Debbie and I just got back from Yellowstone we used the rest areas extensively to getting a nap in our camper so we be well rested for a trip. Side note we actually stopped at the rest area with the 50 ft Indian statue of dignity probably the best rest area of all the way out there and back
My favorite rest area is Alabama's on I 20 westbound. Has a welcome center, clean restrooms, and a lovely porch with rocking chairs. It's a nice welcome to travelers entering Alabama.
The northern Welcome center on I 65 has been a favorite of mine many years. Sadly, the Saturn 3 rocket has been removed, old building torn down and rebuilding has begun. The rare non'interstate rest area I know of in Alabama is on US 231 north of Ozark. Well kept, never crowed but never empty.
Service Plazas are probably the future of Rest Areas. State Welcome Centers/Rest Areas will stick around. There are some remote places along interstates that will continue to need Rest Areas. There's a political component to the topic that keeps many Rest Areas Open. But overall, I think we'll see Rest Areas decline over the next several decades.Thanks for watching!
Regarding picnic tables.... Yes, we always pack food when traveling and have lunch at a rest area. It's cheaper and more relaxing than going into a restaurant which, more often than not, is a fast food joint.
I live in Ontario Canada. I remember as a kid our big family vacation every years was driving from Toronto to Chicago to visit Dad's relatives. Along the (Ontario provincial highway) 401 we had service centres which were just like services plazas along your toll routes. with gas and food. Though many of them do have rest areas with picnic tables next to them, though they're only open during the late spring, summer and early fall. Once we crossed into Michigan and took I-94, we'd use the rest areas for bathroom breaks and go to sitdown restaurants (like Bill Knapps) for lunch. It was after we got our dogs that we used the rest areas more, getting take out from fast food places like Arby's, driving to the rest areas and eating there. I also remember once we reached Chicago getting on the Tristate Tollway/I-294 and being amazed by the oases being built overtop the highway. Thanks for the great vid! 👍
You must be talking about the old Smith Mansion. I was a teenager and young adult living in Paducah, and was able to go inside when it was abandoned, before our then Transportation Secretary got behind having it restored. Great that they finally did restore it.
My favorite rest is the Nebraska rest area. Most of those rest areas in Nebraska have road and weather information and even wireless internet and vending machines
Fun fact: in Louisiana you can often get Mardi Gras beads in one of the snack vending machines at a rest area. Also, I know that Louisiana closed down a rest area between New Orleans and Baton Rouge in the late 90s. It's really not necessary to have now because it's only an hour's drive, but you can still see the lines where the off and on ramps used to be
They are necessary for us truck drivers as there isn’t much truck parking in Louisiana as a whole for all the truck traffic that goes through the state.
Enjoyable video. My favorite rest area is the one in the middle of the Utah salt flats. The facility itself is nothing special but the unique surroundings is spectacular. Even if you don’t have a need to stop, stop. Take some pictures, you won’t be sorry. After you leave, you’ll enjoy all the people who drove off the freeway to try and offroad on the salt flats and got stuck.
Wow! I hope we get to visit that one! There are quite of few interesting Rest Areas all over the US. Thank you so much for watching and thanks for commenting! Bill
I am a over the road professional truck driver and these rest areas are a godsend for us as there are still many areas where there is little to no truck parking available when we run out of time. I think Wisconsin, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, and Minnesota generally have the best rest areas. Texas has the best rest areas by far but the best rest area is a tie for me and they are both Welcome Centers. They are the Texas Welcome center north of Laredo which is themed after a Mexican Villa complete with fountains and small streams, and the Wyoming Welcome center on I-25 south of Cheyenne which is like a miniature history museum.
I think I’ve been to several of the rest areas covered on the video in TN and VA. My favorite welcome center rest area is actually in Vermont on I-91 North near Brattleboro. It’s large, clean and, pre-COVID anyway, had a lot of information about the different regions of Vermont (yes, there are different parts of this state!)
Thanks for watching and commenting! I might get to check those rest areas out this fall. We've planned our first trip up to Vermont, getting the tickets, and renting the car in April. So, it's happening. We're very excited!
