Best state rest areas

[Zmapper]

What state do you think has the best rest areas. I nominate Iowa because they are always clean, very spacious with lots of parking, and have those electronic displays with a lot of information.

[corco]

When I drove across Texas in February, I was really impressed. I was almost entirely off-interstate and the rest areas were still clean and fairly large with wi-fi. 

[Scott5114]

Illinois has a surprising quantity of them. Not the fanciest things, but they're still pretty okay.

[agentsteel53]

Alaska, because no one bothers you.  I've seen cars that look like they've been parked there for months.

[Ian]

The rest areas on the Maine Turnpike weren't too bad, at least the Kennebunk one wasn't. The bathrooms were even decent.

[huskeroadgeek]

Nebraska's are pretty nice. At least they are very numerous. There are 11 full-service rest areas Eastbound and 10 Westbound on I-80. That's about 1 every 45 miles on average. Most states it seems like don't have them that often.

[corco]

Nebraska's are pretty nice. At least they are very numerous. There are 11 full-service rest areas Eastbound and 10 Westbound on I-80. That's about 1 every 45 miles on average. Most states it seems like don't have them that often.

(As is the case with every single Nebraskan I've ever met) the people who staff the rest areas in Nebraska have been remarkably friendly in my experience, and have made the rest areas an active joy to visit. Nebraska's rest areas are a definite contribution to my belief that Nebraska is the most underrated state in the union.

[Zmapper]

Nebraska's are pretty nice. At least they are very numerous. There are 11 full-service rest areas Eastbound and 10 Westbound on I-80. That's about 1 every 45 miles on average. Most states it seems like don't have them that often.

I agree that Nebraska's are by far the most numerous and there upkeep is good. Also - It was a Nebraska rest area that put a fire hydrant in the pet exercise area on purpose.  I don't think it was active though, verrrrry long pipe to the rest area from the nearest town.

[US71]

The info center Rest Area at Greenville, MS isn't bad. I'm not sure of the others.

Best in Arkansas I've seen are Lake Village US 65, I-40 at Dora, US 71 Info Center at Bella Vista and US 65 north of Harrison.

Many of the others are old and weary looking.

[allniter89]

Floridas' are very nice, large clean restrooms, large grassy areas, usually a picnic area, nightime security and plenty of parking and well lit a nite.

[BigMattFromTexas]

Woo-hoo! Go Texas!! We have some nice on and off Interstate rest stops here. There's one in Coke County, TX (right oustside of Tom Green County) and then one in Concho County, TX. Their both real nice. And then on the Interstate their nice too. Usually....
BigMatt

[Ian]

The ones along the Connecticut Turnpike aren't that bad.

[SP Cook]

Leaving out toll roads, which are a special case, I have been impressed by states that at least bother to have rest areas on non-interstates/de facto interstate type roads.  Wyoming, Ohio, and North Carolina come to mind.  While some of Ohio's non-intestate rest areas are not plush, they at least exist, which is more than you can say for most states.

North Carolina also gets a mention for setting back from the highway and using the natural trees to provide shade, wi-fi, actual live attendants, weather radio, free maps, and picnic tables.

[SSOWorld]

Again - leaving out toll roads - Wisconsin's rest areas have been pretty good.  Several along I-94 have been completely rebuilt and all are kept clean.

Toll roads included: Illinois, Massachusetts and Maine's systems are among the best.

[tdindy88]

In relation to Nebraska, I recall Kansas having numerous rest areas along I-70, every 25 or 30 miles it seemed which does help when going across the state. However, the facilities are simply restrooms with little more, but I suppose that sufficient enough. Speaking of Kansas, the welcome center I will give praise to only because they had maps avaliable after regular hours when the rest of the center was closed. Since I haven't been across the whole country it's hard to tell what my favorite one is, and my home state of Indiana is all over the board with their rest areas, some new, some old with decent welcome centers.

[oscar]

For some reason, the visitor center in Yankton SD (on the east side of town, off SD 50) has an excellent selection of state maps, for SD and most or all neighboring states.  However, the hours are limited. 

Alaska has some nice rest areas ... and some infrequently maintained privies.  Throw a roll of toilet paper in the trunk, just in case. 

[jdb1234]

Floridas' are very nice, large clean restrooms, large grassy areas, usually a picnic area, nightime security and plenty of parking and well lit a nite.

Florida has rest areas about every 30 miles on I-10 and on I-75 North of Tampa.

[realjd]

I can't remember if it's Alabama or Mississippi, but one of those states gives out free Coke at the welcome center!

[agentsteel53]

I can't remember if it's Alabama or Mississippi, but one of those states gives out free Coke at the welcome center!

you're thinking of Bolivia...

[jdb1234]

I can't remember if it's Alabama or Mississippi, but one of those states gives out free Coke at the welcome center!

Mississippi used to, but the last time I stopped at the Welcome Center on US 78 they did not.  Alabama stopped giving out free Coke at the welcome center years ago.

[Alps]

I can't remember if it's Alabama or Mississippi, but one of those states gives out free Coke at the welcome center!

you're thinking of Bolivia...

*snort*

[bugo]

Florida used to give away orange juice at their rest areas.  Not sure if they still do or not.

[realjd]

I can't remember if it's Alabama or Mississippi, but one of those states gives out free Coke at the welcome center!

Mississippi used to, but the last time I stopped at the Welcome Center on US 78 they did not.  Alabama stopped giving out free Coke at the welcome center years ago.

This was only about a year ago that they were doing this - it was the welcome center on EB I-10 for one of those two states.

Florida used to give away orange juice at their rest areas.  Not sure if they still do or not.

They do at all of the state welcome centers, at least the ones along the interstates. They do not at regular rest areas or Turnpike service plazas.

[mightyace]

^^^

Well, I didn't get a chance to see because if was after 6pm when we hit the Florida welcome center on I-75 back in early July.

One of my pet peeves is that most "Welcome Centers" only keep "business" hours like 8am - 5pm.  I don't expect 24x7 but maybe 9 or 10pm folks?

[tdindy88]

^^^

Well, I didn't get a chance to see because if was after 6pm when we hit the Florida welcome center on I-75 back in early July.

One of my pet peeves is that most "Welcome Centers" only keep "business" hours like 8am - 5pm.  I don't expect 24x7 but maybe 9 or 10pm folks?

I noticed this a few months ago when going into the Welcome Center for Illinois right at 5pm. The people were rolling away the shelves with all of the brochures and maps for the state and when I asked to get one I was refused. Apparently after 5pm no one deserves any of that information.