Good stops along 5

[DisneyT123]

My family drives to disneyland on I5 from Sac. down. When we stop at rest stops we are often delighted at the cleanliness, but we are also dissatisfied at the dirtiness and lack of good service. If you could tell me some of the better stops for bathrooms and food and the mile markers for them. Thankyou!!!

 

[T0rrent]

Typically if it's going to be mainly a quick bathroom break, I prefer stopping at a Travel Authority stop. There is one right before you go and climb the Mountain, so it's also a decent fill up spot.

Just don't stop in Tafft. It's a small hole in the wall town and gas is about .70-1.00 more a gallon. I won't ever stop in that town again unless it's an emergency.

 

[figment_jii]

The gas station at Harris Ranch are pretty clean (usually). Harris Ranch itself is very nice. I agree that the Travel America just before the Grapevine is very nice.

 

[Nonsuch]

My family drives to disneyland on I5 from Sac. down...

Harris Ranch is a great place to stop: clean bathrooms, gift ship, great restaurants.
We usually stop there when there is no "rush" to get to DLR

Not far down the road is Kettleman City, with the usual assortment of fast food.
We have not had a chance to visit Bravo Farms (under construction for some time), which seems like a mini Wall Drug

 

[keahgirl8]

Agreed about Harris Ranch! It is nice, just be prepared for the smell though! There is a lot of cattle in that area!

 

[spellhex]

Harris Ranch is a good bathroom stop. In Santa Clarita after the Grapevine/Six Flags is a Westfield mall, which has higher standards/more options than normal rest stops. I always stop at the In-N-Out before the Grapevine, and the bathrooms have always been clean.

 

[chrisaman]

We always stop at pea soup Anderson's for some soup and pastries. Kettleman city exit has an in n out. Harris ranch is okay, nothing to write home about. It would seem some people enjoy it however.

 

[keahgirl8]

We always stop at pea soup Anderson's for some soup and pastries. Kettleman city exit has an in n out. Harris ranch is okay, nothing to write home about. It would seem some people enjoy it however.

I haven't ever eaten there, but they have a very nice bathroom!

 

[sasywtch]

I know it's only about 75 minutes in to the drive but we stop at the McD's after Stockton for our first stop or Flag City in Lodi. By then, I'm done with my coffee and need a bathroom.

In a pinch, we stop at the reststops. After traveling, CA has some of the best kept up reststops I've seen.

I have a list on here, I'll see if I can find it.

 

[sasywtch]

Here it is. I was having mild anxiety attacks on this trip and tried to keep myself busy.

I-5 stops Eateries, gas stations and hotels/motels
I-5 Reststops from Sacramento to Anaheim
I probably missed some signs for eateries as I was doing the first 240 miles driving and writing.

Just past the Sacramento airport
Del Paso Rd
Eateries-In/Out Burger, Der Weinerschnitzel (?sp), Taco Bell, Sizzler
Chevron
Safeway Grocery Store
Hotels-Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn, Homewood Suites


Arena Blvd
Bel Air Grocery Store, StarBucks, Credit Union ATM, BelAir Gas Station
Walmart and Target are close by
I fall asleep here until around Stockton....I know there are Elk Grove people on here who can give hotels/eateries just past Sacramento to Lodi as I usually start falling asleep after I wave bye (ok, see ya, I'm off to DL wave) to my work downtown.

Starting at Lodi, Flag City

Flag City, Lodi 50 miles south of Sacramento
Eateries-McD's, Burger King, Taco Bell Gas Stations-Shell, Am/Pm

Exit 463 Lathrop (just south of Stockton) *Stop 1
Eateries-Subway, Carl's Jr, McD's, Taco Bell, Dennys, A&W, KFC
Gas Stations-Chevron,
Grocery Store chain (can't remember which one),Target
Hotels-Holiday Inn, Hampton Inn

Rest stop at approximate mile marker 450 Just past Modesto exit

Exit 441
Eateries-McD's, Subway, Carls Jr, truck stop
Gas Stations-Chevron, Am/Pm, Shell, Union 76
Hotels-Holiday Inn Express, Days Inn

Exit 434 Patterson Exit
Eateries-Dennys, Carl's Jr, KFC, Starbucks
Gas Stations-Union 76, Chevron
Hotels-Best Western