@@BillMarion I don't live in Vermont, I live in CT (dissed in your video, lol) - but VT is a beautiful state. They don't have a lot of rest areas because they don't have a lot of interstate highways, but the I-91 Welcome Center is a pretty good one.
Of all the states that I’ve driven through, and that is many, Mississippi is the one state that lacks in rest stops to the point where I always try to make it through the state without stopping except at the welcome centers. Alabama rest stops are wonderful. Texas is hit or miss.
Texas removed about half of theirs 10 or 12 years ago...thank you Rick Perry. They are now building a bunch of new ones, that is why they are boasting about being so modern. But, they only replaced about half of them.
I work at a rest stop in ky and watching this and comparing all the other rest stops I'm so jealous. They wont fix anything here theres black mold on the ceiling as you first walk in the restroom area, theres wall paper coming off the walls, holes And leaks in the roof of the bathrooms, and the pay is only $9/hr. And my supervisors dont care and wont take the necessary steps to get the issues fixed. That's why I'm in the process of finding a different job because I take pride in the job I do, but I cant because the place is in such disrepair.
That is correct!!! The problem with some of that is they dont know your clock or if you need a PTI at all during that time period... Im 26 yrs in, on and off and L.E.O.'s are desperate for money....
My home state of Minnesota is pretty decent with their rest areas. They’re almost always clean and a few have state trooper offices. Iowa is kind of hit or miss, some are 50+ year old brick shacks with some of the grossest bathrooms I’ve seen others are newer, larger and very impressive snd those ones are always clean.
Interesting! I've never been to a Minnesota Rest Area. I think I've been to a Rest Area in Iowa back when I was a kid, but I don't remember. Thanks for watching, and thanks for commenting!
That's how busy I've been. I can't ever tell if I'm going to be home for the premiere or not. So, I had to stop premiering the videos for now. About two months ago we went from 0-90 overnight!
Texas removed about half of theirs 10 or 12 years ago...thank you Rick Perry. They are now building a bunch of new ones, that is why they are boasting about being so modern. But, they only replaced about half of them.
There is a rest area ( like 2 I think) on I-17 between Flagstaff and Phoenix it might b the second one after the big hill everybody overheats on going south there is a big sun dial there unless it's been vandalized that I thought was cool along with beautiful( spell?) scenery(spell? Sorry)really ice
Though there are no rest areas leading to or from the batcave it is good to know that there are still clean and comfortable places With 24 hour accessibility that we can drop off our political contributions privately
I'm going to have to look that up cause it sounds interesting! We just released a "facts video" about Pittsburgh! We drove from Va to Pittsburgh, and loved that drive. Fall colors were amazing. I need to do some hiking up there!
Yeah it’s pretty crazy, TA travel stops was originally there and still is there. They haven’t really been getting business anymore because of the newer rest stop down the road. The TA really was not bad just did not aged pretty well in recent years.
Not on an interstate it’s on the will Rodgers turnpike but I enjoy the glass house rest stop it is accessible from both sides of the highway and the food court extends over the highway has a McDonald’s and a subway and 2 gas stations one on each side there is even a souvenir shop in the food court too
Is WR Turnpike not on I 44? (I don't know much about that region at all). We have our favorite stops along I 81 these days, and most of them are like what you're describing. But then again, we stop at Rest Areas too. Getting older, and have to stop more! Thanks for watching and thanks for commenting! Bill
Serial killers and cops are one in the same now so you're risking your life even stopping at one at night is insane get a room at a hotel and Live you never should drive at. Night
I was 16 years old in middle School we rented a JJ Kelly bus to go to Orlando my school and me went on a trip to Orlando we stopped at a couple rest stops we purchased gifts we also we were dropped off at embassy suites in Orlando it had an indoor pool leading out to an outdoor pool I love this place and they got good breakfast boy I Miss traveling on the road before my death one last request I want to go to Orlando to magic kingdom whenever you see this please help me out cuz I missed the fun life that I had when I was 16 I really miss traveling one time I travel to Georgia then I traveled to North Carolina Bryson City I miss traveling this is why I don't like to be in state custody you can't do nothing can't go nowhere my vision my dream I hope it comes true one last trip to magic kingdom anybody that hears this or read this contact me help me
Debbie and I just got back from Yellowstone we used the rest areas extensively to getting a nap in our camper so we be well rested for a trip. Side note we actually stopped at the rest area with the 50 ft Indian statue of dignity probably the best rest area of all the way out there and back
Excellent! I hope you guys had a great time! Good to see you Donald! I want to make a video out there!
