i-5 san diego thru LA rest stops?

[Whangler]

There are no cal trans rest areas on I-5 in so-cal. My truck and trailer combined is 50' long. Coming from yuma, az to sf bay area. I've passed this way many times but would always just blow non-stop through I-5 from San Diego to Santa Clarita where I'd stop for gas. Nowadays, I need to stop to rest more often. Any recommendations for relatively stress free places to stop along this route?

[AKsilvereagle]

Thanks you all. I ended up taking the inland route to avoid the socal metropilis. I-8 ->111->78 -> i-10-> 62->247 ->58 -i-5..... Didn't hit significant traffic til i-580 into the bay area. A bit of a shock after 7 weeks of the great wide open southwest.

My brain got a barrier block while reading these routes upon seeing 78 thinking you were going thru Ocotillo Wells, Ramona and Escondido and then continued on I-10 and realized 86 was forgotten to be posted before resuming on I-10 to 62.

All the years I lived in Los Angeles, Coachella Valley and throughout Southern California - the two routes listed I never commuted on is the 247 out of Yucca Valley and the 58.

In September 2019, I was climbing up the Grapevine southbound I-5 and my camper rig decides to fuel vapor lock for the first time it was so hot, and sure was glad I barely had enough speed to cut in front of two semis going uphill with no power and still made it coasting into a parking spot at the new rest stop area (new to me that never used to exist) ..Popped the hood up and let it cool for an hour and a half and resumed travel with no problem.

The old rest stop was pretty much at the base of the Grapevine (the Union 76 truck stop and frontage road)

I can certainly contest about the lack of rest areas throughout the LA metro and San Diego areas.

[Whangler]

Thanks you all. I ended up taking the inland route to avoid the socal metropilis. I-8 ->111->78 -> i-10-> 62->247 ->58 -i-5..... Didn't hit significant traffic til i-580 into the bay area. A bit of a shock after 7 weeks of the great wide open southwest.

[profdant139]

Yep. It's just used for that purpose alone, to avoid contamination. The hose goes into our sewer cleanout. The FloJet process takes a while, and is a little noisy. But it works -- I now can clean my black and gray tanks at home, really clean and well rinsed, with nobody waiting impatiently at a filthy dump station.

[Whangler]

profdant139 wrote:
I should add that the absence of rest stops was a big factor in our decision to get a FloJet macerator for home use. We are now much more likely to use the facilities in our trailer while on the last leg of a trip, because we can easily clean out the black tank at home.

Where does the effluent go after the macerator? Through a garden hose?

[profdant139]

I should add that the absence of rest stops was a big factor in our decision to get a FloJet macerator for home use. We are now much more likely to use the facilities in our trailer while on the last leg of a trip, because we can easily clean out the black tank at home.

[profdant139]

The absence of rest stops in Southern California is just shameful. What are most people supposed to do?

Fortunately, we RVers have another option -- just pull off the freeway into a wide open shopping center parking lot and use the facilities in your own RV -- much cleaner and safer than using a public restroom.

[opnspaces]

FrankToo has it, those two are still open. During daylight hours you can also add in the Pyramid Lake visitor center, You'll see the Octagonal building on the west side of the freeway. The bathrooms are usually clean and you can walk around and look at the displays of how the water gets from northern to southern California. When my kids were younger we stopped there whether they needed the bathroom or not.

[FrankoToo]

There's a rest area northbound I5 in between Oceanside (north San Diego) and San Clemente. Next one I believe isn't until the Grape Vine as you drop down into the central valley. Once you get out of the LA area though, lot's of truck stops with plenty of space to take a break.

[jdc1]

50'? I pull over into warehouse areas when I head to Phoenix. Just rest where the truckers rest, away from the fueling station and freeway noise. Up by lake Piru, on the 5, there is a museum that closes at 5pm. It's always empty and quiet.

[EYEMLOST]

CA Traveler wrote:
Gas station or truck stop but I wouldn't stop in the LA area.

You're taking the worst possible route IMHO, suggest
1. 405
2. 15, 210
3. 86, 10, 210 or 215, 15 to below
4. 15, 395, 58, 99 46, 5 or over to Palmdale to 58
5. AZ 95 to Parker, CA 95, 40, 58 and above - Best route

I concur on all points.

[EYEMLOST]

May I suggest taking an inland route North, then crossing over to the I5?

Many options there.


Otherwise; there isn't much from downtown San Diego to Whittier along the I5 corridor.

[CA_Traveler]

Gas station or truck stop but I wouldn't stop in the LA area.

You're taking the worst possible route IMHO, suggest
1. 405
2. 15, 210
3. 86, 10, 210 or 215, 15 to below
4. 15, 395, 58, 99 46, 5 or over to Palmdale to 58
5. AZ 95 to Parker, CA 95, 40, 58 and above - Best route

[DarkSkySeeker]

I don't think there are any. I've driven that stretch a dozen times or so. I don't think you'll find any rest stops until you're past the Grapevine.