Rest areas on I-81: what to know
I-81 runs about 855 miles from I-40 near Dandridge, Tennessee, to the Thousand Islands Bridge at the Canadian border in New York, through six states. Its longest stretch, about 325 miles, runs through Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley, with the Blue Ridge Mountains in view.
It's one of the busiest truck routes on the East Coast, so rest areas fill up, especially in the evening. Choose a state below to see every rest area in it, or enter your trip, southbound or northbound, to see the stops on your side of the highway, in order.
Every rest area on I-81, in road order
Listed south to north, the way the mile markers run. Choose a direction to see only the stops that serve it.
I-81 in Tennessee
Tennessee has 4 rest areas and welcome centers on I-81: 1 northbound and 3 southbound. They come from the Tennessee Department of Transportation's current list.
Rest areas here come from the Tennessee Department of Transportation's current list.
Northbound: longest stretch between stops in Tennessee about 146 miles. Southbound: longest stretch between stops in Tennessee about 54 miles.
- Jefferson County Welcome Center (I-81 SB)
Listed by Tennessee Department of Transportation; open/closed status not published.
Amenities
Adult changing tableEV chargingFamily restroomAmenities from Tennessee Department of Transportation, Oct 19, 2026
- Greene County Rest Area (I-81 NB)Next stop ahead: 146 mi
Listed by Tennessee Department of Transportation; open/closed status not published.
- Greene County Rest Area (I-81 SB)Next stop ahead: 38 mi
Listed by Tennessee Department of Transportation; open/closed status not published.
- Sullivan County Welcome Center (I-81 SB)Next stop ahead: 35 mi
Listed by Tennessee Department of Transportation; open/closed status not published.
Amenities
EV chargingAmenities from Tennessee Department of Transportation, Oct 19, 2026
I-81 in Virginia
Virginia has 11 rest areas and welcome centers on I-81: 4 northbound and 7 southbound. They come from the Federal Highway Administration's 2019 list, so a newer stop may be missing, and the state hasn't confirmed their status.
Rest areas here come from the Federal Highway Administration's 2019 list. The state hasn't confirmed their status.
Northbound: longest stretch between stops in Virginia about 180 miles. Southbound: longest stretch between stops in Virginia about 58 miles.
- Rest area, I-81 southboundNext stop ahead: 54 mi
Status not confirmed by the state. Check before you rely on this stop.
Listed by the Federal Highway Administration (2019).
- Rest area, I-81 northboundNext stop ahead: 21 mi
Status not confirmed by the state. Check before you rely on this stop.
Listed by the Federal Highway Administration (2019).
- Rest area, I-81 southboundNext stop ahead: 54 mi
Status not confirmed by the state. Check before you rely on this stop.
Listed by the Federal Highway Administration (2019).
- Rest area, I-81 northboundNext stop ahead: 103 mi
Status not confirmed by the state. Check before you rely on this stop.
Listed by the Federal Highway Administration (2019).
- Rest area, I-81 southboundNext stop ahead: 50 mi
Status not confirmed by the state. Check before you rely on this stop.
Listed by the Federal Highway Administration (2019).
- Rest area, I-81 southboundNext stop ahead: 41 mi
Status not confirmed by the state. Check before you rely on this stop.
Listed by the Federal Highway Administration (2019).
- Rest area, I-81 northboundNext stop ahead: 30 mi
Status not confirmed by the state. Check before you rely on this stop.
Listed by the Federal Highway Administration (2019).
- Rest area, I-81 southboundNext stop ahead: 33 mi
Status not confirmed by the state. Check before you rely on this stop.
Listed by the Federal Highway Administration (2019).
- Rest area, I-81 northboundNext stop ahead: 180 mi
Status not confirmed by the state. Check before you rely on this stop.
Listed by the Federal Highway Administration (2019).
- Rest area, I-81 southboundNext stop ahead: 30 mi
Status not confirmed by the state. Check before you rely on this stop.
Listed by the Federal Highway Administration (2019).
