Your Favorite Stops along I-5

[kamikazecat]

Just wanted to say hi from Carson City!

We usually stop in Lost Hills for gas. It is usually so much cheaper there. We also stop at Harris Ranch. Love that beef!

 

[kylie71]

Hello Carson City!! Wow! Such a Small World, huh?
Your going for Christmas? That's going to be Amazing!

 

[bzkds]

Our favorite stops (coming from San Jose) are:
1. rest stop at Firebaugh
2. Kettleman In & Out/Starbucks/Quiznos
3. Lost Hills if we haven't stopped at Kettleman
4. rest stop at Ft. Tejon

On the way back home, we usually stop at the In & Out at Laval road just after coming down from the Grapevine. And Sonic Burger in Gilroy if it's close to dinner.

That breaks up the trip into approx 1-1/2 hr chunks. We usually leave around 8-9am and get to Disneyland around 3pm.

 

[SplashMo]

Nope. The Nut Tree was off of Highway 80 in Vacaville. It's now a shopping center!

Bummer I stoped there often as a kid...


Also Anderson Split Pea...

 

[silence]

There was a Nugget Market where I grew up--in Davis. Where is your Nugget?

I grew up in Davis too. Small world.

 

[Petamarie]

Can I ask an ignorant question?

I am from Australia and our trip to the states next year will include a drive from Legoland to Las Vegas. Will we cover this stretch of road you guys are talking about?

If so I will remember Lost Hills - it has a cool name too!

 

[kylie71]

Can I ask an ignorant question?

I am from Australia and our trip to the states next year will include a drive from Legoland to Las Vegas. Will we cover this stretch of road you guys are talking about?

If so I will remember Lost Hills - it has a cool name too!

No, Sorry, you will be on I-15, nowhere near this interstate.
The I-5 runs from Washington state to the Mexico border.
It covers, Oregon, right down the middle of California... through the famous San Joaquin Valley, and over the Grapevine Mountain, before reaching the L.A. Basin, and the Southland.
We are making it sound glamorous, when in reality it's a long boring drive. Thats why we all look forward to these little stops, along the way.

 

[LisainCalifornia]

No, Sorry, you will be on I-15, nowhere near this interstate.
The I-5 runs from Washington state to the Mexico border.
It covers, Oregon, right down the middle of California... through the famous San Joaquin Valley, and over the Grapevine Mountain, before reaching the L.A. Basin, and the Southland.
We are making it sound glamorous, when in reality it's a long boring drive. Thats why we all look forward to these little stops, along the way.

Exactly. Count yourself lucky to avoid the I-5. It is the most boring drive in the history of the world--and you practically need a set of toothpicks to keep your eyes open for it.

Lost Hills isn't as romantic as it sounds. It is just a newly developed rest stop town with newer bathrooms and a few new fast food places and a Starbucks. The reason we are all excited about it is that once you have hit a non-new bathroom that looks like it hasn't been cleaned since 1973, it can traumatize you for life. Some of those bathrooms and restaurants along I-5 make the perfect backdrop for a horror movie. As in, if the flies don't get you, the dysentery will! Think I am kidding? Stop by the Foster's Freeze in a town appropriately named "Los Banos" and be prepared to live an episode of Fear Factor.

 

[kylie71]

OMGosh! My thoughts exactly!!
Or try spending the night in a motel behind the Jack in the Box in Buttonwillow...... Talk about Horror!

 

[canadadisney]

We always hit the In n Out Burger right before the Grapevine. Even thought there is an In n Out Burger only 5 minutes from our house, I never go. It just tastes better when you're on a road trip!

OMG- we have never been to an In n Out place and stopped this trip on the I5- amazing!!!!!! We ate there 2 more times on our trip. Thank goodness for GPS, we would just punch in In N Out and find the nearest one!

 

[sasywtch]

Yes, I know where Vacaville is. My dad use to be head warden at the prison there!

We live in the Bay Area--in Moraga (near Orinda) now. My dad no longer lives in Davis, he moved to the retirement community near Roseville, so I don't get back to Davis much. It was a nice place to grow up.

o T

Ooooh next to Thunder Valley

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Just a word of warning about rest stops along I-5: many of them are now closed due to state budget cuts. They can't pay people to maintain them anymore. Last weekend, we drove from San Jose to Bakersfield and back. We stopped at the first rest stop after entering I-5 from 152 and it was open and fairly clean. After that, we didn't see any that were open the rest of the way to Bakersfield. It was the same on the way home. We stopped at the same one (except on the other side of the road) just before exiting 5 and getting onto 152. I don't know about the ones after Bakersfield when you're heading south. I assume at least some would be open. It's kind of sad because the I-5 rest stops are a nice resource!

 

[bzkds]

Exactly. Count yourself lucky to avoid the I-5. It is the most boring drive in the history of the world--and you practically need a set of toothpicks to keep your eyes open for it.

.

Sorry, but I disagree... driving through Nevada has to be the absolutely most boring EVER! lol

 

[LisainCalifornia]

o T

Ooooh next to Thunder Valley

Yes, my mom loved that Thunder Valley. She passed away last year, but my dad use to take her every Friday for lunch and gambling.

 

[mickey&arielsmom]

Just wanted to say hi to Arial and Kylie!
I'm another Sparks girl going to Disneyland this month.

 

[kylie71]

Just wanted to say hi to Arial and Kylie!
I'm another Sparks girl going to Disneyland this month.

OH, Cool! Yay for Sparks, NV!! When are you going??

 

[Ariel224]

Sorry, but I disagree... driving through Nevada has to be the absolutely most boring EVER! lol

Yeah, I'd have to agree with that!

 

[kylie71]

Yep, HWY 95 to Vegas for example...

 

[disneychrista]

We generally avoid the rest stops and hit Starbucks or McDonalds. They are both generally easy to spot (especially if you but your kids on the job).

 

[Ariel224]

Yep, HWY 95 to Vegas for example...

I actually had Hwy 50 anywhere east of here in mind.