Clean, well stocked restrooms. Picnic tables with roofs. Perfect for hot sunny or rainy days. Vending machines. Halfway between LA and San Jose along I5 N & S. This rest area serves its purpose really well. Stop by if you need a potty break, stretch, eat, walk around. read more

Nothing better than clean, well stocked, open rest areas. Shout out to the Buttonwillow location! There was also a snacks and beverages area to make purchases. Refillable water station and history about the local community. Rest Areas have really stepped their game up beyond simply resting! read more

It's a quiet, convenient spot off the I-5 south to get a few snacks in the vending machines or take a restroom break. Women's restroom was clean with soap. I didn't get the same report from my male companion about the Men's. However, it's still better than a gas station! At least, there was soap! Just need to hop off and hop on the road with ease? Buttonwillow Rest Area is perfect for that! read more

Rest area and bathroom snack break. We arrived like 2:30 in the afternoon they were cleaning the bathrooms.. for the women they have 2 side one with one handicap and the other had 4 plus a handicap restroom. Toilet seat covers plenty of toilet paper. No paper towels they use air. The stall I used has a urine smell in it. But this is a well used rest area there was actually a line for the restroom. Vending machines drinks and snacks. read more

Buttonwillow Rest Area - Outside - Rest Stops Near Me - Buttonwillow, California

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I always find a kind of strange to write a review about a rest area. But, I guess that's how all of us Yelpers come to find out about what to expect at the places we go. This rest area is located along I5. It is just one of those rest areas out in the middle of nowhere along the highway, like so many others along California highways. This rest area is not very large. In fact, it's parking lot and its facilities are fairly small. I guess that's due to the amount of patrons it has. Once you pull off the highway, it's very much the same as all the other rest areas along California highways. You pull into a parking spot, you go and use the facility, and you get back in your car, and go on your way. This rest area has some coin operated vending machines over to one side. They're locked in behind some bars, obviously, because they want them to be protected from thievery. But, they do offer a few essential items you can get from them if you really need them. Overall, this rest area serves the purpose that these rest areas were designed to do. read more

Buttonwillow Rest Area - Rest Stops Near Me - Buttonwillow, California

This rest stop sits along the I-5 freeway in Buttonwillow and is located west of Bakersfield. It was a nice rest area with clean facilities. There was a lot of parking including ample parking for big trucks. It even had a pet area and one of those nice filtered water filling stations. I stopped at the southern rest area but there's also a northern rest area across the freeway. It sits about halfway between Northern California and Southern California which makes it a good place to stop, regardless of which direction you're heading. read more

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This is a rest area. There has to be thousands and thousands of people that stop here daily. The rest rooms were very clean. Very clean. The grounds were clean and neat, the trash cans were not overflowing. They were in the process of stocking the vending machines at the time. Thank you to Caltrans for building and MAINTAINING these facilities. I travel the 5 often between southern and Northern California, and truly appreciate being able to stop and take a break from driving. On my way home, I found additional information. Apparently this stop is maintained by The Lincoln Training Center(LTC) which is a not-for-profit, 501c (3) organization based in South El Monte. Since 1964, LTC has progressed from a small group of parents teaching their sons and daughters simple production work to an accredited, award-winning organization helping hundreds of adults with disabilities and service disabled veterans throughout California find meaningful work. See Link for more info. https://www.lincolntc.org/about/who-we-are read more

First of all, it IS open. The road says it is closed and GPS will send you a crazy way to get there, but that's wrong as of July 31. It's right of the freeway, lots of space for dogs, bathrooms were ok. Things to consider: vending machines were empty. It was extremely hot! Even in the shade and it isn't even that hot out. I would stop again if we had to, but prefer places with snacks! read more

