The Beth Lists
  • Homepage
  • 90 Notable Nights
  • Not So Happy List
  • The Texas Twenty List
  • Diverse Dining List
  • Quilt Adventure Blog
  • Happy List
  • Little Bear's Adventures
  • Mom's Picnic List
  • 18+ Dance Adventures
  • 55 Strangers
  • The Barbie Bucket List
  • 60 Celebrations
  • 57 Celebrations of the Fifties!

90 Notable Nights

#117 Magic Beach Motel

1/18/2016

0 Comments

 

​Vilano Beach, FL

I found this motel on the internet and fell in love with the sign!
Picture

About That Sign
​
​
After we arrived, the owner, Earl gave us some history about the motel and sign. The motel opened in 1951, but there was no neon sign with bunnies and top hats.
Picture
The bunny sign went up in the late 1990's when the motel was used for filming a TV series called, "Safe Harbor".  The show was about a family living in a motel, in the fictional town of Magic Beach, Florida.  One of the family members happened to be a magician.
 
Gotta Love Flamingos
​

Picture
Picture
A motel sign with bunnies may be a first for me.  But I'm guessing this is not my first stay at a Florida motel with a few flamingos.  There were flamingos near the doors and high above the roof, glowing at night.

​Room 106

Picture
I liked having flamingos on both sides of the door, but I also liked all the accent colors.  Mint doors, pink-orange triangle shapes, stripes...  The chairs didn't quite blend with the color and style, but I'm willing to ignore that.

Inside
​

Picture
Once inside 106, we found lots more color. The room murals were evidently done many years ago and have been touched up by art students over the years.   Luckily I didn't go to sleep thinking about the 2 pirates waving their flag and sword right above my head.  Only in the morning did I chuckle at the thought.

Magic Window
​

I love it that this art deco beauty of a motel was renovated in recent years, preserving some Fun Florida details. The green and pink tiled bathroom was pretty awesome.  There were   porcelain soap and toothbrush holders mounted on the tile wall. A china seashell held our soaps.  

​But what was with that Magic Window?  It was frosted, so I couldn't see through to figure it out.  At least the frosted glass meant no one could see us... or could they?  I kept feeling like that window might have magic powers.
Picture
Was it like Alice's looking glass or the famous, Mirror, Mirror on the Wall?  Earl promised me it was just a window to some room with a furnace or something. Hmmm?

The View
​

Picture
We had a spiffy table and chair set, beside a big picture window, with a view of the parking lot.  But with some positive thinking, I could practically see the ocean... just past that taller building.

Art Deco...Nautical...?
​

Picture
The lower half of the building was once the motel's restaurant.  The owner of the motel in the 1970's added the second floor at his wife's request.  

A Better View
​

Picture
Earl showed us the second floor room, with a shark mural and a balcony.  But the view the wife had once requested, was blocked by a newer complex... built by the same husband, trying to please his wife.  That just makes no sense.

What to do?
​

Picture
The weather was chilly and breezy, or we could have lounged beside the almost kidney shaped pool.  

Wandering the 'Hood
​

Picture
Picture
Instead, we decided to wander a bit and see what was within walking distance. Heading east from the motel, we found a pavilion and a sandy beach with lots of families.  Heading west, we found a pier, which had once been the bridge over the bay.  The closing of the bridge is what caused the many of the old motels and motor courts to close down.   

Evening
​

Picture
In truth, we didn't find enough to keep us entertained.  We drove over the bay to St. Augustine, which was hopping on Saturday night.  When we returned later that night, we found something else hopping!  3 neon bunnies (and one in the hat) were looking mighty festive on our motel sign! 

What's Notable?
​

Picture
We had a stay in a retro Florida motel with a memorable neon sign.  The place is family owned and in walking distance of beach and pier.  There was even a continental breakfast with  "MeTV" showing a "Gilligan's Island" episode as we ate breakfast.  Pretty fun stay for less than 100!
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Ninety Notable

    ​       Nights


    My New Year's Resolution for 2014 was to start documenting some of the memorable overnights I've had in some very odd and curious motels and hotels. Like the adventures in my Dining Blog, I have learned to enjoy the surprises that happen when you step out of the comfort zone, far away from the well-known chains.    

    I began with a few entries recalling my very first home away from home memories from my youth.  Then, I started sharing about some of the quirky and unforgettable motels, hotels and inns that my husband and I have discovered in recent years.

    ​The best part about this challenge was making some lists with Don and getting on the road in search of new overnight adventures.  I gave myself a 2-year goal to write up 90 stories and the goal was met. Now we just keep on adding!

    Archives

    September 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    1-blog-begins
    Alabama
    Arizona
    Arkansas
    Bermuda
    California
    Colorado
    Florida
    Foreign Chile
    Foreign Curacao
    Foreign - Guatemala
    Foreign Italy
    Foreign Japan
    Foreign Mexico
    Foreign Roatan
    Foreign Thailand
    Georgia
    Hawaii
    Idaho
    Illinois
    Iowa
    Louisiana
    Michigan
    Mississippi
    Missouri
    Montana
    Nevada
    New Mexico
    New York
    North Carolina
    Oklahoma
    Oregon
    South Dakota
    Tennessee
    Texas
    Utah
    Vermont
    Wyoming

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Homepage
  • 90 Notable Nights
  • Not So Happy List
  • The Texas Twenty List
  • Diverse Dining List
  • Quilt Adventure Blog
  • Happy List
  • Little Bear's Adventures
  • Mom's Picnic List
  • 18+ Dance Adventures
  • 55 Strangers
  • The Barbie Bucket List
  • 60 Celebrations
  • 57 Celebrations of the Fifties!