The Experience Motor Lodge

Rancho Grande Motel
Lodi, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Here's a nice roadside sign outside of the Rancho Grande Motel in Lodi, CA. Fancy the palm tree and snoozing siesta in this once quiet and once rural community, located along South Cherokee Lane on the old U.S. 99 highway corridor.

Established around 1948 during the postwar boom of Central Valley road travel, the Rancho Grande Motel offered long-haul motorists an inviting, family-run roadside retreat. Vintage postcards and matchbooks from its heyday boasted modern highway perks like free television, individual kitchen units, and an on-site heated swimming pool to cool off after a hot drive across the valley floor.

UPDATE: The motel continues to operate on South Cherokee Lane, with its restored neon palm tree and siesta sign still standing and lighting up at night. 09-26

Ranchotel
Vacaville, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Here's the Ranchotel in Vacaville, CA with its huge sign that can be seen from the nearby freeway. Sitting right along Rivera Road alongside Interstate 80, this property stood out from the typical roadside stop by pairing traveler lodging with a working equestrian facility.

Originally catering to motorists traveling the historic corridor between the Bay Area and Sacramento, the Ranchotel featured a small motor court with extended-stay rooms, kitchenettes, and a swimming pool, all set against a rustic ranch backdrop. Out by the highway, the massive towering marquee with its distinctive timber-style framing was built big and bold to catch the eyes of high-speed drivers cruising past Solano County.

While overnight motel guests are a thing of the past and the rooms have shifted away from transient travelers, the equestrian center remains active, and that unmistakable highway sign still stands tall above the freeway traffic.

UPDATE: Transient lodging has ceased at the property, but the horse center remains active and the massive roadside sign still overlooks Interstate 80. 09-26

The Oaks Motel
Oakland, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Oaks Motel in Oakland, CA features an old classic motel sign that used to be neon. Standing along MacArthur Boulevard, the motor court dates back to 1955 when this busy stretch carried U.S. 50 traffic before Interstate 580 was cut through the East Bay.

Originally built on what had previously been a used car lot, The Oaks Motel offered 28 deluxe units and kitchen apartments tailored for weary motorists heading into the Bay Area. Postcards from its early days touted modern postwar conveniences like free television and radio in every room, along with individual telephones and morning coffee. Out front, the original multi-colored marquee was a dynamic mid-century showpiece, blending lively script and bold block letters illuminated in brilliant neon.

While the sign cabinet was eventually modernized with plastic backlit panels, the vintage silhouette still stands curbside, recalling the era when MacArthur was one of the prime highways guiding travelers across Northern California.

UPDATE: The motel remains open on MacArthur Boulevard, though its classic roadside marquee was modified to plastic face lettering between 2011 and 2014. 09-26

Pacific View Court
Santa Cruz, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

The Pacific View Court appears to have transformed itself into long term lodging in at least part of the complex. Perched right on the corner of Front and 3rd Street in the Beach Hill neighborhood of Santa Cruz, this seaside stop has a look all its own.

Rather than your typical row of cookie-cutter motel rooms, the Pacific View Court is made up of an eclectic mix of historic cottages and residences, including an old two-story home dating back to the late 1800s and a cozy Craftsman bungalow with diamond-pane windows. Tucked just up from the beach, the property originally offered casual auto-court lodging for coastal vacationers looking to catch the ocean breeze and take in the sights around the boardwalk.

UPDATE: The property has transitioned into long-term residential apartments, but the vintage seagull sign still stands watch on the corner. 09-26

Surfside Apts
Santa Cruz, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

The Surfside Apartments in Santa Cruz features a neon type of sign alongside the building, mounted vertically along the facade on Cliff Street. Perched up on Beach Hill just a short walk from the sand and the famous Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, this coastal complex has welcomed visitors for over a century.

Established back in 1923, the Surfside Apartments blends classic seaside lodging with early California charm. The property features a cozy collection of beach cottages. For decades it has kept an unhurried, family-run rhythm, opening its doors to summer beach vacationers before transitioning to housing local college students during the school year.

UPDATE: The apartments continue to operate as seasonal vacation rentals and student housing, with the classic vertical neon sign still mounted alongside the building. 09-26

Motel
Capitola, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Here's a motel located in Capitola, CA that points out its lodging can go by the day or week. Another roadside motel has gone to longer term lodging to pay the bills, a familiar story for many mid-century motor courts along the coast.

Sitting along the Capitola corridor, the Motel offered simple, affordable rooms for travelers looking to spend time by Monterey Bay. Its straightforward roadside marquee got right to the point, welcoming motorists whether they needed a quick bed for the night or a place to unpack for a full week by the water.

UPDATE: The property has shifted away from overnight tourist travel to long-term lodging. 09-26

Fireside Motel
Santa Cruz, CA
Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo

Take a look at the Fireside motel marquee, located in Santa Cruz. The colors of the letter tiles as well as the bottom of the sign scream mid-century, making it an absolute standout as you make your way through the Beach Hill neighborhood.

Sitting along 2nd Street just across from the Boardwalk Bowl and an easy walk from the famous Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, the Fireside Motel captures the fun, sun-soaked spirit of mid-century coastal road trips. The vertical tower sign is a true beauty, stacked with colorful retro letter tiles and atomic-era styling that looks like it stepped right out of the early 1960s. For generations of beachgoers rolling into town looking for ocean air and boardwalk rides, pulling up under this cheerful beacon was the perfect way to kick off a seaside stay.

It is always a treat to see a classic motel sign survive so well, preserving that nostalgic California roadside charm for travelers exploring the streets just up from the sand.

UPDATE: The property continues to welcome travelers as the Fireside Inn, with its colorful mid-century marquee still standing tall along 2nd Street. 09-26

Edgewater Motel (Gone)
Willits, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

As you hit the road, you undoubtedly come across a neon rooftop marquee or two spelling out the words "MOTEL" to the tired traveler. Here's one for the Edgewater Motel in the Northern California town of Willits.

Perched right atop the roof along the historic Redwood Highway corridor, the skeletal neon lettering once called out to drivers heading through Mendocino County on U.S. 101. It is a classic example of straightforward roadside design, where a glowing sign perched against the mountain sky was all it took to signal an easy stop for the night.

UPDATE: The motel and its rooftop neon marquee no longer appear to be standing along the Willits roadside. 09-26