Caldwell, Idaho

Heathwood Resort Motel ...Miami Beach, Florida

American Motel Signs 1980-2018 | Home

This motel is still standing: 3959 Atlantic Ave, WIldwood, New Jersey.

In her new book, photographer Leah Frances harks back to classic American nostalgia while highlighting current divisions

Ocean Springs, Mississippi

Who doesn’t love an all-American road trip? As automobile travel gained popularity in the early 20th century, a slew of kitschy roadside motels popped up along the country's brand-new highways. The golden age of road trips may have passed, but some of these hidden gems are still going strong today. They’re renovated, retro, and steeped in classic Americana. So, the next time you hit the road, consider skipping corporate hotel chains and checking into one of these 15 iconic roadside motels…

Half a century ago, a Swiss photographer named Robert Frank traversed the United States, capturing the essence of the American Dream, its poetry and its failings. Each night, he laid his head to rest on the pillow of some new and anonymous roadside motel. Twenty years later, it was Stephen Shore who stayed overnight along Route 66; in the 2000s, Alec Soth would follow in their footsteps. Ever since its inception, the American motel has lured photographers away from home, becoming their…