Driving San Jose to DL-where to stop?

[MinnieVacations]

We are going to be driving from San Jose to DL in a few weeks. I'm going to need to stop to nurse the baby about 3-4 hours into the trip. Does anyone have a suggestion to which exit would be a good place to stop. I'd love a place where the older two can get out and run around while I feed the baby.

 

[skiingfast]

I'm not sure if the 101, which I'm guessing you will be taken has any rest areas. But there is probably a park with a playground in Soledad or one of the other farm towns through that area.

 

[smile4stamps]

Driving from San Jose to DL I took the I-5. I imagine the 101 would be VERY slow! I stopped in Lost Hills I believe... I don't remember if there was anywhere to play. They did have a Carl's Jr but I can't recall if it had a play area.

There was a long thread about this awhile back I will see if I can dig it up.

Here is the thread I was thinking of: Stops along I-5

 

[01spirit750]

We are going to be driving from San Jose to DL in a few weeks. I'm going to need to stop to nurse the baby about 3-4 hours into the trip. Does anyone have a suggestion to which exit would be a good place to stop. I'd love a place where the older two can get out and run around while I feed the baby.

There are about 4 rest stops and many more truck stops / fast food places.

Just remember that road side stops and rest stops can be magnets for some questionable people and illegal activities.

I would not let my kids get out of sight or more then 20 feet from me.

Definitely do no let them use the restrooms by themselves.

Here is a list of rest stops.

http://i5highway.com/interstate_5_california/index.html

 

[AndyR]

If taking 101, you can stop at the Madonna Inn just outside San Luis Obispo

http://www.madonnainn.com/

Andy

 

[VandVsmama]

Definitely take I-5 rather than 101 down to southern CA. You can always stop at a fast food joint that has a play area. There are several options on the I-5 route along the way. Don't sweat it.

 

[GhostlyHitchhiker]

It's a slight detour, but completely worth it, imo. We've been stopping in Bakersfield, about a 20 minute detour off I-5. There are quite a few parks in the area where you could let the kids run around and stretch their legs before heading down into LA traffic.

The reason for stopping here over somewhere else? Matterhorn cake! The most amazingly addictive cake ever invented and completely worth the extra time. We stop here on the way to LA and on the way to Vegas (we have family there) every single time now.

http://www.sweetsurrenderbakery.com/v2/index.html

 

[23bw]

I find the most relaxing stop along I-5 is Harris Ranch Hotel and Restaurant in Coalinga. Lots of room to lounge around if you need. There's the cafe, fine dining restaurant, bar, and gift shop. Kids can explore the lobby or outside in the water fountains.

This is located about the midpoint of the drive to DL from San Jose. IMO, the perfect break stop if you aren't in a hurry to get there.

 

[AndyR]

I find the most relaxing stop along I-5 is Harris Ranch Hotel and Restaurant in Coalinga. Lots of room to lounge around if you need. There's the cafe, fine dining restaurant, bar, and gift shop. Kids can explore the lobby or outside in the water fountains.

This is located about the midpoint of the drive to DL from San Jose. IMO, the perfect break stop if you aren't in a hurry to get there.

Agreed, there's also an In-n-Out south of HR if that's more your style.

 

[jenniferrose]

Are you planning to take 5 or 101?

I live near Paso Robles which is about 2.5 hours (no stopping) from San Jose. (I was born and raised in SJ and still go up there a lot) There are lots of nice parks here that are close off the freeway (101).

 

[jenniferrose]

Also wanted to add... I don't think 101 is much worse than 5 and I don't find it to be too slow. Much nicer scenery and I would think safer places to stop with kids. We are 2.5 hours from SJ and it takes us about 3.5-4 hours to get to DL with a stop or two for potty breaks.

 

[Grim_Grinning_Girl]

I just got back from a trip to Disneyland, I'm in the Peninsula Bay Area so I'm north of you. We always drive down HWY 5 so I'm very familiar with its rest areas and other places along the way and back. When I go with friends we return down 101.

101 seems very plain and empty when it comes to places to stop and rest areas, there seems to be practically no rest areas and the few that you run into area DO seem very isolated, small, and scary. There's places to stop but they all seem so spread out and far from one another, and tricky to get to.

