The Experience Motor Lodge

Dude Motel (Rem.)
West Sacramento, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Well, all you dewds and dudes, check out the Dude Motel along West Capitol Avenue in West Sacramento. If you were cruising down the old highway looking for a place to crash, you certainly couldn't beat the eye-catching roadside marquee advertising amenities like "free kitchens" in colorful mid-century letters.

Sitting along the legendary pre-freeway corridor of U.S. 40, this compact, single-story motor court was built more than sixty years ago during the glory days of the avenue's Motel Row. The big roadside pitch about kitchens was no joke either. Most of its thirteen rooms came fully equipped with built-in kitchenettes, letting road-weary travelers pull right up to their door, unpack the groceries, and cook up a hot home-style meal after a long stretch on the asphalt.

UPDATE: The little motel itself is still open for business along the avenue, but the colorful vintage marquee was forced down under city sign ordinances and replaced with a modern low-profile sign. 09-26

Redmen Lodge (Demolished)
Stockton, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Here is the old Redmen Lodge sitting along the street in Stockton. With a name like that, it was always easy to wonder if travelers used to pull in here for a cheap room for the night, or if it was simply a fraternal hall like the local Elks or Moose. The jury was out for quite a while.

Turns out it was never a roadside motor court at all. The two-story brick building served as home to the local chapter of the Improved Order of Red Men, holding their meeting halls on the second floor above street-level storefronts that saw plenty of neighborhood bars and bakeries come and go over the decades.

The gritty corner even had its moment on the big screen, showing up in background scenes of John Huston's classic 1972 boxing movie Fat City.

UPDATE: The old brick building was demolished in May 2002 to make room for a newspaper plant expansion. 09-26

Fremont Motel (Rem.)
West Sacramento, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Here is the Fremont Motel along West Capitol Avenue in West Sacramento. If you caught this spot after dusk, you were in for a treat because this great mid-century neon marquee still lit up the night with a warm roadside glow.

The twenty-unit court opened in 1954 along old U.S. 40 and Highway 99W, greeting travelers heading into Sacramento with a swimming pool, refrigerated air, and television in every room.

UPDATE: The motel remains open along the avenue, but the classic neon sign was removed under city ordinances and is now gone. 09-26

Villa Motel (Demolished)
San Mateo, CA
Photo courtesy Jason Carlton

Pulling off El Camino Real onto 25th Avenue in San Mateo, the Villa Motel featured a look straight out of the space age. The big standout was its massive overhead carport canopy and walkway, showing off dramatic angles and futuristic lines that looked more like a crude spaceport than a typical roadside motor court.

The motel was originally part of Villa Square, a sprawling mid-century destination that brought together the upscale Villa Hotel, the classic Villa Chartier restaurant, and the famous Lanai tiki bar. Renowned Googie architects Armet and Davis even added their touch to the complex in the 1960s with a new coffee shop, giving the whole corner plenty of modern flair.

UPDATE: The spaceport carport and motel units have since been demolished to make way for retail shops, while the former main hotel building was repurposed into senior housing. 09-26

20 Oaks Court (Gone)
Clearlake, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Traveling along Highway 20 through Clearlake Oaks, the eye-catching sign for the 20 Oaks Court still stands proudly by the roadside. The great vintage marquee looks like it came straight out of the golden age of family road trips, even still sporting its original neon tubing.

The spot got its start back in the early days of lake travel, welcoming motorists with a cluster of lakeside cabins, shady trees, and private boat docks right on the water. Over the decades, it evolved into a hybrid cottage and RV resort for fishermen and summer vacationers exploring Clear Lake.

UPDATE: The property has since closed to overnight resort guests and has been converted into private residential units, and the sign disappeared about a decade ago. 09-26

Park View Motel (Demolished)
San Jose, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Cruising down South 2nd Street in San Jose, the neon at the Park View Motel was impossible to miss. The marquee featured a classic roadside favorite, showing a neon swimmer in her bathing cap mid-dive heading right toward the water.

When the 40-unit motel first opened in 1954, it actually promoted itself with an on-site water wheel. Around 1960, the motel added a heated swimming pool and went all out with the new animated diving lady sign to catch travelers looking for a place to cool off for the night. The spectacular sign stood as a local roadside icon for about forty years, even ending up featured in vintage neon books.

UPDATE: The motel buildings and its fantastic diving lady sign have since been demolished, and an apartment complex now sits on the property. 09-26