Sahara Motor Inn
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The old sign for the Sahara Motor Inn towered over Stone Avenue in Tucson like something left behind from another time. By the late 1990s, the motel looked abandoned and the property was wrapped in barbed wire. Standing beneath that enormous faded sign brought a strange sense of nostalgia, even if the surroundings suggested it was probably best not to stay too long. 07-23
The story began in 1960, when the property opened as the Tidelands Motor Inn. Stone Avenue was one of Tucson’s busy automotive gateways, and the Tidelands arrived with the size and amenities needed to compete for passing travelers.
Sahara Motor Inn
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Old advertisements called it “complete resort living in downtown Tucson.” The motel reportedly had around 200 air-conditioned rooms, televisions, a large swimming pool, and even golfing privileges at a nearby country club. One old postcard description also claims an emu once lived in a cage near the entrance. Really!
Then there was that sign.
The huge pylon was built for the original Tidelands and combined glowing neon with rows of incandescent bulbs. Those little bulbs could flash and chase around the sign, creating movement that caught the attention of motorists after dark. With its tall frame and layered panels, the marquee must have been quite a sight during the motel’s early years.
Sahara Motor Inn (1999)
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
In 1975, the Tidelands became the Sahara Motor Inn. The original sign was not torn down during the change. Instead, its lettering was replaced with the new Sahara name, allowing the massive roadside structure to begin a second life.
The Sahara continued operating for years, but time was not especially kind to the property. Newer hotels and the interstate system pulled travelers away from Tucson’s older roadside corridors. By the late 1990s, the former resort looked worn, fenced off, and mostly abandoned. The faded sign and barbed wire gave the place the feeling of a roadside ruin.
Sahara Motor Inn (1998)
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
However, the Sahara was not demolished as some later accounts have claimed. In 2003, the former motel rooms were converted into apartments for University of Arizona students. The sign was altered once again, with the “Motor Inn” lettering replaced to reflect its new residential use.
The buildings have since received additional renovations and continue serving as apartments. The courtyard swimming pool also survives, providing a small connection to the days when the Tidelands advertised complete resort living to motorists on Stone Avenue.
Sahara Motor Inn (1998)
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The sign managed to hang on for another two decades, although most of its original nighttime magic had disappeared. Then powerful winds struck Tucson in 2024 and broke the old pylon in half. After more than 60 years of neon, bulbs, name changes, and desert weather, the giant finally came down.
UPDATE: The former Sahara Motor Inn was not demolished and remains in use as the Sahara Apartments. Its landmark 1960 roadside sign was badly damaged by high winds in 2024, and it is not yet known whether the broken sign will be restored. 08-26
Sahara Motor Inn (1998)
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The motel closed down for good in 1989. In 2005, the motel was renovated into student housing and was renamed the Sahara Apartments with a set of 139 furnished dorm styled apartments to attract students from Pima Community College and the University of Arizona.
Sahara Motor Inn (1999)
Sahara Motor Inn (1998)
Sahara Motor Inn (1998)
Sahara Motor Inn (1998)