Bill
My late husband was a otr truck driver, we were at reststops alot, one of my favorites was in texas , they looked like silos.
God bless him. The trucker is the lifeblood of America.
My favorite rest area is Alabama's on I 20 westbound. Has a welcome center, clean restrooms, and a lovely porch with rocking chairs. It's a nice welcome to travelers entering Alabama.
I don’t know that one but I bet it’s great! Thanks for watching and thanks for commenting!
Bill
Alabama rest stops are some of the best, not just the welcome centers. I like driving through Alabama. I hate driving through Mississippi.
The northern Welcome center on I 65 has been a favorite of mine many years. Sadly, the Saturn 3 rocket has been removed, old building torn down and rebuilding has begun. The rare non'interstate rest area I know of in Alabama is on US 231 north of Ozark. Well kept, never crowed but never empty.
I live in Ontario we have no rest areas but lots of large service plazas called on route they have fast food restrooms and gas stations take a look.
Service Plazas are probably the future of Rest Areas. State Welcome Centers/Rest Areas will stick around. There are some remote places along interstates that will continue to need Rest Areas. There's a political component to the topic that keeps many Rest Areas Open. But overall, I think we'll see Rest Areas decline over the next several decades.Thanks for watching!
We need more rest areas.
Yes, I've used picnic tables at rest areas many times, and to sleep on, too.
My father was a civil engineer and very enthusiastic about Rest Areas. I found your video very interesting and informative. Thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it!
The Wyoming welcome center south of Cheyenne, north of Denver is my favorite. Mounted bears and bison, amazing views and super nice bathrooms.
I remember stopping as a little kid at some of these stop they look the same
I was stuck at 2 rest areas on I-70 westbound, one was actually the Indiana welcome center
Haven’t been to that one. Just visited the one for Massachusetts and Maine.
I liked it Bill Great job . I am driver and I have been to a lot of rest areas. Great job !!!
I'm glad you liked this one! I really enjoyed making video. Caroline came up with the idea for it. Thanks for watching!
Bill
Regarding picnic tables.... Yes, we always pack food when traveling and have lunch at a rest area. It's cheaper and more relaxing than going into a restaurant which, more often than not, is a fast food joint.
I live in Ontario Canada. I remember as a kid our big family vacation every years was driving from Toronto to Chicago to visit Dad's relatives. Along the (Ontario provincial highway) 401 we had service centres which were just like services plazas along your toll routes. with gas and food. Though many of them do have rest areas with picnic tables next to them, though they're only open during the late spring, summer and early fall. Once we crossed into Michigan and took I-94, we'd use the rest areas for bathroom breaks and go to sitdown restaurants (like Bill Knapps) for lunch. It was after we got our dogs that we used the rest areas more, getting take out from fast food places like Arby's, driving to the rest areas and eating there. I also remember once we reached Chicago getting on the Tristate Tollway/I-294 and being amazed by the oases being built overtop the highway. Thanks for the great vid! 👍
Great video as always my friend.
My back was killing me, so I laid on a picnic table for 10-15 minutes. It was a huge relief.
The Kentucky Welcome Center on I-24 at Paducah is great. It is an historic setting.
You must be talking about the old Smith Mansion. I was a teenager and young adult living in Paducah, and was able to go inside when it was abandoned, before our then Transportation Secretary got behind having it restored. Great that they finally did restore it.
Interesting 👍🏼😎👍🏼
Thanks for watching Mrs. Bee!
🚛 I'm retired truck driver "Still Bill" Good information 🚻 { Tank - U }
Thanks for watching Nick!
