Nominate your favorite freeway rest stop
On a recent trip to Washington state, I was pleasantly surprised when I pulled into a rest stop on I-90 near the town of Sprague, just southwest of Spokane.
Not only did this rest stop have free Wi-Fi service but a volunteer group was offering free coffee and snacks for drivers. (Donations were accepted but not mandatory.)
The rest stop also had a bird’s-eye view of the shimmering blue waters of Sprague Lake. Considering you are lucky to get a working toilet and potable water at most California freeway rest stops, the Sprague Lake stop jumped to the top of my freeway rest stop hall of fame list.
Have a nominee for best freeway rest stop? Send us a location and description, including a photo, if you have one, to travel@latimes.com.
-Hugo Martin, Los Angeles Times staff writer
[Photo: A Washington State freeway rest stop, with free Wi-Fi service. Courtesy of Washington State Department of Transportation.]
5 Comments on “Nominate your favorite freeway rest stop”
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July 22nd, 2008 at 6:50 pm
There is a list here http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/maint/ra/ of rest stops.
August 3rd, 2008 at 10:12 am
Rest Stops vary from state to state. Ask any trucker. We are disappointed with California Rest Stops.
The best we have found are in the state of Iowa. We drive across country at least once a year. This past February during a fierce snowstorm we stopped at a reststop on Interstae 80. The volnteer was there during this storm. It was clean and warm with free maps and free wi-fi.
August 27th, 2008 at 10:49 am
I grew up in Spokane, and when I was young, this was the first rest stop we would hit when travelling to Seattle. It is one of the nicest. Further down I-90 Indian John Hill and Ryegrass are the same as this with even nicer views of the Stuart mountains and Mt Rainier, respectively. These set my standard for rest stops and I have rarely seen anything comperable accross the US. I must say having recently done a road trip to California, I was mildly shocked that the rest stops there we part of the same highway system as those in washington.
September 22nd, 2008 at 6:50 pm
I have been researching the history of rest area development for several years. The inclusion of safety rest areas was an important aspect of Interstate Highway construction. The first rest areas were built in the late 1950s, with first generation construction continuing through the 70s in many states. Today, these sites are more than service facilities, they are a significant aspect of our 20th century transportation heritage. The next time you stop at a rest area, regardless of the condition of its facilities, take a moment to look around at each element of the site; the buildings picnic shelters, tables, benches and walking paths. Each one was designed to create a contextual experience, intended to complement your travel experience. visit http://www.restareahistory.org for more information
September 9th, 2009 at 1:05 am
I think the people bashing California rest stops are unfounded. They may not be the best in the nation but I think they’re not that bad although I must admit I haven’t seen all of them. My favorite is Gold Run although Donner summit is a close second.