Needed SAFE, NICE, half way hotel from Sacramento

[Mom2Joce]

I want to leave Sacramento on Monday evening and drive to at least Fresno, but not sure where to stop. Does anyone know of a little, cozy, safe place to do so?

 

[bclydia]

Hi
Can't help you on the hotel front but thought I'd say "Have fun"! We'll be driving down to go to Disneyland the same time you're there.
If you see a pooh-sized woman with an entourage of at least 6, 2 small children and 2 ladies with disabilities and a hubby in tow, say hi!!

Also wanted to say we'll be staying in Sacramento on the Sunday night and driving straight through to Anaheim on the same Monday. Perhaps you are more sane to be stopping than I am to think we can barrel on through.
Lydia

 

[tlovesdis]

I want to leave Sacramento on Monday evening and drive to at least Fresno, but not sure where to stop. Does anyone know of a little, cozy, safe place to do so?

Are you driving down I5 or 99?

 

[Mom2Joce]

I can go either really!!

 

[tlovesdis]

We drove down a few years ago and stopped off I5 at the Buttonwillow exit. We stayed at the Super 8. It was nothing fancy, but it was nice and clean and only $49! There are several fast food places right there too!

Have fun!

 

[Vanvmom]

There's also a Starbucks there! I can tell you where most of those are located between Sac. and Anaheim via I5

The Buttonwillow exit is a nice spot to stop. It is about 40 min north of the grapevine, so that will leave you with only about a 3 hours trip to DL when you leave the hotel that morning.

 

[Mom2Joce]

Thanks so much, I am looking into it as we speak!!

 

[Sthronds]

About 45 min. south of Fresno is Visalia, if you are on 99. It is nearly my hometown (I grew up 15 miles east) and it is a nice place to stop. There is a Holiday Inn right off the freeway by the airport and farther into town (on 198) is the Radisson. Both of these are nice. If you stop in Fresno, there are lots and lots of hotel choices. Have a great time!

 

[bclydia]

Hi there VanVMom!
Just wondering since you seem to be very familiar with the route, how long will it take to drive the I-5 from Sacramento to Anaheim?
Thanks so much!
Lydia

 

[Mom2Joce]

I wanted to let you know that the drive is typically about 8 hours. HOWEVER, many can do it quicker by driving fast and fewer stops! I've driven it many times and 8-9 hours is typical, IS doABLE, and can be done easily in a day!

 

[Mom2Joce]

Thanks, but I don't think I'll make it all the way to Visalia...I think I'll have to stop in Fresno...at the furthest Bakersfield.

 

[xmelissax]

If you are taking the 5, which I would think you would from Sac to Anaheim (I used to live in Sac, now live in Anaheim) I second stopping in Buttonwillow. It's the nicest of the exits I think. Also, it should take you 6 or 6 1/2 hours if you drove straight and only stopped for gas and a break to go to the bathroom and get a little something to drink.

 

[B9erSteve]

going down 99 you can stop in Tulare, they have outlet stores there with plenty of eating options. I believe that we stayed at Charter Inn on Prosperity. (maybe another but I'm pretty sure that is the one) It was clean and safe. A bit more pricey than a Motel 6. A bit more central than Fresno.

 

[Vanvmom]

With kids... the fastest we've made the trip is 7 hours, and we time it to avoid traffic. Close to 4 hours to Buttonwillow exit (actually, this is the exit we take from I-5 when we drive into Bakersfield to visit my family). We normally stop once to do a drive through meal, then again at a rest stop for a potty break, and can make that portion of the drive in less than 4 hours. From Buttonwillow exit to DL is anywhere from 2.5 - 3 hours depending on traffic. If you leave Buttonwillow by 8am or a little after you should miss most of the traffic through LA (still usually some areas bogged down by road work thru Valencia), and again just past the exit toward Pomona. We did the drive MANY times in 2004, and bought a DVD player for the van so that the kids were entertained for a couple of hours at a time.

 

[Mom2Joce]

Just checked Charter Inn on Trip Advisor and that's the one. It had no bad reveiws really. I think we stopped there on the way back and got gas. Sort of a newer area that had shopping, gas, hotels, starbucks, etc.?? The hotel had no pictures but I think I'm going to go with it!

Is Tulare BEFORE the grapevine, on it, or over it?

 

[Vanvmom]

Tulare is on 99 and is north of Bakersfield, therefor north of the grapevine. The drive down 99 is prettier than the drive down I-5, but at night...it all looks the same to me and traffic seems to flow better on I-5 from our experience... of course everytime we've driven down on 99 we've ended up behind an accident that blocked a lane of traffic.

 

[Mom2Joce]

Thanks, and yes, I've taken both. More convenient stops as well on 99. But I-5 runs more smoothly. Thanks so much for the info!!

 

[Mom2Joce]

OH MY GOSH!!! I can't thank you enough!!! I'm in the Charter Inn Hote RIGHT NOW and couldn't be more happy!!

We drove from Sacramento to Tulare in 3.5 hours. Check in was SOOOOO fast and easy, parked right up front and can see our vehicle from here, 70 bucks for the night, free wifi, free breakfast tomorrow morning, awesome rooms, HUGE tub, Bath and Body works bathroom stuff, VERY COOL (took a long bath after we got in), NICE lobby, CLEAN EVERYWHERE, great area, even forgot DD Clariton and there was a Longs RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, and Starbucks on the corner!!

THANK YOU SOOOOOO much for the recommendation We'll be in the park tomorrow

 

[B9erSteve]

You're Welcome, Enjoy the Park. I'm envious!