City Center Motel (Rem.)
San Jose, CA Photo courtesy Tony Craig
The City Center Motel in San Jose features a neon diver on the sign. The sign itself towers over the nearby street. 12-10
Located at the corner of East Reed and South 2nd streets, this classic two-story motor court has been a downtown San Jose mainstay since the post-war automobile boom of the late 1950s. The eye-catching diving lady marquee went up around 1960 to celebrate the motel's new swimming pool, complete with neon water splashes and a stylized diver wearing a swim cap. Over the years, the diver even got a wardrobe update, switching from her original red one-piece to a painted bikini, and became celebrated as one of only two surviving vintage motel diving lady signs in all of California. In July 2020, the iconic marquee was carefully taken down, but luckily it was saved by local preservationists and donated to History San Jose for a future sign park.
UPDATE: The City Center Motel remains open on East Reed Street, but the famous diving lady sign was removed in 2020 and preserved with History San Jose. 09-26
The Carriage House Inn (Demolished)
Lake Tahoe, CA Photo courtesy Tony Craig
This familiar sign is found in the resort town of Lake Tahoe, CA. The Carriage House Inn is one of the remaining roadside lodging areas that still feature a good roadside sign that also lights with neon. Check out the buggy on this sign. 12-10
Located along Laurel Avenue on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe, just steps from the casino action across the Nevada state line, the Carriage House was originally opened and run by Ed and Elva Silvera. Promoted in its heyday as Tahoe's Newest and Finest, the motel catered to vacationers looking for modern comforts like private beach access, in-room music, and quick access to the clubs. The real standout was the eye-catching marquee, topped by a neat neon horse-and-buggy that lit up the pines at night. Unfortunately, time eventually caught up with the vintage property, and the motor court and its classic carriage sign have vanished from the street.
UPDATE: The Carriage House Inn was demolished a few years ago to make way for a new convention center. Several blocks were removed. 08-12
UPDATE: The Carriage House Inn has been demolished and the classic neon buggy marquee is gone from Laurel Avenue. 09-26
Sands Motel (Rem.)
Sacramento, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Auburn Boulevard in Sacramento used to be home to a treasure trove of old roadside signage. Unfortunately, most of the signs have been removed either due to the properties being redeveloped or just the signage being replaced. To the far left is a shot of the Sand's Motel sign before it was replaced by backlit plastic in the late 1990's. 07-11
Located near Howe Avenue along what was once a booming auto corridor carrying travelers on Route 40 and U.S. 99E, the Sands Motel dates back to the post-war roadside boom of the 1950s. In its early prime, the motor court offered 20 modern rooms and was promoted as a true highway oasis across from the local golf course, complete with refrigerated air conditioning, tile baths, in-room televisions, and a sparkling central swimming pool to beat the Central Valley heat.
Sands Motel
Sacramento, CA Photo courtesy Mike & Robyn Howard
The centerpiece out front was its classic neon marquee, which brightly guided cross-country motorists off the busy thoroughfare for decades. Like many landmarks along Auburn Boulevard, the vintage signage eventually surrendered to modernization when the classic neon cabinet was taken down and swapped out for backlit plastic.
UPDATE: The Sands Motel remains open along Auburn Boulevard, though its original neon sign was replaced with a plastic sign in the late 1990s. 09-26
Surf Motel
Sacramento, CA Photo courtesy Mike & Robyn Howard
Here's another motel found off of Auburn Blvd. in Sacramento. Unlike the Sands and some of the other motel signage that has disappeared, this Surf Motel sign has looked this way for at least the past decade. 07-11
Located along Auburn Boulevard near the Haggin Oaks Golf Course on the historic U.S. 40 corridor, this classic roadside motel has been accommodating travelers since the mid-century. Originally opened in the early 1960s as the Palms Motel, the property took on its coastal-inspired Surf Motel identity by the early 1970s. The 21-room motor court still features its traditional single-story layout centered around a swimming pool. Out by the curb, the sign holds onto its distinct mid-century silhouette and retro styling, even though its original neon glow was eventually replaced with backlit plastic panels.
UPDATE: The Surf Motel remains open for business on Auburn Boulevard, with roadside marquee still greeting drivers through a bit plainer. 09-26
Casa Mobile Park
West Sacramento, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Casa Mobile Park is located in West Sacramento and is a manufactured home community near the new ballpark. Back when these photos were taken in the late 1990s or early 2000s, the mobile park was along West Sacramento's motel row on West Capitol Avenue, famous for cool but sketchy roadside motels such as The Experience Lodge. The towering sign was replaced over a decade ago with this shorter version of the sign. This occurred when just about all of the neon roadside signs were removed from the boulevard in a beautification effort, due to the new City Hall being built and the ballpark close by. This short stump of a sign survives to this day. 12-10
Casa Mobile park office (Gone)
West Sacramento, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Located right along the bustling West Capitol Avenue corridor across from the modern civic center, the Casa Mobile Park has seen the surrounding neighborhood transform completely over the decades. Back during the golden era of Northern California automobile travel, this lively stretch served as the main highway funneling motorists directly toward the Tower Bridge and downtown Sacramento. The boulevard was famously lined with a wild, glowing gauntlet of classic motor courts, trailer parks, diners, and eye-popping roadside marquees competing for the attention of tired drivers rolling into town.
The short stack of a sign for Casa Mobile Park
West Sacramento, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Originally built with a park-like layout featuring its own on-site swimming pool, residential clubhouse, and commercial storefronts, the Casa welcomed both long-term residents and passing highway traffic. Out front, a soaring multi-level neon marquee commanded the boulevard, standing as a proud beacon above the palms. When major civic redevelopment swept through West Capitol Avenue to make way for the new City Hall, regional library, and the nearby Triple-A ballpark, strict municipal signage ordinances swept across the old motel row. While the classic park office structure has vanished and the original towering roadside sign was brought down, the trimmed-down stump marquee still marks the property entrance, serving as a quiet nod to the avenue's rich roadside past.
UPDATE: Casa Mobile Park remains open along West Capitol Avenue, and the shortened stump version of the sign continues to stand at the entrance. 09-26