Buttonwillow I-5 Rest Area is a great little rest area with character! If you're driving down the I-5, through endless farmland, you know the importance of a well-timed rest stop - and the Buttonwillow Rest Area delivers. It might not be the Hilton, but for weary travelers that need to pee, it's a welcomed oasis! Cleanliness: Shockingly tidy! For a high-traffic rest area, they keep things impressively clean. The restrooms are usually well-stocked with essentials, and let's be honest - this is the #1 concern for any road trip pit stop. Spacious: There's plenty of parking, even for larger vehicles like RVs and trucks. The picnic tables offer a nice little break from the car, giving you a chance to stretch out. Shade: Yes, there's shade! I'm a huge fan of the shade and definitely take notice of it. California's Central Valley can be relentlessly hot, but this rest area has a few strategically placed trees and shaded benches. However, on that note, you can never have TOO MUCH shade! Pet-Friendly: If you're like me and travel with fur-babies, there's space to walk them around. It's not fancy fu-fu, but it gets the job done. Vending Machines: They exist, but you won't find anything beyond the usual suspects - soda, chips, and candy. If you're holding out for something healthier, you might be better off waiting for the next town. But hey, they're reliable for that emergency bag of chips! No Frills: This isn't a full-on rest plaza. There's no fast food, coffee shop, or anything else commercial. It's really just a place to hit the head, stretch, and refuel your sanity before jumping back on the I-5. It's Buttonwillow, so expect wide-open nothingness with a dash of agricultural charm. For fans of the stark beauty of California's heartland, it's practically art. The Buttonwillow Rest Area does exactly what it needs to do--give you a clean, safe place to take a breather from the monotony of the I-5. It's a no-frills stop that checks all the essential boxes. Keep your expectations reasonable, and it might just surprise you. - Big Aloha! Food: 3 (Vending machines) Ambiance: 4 Service: 4 Value: 5+ (To be able to stop for a restroom break for yourself or the pet is priceless.) read more

A great stop for a quick bio break and stretching your legs driving along I5. The rest rooms are clean. There are also a few vending machines for some snacks. It's a pretty basic rest area stop, so don't expect anything like a restaurant or a gas station. Purely an area for you to park your car and rest for a short time and get going. The area can be quite windy - an extra layer is needed when getting out of the car. read more

Good spot to pull over! You know how it is when you are driving for hours on a highway that goes through the middle of nowhere! You are probably tired and want to pull over to stretch a bit. On top of that full of the caffeine you picked up somewhere up the road to keep your eyes open is knocking on the door and demands recycling! Well, that is exactly why the fathers of our interstate highways came up with the concept of the "Rest Area"! Buttonwillow Rest Area is exactly the thing you need if you are driving up north or down south on I-5. It is strategically located north-west of Bakersfield and way south of Kettleman City. Do not miss it thinking, "Oh, I can wait until the next one!" Pull over while you have the chance, stretch a bit, respond to nature's call and take a breather before you hit I-5 again! Don't be one of those who pulls over on the side of the highway and pollutes the shoulders! Come on! :- ))) read more

Buttonwillow Rest Area - Rest Stops Near Me - Buttonwillow, California

Four stars for a rest area that allows overnight parking. Hooray, I spent the night here in my Sprinter van and had no issues at all though the rest room needed some attention. One entrance that splits for cars to the right and trucks to the left. There is enough room for a bunch of cars and perhaps 40 trucks. Tonight, they were pretty quiet idling away and that provided somewhat of a wall to limit the noise from the highway. As the road is flat here and we're surrounded on all sides by farming, I wasn't listening to through I arrived at 10pm and was on the way at 6am. No issues, no problems. I did not see any highway patrol, but I wasn't looking. [Review 17545 overall - 342 in California - 1063 of 2022.] read more

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Decent I-5 rest area, just north of a cluster of gas stations near I-5 x Hwy 58. Rest stop is in need of a pressure wash and a paint job. If this is considered renovated, what did it look like before? Vending machines are secured behind bars. Grass is brown from lack of watering from drought. Lots of parking spaces. read more

Buttonwillow Rest Area - Real payphones! - Rest Stops Near Me - Buttonwillow, California

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Nice rest area. It's a small rest area than most, but it seems adequate. It's pretty modern and well maintained. There's a couple picnic tables and a pet area. You'll find a few vending machines as well. Need a payphone? They have three of them. I doubt if they've ever been used. Lots of trucks stop here as well. The flow is good though. They did a nice job with the layout. California has so few rest areas and it's not easy to depend on them being open along this stretch of the 5 so I'm glad it's there and in good working order! read more

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This rest area stop really saved my family and I on a long drive down the 5 South We pulled in last minute off the freeway, and found plenty of parking spots open. We hit up the restrooms and walked around the grass and rear gravel road. The kids needed to run around, so we got some exercise at the rear of the park against the orchard. Look out for all of the dog poop in the grass! There is quite a bit. We were driving down on Halloween, at this rest stop- two women came in up to us, in costume - randomly - and had trick-or-treat goodie bags for the kids. It was so nice and random Big shout out to those ladies, and I know you're reading this read more

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The restrooms at this location were a bit small. Though it was well maintained. East access to the facility. read more

