Rest areas a convenient place to stop on your travels

RICHMOND — Whether you’re a weekend joyrider or a serious traveler headed for the blue ridges or sandy beaches, if you need a place to stop, pull off the highway to a safety rest area.

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) maintains a total of 43 safety rest areas, including five truck-only rest areas and 11 safety rest areas with welcome centers, along Interstates 64, 66, 77, 81, 85 and 95 as well as Route 13 to assist travelers looking for a convenient place to stop. More than 36 million people visit safety rest areas in Virginia each year. Open 24 hours a day every day of the year, travelers can pull over to use the restroom, have a snack, walk the dog, enjoy some fresh air, empty the trash in the car and then get back on the road without having to add too much extra time to the travel plan.

“Safety rest areas are more than just a place to pull over to use the restroom or eat a snack,” said Allen Campbell, state program director for Virginia Safety Rest Areas. “For people making long drives and becoming drowsy, rest areas provide a location to pull over and take a break to encourage safer travel to their destination.”

Safety rest areas offer amenities such as handicap accessible restrooms and family restrooms, baby-changing stations, drinking water, trash receptables, travel brochures, pet areas to let leashed dogs exercise, vending machines, and picnic tables and grills so people can stretch their legs and cook a meal.

Not everyone traveling on the highways can easily pull into commercial areas to use the restroom and have a snack. Recreational vehicle owners rely on safety rest areas as a place to stretch their legs and walk their pet because they can better accommodate their motor homes.

Take a moment at rest areas to explore the state’s rich history and cultural heritage. Some rest areas feature highway markers that identify and document Virginia’s significant historical persons, events and places. Welcome centers, operated by the Virginia Tourism Corporation, have exhibits to educate visitors about the region’s history and cultural contributions. While at a welcome center, pick up a Virginia 250 Passport to help identify historic sites within the commonwealth and, at some of those locations, get discounts this year as part of the country’s anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

VDOT encourages rest area visitors to look for the “Rate Your Experience” signs that include information leading to an online survey about that rest area. The agency uses that feedback to help enhance guest experience and monitor conditions. Travelers can visit VDOT’s website or 511.vdot.virginia.gov to locate rest areas along their trip’s route as well as preview what amenities are available at each location.