Kid Friendly Rest Area Listings

[CanesFan27]

When you have kids and write about road and roadtrips, coming up with a listing of kid friendly rest areas and visitor/welcome centers is a no brainer.  This list is intended to help parents, families, and care givers with a listing of rest stops where there are activities to let restless kids a chance to let off some steam while not venturing too far off their planned route.

This current listing is just a start - feel free to comment or email with any additions/corrections.  Photos always help too!

http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/p/kid-friendly-rest-area-listing.html

[kphoger]

All my kids ever needed was a grassy spot to run around in.  And a toilet.

[1995hoo]

When my brother and I were kids, the important thing was toilet facilities. We were astonished when we encountered "rest areas" in New England that did not have toilets.

[LM117]

All my kids ever needed was a grassy spot to run around in.  And a toilet.

I was a kid once. Can confirm.

[21stCenturyRoad]

Many Rest Areas in France have small playgrounds.
Also, Florida's Turnpike had playgrounds in their service plazas in their earlier years.
Does anyone know of any rest areas with playgrounds here in the US?

[vdeane]

Three of our TasteNY/Welcome Centers do: Long Island on I-495, Southern Tier on I-81, and Mohawk Valley on I-90/Thruway.

[ColossalBlocks]

All my kids ever needed was a grassy spot to run around in.  And a toilet.

I was a kid once. Can confirm.

Can also confirm.

[formulanone]

All my kids ever needed was a grassy spot to run around in.  And a toilet.

Yup, pretty much all they need. A little space away from traffic is best.

The rest areas along I-65 in Alabama typically have some spaces for kids to run around. Usually, the ability to run up and down a hill is thrilling to them. Sometimes they just want a free map.

Also, Florida’s Turnpike had playgrounds in their service plazas in their earlier years.

Yeah, and they're now some of the least kid-friendly rest areas, with no natural areas to walk around in. The re-configured parking lots are a mess, and drivers aren't always looking out. Take the Pennsylvania Turnpike rest areas, and make them more restrictive, with additional parking headaches, and you have some idea about the design flaws.

I-95 and I-75 along Florida aren't much better, with varying sizes of green space, but at least the parking situation usually doesn't involve crossing the lots to use the facilities. The I-95 and I-75 Welcome Centers are fairly new designs with space to move around and stuff to explore inside. Some of the older rest areas on I-95 around Saint Augustine have nice picnic spots with plenty of room from traffic and other tables. Others are a mixed bag.

US 41 / Tamiami Trail has some neat spots for sightseeing, but bear in mind a child (or most adults) might not like the toilet...take a portable commode, subtract cleanliness and 75% of the available light. Basically, a fearsome dank pit with a door. Makes for a parenting horror show.