Exit 407 Santa Nella Anerson's Pea Soup Exit
Eateries-Anderson Pea Soup, Taco Bell, Dennys, Jack In the Box, Starbucks, McD's, Quiznos, Wendys
Hotels-Motel 6, Holiday Inn, Best Western, The Tower of Pisa Hotel--don't know the name.
Gas Stations-Am/Pm, Chevron, TA Travel Center, Rotten Robbie

Mercy Sprngs Rd (did not indicate mile marker) 156 miles from Sacramento
Shell gas station, fruit stand. No other services

Exit 385 Firebaugh Exit
Chevron gas station, Subway-no other services

Exit 368 Panoche Rd
Eateries-McD's, Taco Bell, Apricot Tree Restraunt, Foster's Freeze
Hotels-Best Western
Gas Stations-Shell, Union 76, Chevron, Mobil

Exit 334 Harris Ranch Coalinga/Lemore exit
Eateries-Harris Ranch, Burger King, Dennys, Carl's Jr,Taco Bell, Chinese Restraunt, McD's
Gas Stations-Chevron, Shell,
Hotels-Motel 6, Best Western

Exit 325 Coalinga exit Very few services
Eateries-Baja Fresh
Gas Stations-Am/Pm, Shell
Hospital

Rest Stop area past Coalinga Road closed

Exit 319 Avenal-Lemoore NAS
76 Truck Stop

Exit 309 (just happened to be where we got gas going down and coming back--tank lasted to Anaheim and back here)
240 miles from Sacramento
Eateries-McD's, Jack In the Box, Starbucks (at Mobil station), Carls' Jr, Subway, Taco Bell, Quiznos, In/Out
Gas Stations-Shell, Chevron, Mobile, Union 76, Velero

Exit 278 Lost Hills ***171 miles from DL on the way back
Eateries-McD's, Dennys, Wendys Arbys
Gas Stations-Chevron, Union 76, Shell, Arco, Pilot Truck Stop, Loves Truck Stop

Rest Stop 286 miles from Sacramento--Buttonwillow ***152 miles from Anaheim on the way back

Exit 257 Hwy 58 to Bakersfield
Eateries-Carl's Jr, McD's, Taco Bell, Dennys, Subway, Starbucks
Gas Stations-TA Truck Stop, Am/Pm
Hotels-Motel 6, EconoLodge

Exit 253 Stockdale Hwy
Eateries-IHOP, Jack In the Box
Hotels-Best Western
Gas Stations-Shell, Chevron

Exit 244 Lamont-Taft Hwy
Gas Stations-Chevron, Mobil no other services

***note 325 miles from Sacramento to the merge 5/99 (left home just north of Sac at 7am, arrived here at 12:30pm)



Exit 219 A&B Laval Rd
Eateries-Popeyes, McD's, Taco Bell, Starbucks, Panda Express
Gas Stations-TA Truck Stop, Petro Truck Stop, Chevron, Mobil
Hotels-Best Western

Exit 215 Grapevine Exit
Eateries-Jack In the Box, Dennys, Mexican Restraunt
Gas Stations-Shell, Union 76, Mobil
Hotels-Ramada Inn


Rest Stop Exit 206 Grapevine

Exit 205 Elevation 4144
Eateries-Jack In the Box, Subway,Dennys
Gas Stations-Am/Pm, Flying J Truck Stop, Shell
Hotels-Holiday Inn

No exit number Gorman exit
Eateries-McD's, Carls Jr, Ranch House Restraunt
Gas Stations-Union 76, Chevron

No exit number Castaic Exit (where we stopped-370 miles from Sacramento arrived at 1:30pm)
Eateries-McD's, Jack in the Box, Taco Bell, Carl's Jr
Gas Stations-Union 76, Mobil, Shell
Hotel-Rodeway Inn
Walgreens

Below are times and exits to DL as the stops usually quit here. All the years I have been going, I forgot (or probably erase from my mind)
just how much farther it is from the grapevine to Anaheim so thought I'd write down the cities along the way so next time, I'd
know when I was getting closer. Plus, my daughter was driving so I was having a slight panic attack in the car and had to keep
busy.
The following numbers are miles from Sacramento and arrival times (we left Sacramento at 7am--2 extra stops due to too much
coffee)

