More googie motels and signs from the Southern California area can be found here.
Golden Forest Inn (Demolished)
Anaheim, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Golden Forest Inn used to be located across the street from
the Disneyland parking lot. Now, California Adventure is across the street
and the Golden Forest Inn is no more.
Parkside Inn (Rem.)
Anaheim, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Parkside Inn features a boomerang overhang to its entrance
port. A familiar motor-court layout recalls an earlier Anaheim at the Parkside Inn. This Stanton Avenue property opened in 1959 as the Sahara Motel, welcoming travelers visiting Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm.
Its 1960s postcards promoted a “home away from home,” complete with refrigerated air conditioning, televisions, kitchenettes, and a large heated swimming pool. The green-and-white neon pylon helped advertise those comforts to motorists looking for an overnight stop.
As vacation lodging increasingly centered around the Disneyland resort district, the property shifted toward inexpensive weekly stays and became the Parkside Inn. New ownership brought room renovations and security improvements during 2017–2018, changing the surroundings while retaining the low-slung motel layout.
UPDATE: The Parkside Inn remains open at 845 S. Stanton Avenue. Much of the Sahara’s original roadside styling has been altered, though the property continues a lodging history dating to 1959. 10-26
Stovall's Inn (Rem.)
Anaheim, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Stovall's Inn features a swimming pool out back that looks like
it came from the dark side of the moon. Check out the odd looking spaceport. Tomorrow once arrived early at Stovall's Inn in Anaheim. Opened in 1969 as Stovall’s Inn of Tomorrow, the Katella Avenue property occupied land that had previously housed Katella Elementary School. Quite a change from classrooms to a Space Age overnight stay.
Al Stovall carried the theme through flying saucers, toy spacemen, an atomic-style marquee, and a capsule-shaped swimming pool. Even the airport shuttle joined in, with a neon-lit “Rocket Van” bringing travelers back down to Anaheim.
The “Wonderland of Topiary Trees” added another attraction. Inspired by Stovall’s European travels, gardeners shaped hedges into animals, giving guests a little storybook scenery alongside the futuristic decorations.
Renovations during the 1990s and 2000s modernized the property and removed many of its more elaborate exterior details. The animal gardens remained a distinctive reminder of the motel’s earlier personality.
UPDATE: Best Western Plus Stovall’s Inn remains open at 1110 W. Katella Avenue, with its historic topiary gardens continuing to distinguish the property. Its original opening dates to 1969. 10-26
Jade Palace Motel (Closed)
Stanton, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
A neon pagoda once helped motorists pick out the Jade Palace Motel along Beach Boulevard in Stanton. Its sweeping roof-shaped marquee and pastel geometric frames gave this small lodging stop a distinctive roadside greeting.
Built in 1961, the motel combined Asian-inspired decorative elements with the bold shapes popular in mid-century commercial design. Along a boulevard crowded with places to eat and spend the night, the sign gave travelers something recognizable to watch for.
The property later shifted from vacation lodging toward weekly residential stays. Its aging buildings reflected the changing fortunes of the old motor-court corridor, while the pagoda marquee recalled the years when themed signs competed for passing traffic.
UPDATE: According to Yelp, the Jade Palace Motel is now permanently closed. 10-26
Stage Stop Motel (Closed)
Buena Park, CA Photo courtesy Georg Balandran
A horse-drawn stagecoach once marked the spot at the Stage Stop Motel along Lincoln Avenue in Anaheim. Perched atop a tall, multi-tiered neon marquee, the coach gave passing motorists a little Wild West scenery before they ever pulled into the driveway.
Established around 1955–1956, the motel joined the wave of lodging built as Disneyland brought more vacationers into Orange County. Its Western theme also suited the popularity of nearby Knott’s Berry Farm and Ghost Town. Vintage matchbooks promised “Comfort without Extravagance,” a practical invitation beneath a rather elaborate sign.
In 1999, the 45-room motel underwent a substantial renovation and became the Welcome Inn & Suites. The stagecoach marquee came down, and the rustic styling gave way to a more conventional motel exterior. The old Western stop continued under a new name, though its most memorable roadside feature was gone.
UPDATE: The former Stage Stop Motel remains in operation as the Welcome Inn & Suites at 2912 W. Lincoln Avenue in Anaheim. The property was renovated rather than demolished, correcting the earlier account linking it to Buena Park’s historical park. 10-26
Jet Inn Motel
Los Angeles, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Sharp angles and a crown-topped marquee draw attention to the Jet Inn Motel along Slauson Avenue in Los Angeles. Built in 1960, this roadside stop adopted a look suited to the early commercial Jet Age. 09-98
The dramatic carport and boomerang-like lines gave arriving motorists an entrance with a little motion built into it. The cars might have been parked, but the architecture looked ready to head somewhere.
Its location served travelers moving through the city toward the expanding Los Angeles International Airport. Over the years, interior updates kept the rooms in use while the two-story building retained much of its distinctive exterior silhouette.
UPDATE: The Jet Inn remains in operation at 4542 W. Slauson Avenue. Its angular entrance and crown-topped roadside marquee preserve recognizable details of the original 1960 design. 10-26
Starlight Motel
Los Angeles, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Metal starbursts give the Starlight Motel in Los Angeles a roadside identity of its own. The neon tower and sharply angled details add a little mid-century flair to the substantial concrete-block frontage.
Opened in 1966 on San Pedro Street, the motel stood away from the better-known tourist lodging corridors. Its zigzag accents and projecting stars nevertheless gave passing motorists something worth a second look.
The property later shifted toward inexpensive short stays and became increasingly weathered. Its more recent history includes a June 2021 shooting in the parking lot, a troubled chapter far removed from the optimistic appearance suggested by the old starburst design.
UPDATE: The Starlight Motel is reported to remain open at 10112 San Pedro Street. Its weathered exterior retains distinctive architectural details from its 1966 beginnings. 10-26
Stage Stop Motel (Closed)
Jet Inn Motel
