The Experience Motor Lodge

Stockton City Motel (Closed)
Stockton, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Stockton City Motel is or was located in a rundown part of town. Not sure if the motel and the sign still exist. 02-07

The Stockton City Motel enjoyed a prime location right along the historic pre-freeway alignment of U.S. 99 and U.S. 50, just three blocks down from the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds. During the golden post-war era of roadside auto travel, the property was a bustling roadside compound offering twelve modern motel units and ten private cottages, complete with mid-century luxuries like Panel Ray heat, in-room Frigidaires, televisions, kitchenettes, and an on-site swimming pool, alongside an adjoining 24-space modern trailer park.

Out by the curb, its classic highway signage stood as a guiding light for cross-valley drivers and fairgoers alike. As traffic shifted to the modern freeway bypass, Wilson Way steadily lost its tourist crowds. Over the decades, the complex transitioned into extended-stay rentals and fell into severe disrepair, eventually being red-tagged, evacuated, and shuttered permanently during an emergency code enforcement and police crackdown over hazardous living conditions.

UPDATE: The Stockton City Motel has been permanently shut down and boarded up by code enforcement, and the vintage roadside sign went blank around 2017. 09-26

Cottage Inn
Lake Tahoe, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Heading up along the West Shore toward Tahoe City, keep an eye out through the towering pine trees for this classic mountain hideaway. The Cottage Inn features a rustic roadside sign that looks like it grew right out of the woods, greeting drivers rolling along West Lake Boulevard.

The main lodge on the property dates back to 1938, built by Ernest Pomin, whose family had deep roots steering steamships across the clear waters of Lake Tahoe. Tucked away under a thick canopy of cedar and pine, the handcrafted log cabins and stone accents capture that classic "Old Tahoe" feel that has drawn road trippers up into the Sierra for generations. It is the kind of quiet roadside retreat where you could easily pull in, unpack the car, and listen to the wind in the trees.

UPDATE: The property continues to welcome travelers as a cozy bed and breakfast, with the motel replaced with a plain sign. 09-26

Coral Reef Lodge (Demolished)
Sacramento, CA
Photo courtesy John Flores

Here's a shot of the Coral Reef Motel on Fulton Avenue, in the Arden Arcade area of Sacramento.  It is of the Tiki theme.  Unfortunately it too was torn down recently. Many thanks to John Flores for info. 06-07

Opened around 1961 by brothers Elwood, Jack, and "Buddy" Maleville, the lodge was built as an expansion to their immensely popular Polynesian paradise, the Coral Reef Restaurant, which had been drawing crowds just across the avenue since 1949.

The property stood as a cornerstone of Fulton Avenue's golden entertainment era, but following the closure of the beloved restaurant in 1994, the lodge soon wound down its operations as well and was razed before the turn of the century.

UPDATE: The Coral Reef Lodge and its sister restaurant were both demolished in the late 1990s, and the quirky roadside marquee is gone from Fulton Avenue. 09-26

Beach Hill Court
Santa Cruz, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

This old marquee for the Beach Hill Court shows off the sun that Santa Cruz is known for. 09-08

Perched up on 2nd Street within the historic Beach Hill neighborhood just a short stroll from the Beach Boardwalk, the Beach Hill Court dates back to the early auto camp days of the 1920s. Built during the dawn of seaside automobile travel, this classic court was laid out with charming detached individual stucco cottages clustered around a shared central garden courtyard. Inside, the units were outfitted with timeless Roaring Twenties details like stained glass front door inserts, vintage glass doorknobs, and built-in hallway telephone nooks.

UPDATE: Beach Hill Court has been repurposed into residential apartments, and its cheerful vintage sunburst sign still stands along 2nd Street. 09-26

Town House Motel
Bishop, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The Town House Motel off of Highway 395 in Bishop features a marquee with a big ol' yellow swooping arrow. 09-08

Located along North Main Street on the bustling U.S. 395 corridor through downtown Bishop, the Town House Motel has been a welcoming sight for Eastern Sierra travelers since the post-war automobile boom. Originally owned and operated by Dr. and Mrs. Paul E. Holubek, the 34-unit motor court gave motorists exploring the Owens Valley plenty of modern mid-century comforts, boasting individual room telephones, televisions, Westinghouse air conditioning, and an inviting heated swimming pool.

But the real star from the highway is the fantastic roadside marquee out front, anchored by a huge, dramatic yellow arrow swooping down around classic script lettering to pull drivers in off the highway. As a family-run independent spot, the property continues to hold its own along the main drag with its vintage neon character still shining bright.

UPDATE: The Town House Motel remains open on North Main Street (Highway 395), and its vintage marquee with the big swooping yellow arrow still survives out front. 09-26