373 Magic Mountain/Valencia 1:49pm
389 Mission Hills 2:01pm
395 North Hollywood 2:06pm
397 Bob Hope Airport 2:08 pm
398 Burbank 2:09 pm
406 Griffith Park 2:15pm (Glendale)
412 San Bernardino Fwy (LA to the right) 2:20pm
413 traffic came to a dead stop 2:22 pm
416 Commerce Exit 2:31pm
418 Citadel Outlet 2:33pm
422 Downey 2:40pm
425 Norwalk 2:45pm
427 La Mirada
431 Knotts Ave ORANGE COUNTY---YOU KNOW YOU ARE GETTING CLOSER NOW!
432 Fullerton 2:56pm (we are actually going 70mpg here)
433 Anaheim 2:57pm

 

[crystal1313]

We either stop in kettleman city (In N Out, Starbucks) or in button willow. We get gas at the TA truck stop and grab a Starbucks and use the restroom there at buttonwillow. We've found that Buttonwillow has the cheapest gas.

 

[kylie71]

Greatest post ever!!! Thank You, I printed your post and it was 6 pages! we live in Reno, NV... and this will be very helpful!!

--Lori

 

[cinderbellasmom]

We drove from Portland in 2012 and I was honestly dreading the bathroom breaks- it ended up being better than I thought. This is really helpful info for our drive down in September! Thank you!

 

[Gisele]

Just beware of the good ol boy chain of toieties! You'll know them by their signature trademark out houses, that look just like a giant redwood tree, because they are giant redwood trees. Leaning against it is a shovel and a roll of toilet paper on a twig. that toilet paper is rough man, but will get the job done!
oh and you better bring your own moist towelettes for yer hands, cause there's no running water near those trees.

Good luck! I'm rooting for y'all!

 

[GatorChris]

My suggestion is this: take the 99. A lot more places to stop. It takes a little longer because of some traffic issues, but the trek had a lot better stops and food joints. The 5 is good for Lodi and Stockton, but after that, it's Santa Nella and then not much else.

 

[mickey+minnie91]

Someone mentioned about the stops in Elk Grove....The exits are a mile apart

If you exit Laguna Blvd you will find:
Shell
Chevron
76
Wendys
TacoBel ( in the chevron)
Subway
Starbucks
KFC/A&W

If you Exit Elk Grove Blvd
AM/PM
Carls Jr
McDonalds
Chevron
Shell

There are also some small sit down resturants at this exit and several hotels at both. If you wanted to go back to Laguna Blvd exit where the other resturants are located, you can drive down Harbour Point and it takes you right back to Laguna and back on the freeway

 

[mickey+minnie91]

Exit 325 Coalinga exit Very few services
Eateries-Baja Fresh
Gas Stations-Am/Pm, Shell
Hospital

I recommend avoiding this Baja Fresh if possible... Its inside the gas station and not clean at all. None of us felt to great after eating there but didnt get sick.

 

[94bruin]

OP- You must be a true Northern Californian as you call it 5! I'm not a native Californian. I lived in LA for 5 years when I first came to CA at age 17, but have been living in the Bay Area ever since. Those first five years must've made a big impression on me, even though I didn't drive, because I think of it as The 5.


In any case, our go-to stop ever since our college days has been In-and-Out in Kettleman City (kinda the 1/2 way point for us). Recently, we've discovered a Chipotle and Yogurtland in the exit right before the Grapevine (on SB I5.)

 

[chrisaman]

OP- You must be a true Northern Californian as you call it 5! I'm not a native Californian. I lived in LA for 5 years when I first came to CA at age 17, but have been living in the Bay Area ever since. Those first five years must've made a big impression on me, even though I didn't drive, because I think of it as The 5. In any case, our go-to stop ever since our college days has been In-and-Out in Kettleman City (kinda the 1/2 way point for us). Recently, we've discovered a Chipotle and Yogurtland in the exit right before the Grapevine (on SB I5.)

chipotle hu

 

[sasywtch]

Greatest post ever!!! Thank You, I printed your post and it was 6 pages! we live in Reno, NV... and this will be very helpful!!

--Lori

: ) Next time I need a crossword puzzle or something
By the time you are getting to Sacramento, it's break time (2 hours). Anything in Rocklin area is good.

To the poster above with the Elk Grove info, thanks. I get on at the 5/99 by the airport so I try hard to be asleep by the time we get to Laguna/Elk Grove area.