A survey of 3,017 drivers and truckers was conducted by American River Wellness to determine what the top public restrooms in the nation are.
The Loess Hills Scenic Byway Rest Area, located on I-29 near Missouri Valley, was voted best in the state of Iowa and 102nd overall. For those curious, the Kula Forest Reserve Picnic Area in Maui, Hawaii took the top spot overall.
“We often think of rest stops as mere necessities, but they're powerful reflections of a community's values,” Graham Sargent of American River Wellness said in a release. “For long-haul truckers especially – who spend days or weeks at a time on the road – a clean, welcoming facility sends a simple but important message: 'You matter here.' We hope these findings shine a spotlight on the places that are getting it right – and inspire more towns to invest in the well-being of travelers across America.”
I'm sure we all have a favorite gas station or rest area for the drives we take around the state and around the country. For instance, this past weekend I travelled back home to Mason City for my nephew's birthday. On the way there and on the way back, I stopped at the Kwik Star in De Soto like I always do.
There's a rest area I always stop at when I'm on my way to Minneapolis. There's a gas station I always go to when I'm in Des Moines. When I was in Texas visiting family a handful of years ago, I made sure to stop at the biggest Buc-ee's in the country.
So, I don't really know what the point of this column is. Rest areas and gas stations are cool and we all have a favorite that we cater our trips to?
Anyway, congrats to the folks who keep up the Loess Hills tourist area around these parts. According to this survey, it was noticed.
