I usually stop here when I drive down to San Diego to visit my daughter. I pass by this rest area…read morefrom time to time. This rest area has a lot of potential to be really wonderful, with its amenities, a nice park like atmosphere, and an ocean view. Outside, there is a place where you can buy drinks, and there is also plenty of parking. Inside, it is quite clean for a public restroom facility. It's just a simple stop along the way, but it's comfortable enough when you need a break on the road.

Whether you are being screamed at, "Are we there yet?!" by young children, need to use the rest…read moreroom/stretch your legs or are hungry for a snack: your saving grace when on the road are rest stops. Although these are more abundant in other parts of the country than the state of California; some of these roadside angels pop up here and there. The distance between Los Angeles and San Diego may not be exorbitantly long but I am in the, "I drink a lot of water" - camp and needed to use the rest room plus walk around. I was getting quite cranky and testing my boyfriend's patience but luckily the Aliso Creek Rest Area came to the rescue. The Aliso Creek Rest Area sits on the southbound side of the I-5 freeway near Oceanside/Aliso Viejo and welcomes road warriors with a large parking lot, grassy knolls, several bathroom buildings (I mean 'severa'l!) and concession snack outposts. But this isn't your typical rest stop, folks. This place is nnnniiicccee! The Aliso Creek Rest Area is shockingly clean: this isn't a rest stop out of a horror movie and instead delights bycombining nature with architecture. Trees, brights flowers/vines and plants are found plenty at the Aliso Creek Rest Area with a soundtrack of Starling birds singing/chirping their impressive vocal ranges bringing peace and serenity to your drive. What looks like hundreds of ground squirrels roam free with no fear of humans and happily accept food out of your hands (I fed one ground squirrel plenty of almonds which he/she happily shoved inside cheeks) and some parking sea gulls also try try their luck at snagging lunch. The Aliso Creek Rest Area is rejuvenating to the soul.  I have a weird fear of public bathrooms/toilets (well, toilets in general but this is not a therapy session) and the beautiful Spanish architectural style buildings at the Aliso Creek Rest Area are straight out of Architecture Digest while the bathrooms are clean and well stocked. I generally hate public bathrooms and expected roadside restrooms to be terrifying but these weren't bad at all! Trust me if I approve - it means something!  Looking for a snack or to feed those squirrels? The Aliso Creek Rest Area features several vending machines with dry snacks (chips, nuts, cookies, candy/chocolate), a sandwich machine (not sure if I trust that, though) and of course beverage machines with water, soda, Gatorade and coconut water; accepting both cash and card. My only complaint is that these machines need some healthier options and gluten free snacks for us Celiac folks. The closest thing were almonds and granola bars and it would be nice to have other options but I suppose I am expecting too much from a rest stop. The Aliso Creek Rest Area is a clean and inviting rest stop offering bathrooms, snacks and a nature respite to refresh and get you back on the road while in between Los Angeles and San Diego. Check it out for yourself next time you are on the I-5 southbound!

Clean facilities with plenty of parking and huge trees for shade in picnic areas. Definitely a safe…read moreplace to enjoy and take a break.

We had to rearrange our ride as we were approaching our destination soon. Relatively clean rest…read morestop including the rest rooms. Lots of parking.

This place is beautiful I'd love to take a vacation and just stay at this gas station or rest stop…read more. Definitely a cool place to stop if you have a RV. Beautiful little rest area grass and trees mountainside rocks breathtaking. Restaurant with a parking lot filled with nice men on their motorcycles.Right next to the gas pump I went into go pay with what I thought would've been the register turns out cute antique vintage store , love it ! You have to walk a couple steps up to a cute fresh produce market where you pay for your gas you can get delicious fresh produce as well . So cute across the way there's a nursery . The prettiest little place you've ever seen .

Quaint Country Gas Station in Fullerton…read more They have Diesel and Regular Unleaded, but only 2 pumps. You have to pay at the convenience store and market that is awesome

Disgusting. Noisy. No shade…read more I stopped for a quick nap and did not like this rest area at all. I hope it's not a sign of how bad California does highway rest areas! First, no shade. Okay, that's livable if you can park at the right angle. I was able to line up with the back doors into the Sun so it didn't get hot inside. Second, no deceleration ramp. People we're zipping into and out of this rest area and that's an accident waiting to happen. Third, it was noisy. Right next to the highway with no barrier from the road. Loud trucks going past and some of them using their engines to break. Not a good experience. After the nap, I thought I might use the restroom. It was disgusting. Papers on the floor, graffiti and worst, unflushed toilets full of waste. Do yourself a favor and drive a few miles west to the Love's Travel Stop. Big parking lot, clean bathrooms, a much better experience.

It's a rest stop. Sadly it's not in great shape. It needs some cleaning attention. You're in the…read moremiddle of the desert so aren't expecting a five star resort atmosphere but sheesh!

