Interstate Highway rest areas are critical for motorists’ safety. Most provide safe place to walk and stretch your bodies, walk your pets, use rest rooms, purchase some refreshments and get tourist information. Some states have a comprehensive tourist welcome center combined with rest area, food courts, gas station and even over night stay for RV with full hook-ups.
Unfortunately, in California, budget woes have forced closure of many highway rest areas. I read that there is no funding for testing the drinking water at rest areas with exceptions of municipal water source. The domino effect of closures mean cleaning, maintenance, landscaping staff are also out of work. Websites that list the current number of California Highway Rest Stops and which ones are open are not available. I do hope accidents and fatality of motorists have not increased due to closures.
It took us about 90 minutes to leave Los Angeles traffic and another hour to cross into Arizona. Compared to California, Arizona can claim:
1). Superior highway maintenance
2). Rest stops are open and in full operation
3). Diesel 2, which we use for Honu, is between 70 to 80 cents cheaper.
Tonight we are staying at KOA Salome, in a middle of nowhere. The place is safe and clean and the management is friendly, but it is 35 minutes from I-10. Too far from cellular towers mean no phone signal and no reliable WiFi.
Aloha -- Cathi