I would say your best bet is HWY 5. The rest areas are nice and large, if you're there during the day you will see a lot of activity, families, touristy looking folk, safe areas for the kids to run around, restrooms are fairly clean, usually have toilet paper, running water and soap, grounds people always around. *YES* of course you want to keep an eye on your kids and not let them use the restroom alone. We've even stopped at night, there's less people but the people we've seen are still families or weary travelers, we've never had any issues or felt unsafe.

I have a friend who doesn't stop at rest areas that often, I don't know why but she has stereotyped them as being creepy and unsafe, feels safer stopping at gas stations. Gas stations in my opinion are creepy and unsafe! Just about every time we've seen creepy men inside, and the restrooms are a nightmare - very dirty, very isolated, often outside and around the corner - where no one can hear you scream !

Via HWY 5 Casa de Fruta will be your first largest stop, and long the way you'll have rest areas and large shopping centers with several fast food places and gas stations which are visible from a distance so you should have time to find the exit without missing it.

I think the Valencia Magic Mountain area is the last best place to stop, after that is when you really start to hit traffic and enter the busy freeway.

 

[pixiewings71]

When we go we take 5 and we stop in Lost Hills. We don't usually stop at Harris Ranch, it tends to stink many times. But Lost Hills has Love's, which is a great rest stop and it has a Denny's with good food and good service. Lost Hills is about halfway for us, it's our goal to make before we stop.

 

[Gisele]

Please stop on by Petaluma, Ca. so as to pick me up. I travel lightly, and can baby sit for free too.

 

[Larry]

We like to take 101 down to Ventura and cross the 126 over to 5. We have a tradition of stopping at the fruit stands.

About 3 hours should get you to San Miguel. My kids like to stop at Mission San Miguel to stretch and use the bathroom.
4 hours should get you into SLO. (San Luis Obispo) There are some nice parks there.

IMHO 101 is a much nicer ride than 5 and its not that much longer of a drive. It has better places to stop and better food too.

We stay away from the reststops along the freeways.

 

[Gisele]

Beg to differ. However, I find 101 to be too time consuming, coming from Sonoma County. I about died in the car, some years ago, when my friend decided to take 101 back north, instead of 5. At the time, I thought OK and agreed, but oh my God! Never again, not any time soon anyway for myself.

 

[Gisele]

On a side note... Larry I like what your nephew said. That is too funny. I may have to borrow that.

 

[kikiq]

My question is when are you leaving San Jose? IF you are planning a daytime trip, then I would suggest HWY 101. 4 hours from San Jose, you will should be between San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara. My DDs and I took this trip driving with my DGD recently. We drove two cars, started early and were in San Luis Obispo in 3 hours (where my youngest DD goes to college). We stopped around 10, had an early lunch, and let my DGD play in a park. We left around 11:30, naptime for my DGD, passed DL around 3 pm and drove into my driveway at 3:30pm.

We drove HWY 5 last December with my DGD. Left Oakland at night and drove straight through, only stopping in Buttonwillow for coffee and gas.

Even though 101 may take a little longer, there are plenty of towns along the way to stop for your other young children. 3 hours from SJ is San Luis Obispo, 3 1/2 hours from SJ is Santa Maria. 4 hours or so will find you in Santa Barbara. 3 - 4 hours from San Jose on HWY 5 will put you in Buttonwillow, lots of fast food places and gas stations.

My brothers prefer HWY 5 because it is faster, BUT they do not have small children. HWY 101 will offer you a little flexibility in where to stop if your other children need to stretch their legs or get "cranky".

 

[CrazyDuck]

I would stop whenever I see a big red and yellow In-and-Out Burger sign... Even if ya didn't need to nurse!

 

[Gisele]

True, that it does make a difference if you are traveling with young children or not. I don't have any, so it is a different case. I can see making an extra road trip too, from 101. I know that I would love to visit Santa Barbara County, and Santa Maria too. Amongst other locations. I had thought actually about doing something to this affect, however so far, life is not cooperating. Oh well.