Nice place for a quick rest take the dog out let the kids run around. Little education of the wild…read moreanimals that live here rabbits, snakes squirrels. This time there was some construction going on here.. there was also a few working cleaning up around 2:45pm.

Icky rest stop area. Keep going and find something up ahead or stop at the summit which is just 15…read moreminutes more up the road.

My Tia and I were on our way to Arizona and decided to make a random stop here. I make this trip…read moreregularly but have never stopped here. This is a really nice little stop over. Bathrooms were clean and they even had pick-nick tables available with shade.

If I could give this rest stop a zero, I would. My husband and I Stopped at this rest stop because…read morewe had been driving for a while and I needed to use the restroom badly. I walked up to the restroom on the left side of the building and it was locked. I then walked over to the one on the right side and it was the most disgusting restroom I've ever seen. There was urine and feces all over the floor and every single toilet seat. It looked as if more than one toilet exploded. I will NEVER stop here again. Overflowed toilets should not be happening. Not to mention the empty soap dispensers and no paper towels. What is the Department of transportation doing? They should have an employee assigned to these rest stops, knowing they are constantly being used.

Bring toilet paper and hand sanitizer. This place was soo messy and no toilet paper. I couldn't…read moreopen the door to my stall to get out. Womans bathroom needs a lot of TLC

Always good to see a rest area when on a road trip. This one on 10E side (Wildwood) has a…read moredesignated "pet area". One women's rest room was closed. Other one thankfully was open and operational. The sinks were gross not sure what someone did in it. Usual trash on floor as a lot of people can't use a trash can. Toilet paper was fully stocked in the stall I used. That's a bonus! Picnic tables all around with shade shelter but in today's rain everything is totally wet. There is a water spigot right in front. The lighting isn't the usual led fixtures so not sure how brightly lit this is at night. Faucets didn't work in ladies room, a few of us tried them. No soap in dispenser but one hand dryer did work. Just bring some hand sanitizer or something. Overall you are not squatting on the ground in the woods but it's not the best rest stop. Just thankful for the facilities while on the road with a tiny bladder. Happy and safe travels everyone.

Very nice and clean. A lot of area to stretch out and let the pets run around…read more Close to the mountains and very windy. Cleans restrooms!

This rest area was disgusting. Overflowed toilets with sketchy people. Shameful. Texas has…read morebeautiful well kept rest areas. This one is horrible. O stars

Great location with various stations with rangers that answered questions. They have displays and…read morepictures about this history in the area. They have interactive displays great for the kiddos where they can become official junior rangers. Connected is a gift store the you can buy Joshua tree seedlings to grow a tree

One of four visitor centers for Joshua Tree National Park, each having a slightly different name,…read morethis location is in downtown Joshua Tree, surrounded by other city buildings. It is the one fronting the West entrance to the Park, which is the more popular of the two. It is located before having to pay the park entrance fee. It was manned by two friendly, quite busy volunteer rangers, answering any questions about your visit. We didn't have time to visit the park itself, so took the opportunity to learn a bit more about the park from displays and presentations. As I learned, it is crowded inside (shoulder to shoulder). There is a dedicated parking lot, along with street parking, and a small gift shop. My wife's mom ended up buying a tote bag (or two) to take back home. We didn't get to go inside the park this time, but was able to see plenty of Joshua trees real close, which are only endemic to this area.

5 stars! What a delightful little escape! We stayed just one…read morenight in this absolutely adorable cabin, and it instantly felt like a warm, homey retreat. Spacious, Has big rooms, fresh towels, and a cozy vibe that made it hard to leave. The fireplace was super easy to use and kept the entire place toasty. The kitchen is large and wonderfully stocked with all the appliances you could need we baked and cooked throughout our stay. Outside, the surroundings are stunning! peaceful and beautiful, with nature all around. Even though nearby homes are somewhat close, the layout and trees make it feel completely private you hardly notice. The only suggestion is that we couldn't quite figure out how to crank up the TV volume, so make sure to bring portable speaker for movie night. Highly recommend, it's the perfect cozy getaway! We'd love to come back for longer next time. Lisa, Terry, and Joyce were amazing at the front desk!! Our cabin was called the creek suite I believe!

My boyfriend and I visited Idyllwild for my 40th birthday in September of 2025. We stayed in cabin…read more#8 at Idyllwild Inn. Sorry that this review is coming so late! The staff at the reception desk were super helpful and gave us suggestions of things to do for the two nights we stayed. The cabin was cute and perfect for 2 people to stay in. It was clean and presentable. The queen size bed did not work well for us. We were pretty cramped and the bed wasn't the most comfortable. I wish that I had brought my pillows from home, but decided against it before we hit the road. I would recommend for a weekend getaway. Idyllwild is a beautiful place and although we weren't the most comfortable for two nights, we still had a great time.