When I have time, I like to take short breaks at rest stops, especially when the weather is nice. I prefer them to service plazas or actual exits. Your mind stays in travel mode, but it feels like a moment of meditative calm. It is easier to become aware of the tempo of a road trip at a rest stop. It’s a pity they aren’t particularly safe, or I’d sleep at rest stops. If states threw in WiFi, showers and security, they’d be packed ever night, boosting local economies. Rest Stops 2.0?
About Tempo
I live in Southern California but have driven across the country several times. The rest stops in the South and Midwest are amazing…large, with nice facilities and beautiful settings. Here in California, despite our culture of the car, the rest stops are absolutely awful. I find that odd.
I didn’t know they have a reputation for being unsafe. Though sometimes, you just gotta take a powernap ….
They are. Lots of murders in them, including Michael Jordan’s father. Especially on the east coast in places like Florida.
Many states now have rest stops with security, or laws prohibiting people from sleeping there overnight.
Powernaps during the day in a fairly busy rest stop are fine though. I’ve done that myself. But that doesn’t exactly save you a night of hotel bills. Most advice I’ve seen on the web suggests that if you must stop, to look for a campsite and sleep in the car. They run about $25 or so per car, so still much cheaper than a hotel.