Buttonwillow Rest Area - Rest Stops Near Me - Buttonwillow, California

11/7/21 Trying out different rest areas just so I can do another Yelp review, LOL. :) In my youth, we would NEVER stop at these rest areas; it was always Starbucks or fast food. These rest areas are much easier to go in and out! I save money and I do not end up over-caffeinating or eating excessive amounts of fast food. Quality/Quantity - Clean, but that is about it. Atmosphere - Not much here, but still nice to be able to take a restroom break. Service - N/A Price - Free!! Owner Suggestion - Thanks, but might want to invest a little more of our tax $$ here. read more

Buttonwillow Rest Area - 11/7/21 Simple Restrooms - Rest Stops Near Me - Buttonwillow, California

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Traveling with kids means stopping to pee in places you'd just as soon drive past quickly. Thus and thus, we became acquainted with the Buttonwillow rest stop. Easy on and off the Highway, plenty of parking even with my 30 ft. trailer, and restrooms were not as bad as lots of gas stations we've endured. I didn't bother with the vending machines, but allegedly there are drinks and snacks available for purchase with the change in your car ashtray (is it still called the "ashtray?") Hot and windy on our stop there... can definitely see cold and foggy here other times. Best not to linger-- get it done and be in your way. read more

Welcome to the world famous Buttonwillow rest area! Well okay, I guess it's not really world famous, but it is a decent rest stop area. The bathrooms were so so, but there are some vending machines and some good size areas to walk your pets. In the bathrooms, they have those dryers that blow just a small amount of air out and take an hour to dry your hands. The bathrooms do not have operating soap dispensers. You have to hunt around to get a few drops of soap. My wife tells me the ladies room was the same way. read more

Buttonwillow Rest Area - Maybe they forgot to empty the trash? - Rest Stops Near Me - Buttonwillow, California

Nice and clean rest area and easy access from I-5. This rest area have 5 in-service stalls for women. Covered picnic area with two picnic tables available. read more

Buttonwillow Rest Area - Rest Stops Near Me - Buttonwillow, California

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The Buttonwillow I-5 Rest Area appears to be one of the newly renovated stops on I-5. As with most, the Northbound and Southbound stops are mirror images of each other. It is typical of most in state rest stops with ample parking, an area for pets and kids to run amok, and clean bathrooms. This one had a bit less shade than most, and in the summertime its pretty hot. read more

Normally l stop at Buttonwillow, the exit right before this rest stop. I must have had a brain fade and drove right past it, missing my traditional Starbucks stop. Oh well. Stopped on a Friday around 10 am. There was a maintenance guy picking up bits and pieces of debris on the floor, but otherwise, no other work seem to be done. This rest area is just ok. There's vending machines, a pet relief area, and women/ men restrooms, including dedicated ones for handicapped. The toilets are self flushing, but it doesn't mean they flushed. The sink has soap and water but its the kind you have to hold the water down to let it run. So if you wash your hands, you have to touch the faucet to release the water, which kind of defeats the purpose of washing away germs. Not a lot of shade here. Literally its a pit stop to pee, maybe grab a snack or drink, and there's plenty of trash cans to empty your car. read more

This rest area along I-5 is roughly about the mid-point between Sacramento and Los Angeles, not far from the Exit to Hwy 58 to go to Bakersfield. The restrooms are decently clean for a rest area and has running water. There are snack/drink machines that look locked up (I guess to prevent theft/vandalism), but you just stick your hand through the bars to pack, select and grab your snack/drink. There are a bank of 3 pay phones that seem to be operational. There is a nice pet area for you to let your travel companions out to run around. There is only 1 covered picnic area, so this rest area is not a good stop if you are looking to stop and eat at a picnic bench. There are some low landscape concrete walls that is of seating height that you can sit on to each a light snack/meal on. There are other rest areas along I-5 that have more picnicking areas than this one. I would use this one strictly for a restroom break and let your pets out to run around a bit. read more

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This place is shady. But it gets a three from me because it's a free place to pee. This is a review of the southbound side. Both the northbound and southbound rest areas are probably identical. There are dual restrooms here - two for men and two for women. One of the men's restrooms was closed for cleaning, and the other one looked like it could use some cleaning as well! The buildings here are old and dingy. Vending machines are neglected. An ice cream vending machine with no ice cream (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/buttonwillow-nothbound-i-5-rest-area-buttonwillow?select=9pq4BTC4VAowkS8bdFIZgQ#2VWWpNPsNCB2Zy3U_RGa8Q)? Lakers 2010 NBA Champions (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/buttonwillow-nothbound-i-5-rest-area-buttonwillow?select=9pq4BTC4VAowkS8bdFIZgQ#mkeTYYv3LRicqFpH5xOMKg)? Yup. I was half-expecting to find expired snacks in the vending machines as well, but at least those were ok. It'd probably be illegal to sell them otherwise. There's ample parking, a designated pet area, lots of grassy space to run around, and two covered sitting areas providing shade. See? Told you this place was shady. So the next time you're cruising down I-5 and need to tinkle, stop by this shady place and take care of your business! What else can you do here? Well that's your business, not mine! read more

