Coming from Norcal - places to stop

[teach1abc]

We are going to drive this time with our 2 yr old and 6 yr old. We want to find a place to stop that is about 2/3 the way there. Once the kids are out of the car, it is hard to get them back in. We are in the Bay Area and have been told it should take around 6 hours to drive. We will be on I-5 somewhere but I have no idea where we will be around 4 hours into our drive (or 2 hours away from Disney). Any ideas? Can you think of some good, kid friendly places to stop for a bite to eat and find clean bathrooms? Thanks for your help!

 

[Belle Ella]

From a child standpoint I don't have any suggestions, but the cleanest restrooms hat I have seen on I-5 were when I stopped at Lost Hills. The bathroom I used there was nicer than some of the bathrooms I see in restaurants here in the Bay Area. It's my new stopping point for gas and a bathroom break.

 

[Goofy_Mom]

We're from Tracy and take 1-5 if we drive at night. Personally, I like 99 until the grapevine because it's a prettier drive, more stuff to look at. There are rest stops along the way on 5. With two little ones, any place with a play area will be a big hit. It'll help remove the wiggles and bickering the back seat if they can run around and be kids for a while. I wouldn't go for a sit down take your order place because they'll be too antsy. If you're little one is like mine, there is just no talking to him when he's upset and wants to move.

If you're two hours away from DL, you've went over the grapvine. itunes has an app called exit. it's free. It'll help find food, stores, mechanics, hospitals, and more. Be sure you have a co-pilot, though. This isn't a talk me to it kind of app.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

We like to stop in Kettleman City, it's about half way there. They have lots of gas stations and food choices, including In and Out.

 

[JH87]

We're from Tracy and take 1-5 if we drive at night. Personally, I like 99 until the grapevine because it's a prettier drive, more stuff to look at. There are rest stops along the way on 5. With two little ones, any place with a play area will be a big hit. It'll help remove the wiggles and bickering the back seat if they can run around and be kids for a while. I wouldn't go for a sit down take your order place because they'll be too antsy. If you're little one is like mine, there is just no talking to him when he's upset and wants to move.

If you're two hours away from DL, you've went over the grapvine. itunes has an app called exit. it's free. It'll help find food, stores, mechanics, hospitals, and more. Be sure you have a co-pilot, though. This isn't a talk me to it kind of app.

I also usually take 99 until the grapevine also, just because that's the only access to I-5 from where I live unless I backtrack but that would be pointless.
Taking that route we normally stop in Bakersfield, which is about the halfway mark from where I live. I'm not too familiar with stops on I-5, I just use GPS and type in what I want and find it that way.

 

[DLR29]

We like to stop in Kettleman City, it's about half way there. They have lots of gas stations and food choices, including In and Out.

I second this. We always stop at the In n Out at Kettleman, and it's about 3-4 hours into the drive, depending on where in the Bay you are coming from. The 99 route is just too long for us.

 

[jazzatola]

Once you get to Tracy and take 1-5 south it will take you just a little over 3 hours (depending on how you drive ) to get to the grapevine. We always stop there...it's the last stop before you go up and over the grapevine. There is a McD's, starbucks, and a big travel center and other places... like the pp mentioned Kettlemen City is a nice place to stop..I would suggest In N Out not MCD's..we just stopped there a couple weeks ago and the bathrooms are yuck yuck yuck.. so stick with In N Out.. have a fun trip

 

[d1sneymom]

Our stops always depend on the time we leave. If we leave early (4-6am) we have stopped near Coalinga (Harris Ranch) and have breakfast (don't ask me why, DH always just had to have breakfast there) then we would head out to the Grapevine.
From Vallejo to Coalinga it's about 3 hours.

Now that DS is older we can leave later in the day (not too late around 8-11ish) and we stop at Kettleman's and have lunch. After lunch though DS gets a bit antsy so we stop before the Grapevine and let him run around. We like stopping there because there is a lot of places there now. And we have found places where DS can just get some energy out. Then off the Disneyland! That last stretch can be a pain though since DS will ask constantly when we will be there.

If we left at night we would do try to drive for as long as possible and gas up when it hit just above a quarter, stretch out at Grapevine and then on our way again. Night drives are so much easier sometimes too!

 

[disfan07]

When you get past the grapevine on I-5 you will near the valencia/santa clarita area.

Directly off the 5 at the Lyons Ave. exit there is McDonalds, Wendys, In-n-Out, Dennys, and Ihop but if you go a little farther into town (only about 5 minutes or so) there is Valencia Mall which has a food court as well as a red robin and I am pretty sure there is a little play area as well so if they want to let off some energy it might be a good idea.
Also, a little farther into town there is a corner bakery, starbucks, panda express, etc.

There are a lot of places to eat besides fast food about 5-10 minutes off of I-5 in that area. (I might also be biased because I live there...lol)

Its SUPPOSED to be about 1 hour 15 minutes from Disneyland but we've never gotten to Disneyland in less than 1 1/2 hours from there. So it might be a little furthers than you want to drive before you stop but its a nice town with a lot of food choices. So depending on traffic, if you make it past teh grapevine, it might be a good choice. You will know when you are there when you see signs to exit for Six Flags Magic Mountain.

 

[pixiewings71]

From a child standpoint I don't have any suggestions, but the cleanest restrooms hat I have seen on I-5 were when I stopped at Lost Hills. The bathroom I used there was nicer than some of the bathrooms I see in restaurants here in the Bay Area. It's my new stopping point for gas and a bathroom break.

It would be helpful if we knew where in the Bay Area you're coming from OP. I'm with Belle Ella, we always stop in Lost Hills at the Love's. Best gas prices on the way and the cleanest bathrooms we've seen. Lots of choices to grab a bite to eat as well. This is our regularly scheduled place to stop. Sometimes we stop elsewhere but we are always let down, Lost Hills is definitely the best. Our drive to DLR is down the 5, takes us 6-6.5 hrs, Lost Hills is about 4 hours into our drive.

 

[mitchwebb]

We always stay at the Courtyard by Mariott in Santa Clarita it is at the Magic Mt
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/bursc-courtyard-santa-clarita/

Give us a easy hour drive in the morning sometimes a little longer depending on day and traffic. We can still make it for rope drop.

 

[roobug]

It would be helpful if we knew where in the Bay Area you're coming from OP. I'm with Belle Ella, we always stop in Lost Hills at the Love's. Best gas prices on the way and the cleanest bathrooms we've seen. Lots of choices to grab a bite to eat as well. This is our regularly scheduled place to stop. Sometimes we stop elsewhere but we are always let down, Lost Hills is definitely the best. Our drive to DLR is down the 5, takes us 6-6.5 hrs, Lost Hills is about 4 hours into our drive.

This is one of our stops too. We have 2 year old twin boys. We stop one other time at a rest stop - it changes by what is going on in the car. But we love rest stops there are always dragon flies, or birds, or flies to run after and chase, plus there are Big rigs to watch too. Also at Lost Hills if you get gas at the ARCO there is a cement pad behind it that looks out on the road where there are lots of big rigs it's a favorite leg stretch for our guys.

 

[nsiordia]

We like to stop in Kettleman City, it's about half way there. They have lots of gas stations and food choices, including In and Out.

I like Kettleman City also, we just got back from Tahoe and stopped there each way.

 

[CA Disney Fans]

We usually stop at the Love's in Lost Hills. It's about half way between home and Disneyland. The bathrooms are pretty clean and they have a 24 hour Arbys.