The Travelodge story began when building contractor Scott King opened the King's Auto Court motel in San Diego to coincide with the 1935 World's Fair. The popularity of the fair resulted in the motel being fully booked for all of 1935.With the success of King's Auto Court, Scott recognized the need for guests to stay close to their next great adventure. Leveraging his own background as a contractor, Scott decided to expand, and opened 24 locations across Southern California over the next five years.In 1940, the first motel named Travelodge was opened and, in 1954, the brand's Ambassador of Adventure — Sleepy Bear — was introduced.Today, the Travelodge brand partners with the voice of America's National Parks — the National Parks Conservation Association — and features artwork from the See America Project in its lobbies. Travelodge continues to embrace adventure, just as we did in 1935. With locations near beaches, National Parks, and everything in between, Travelodge accommodates adventure seekers of all ages. Plan your next adventure, then book the Travelodge next door. Your basecamp awaits.