At some point during a road trip, it all comes down to this question.
“How far to the next bathroom?”
That question normally pops up on that long stretch of road where there aren’t many exits. There’s someone who needs to pee, gas is fine, and you see the next town is not as close as you’d think.
By doing a bit of research, you can reduce unexpected bathroom delays. Just build it into your travel itinerary like you would other things. Less stress and more enjoyment.
Here’s what You’ll Learn from this article:
- Research Stops In Advance
- Find Bathrooms That Will Suit Your Road Trip
- How To Find Cleaner Bathrooms
- Tips For Families & Passengers
- Bathroom Stops Can Help With Driver Fatigue
- What If Your Planned Stop Doesn’t Work
- Conclusion
Research Stops In Advance
Plan your trip route, and find stops that may be beneficial to take a break at. Most road trips, you will find stops right off the highway, instead of going into a town to find a public bathroom.
There are many reasons to do this ahead of time. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, the average US road trip is 234.8 miles one way in 2025. That’s quite a bit of driving without knowing where you’ll be using the restroom.
When first starting to research, you can use every 2 hours as a stop. AAA suggests drivers take a break every 2 hours, or every 100 miles. This can be used as a guideline when figuring out if someone will need to use the bathroom, not a hard limit.
Once you’ve chosen stops, try to find another one in between those spots as well. This way you have another spot if one doesn’t work, or someone needs to go sooner.
Make sure you do this for your drive home as well. Sometimes a bathroom may be available when driving to your destination, but not on the drive back due to the time of day. Also, if your route is in an area where you don’t have cell service, remember to note these stops and which highway exit they’re located at.
Find Bathrooms That Will Suit Your Road Trip
As mentioned earlier, not all bathrooms are created equal. There will be some that are located in businesses and will have certain hours. Make sure to do your research before driving by, and use them if it fits into your travel plans.
There are websites that allow you to find public restrooms in the US, or even around the world if you’re driving in Australia. Make sure to look at hours, if there are any accessibility features, baby changing rooms, and parking availability. Write down stops that will work for you, and maybe have a backup spot as well.
Doing this can be tedious, but it can help you avoid having to leave the highway to find a bathroom that may not work for your situation.
Also, take note of what type of stop you’re going to be using as well.
- Highway rest stops – These are a great place to take a quick break and get out of your vehicle.
- Service Stations – If you’re planning on stopping for gas or grabbing a bite to eat, you can stop here as well. Make sure the bathrooms are open to the public.
- Public locations – You can also use visitor centers or other public buildings that have bathrooms available to the public.
Check with your state’s department of transportation to see if they have any information as well. For instance, Caltrans lists some of their rest stops that are temporarily closed.
Always make sure to research, as there is no guarantee that you’ll be able to use these when driving by.
How To Find Cleaner Bathrooms
Finding a bathroom stop on your road trip is easy, but finding a clean one can be difficult at times.
You can always look at reviews and see if there are any pictures of the bathrooms that have been taken recently. You never know; that service station you passed by that had lots of cars parked in the lot could have cleaner bathrooms than that one you found earlier. Recent reviews can help, but online comments or photos cannot guarantee what the bathroom will be like when you arrive.
Consider keeping these items on hand when driving:
- Tissues/spare toilet paper
- Hand sanitizer/personal wipes
- Bag that you can store trash in (just in case)
- Change of clothes for your children (if you have small kids)
Scrub your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, then rinse with water. According to the CDC. If soap and water aren’t available, you can use a hand sanitizer with 60% or higher alcohol content. It’s not as effective, but it’s better than nothing.
Have your kit accessible, and not buried at the bottom of your suitcase. If someone needs to use the bathroom, they’ll thank you.
Tips For Families & Passengers
Everyone is different, and will need to use the bathroom at different points in time.
Children may need to go right after you told them they didn’t need to go. You may also have elderly people in your vehicle, or someone who is pregnant, who may need to use the restroom more often, or at no notice.
Allow for this when driving, and always ask your passengers if they want to use the restroom. If not, allow them to continue, and you can always stop at your next stop if they need to.
If someone requires an accessible bathroom, make sure to look into whether that stop will accommodate that for you. Just because a service station has handicap parking doesn’t mean they have accessible bathrooms.
Also, you can separate meal stops and bathroom stops as well. Sometimes someone may just need a quick pit stop, and won’t take as long as your meal stop will.
Bathroom Stops Can Help With Driver Fatigue
As you can imagine, if someone needs to use the bathroom, the driver is now forced to stop and take a break as well.
You can use these stops to stretch, hydrate, and see if you’re getting drowsy while driving. If you’re driving for an extended amount of time, make sure to give yourself enough time to rest, or switch drivers if needed.
Don’t hold off on using the bathroom just because you’re trying to make it to your next planned stop.
Remember to:
- Pull over to a safe area
- Use the restroom, and take a short walk if possible
- Assess the driver and switch drivers if they’re tired
Take a break; a short bathroom break is not a substitute for proper rest if you are drowsy. If you’re falling asleep at the wheel, you need to rest.
Try to avoid searching for rest stops while driving; you can have a passenger assist you, or pull over if you need to change your route.
What If Your Planned Stop Doesn’t Work
Things can happen, and that’s life. Maybe your stop was closed, the bathroom wasn’t working, or you were stuck in traffic.
That’s why it’s important to have a second plan, and That’s why it’s important to have a second plan and check your backup stop in advance. You researched that stop.
Make sure to double-check your hours, how to enter, and if there is parking available. Just because a business is nearby doesn’t mean you can use their bathroom if you’re not purchasing something from them.
If you’re out in rural areas, use a bathroom stop if you come across one that’s open. Don’t skip out on drinking water either; it won’t do you any good to hold it in.
If you need to go, find a legal stop to pull over. Don’t use the side of the road unless you are experiencing an emergency that needs to stop immediately. Continue to drive until you find an exit, or a stop that will accommodate your needs.
Conclusion
When traveling, make sure to plan your bathroom stops in advance. Know your options, and you’ll be able to enjoy your trip more.