My favorite rest is the Nebraska rest area. Most of those rest areas in Nebraska have road and weather information and even wireless internet and vending machines
I didn't know that! Thanks for watching and thanks for commenting!
Bill
Fun fact: in Louisiana you can often get Mardi Gras beads in one of the snack vending machines at a rest area.
Also, I know that Louisiana closed down a rest area between New Orleans and Baton Rouge in the late 90s. It's really not necessary to have now because it's only an hour's drive, but you can still see the lines where the off and on ramps used to be
I did not know that about the Mardi Gras beads! Thanks for watching and thanks for commenting!
Bill
@@BillMarion they're just a pack of three. One purple, one yellow, one green.
They are necessary for us truck drivers as there isn’t much truck parking in Louisiana as a whole for all the truck traffic that goes through the state.
Enjoyable video. My favorite rest area is the one in the middle of the Utah salt flats. The facility itself is nothing special but the unique surroundings is spectacular. Even if you don’t have a need to stop, stop. Take some pictures, you won’t be sorry.
After you leave, you’ll enjoy all the people who drove off the freeway to try and offroad on the salt flats and got stuck.
Wow! I hope we get to visit that one! There are quite of few interesting Rest Areas all over the US. Thank you so much for watching and thanks for commenting!
Bill
I am a over the road professional truck driver and these rest areas are a godsend for us as there are still many areas where there is little to no truck parking available when we run out of time. I think Wisconsin, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, and Minnesota generally have the best rest areas. Texas has the best rest areas by far but the best rest area is a tie for me and they are both Welcome Centers. They are the Texas Welcome center north of Laredo which is themed after a Mexican Villa complete with fountains and small streams, and the Wyoming Welcome center on I-25 south of Cheyenne which is like a miniature history museum.
Great channel and gave you a sub.
Thank you! We're so very grateful! Thank you for watching, subbing, and commenting!
Bill
@@BillMarion your very welcome Great content Watched several videos.
I think I’ve been to several of the rest areas covered on the video in TN and VA. My favorite welcome center rest area is actually in Vermont on I-91 North near Brattleboro. It’s large, clean and, pre-COVID anyway, had a lot of information about the different regions of Vermont (yes, there are different parts of this state!)
Thanks for watching and commenting! I might get to check those rest areas out this fall. We've planned our first trip up to Vermont, getting the tickets, and renting the car in April. So, it's happening. We're very excited!
@@BillMarion I don't live in Vermont, I live in CT (dissed in your video, lol) - but VT is a beautiful state. They don't have a lot of rest areas because they don't have a lot of interstate highways, but the I-91 Welcome Center is a pretty good one.
I have had picnic before at rest area in Virginia and Kentucky
Of all the states that I’ve driven through, and that is many, Mississippi is the one state that lacks in rest stops to the point where I always try to make it through the state without stopping except at the welcome centers. Alabama rest stops are wonderful. Texas is hit or miss.
Texas removed about half of theirs 10 or 12 years ago...thank you Rick Perry. They are now building a bunch of new ones, that is why they are boasting about being so modern. But, they only replaced about half of them.
I work at a rest stop in ky and watching this and comparing all the other rest stops I'm so jealous. They wont fix anything here theres black mold on the ceiling as you first walk in the restroom area, theres wall paper coming off the walls, holes And leaks in the roof of the bathrooms, and the pay is only $9/hr. And my supervisors dont care and wont take the necessary steps to get the issues fixed. That's why I'm in the process of finding a different job because I take pride in the job I do, but I cant because the place is in such disrepair.
My favorite welcome center is the one on interstate 75 south entering Florida
Mine too!
That is correct!!!
The problem with some of that is they dont know your clock or if you need a PTI at all during that time period...
Im 26 yrs in, on and off and L.E.O.'s are desperate for money....
My home state of Minnesota is pretty decent with their rest areas. They’re almost always clean and a few have state trooper offices. Iowa is kind of hit or miss, some are 50+ year old brick shacks with some of the grossest bathrooms I’ve seen others are newer, larger and very impressive snd those ones are always clean.
