Safari Inn
Burbank, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Along Olive Avenue in Burbank, the Safari Inn features a marquee that’s become a familiar Valley landmark. Its bold safari lettering and neon shield give passing motorists plenty to check out, whether arriving from the airport or just cruising through town. 10-05
Opened in 1955, the 55-room motel offered travelers a pool and a colorful roadside welcome near Burbank’s studios. The sign supplied much of the personality, making the property easy to remember after an evening drive.
The Safari also found its way onto the screen, notably in True Romance in 1993. Its recognizable appearance made the motel a fitting backdrop for filmmakers looking for an older Southern California setting.
UPDATE: The Safari Inn continues operating as a Coast Hotel at 1911 W. Olive Avenue. Updated rooms accompany the retained mid-century exterior, outdoor pool, and distinctive neon marquee. 10-26
Hollywood Premiere Motel
Hollywood, CA Photo courtesy Devil Doll
Check out the tall marquee at the Hollywood Premiere Motel along Hollywood Boulevard. With its bold Googie framework, this sign gives arriving motorists a little premiere-night welcome. No red carpet needed when the main attraction is a room for the night. 03-06
Opened in 1960 and designed by architect Joyce Miller, the 42-room motel wraps around a central parking area. Take a look at the patterned concrete blocks around the pool, another detail left from the days when even a modest motor court could have some style.
The old roadside look caught the attention of more than sign hunters. The motel appeared in Justin Timberlake’s 2016 “Can’t Stop the Feeling” music video, putting this Hollywood stop in front of another set of cameras.
UPDATE: The Hollywood Premiere received Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument designation on July 30, 2025, becoming Monument No. 1325. The motel remains open, with its familiar marquee still greeting travelers along the boulevard. Good to see this one getting some recognition. 10-26
Palm Motel
Santa Ana, CA Photo courtesy Greg Wranic
Check out the lettering at the Palm Motel in Santa Ana. In this daytime view, the neon tubing casts shadows across the sign face, giving photographers something to admire before the lights come on. 10-05
Completed in 1954, the motel offered a single-story courtyard arrangement along South Main Street. Motorists could pull off the busy road and park near their rooms, following the familiar layout of a post-war motor court.
UPDATE: The Palm Motel remains in operation at 2223 S. Main Street, retaining its older layout and original roadside sign framework, though it appears the neon has been stripped off. 10-26
Olive Manor Motel (Gone)
Burbank, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
An orange zigzag roofline gave the Olive Manor Motel in Burbank a look that was hard to overlook. Near Frank's Restaurant, this roadside stop carried plenty of mid-century character, with the angular frontage adding a little motion above the parked cars. 10-05
Opened in 1956, the motel advertised air conditioning, private telephones, kitchenettes, a coffee shop, and a heated pool. Those comforts gave travelers several reasons to settle in rather than continue down Olive Avenue.
The sawtooth roof was the detail to check out. Its bright color and repeated angles made an ordinary motel frontage into something worth photographing, even without a room reservation.
UPDATE: The Olive Manor closed and was significantly altered years back and has been the Portofino Inn since. 10-26
Gates Motel (Demolished)
Los Angeles, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Here’s the stone-faced office at the Gates Motel in Los Angeles. The rockwork gives the entrance a rustic appearance, while the old marquee shows traces of neon above the property. Quite a different greeting from the usual stucco office and plastic sign. 04-06
The supplied history places the motel’s beginnings in the late 1940s. Its unusual office was the feature to check out, giving this small roadside stop a recognizable entrance before travelers reached their rooms.
In the original view, it wasn’t clear whether the remaining neon still illuminated. The stonework and sign nevertheless offered enough character for a daytime stop.
UPDATE: Word is the Gates Motel was demolished, including its stone office. 10-26
Bigfoot Lodge
Los Angeles, CA Photo courtesy Gorb70
Check out the rustic marquee for Bigfoot Lodge along Los Feliz Boulevard. The name sounds like a place to spend the night in the woods, though drinks are the attraction at this particular lodge. A little cabin atmosphere without leaving Los Angeles. 03-06
The building dates to 1946, when it housed El Jardin restaurant. It later became Villa di Carlo and then The Cellar before Bigfoot Lodge opened in 1999.
Inside, wood finishes, a faux fireplace, taxidermy, and a sizeable Sasquatch carry on the outdoor theme. Apparently Bigfoot found a comfortable place to settle down, with a bar close at hand.
UPDATE: Bigfoot Lodge remains open at 3172 Los Feliz Boulevard. Its cabin-themed surroundings continue offering a little wilderness escape, just off the city sidewalk. 10-26
New Bay Motel (Closed)
Los Angeles, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Here’s the colorful roadside sign for the New Bay Motel in Los Angeles. The lettering and sign face carry a look from a few decades back, giving passing motorists something to check out above the street. 04-06
The 20-room property at 8301 S. Figueroa Street belongs to the older motor-court landscape of South Los Angeles. Its modest buildings offered an overnight stop along the busy corridor, with the marquee helping announce the entrance.
Later years brought repeated police calls and neighborhood complaints. The owners appealed a city order ending the motel’s use, but the Los Angeles City Council voted 14-0 to deny that appeal and shut down lodging operations.
UPDATE: The New Bay Motel building is still standing, but the business is closed following the city’s action. The old sign faces and bulb-lined arrow are reported gone. The earlier mention of a housing conversion has not been confirmed. 10-26
New Raywood Motel (Gone)
Los Angeles, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Weathered lettering and a bulb-lined arrow give the New Raywood Motel a familiar old roadside look. The paint appears ready for some attention, but that arrow makes it clear where motorists were supposed to turn along Figueroa Street. 04-06
The motel building dates to 1946, though records for an earlier dwelling and garage on the lot go back to August 1920. During the 1950s, postcards advertised 21 units with wall-to-wall carpeting, tiled showers, room radios, and thermostatic heating and cooling. Downtown Los Angeles was promoted as just a fifteen-minute drive away.
Later years brought repeated trouble and city intervention. Operating restrictions imposed in 1995 failed to resolve the problems, and on April 10, 1998, the city ordered motel use permanently discontinued.
UPDATE: The former New Raywood at 8200 S. Figueroa Street survived and later housed medical recuperative-care and supportive-housing programs. Its overnight motel days ended in 1998. 10-26
Palm Motel
Olive Manor Motel (Gone)
Gates Motel (Demolished)
Bigfoot Lodge
New Bay Motel (Closed)
