The Experience Motor Lodge

Knotty Pine Motel (Demolished)
Stockton, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Check out the Knotty Pine Motel along North Wilson Way in Stockton. This roadside sign is a pretty good size and can be seen from blocks away. Well, at least half a block away.

Wilson Way was once the bustling business alignment of historic U.S. 99 slicing through town, packed with neon lights and low-slung motor courts competing for Central Valley drivers. Dating back to at least the 1940s, this 17-unit court was run for years by Mr. and Mrs. O.E. Griffin, who welcomed tired motorists with air-conditioned rooms and guest kitchens. Movie fans might even recognize the place from Rob Reiner's classic 1985 road trip comedy The Sure Thing with John Cusack. Over the years, the sign swapped its original woodgrain paint scheme for a brighter coat, but it always caught the eye from down the street.

UPDATE: The vintage neon marquee was replaced with a plastic box sign in 2020, and the motel was demolished in 2021. 09-26

Solano Lodge
Fairfield, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Here is a classic roadside motel sign for the Solano Lodge along North Texas Street in Fairfield. Check out the lettering on this one, featuring that unmistakable mid-century styling designed to catch your eye through the windshield from way down the road.

Long before Interstate 80 routed cross-country travelers around the city center, North Texas Street was the bustling alignment carrying historic U.S. 40 and State Route 12 through the heart of Solano County. Back in its roadside prime, vintage AAA matchbooks pitched the 35-room motor court as a prime highway rest stop, boasting modern comforts like air conditioning, TV, and individual guest kitchenettes so you could settle right in for the night. As travel habits shifted and traffic moved over to the freeway, the single-story court adapted with the times, adding spaces for trailers and mobile homes alongside overnight highway drivers.

UPDATE: The Solano Lodge is still open for business along North Texas Street, though the classic neon pole marquee has since been taken down and replaced by a modern backlit plastic sign. 09-26

Silver Maple Motel
Bridgeport, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Further down the street in Bridgeport, the Silver Maple Motel sign really stands out with both its rich colors and classic lettering. Positioned right along Main Street on the historic U.S. 395 corridor, this vibrant neon marquee has been catching the eyes of Eastern Sierra travelers for decades.

Dating back to the 1930s, the charming single-story motor court was built for mountain motorists exploring Mono County. With seventeen cozy rooms clustered around a pleasant garden courtyard complete with picnic spots and barbecue grills, it captures the friendly, unhurried roadside hospitality of the old highway. Because of the high Sierra winters, the court operates seasonally from spring into autumn, serving as a reliable base camp for generations of road trippers, anglers, and mountain explorers.

UPDATE: Now operating under the name Silver Maple Inn under new ownership, the motel remains open seasonally with its fantastic vintage neon marquee still standing and lighting up Main Street. 09-26

Hi-Lo Motel
Weed, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Cruising along South Weed Boulevard through Weed, the colorful sign for the Hi-Lo Motel is guaranteed to grab your attention. With its stacked mid-century panels and bright block letters trimmed in neon, the roadside marquee stands out as a true classic along the old highway.

The stop got its start back in 1951 along historic U.S. 99, opening as Pilgrim's Rest before adopting the catchy Hi-Lo name. Pitched by early owners Frank and Gene Rizzo as the newest and finest place in town, the motor court welcomed generations of mountain travelers pulling in for a room, a bite at the cafe, or an RV space right at the crossroads of Highways 99 and 97.

UPDATE: The Hi-Lo Motel, its cafe, and the classic multi-colored roadside sign are still welcoming travelers along the old highway. 09-26

Golden Motel (Removed)
West Sacramento, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Driving down West Capitol Avenue in West Sacramento, the roadside marquee for the Golden Motel really caught your eye. The vintage sign was in great shape with good paint and classic mid-century style, standing as a proud reminder of the avenue's glory days as historic U.S. 40.

Back before the freeways carried everyone away, this lively stretch was the area's premier Motel Row, glowing with neon marquees and low-slung motor courts that catered to generations of road trippers heading toward the state capital. The friendly little court has held down its spot along the highway for well over fifty years, quietly keeping the old road trip spirit alive.

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

The Crest Motel (Gone)
Ukiah, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Rolling down South State Street in Ukiah, this great old sign for The Crest Motel still stands tall by the roadside. Featuring a rustic, woodsy theme that fits right in with the timber country of Mendocino County, the marquee was built to catch the eye of motorists driving through town on the old route before the freeway swept past.

Run for decades by Harry and Olive Lindenberger, the motor court greeted travelers heading north toward the towering redwood forests. Over the years, the property adapted to the changing road, welcoming campers and long-term trailers alongside overnight highway drivers.

UPDATE: The property no longer operates as a roadside motel and has transitioned into a permanent residential trailer park and the sign is gone. 09-26