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Very Nicely Maintained Rest Stop SITREP This rest area has got some pretty immaculate landscaping around it! Quite impressive and nice if you are a dog who wants to take a quick run and rub up against some trees! THE SETUP Clean rest rooms with ample facilities considering the number of travelers that are stopping in. INFORMATION Lots of signage to report drunk drivers. Lots of glassed billboards with an amazing array of community information, traffic advisories and just the usual local cautions to watch out for Tooley Fog. Some pretty flowery displays about local community support services. VENDING There is an actual separate building just dedicated to banks of vending machines, so I am impressed with the service-requirement of those individuals that must keep this facility - and the other rest stops I hit along the way - all full of vending goods. THE LOWDOWN A great stop along I-5. read more

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Every now and then, people from Northern California want to drive to Southern California and vice versa. I-5 is one of the main freeways to travel on, and was our chosen route heading for San Diego for a family vacation. And when it comes to driving a long distance that often turns monotonous and tiring, said drivers will often turn to coffee or tea to keep them on an alert path. But the downside of consuming caffeine type drinks is, that stopping for bathroom breaks are inevitable! Lucky for us, Buttonwillow Rest Area was a welcome site as it loomed upon the horizon! We couldn't wait to "rest" as we found a parking place among the numerous spaces available. Although it was a bit of a trek to get to the rest rooms, I had no complaints! The general area is spacious and offers the typical rest area amenities. There is a picnic section, a dog friendly area and a scenic orchard nearby. The bathrooms appeared clean with automatic flush toilets. The hand dryers only lasted a few seconds, but at least paper towels were not getting wasted, and the transference of germs are minimized here. The whole site in general had little shade and most of the property seemed dry and a bit dusty. I'm pretty certain that this rest stop was once well groomed and had lots of green grass and trees. Unfortunately, due to the drought we have to conserve water whenever we can. But despite California's woes, I have to give a big thank you to the town of Buttonwillow for providing a nice place for weary travelers! read more

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Pulled in at 8 am so maybe the crew hadn't made their morning rounds yet. Ladies bathroom had a clogged toilet and both the handicapped side and regular side had a pungent odor of urine. The men's bathroom had a clogged toilet that was disgusting along with what appeared to be fresh graffiti on the walls. There were also toilet seat covers and empty plastic water bottles on the floor. Maintenance crew, you have your work cut out for you here. I wish people were more respectful. On a positive note, grounds were clean, and trash cans had fresh liners. read more

Without this Rest Stop, I dont know what I would've done. I won't be as rested to take a lil nap to recharge my body to continue driving... And the convenience of food available near by aka "The Vending Machines", they're not healthy by any chance, asides the nuts & sun chips, buts thats about it. Parking is plentiful. They even have payphone nearby... Its 2015, and payphone(s) still exist. Im thrilled. I haven't seen them for so long, since the last decade and the advent of smart phone. Bathrooms are exceptionally clean. Thank god its well ventilated and well kept. And bathroom tissues are well stocked. Thanks! read more

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Not the best rest stop I've been to, but pretty decent. They have a nice per area and it feels safe. Just wish the bathrooms were cleaner.

Kyle: "Really babe? You're really checking into a random rest stop in the middle of nowhere?" Me: "Yeah! Of course I am! I mean, how else would I know how many times I've been here and keep track of our stops? And look-there are yelp reviews!" Kyle: *Rolls eyes* "Ok, whatever makes you happy." Me: *Gasp* *OMG! I'm a REGULAR!" *Shoves phone in boyfriend's face* Kyle: "wat." On the way home from Coachella, we needed to switch drivers so we pulled into the first rest stop we saw. I checked in to see where we were and it ended up being the exact rest stop we stopped at on the way there! What a coincidence! No wonder it seemed familiar. This rest stop is pretty large. Plenty of truck and auto parking spots (but I've seen it filled up overnight from truckers taking a nap so be careful navigating around them). There are 2 restrooms for both men & women. One has more handicapped accessible stalls. Plenty of vending machines, including a coffee machine that spits out the most foul tasting coffee I've ever tasted. But it was hot and kept me up-and that was what mattered. The inventory of the machines can be hit or miss. There's a pet area to walk your dog and let them do their business. There are a few picnic tables and water fountains. It's always been clean when I've been there and fully stocked with soap and toilet paper. Perfect pit stop for a long road trip. But sorry Buttonwillow, I may be a regular, I'm not staying for long! read more

