Freeway rest areas not on the freeway

[Pete from Boston]

The mention of the crafts place made me remember that the Gardiner, Maine, rest area (which includes a Maine crafts store) on the Maine Turnpike requires exiting onto Lewiston Rd.  Moreover, in order to get back onto 95 North, you first have to get onto 295 North.  Similarly, to access it from 95 South, you have to first exit onto 295 south, then Lewiston Rd.  Nutty place.

[allniter89]

The Welcome Center of MS is located at exit 2. To access it you go south 1/4 mile on MS 607 to the rest area on the right.

[myosh_tino]

The Randolf Collier Safety Roadside Rest Area, located on I-5 about 10 miles south of the Oregon stateline, can only be accessed by taking the CA-96 exit from the freeway.

http://goo.gl/maps/fquEW

Northbound drivers need to exit the freeway, turn left onto Anderson Grade Road, go under the freeway and turn left again into the rest area.

Southbound drivers need to exit the freeway onto CA-96, turn left onto Anderson Grade Road and turn right into the rest area.

Note: with the Klamath River right next to the rest area, this is *the* nicest, most scenic rest area in California.

[1995hoo]

The mention of the crafts place made me remember that the Gardiner, Maine, rest area (which includes a Maine crafts store) on the Maine Turnpike requires exiting onto Lewiston Rd.  Moreover, in order to get back onto 95 North, you first have to get onto 295 North.  Similarly, to access it from 95 South, you have to first exit onto 295 south, then Lewiston Rd.  Nutty place.

I know we've discussed that before in connection with the toll voucher cash users have to obtain if they stop there (except southbound onto I-295). E-ZPass users get the credit automatically. Once upon a time there was info online saying the vouchers would be issued by a machine, but I suspect they found that may have been subject to abuse by people coming from local roads, or else there was some other problem because now you have to present a receipt from the other toll plaza instead of a voucher:

http://www.maineturnpike.com/Traveler-Services/Tolls/West-Gardiner-Toll-Vouchers.aspx

[roadman65]

New Jersey had unofficial rest areas off of I-80 near the Delaware Water Gap including an information center.  The center or rest areas located on the I-80 frontage road are not run by NJ, but by the local park agency that operates the park around the Delaware Water Gap so its not an official Tourist Information or State Welcome Center for the State.

At one time NJDOT signed them as rest areas, but since the late 80's and early 90's signs have been removed, but the parking and picnic areas are still along the riverfront as GSV shows them.

Also the Hamilton County Rest Area on I-45 in Texas is technically off the interstate as you must use the service roads running long side the interstate to enter and exit.  The ramps leading to it are smooth slip ramps that merge onto the service road so the driving of the frontage road seems like part of the actual ramp leading in, but is actually putting you on an off interstate roadway.

[vdeane]

Nova Scotia's welcome center on the Trans-Canada

[jdb1234]

I-75 Exit 131 (Daniels Parkway) in Fort Myers, FL

[Pete from Boston]

New Jersey had unofficial rest areas off of I-80 near the Delaware Water Gap including an information center.  The center or rest areas located on the I-80 frontage road are not run by NJ, but by the local park agency that operates the park around the Delaware Water Gap so its not an official Tourist Information or State Welcome Center for the State.

By "local park agency," do you mean the one local to the United States, the National Park Service?