- Winchester Safety Rest Area/Welcome CenterNext stop ahead: 58 mi
Status not confirmed by the state. Check before you rely on this stop.
Listed by the Federal Highway Administration (2019).
I-81 in West Virginia
West Virginia has 1 welcome center on I-81: 0 northbound and 1 southbound. It comes from the Federal Highway Administration's 2019 list, so a newer stop may be missing, and the state hasn't confirmed its status.
Rest areas here come from the Federal Highway Administration's 2019 list. The state hasn't confirmed their status.
Northbound: longest stretch between stops in West Virginia about 180 miles. Southbound: longest stretch between stops in West Virginia about 93 miles.
- Welcome center, I-81 southboundNext stop ahead: 29 mi
Status not confirmed by the state. Check before you rely on this stop.
Listed by the Federal Highway Administration (2019).
I-81 in Maryland
No rest areas are listed on I-81 in Maryland. The list is from 2019, so a newer stop may be missing.
Rest areas here come from the Federal Highway Administration's 2019 list. The state hasn't confirmed their status.
Northbound: longest stretch between stops in Maryland about 180 miles. Southbound: longest stretch between stops in Maryland about 93 miles.
I-81 in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has 7 rest areas on I-81: 3 northbound and 4 southbound. They come from the Federal Highway Administration's 2019 list, so a newer stop may be missing, and the state hasn't confirmed their status.
Rest areas here come from the Federal Highway Administration's 2019 list. The state hasn't confirmed their status.
Northbound: longest stretch between stops in Pennsylvania about 180 miles. Southbound: longest stretch between stops in Pennsylvania about 93 miles.
- Rest area, I-81 northboundNext stop ahead: 76 mi
Status not confirmed by the state. Check before you rely on this stop.
Listed by the Federal Highway Administration (2019).
- Rest area, I-81 southboundNext stop ahead: 93 mi
Status not confirmed by the state. Check before you rely on this stop.
Listed by the Federal Highway Administration (2019).
- Rest area, I-81 northboundNext stop ahead: 46 mi
Status not confirmed by the state. Check before you rely on this stop.
Listed by the Federal Highway Administration (2019).
- Rest area, I-81 southboundNext stop ahead: 78 mi
Status not confirmed by the state. Check before you rely on this stop.
Listed by the Federal Highway Administration (2019).
- Rest area, I-81 northboundNext stop ahead: 33 mi
Status not confirmed by the state. Check before you rely on this stop.
Listed by the Federal Highway Administration (2019).
- Rest area, I-81 southboundNext stop ahead: 50 mi
Status not confirmed by the state. Check before you rely on this stop.
Listed by the Federal Highway Administration (2019).
- Rest area, I-81 southboundNext stop ahead: 24 mi
Status not confirmed by the state. Check before you rely on this stop.
Listed by the Federal Highway Administration (2019).
I-81 in New York
New York has 6 rest areas on I-81: 3 northbound and 3 southbound. They come from the New York State Department of Transportation's current list.
Rest areas here come from the New York State Department of Transportation's current list.
Northbound: longest stretch between stops in New York about 114 miles. Southbound: longest stretch between stops in New York about 114 miles.