I stopped here on my way down to Southern CA. EVERY stall/toilet in the women's bathroom was covered in feces, wet paper on the floor, and there was not ONE stall with toilet paper or toilet covers. No paper towels to dry hands and no soap to wash them. The entire place was trashed and beyond disgusting. I understand that public bathrooms often get a little messy, but this was a health hazard. Feces on EVERY toilet seat? I have no idea who is supposed to be maintaining and cleaning this facility, but it needs more attention. Perhaps there should be an attendant making sure nobody is trashing the place. This was the worst experience I have ever had at a rest stop along any freeway in the United States. read more

Clean but smelly bathrooms--fairly well stocked as well. Great place if you have a dog that needs a jog break. read more

Rest areas on the 5 are still very useful, but they don't seem as useful as they used to. That's mainly because many of the rinky-dink stops along the 5 are no long rinky-dink; there are more places to eat, more places to get gas, and more dirty bathrooms to use at your own risk. The rest areas can feel scary, especially at night, but if you're trying to get from L.A. to SF or vice versa in a hurry, there's a distinct advantage to not tarrying at the latest Del Taco. You'll spend less money, gain less weight, and waste less time waiting for someone to come out of the ARCO bathroom with a key attached to a hubcap. The Buttonwillow Northbound Rest Area has the distinct advantage of being too close to Buttonwillow. Why is this an advantage? Because most of the other lemmings will have stopped, fed, and micturated at the least rinky-dink stop on the 5. That means more parking and a cleaner bathroom for you. The men's bathroom is almost always clean here, although it was gross once a few years back. There's plenty of grass for dogs and kids. There are shaded picnic tables, but I've only seen people using them twice. My main problem with the place is that it's too easy to end up accidentally in the big-rig parking area. That's not a huge problem in the grand scheme of things, but if you do want to park in a normal-sized spot, you'll have to be very careful and go the wrong way on a one-way street. read more

These places are always creepy. The bathrooms all marked up with secret scratchings like feral animals leaving their scent as a mark of dominance. This place would be a good model for a shoot-em-up video game - zombies and such would fit right in with this rest stop. Sometimes I need to stop to stretch or rest - but there is always this voice in my head that says, "Danger! Get moving!". I usually do. Some reviews claim the bathrooms are clean. Yeah. Think of using a fire hose to clean your bathroom. That's what kind of clean it is. If ever I'm in the area again, I'll do a check-in. My heart pines to become the duke of the Buttonwillow I-5 Rest Area; but only if I can do my check-in at 85 MPH as I drive by. (If you ever read about "Yelper dies in fiery crash as he checks in at Buttonwillow I-5 Rest Area", it was me.) read more

TIP OF THE DAY: check if there are toilet papers in the stall before you use it And I'm serious, CHECK for toilet papers before you use it, all three stalls were out of toilet paper. read more

I will admit, I only wanted to stop at this rest area because I don't know how to read and thought it said Buttwillow instead of Buttonwillow (I'm so mature I know) When we stopped there was a man playing guitar, one on a drum, and another guy playing the harmonica with a cat on his shoulder. This is true story and made stopping here completely worth it. The next time I drive back down to LA I will most likely stop here again. Parking is plentiful, the rest area is clean, and this is a great place stretch or rest if you need to. read more

Restrooms were not stocked up with toilet paper, but there were plenty of seat covers! Best part was the Ice Cream vending machine! Great open grassy areas for dogs and children to run! Also, has a shaded tables to picnic or plan your alternate route! read more

Buttonwillow Rest Area - Rest Stops Near Me - Buttonwillow, California

I like this rest stop because its fairly clean and open and has vending machines. But it has its downsides. -1 star for having broken vending machines with purposely incorrect pricing (illegal and/or lazy) -2 stars for its tap water tasting like butt. Im guessing buttonwillow contaminated their water supply with over fertilization or southern california water just usually literally tastes and smells like butt. Seriously, just coming back from a trip to mexico, and Im more concerned about my stomach after leaving this place :( read more

Disgusting, worst rest stop ever. Trash is overflowing outside and women's restroom is trashed, no toilet paper at all. Avoid if you can. I have never seen such a poorly maintained rest stop. read more

A nice clean rest area off I-5. Bathrooms were clean and at 4 am only one was out of toilet paper which is a fantastic thing. Quite a selection of vending machines but alas all with a very familiar snack selection. Lots of parking. A bit of a walkway to stretch your legs. Even a tiny Ramada with a picnic table (away from the bathrooms). read more

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