How are rest stop locations decided in Washington? Where else can I stop on common routes?
The classic summer road trip is something many American families are familiar with. Whether driving just a few towns over, across the state or even farther, long car rides are a traveling staple.
But the classic travel experience comes with classic caveats. Sitting in a car is only comfortable so long, and you may have to stop to stretch your legs. There’s also the food, drink and bathroom breaks for you or your group.
All of these challenges can be mediated by using a rest stop. Managed by the Washington State Department of Transportation, rest stops are located along major highways throughout the state to offer drivers a place to rest, use the bathroom, stretch their legs or have a snack. Many are also part of the department’s free coffee program, in an effort to prevent drowsy driving.
“Safety rest areas, including WSDOT’s, serve a vital safety purpose of preventing drowsy driving by giving drivers a place to stop, rest and stretch their legs,” Barbara LaBoe with WSDOT Communications stated in an email to the Herald. “Bathrooms are provided and in some locations, volunteers also run free coffee programs to also help prevent drowsy driving. Some (20) also have RV dump stations.”
Where are Washington’s rest stops?
This map pinpoints each of the WSDOT rest stops. A handful are multi-directional, while the rest have a location for drivers headed in each direction. Western Washington’s northbound and southbound counterparts are closer together than the eastbound and westbound counterparts at eastern Washington rest stops. They may appear as one pin, but the majority are two.
Some of these locations have seasonal schedules. Check your route and rest stops online before hitting the road.
The only WSDOT rest stop not included is the Silver Lake rest stop on I-5, which is closed indefinitely.
Choosing rest stop locations in WA
How are the locations for rest stops determined? Despite the expanse of eastern Washington, many of its routes have no rest stop. Across the state, there are trips with little to no rest stops available.
There are multiple factors at play, according to information from WSDOT’s LaBoe.
For starters, all rest stop locations were determined between 1967 and 2011. Modern funding does not allow for new rest stop construction, just upkeep and maintenance.
Additionally, location decisions have always been made following the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ Guide for the Development of New Rest Areas. This includes guidelines like:
Service locations with effective stopping opportunities every 60 miles on state routes and interstates
Safety benefit analyses, based on average annual traffic volume, collision data and associated costs
Effectiveness of location based on additional information on the area
Feasibility analysis on whether the location could handle the traffic volumes
Based on these guidelines, some areas are more optimal than others. WSDOT may pass up on larger urban areas with many places to stop along the route, or routes to less popular scenic byways or camping areas with accommodations from other departments, like the Department of Fish and Wildlife, or local organizations or tribes.
“WSDOT rest areas provide service to 24 million annual users,” LaBoe told McClatchy in an email.
Traveling between rest stops in WA
So, what if you happen to be driving in one of these areas without many nearby rest stops? What if you passed the one rest stop you could’ve utilized, and need to find an alternate option?
Here are some routes with long stretches between rest stops, and where you can stop in the meantime, many including a place to fill up your gas tank as well as stretch, use the bathroom and eat, without stopping at a fast food joint.
These routes may have seasonal closures in certain areas. Always plan your trip ahead of time by checking the WSDOT Real Time Travel Map.
▪ U.S. 101
US-101 is a north-south highway from around Washington’s Olympic National Park down to southern California. It wraps around the national land, starting with its I-5 connection near Tumwater, reaching Sequim up north, continuing west to Forks, then south through California. Through the entire Washington stretch of the highway, which would take over seven hours to drive in its entirety, there are no WSDOT rest stops.
Here are some recommended stopping points. Google the coordinates below or put them in a mapping tool and you’ll get the location:
Tumwater to Sequim:
Hood Canal Outfitters Gas Station - 24171 N. US Highway 101
The Tides Family Restaurant - 27061 US Highway 101
Longhouse Market and Deli - 271020 US Highway 101
Geoduck Restaurant and Lounge - 307103 US Highway 101
Sequim to Forks:
Texaco - 232951 US Highway 101
Fairholme General Store - 221121 US Highway 101
Granny’s Cafe - 235471 US Highway 101
Shell - 170 N. Forks Ave.
Forks to Aberdeen
Kalaloch Lodge/Creekside Restaurant at Olympic National Park - 157151 US Highway 101
Queets Trading Post - 402 Jackson Heights Drive
Quinault Internet Cafe - 6094 US Highway 101
PetroCard CFN - 128 US Highway 101
Aberdeen to Chinook
Clarks Restaurant - 731 US Highway 101 #6
76 - 104 E. Robert Bush Drive East
Chen’s Restaurant and Motel - 206 Robert Bush Drive East
Chinook Country Store - 775 US Highway 101
▪ State Route 20
SR-20 connects to US-101 near Uncas, traveling through Port Townsend. A ferry route reconnects SR20 near Keystone, then travels north through San de Fuca, then north right up to the Fidalgo Bay. From there, SR-20 splits, offering a route through Anacortes and to a ferry route to Canada, or a route to the east toward Burlington. The eastbound route continues through northeastern Washington. Near Okanogan, it connects with U.S. 97 through Tonasket, before breaking off and continuing east up through the Washington-Idaho state line.