Interesting! I've never been to a Minnesota Rest Area. I think I've been to a Rest Area in Iowa back when I was a kid, but I don't remember. Thanks for watching, and thanks for commenting!
What no premiere? How am I supposed to talk to you and Mr. Juan?
That's how busy I've been. I can't ever tell if I'm going to be home for the premiere or not. So, I had to stop premiering the videos for now. About two months ago we went from 0-90 overnight!
Texas removed about half of theirs 10 or 12 years ago...thank you Rick Perry. They are now building a bunch of new ones, that is why they are boasting about being so modern. But, they only replaced about half of them.
There is a rest area ( like 2 I think) on I-17 between Flagstaff and Phoenix it might b the second one after the big hill everybody overheats on going south there is a big sun dial there unless it's been vandalized that I thought was cool along with beautiful( spell?) scenery(spell? Sorry)really ice
Though there are no rest areas leading to or from the batcave it is good to know that there are still clean and comfortable places With 24 hour accessibility that we can drop off our political contributions privately
That and fish food. Never leave home without your fish food. I hear better when I have fish food!
My favorite rest area is going into Pennsylvania on I-80. It nice and new. But it is NOT on the highway even though it is own by DOT.
Btw it’s I-80 going west
I'm going to have to look that up cause it sounds interesting! We just released a "facts video" about Pittsburgh! We drove from Va to Pittsburgh, and loved that drive. Fall colors were amazing. I need to do some hiking up there!
Yeah it’s pretty crazy, TA travel stops was originally there and still is there. They haven’t really been getting business anymore because of the newer rest stop down the road. The TA really was not bad just did not aged pretty well in recent years.
Bill Where have ya been?
Well dang I guess I should say where have I been. Sorry buddy I haven't been getting your notifications. I didn't realize I was this far behind.
Not sure what's up with notifications, or even comments. Comment notifications are all over the place.
At least into the 1980's Georgia welcome centers used to give out free Coca Cola and packs of salted peanuts.
I didn't know that! Wish they would bring it back! That's pretty cool! Thanks for watching!
Not on an interstate it’s on the will Rodgers turnpike but I enjoy the glass house rest stop it is accessible from both sides of the highway and the food court extends over the highway has a McDonald’s and a subway and 2 gas stations one on each side there is even a souvenir shop in the food court too
Is WR Turnpike not on I 44? (I don't know much about that region at all). We have our favorite stops along I 81 these days, and most of them are like what you're describing. But then again, we stop at Rest Areas too. Getting older, and have to stop more! Thanks for watching and thanks for commenting!
Bill
@@BillMarion The WR Turnpike is I-44. We were at the Glass House yesterday.
do they have microwave in these rest areas??
That really depends on the Rest Area. Many of the Rest Areas in this video do not have microwaves.
American rest areas are so much better than Australian ones it's insane.
Serial killers and cops are one in the same now so you're risking your life even stopping at one at night is insane get a room at a hotel and Live you never should drive at. Night
I was 16 years old in middle School we rented a JJ Kelly bus to go to Orlando my school and me went on a trip to Orlando we stopped at a couple rest stops we purchased gifts we also we were dropped off at embassy suites in Orlando it had an indoor pool leading out to an outdoor pool I love this place and they got good breakfast boy I Miss traveling on the road before my death one last request I want to go to Orlando to magic kingdom whenever you see this please help me out cuz I missed the fun life that I had when I was 16 I really miss traveling one time I travel to Georgia then I traveled to North Carolina Bryson City I miss traveling this is why I don't like to be in state custody you can't do nothing can't go nowhere my vision my dream I hope it comes true one last trip to magic kingdom anybody that hears this or read this contact me help me
Wait, what? You didn't know Google Maps existed until 2020? And I thought I lived under a rock.
⚠️ Careful in Desert areas some Water Fountains taste awful ❗¿
Great comment! I didn't know that! It's been a long time, as in since the 80's since I've been to a Rest Area near a desert!
Bill
But it's clean water! Some people don't even have that in their home.
zzzzzzzzz
Yeah, it's Rest Areas. Not sure how I could have made it any more exciting. But at least you got some sleep.