sign.
UPDATE: The 21-room L Motel remains open directly across from Northern Arizona University. Its restored marquee continues marking this surviving piece of Flagstaff’s Route 66 motel history. 08-26
66 Motel (Closed)
Flagstaff, AZ Photo courtesy Alan Culley / 1992
The sign for the 66 Motel left no doubt which road the motel called home. The giant number 66 towered above the rooms and provided a mighty straightforward advertisement to travelers. This view was taken in 1992. 03-08
The motel dates to the 1950s and advertised itself as “The Motel with a Smile.” Its 15 rooms included televisions, refrigeration, hot-water heat, garages, and several kitchenettes. The low stone buildings and gabled roofs gave the little motor court a look quite different from the blocky motels farther down the highway.
Motel 66 eventually stopped accepting overnight travelers and became transitional housing. The old roadside sign was spared during the change, although its original motel lettering and colors were repainted for the property’s new purpose.
UPDATE: The former 66 Motel now houses the Flagstaff Dream Center. The nonprofit provides transitional housing, mentoring, and support for individuals and families. Best of all, the landmark 66 sign remains standing, freshly painted for the Dream Center. 08-26
Riviera Motel
Tucson, AZ Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Check out the sweeping neon marquee for the Riviera Motor Lodge along Tucson’s Miracle Mile. Red script floats across the blue-green sign face, giving the Riviera a little Streamline Moderne style beside the old highway. 09-08
The sign was erected in 1952, just before the 28-room motel opened in 1953. Travelers arriving in Tucson on US 80 and US 89 would have passed a long procession of motor courts, swimming pools, restaurants, and neon signs along this stretch.
After Interstate 10 pulled much of the tourist traffic away, Miracle Mile entered a long period of decline. Many neighboring motel signs disappeared, but the Riviera marquee remained beside the road.
The sign has since been restored and again glows with real neon after dark. It stands next to Monterey Court, another former roadside lodging property that found a new life as an arts, dining, and live-music complex.
UPDATE: The Riviera Motor Lodge remains open. The property was sold to new owners in 2023, while its restored 1952 neon sign continues lighting the historic highway corridor. 08-26
Wigwam Motel
Holbrook, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Wigwam Motel on Route 66 in Holbrook is another Route 66 establishment that caters to nostalgia. The classic cars in front of each teepee as well as the neon all serve as reminders to Route 66's heyday as the Mother Road. The Wigwam is frequently sold out so make your reservations early in advance if you plan to experience what it's like to spend the night in a teepee. 10-08
The glowing marquee for the 
Flamingo Motor Motel (Demolished)
The L Motel