Uncas to Canadian border (Anacortes Ferry Terminal) or Burlington
Safeway Fuel Station - 2611 E. Sims Way
Midway Carwash Chevron - 960 NE Midway Blvd.
Bayview Restaurant - 1539 Water Street
Callen’s Restaurant - 12981 State Route 20
Burlington to Diablo
GULL - 21481 State Route 20
Lorenzo’s Mexican Restaurant - 221 Central Avenue
Birdsview Diner - 39974 State Route 20
Mondo Restaurant - 60102 State Route 20
Diablo to Omak
Mazama Store - 50 Lost River Road
Winthrop Store - 228 Riverside Ave.
Methow Valley Ciderhouse - 28 State Route 20
East 20 Pizza - 720 State Route 20
Omak to Republic
Tonasket Food Mart - 589-501 S. Tonasket Ave.
El Torito Bar and Grill - 914 Koala Drive
Appaloosa - 202 2nd Street
Omak Travel Plaza and China Express - 800 Riverside Drive
Republic to Colville
The Knotty Pine Restaurant and Lounge - 645 S. Clark Ave.
Pine Grove Junction - 16267 State Route 21
Sandy’s Drive Inn - 1045 US-395
Maverick’s Restaurant - 153 W. 2nd Ave.
Colville to Washington-Idaho border
Usk Bar and Grill - 112 5th Street
Crystal Falls
Kalispel Rest Stop - 418452 - State Route 20
Mi Pueblo - 311 N. Washington Ave.
▪ U.S. 97
Route 97 is another west coast interstate, stretching from northern California to past the Washington-Canadian border. In the Evergreen State, it starts at the Oroville-Osoyoos Border Crossing, heading south through Omak and down to Brewster. The route heads around Chelan before briefly connecting with US2 between Dyden and Sunnyslope.
It continues south through Liberty and down to Ellensburg to connect with I-90 and I-82 toward Yakima. Breaking off again around Union Gap, Route 97 goes through Washington and Toppenish before heading south to Goldendale and reaching the Washington-Oregon border near Maryhill. Its only WSDOT rest stops are located along the I-82 stretch, around Pomona.
Oroville-Osoyoos Border Crossing to Omak
Tonasket Food Mart - 589-501 S. Tonasket Ave.
Brickhouse - 2002 Main Street Suite 3
Hometown Pizza, Pasta & Bakery - 1315 Main Street
Appaloosa - 202 2nd Street
Omak to Dryden
12 Tribes Omak Casino Hotel - 28968 US-97
Exxon - 405 US-97
Entiat Pub and Grub - 14481 US-97A
Agave Azul - 128 Cottage Ave.
Dryden to Thrall
Love’s Travel Stop - 1512 US-97
Perkins Restaurant & Bakery - 1504 US-97
Saks Family Restaurant - 2300 Canyon Road
Irene Rinehart Riverfront Park - 1081 Umptanum Road
Thrall to Toppenish
WSDOT’s Selah Creek Rest Stops
Wolf Den - 61 W. Wapato Road
JJ’s Birrieria and Antojitos - 633 W. 1st Street
Dad’s Family Restaurant - 433 S. Elm Street
Sherman Park - W. Birchfield Road
Toppenish to Maryhill
Yakamart Inc. - 111 Fort Road
Ayutla’s Family Mexican Restaurant - 630 E. Simcoe Drive
El Noa Noa - 227 S. Toppenish Ave.
Town House Cafe - 1040 E. Broadway Street Suite A
▪ US 395
U.S. Route 395 is another west coast highway, connecting the inland regions of Washington, Oregon and California, with some crossover into Nevada. Crossing into the Canadian border at Laurier, the Washington section of the route heads southeast toward Colville and connects with I-90 around Spokane. It breaks off around Ritzville, continuing southwest toward Connell and through Tri-Cities. The 395 then connects with I-82 through the Washington-Oregon border near Plymouth, breaking off again near Umatilla, Oregon.
Candian Border at Laurier to Colville
- Barstow General Store - 25290 US-395
- Colville Fuels Noisy Waters - 34291 State Route 20
- Sandy’s Drive Inn - 1045 US-395
Ronnie D’s Drive In - 505 N. Lincoln Street
Colville to Mead
- The Old Schoolhouse Trading Post -1372 North Street
- SpoKo Fuel - 2509 US-295
- Loon Lake Grocery and Gas - 3937 Gardenspot Road
- Wisconsinburger - 916 S. Hatch Street
Mead to Lind
- WSDOT’s Sprague Lake Rest Areas
- Ming Wah Restaurant - 1618 W. 3rd Ave.
- Love’s Travel Stop - 1370 N. Highway 261
- Viking Drive-Inn - 209 E. 4th Street
- Mi Jalisco Mexican Restaurant - 1604 Smittys Boulevard
Lind to Washington-Oregon border near Plymouth
- WSDOT’s Hatton Coulee Rest Area
- Connell Gas and Food Mart - 641 S. Columbia Ave.
- Pizza Station - 238 N. Columbia Ave.
- Papa Ray’s - 245 N. Columbia Ave.
- King City Indian Restaurant and Bar - 2125 E. Hillsboro Street
There are many more routes in Washington without WSDOT rest stops. Which would you like to see recommended stops for? Let us know here: