Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Customize your bowl with sliced pork, pork balls, fish cake, and offal.
Rung Rueang
Pasties are an Upper Michigan tradition dating back to mining days.
Lehto’s Pasties
Stock up on picnic supplies with a side of history.
Horton Bay General Store
Take some of Michigan’s produce home with you.
American Spoon
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
Cely’s map is not only accurate, but captures the unique characteristics of Congaree’s trees and waterways.
How One Biologist Drew a Hyper-Accurate, Ranger-Approved Map of Congaree National Park
Though they’re protected inside the park, wolves can be killed when they cross its borders.
Wolves Have a Bad Reputation. One Yellowstone Naturalist Is Trying to Fix It.

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States California San Luis Obispo Motel Inn
AO Edited

Motel Inn

The world's first motel is now an administrative building for an apple farm.

San Luis Obispo, California

Added By
TJ Muehleman
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Motel Inn   tjmuehleman / Atlas Obscura User
  MtnLady / Atlas Obscura User
Motel Inn   tjmuehleman / Atlas Obscura User
Motel Inn   tjmuehleman / Atlas Obscura User
Motel Inn   tjmuehleman / Atlas Obscura User
Motel Inn   tjmuehleman / Atlas Obscura User
weathervane   Avoiding Regret
circa 2020   Avoiding Regret
August 2021   ccesare / Atlas Obscura User
August 2021   ccesare / Atlas Obscura User
August 2021   ccesare / Atlas Obscura User
On 101 overpass, August 2021   ccesare / Atlas Obscura User
On 101 overpass, August 2021   ccesare / Atlas Obscura User
Where Monterey Street ends at the 101 North Entrance   ccesare / Atlas Obscura User
  MtnLady / Atlas Obscura User
  Mark Loftin / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Motels became staples across the country during the mid-20th-century. However, only one holds the distinction as "the world's first motel," and is found in the unlikely town of San Luis Obispo along the central California coast.

Long road trips became more of a reality as automobiles became more readily available. In 1925 two brothers, Arthur and Alfred Heineman designed the Milestone Mo-Tel, a concept where travelers could rent out a room by night while on long road trips. Prior to this creation, these types of trips required pitching a tent alongside the road for a night or two.

This location was chosen by the brothers because it was roughly halfway between Los Angles and San Francisco. The motel stayed in operation until 1991. It can still be found near the intersection of HWY 101 and Monterey Street.

Related Tags

Motels History & Culture Architecture Cars

Know Before You Go

Located on the onramp to HWY 101, there is minimal parking available. If coming from downtown, it'll be right before you get onto the highway.

Community Contributors

Added By

tjmuehleman

Edited By

ccesare, Avoiding Regret, Mark Loftin, MtnLady

  • ccesare
  • Avoiding Regret
  • Mark Loftin
  • MtnLady

Published

June 1, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motel_Inn
Motel Inn
2223 Monterey St
San Luis Obispo, California, 93401
United States
35.29125, -120.648152
Get Directions

Nearby Places

The Bells of El Camino Real

San Luis Obispo, California

miles away

Ah Louis Store

San Luis Obispo, California

miles away

'The Iron Road Pioneers'

San Luis Obispo, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

California

Places 7

Nearby Places

The Bells of El Camino Real

San Luis Obispo, California

miles away

Ah Louis Store

San Luis Obispo, California

miles away

'The Iron Road Pioneers'

San Luis Obispo, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

California

Places 7

Related Stories and Lists

A Tour of the Wondrous and Weird World of Apples

List

By Jonathan Carey

Related Places

  • Decorative drainpipe on the former Waring home (Chippewa Square).

    Savannah, Georgia

    Dolphin Drainpipes

    These ornate, fish-shaped water spouts guard Savannah’s historic facades.

    Sponsored by Visit Savannah
  • Castillo de Gillow.

    San Lucas el Grande, Mexico

    Ex-Hacienda de Chautla

    A historic Puebla estate featuring a striking castle.

  • Face of Nakpil-Bautista house

    Manila, Philippines

    Bahay Nakpil-Bautista

    A century-old ancestral home was home to some of the key figures of the Philippine Revolution.

  • The Tomioka Silk Mill.

    Tomioka, Japan

    Tomioka Silk Mill

    The World Heritage-designated site of Japan’s industrial revolution, once mistaken as a den of vampires.

  • Addolorata Cemetery.

    Raħal Ġdid, Malta

    Addolorata Cemetery

    Malta’s largest cemetery is a Victorian-era architectural masterpiece.

  • Conwy Suspension Bridge

    Conwy, Wales

    Conwy Suspension Bridge

    One of the oldest suspension bridges in the world blends in perfectly with a medieval castle.

  • The Ta’ Kola Windmill.

    Xagħra, Malta

    Ta' Kola Windmill

    This is one of the very few intact windmills built by the Knights of St. John in the island nation of Malta.

  • London, England

    The Ostler's Hut

    This is London's smallest listed building.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.