Warning: Tried sleeping at a rest stop outside Tucson to save $60 on a motel

I figured I'd save some cash on a road trip last month and pulled into a rest stop around 2 AM. Big mistake. Every 20 minutes a semi would rumble by and shake my whole car, plus some guy knocked on my window asking for gas money. I learned that $60 is worth it for a basic Motel 6 if you actually want to sleep. Has anyone else tried the rest stop thing and actually made it work?

2 comments

2 Comments

jennys721mo ago

Girl same thing happened to me near Flagstaff last year. I made it maybe 45 minutes before a cop woke me up and told me I had to move along. Now I just budget that motel money into my trip.

olivia_allen1mo ago

Rest stops work fine if you plan it right. Pulled into one near Kingman at midnight last year and got a solid 5 hours. Park near the back where semis aren't idling, crack your windows just a bit, and cover your face with a hat. I keep my keys in my cup holder so nobody thinks I'm asleep, cops just wave. The trick is avoiding the first few spots by the bathrooms where all the foot traffic is. Saved $60 easy, spent it on breakfast instead.