- Broome GatewayNext stop ahead: 58 mi
Open · Status from New York State Department of Transportation, updated Dec 25, 2024
Amenities
Picnic areaVendingVisitor info5 accessible spaces5 bus spaces76 car spaces29 truck spacesAmenities from New York State Department of Transportation, Dec 25, 2024
- Whitney PointNext stop ahead: 34 mi
Open · Status from New York State Department of Transportation, updated Dec 25, 2024
Amenities
0 accessible spaces0 bus spaces0 car spaces0 truck spacesNo phoneNo picnic areaNo vendingAmenities from New York State Department of Transportation, Dec 25, 2024
- PrebleNext stop ahead: 114 mi
Open · Status from New York State Department of Transportation, updated Dec 25, 2024
Amenities
0 accessible spaces0 bus spaces0 car spaces0 truck spacesNo phoneNo picnic areaNo vendingAmenities from New York State Department of Transportation, Dec 25, 2024
- WatertownNext stop ahead: 114 mi
Open · Status from New York State Department of Transportation, updated Dec 25, 2024
Amenities
0 accessible spaces0 bus spaces0 car spaces0 truck spacesNo phoneNo picnic areaNo vendingAmenities from New York State Department of Transportation, Dec 25, 2024
- Town of Orleans
Open · Status from New York State Department of Transportation, updated Dec 25, 2024
Amenities
0 accessible spaces0 bus spaces0 car spaces0 truck spacesNo phoneNo picnic areaNo vendingAmenities from New York State Department of Transportation, Dec 25, 2024
- Collins LandingNext stop ahead: 31 mi
Open · Status from New York State Department of Transportation, updated Dec 25, 2024
Amenities
0 accessible spaces0 bus spaces0 car spaces0 truck spacesNo phoneNo picnic areaNo vendingAmenities from New York State Department of Transportation, Dec 25, 2024
Long stretches without a rest area
Stretches longer than 60 miles, by direction.
- Northbound, no rest areas are listed for 146 miles between Greene County Rest Area (I-81 NB) (mile 21 in Tennessee) and Rest area, I-81 northbound (mile 108 in Virginia). Plan your stops before you go.
- Northbound, no rest areas are listed for 103 miles between Rest area, I-81 northbound (mile 129) and Rest area, I-81 northbound (mile 232). Plan your stops before you go.
- Northbound, no rest areas are listed for 180 miles between Rest area, I-81 northbound (mile 262 in Virginia) and Rest area, I-81 northbound (mile 79 in Pennsylvania). Plan your stops before you go.
- Northbound, no rest areas are listed for 76 miles between Rest area, I-81 northbound (mile 79) and Rest area, I-81 northbound (mile 156). Plan your stops before you go.
- Northbound, no rest areas are listed for 114 miles between Preble (mile 14) and Town of Orleans. Plan your stops before you go.
- Southbound, no rest areas are listed for 114 miles between Watertown (mile 43) and Whitney Point (mile 9). Plan your stops before you go.
- Southbound, no rest areas are listed for 78 miles between Rest area, I-81 southbound (mile 157) and Rest area, I-81 southbound (mile 79). Plan your stops before you go.
- Southbound, no rest areas are listed for 92 miles between Rest area, I-81 southbound (mile 79 in Pennsylvania) and Welcome center, I-81 southbound (mile 25 in West Virginia). Plan your stops before you go.
Rest areas on I-81 south (southbound)
Many drivers use I-81 southbound as an inland alternative to I-95, from Pennsylvania and New York toward Tennessee and the Southeast. Southbound you pass through Pennsylvania's Cumberland Valley, the short stretches in Maryland and West Virginia, and the long Virginia run down the Shenandoah Valley past Harrisonburg, Roanoke, and Bristol.
Virginia has a welcome center near the West Virginia line for southbound drivers. Choose Virginia on this page to see them all.
Rest areas on I-81 north (northbound)
Northbound, I-81 climbs out of Tennessee into Virginia at Bristol, runs up the valley, and continues through Pennsylvania past Harrisburg, Scranton, and the Pocono foothills to Binghamton and Syracuse in New York. Winters in northern Pennsylvania and New York bring heavy snow, especially near Syracuse and Watertown.
The Shenandoah Valley
The Virginia stretch is the most scenic part of the drive, with farmland between the Blue Ridge and the Allegheny Mountains. It's also busy with trucks, and has long, steep grades in places. Exits lead to Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway for a slower, prettier drive; see our Blue Ridge Parkway road trip.
Tips for driving I-81
- Give trucks room: I-81 carries heavy truck traffic. Stay out of their blind spots and let them pass on the hills.
- Stop before evening: Rest area parking fills with trucks in the evening, so take your breaks earlier in the day.
- Check winter weather: Lake-effect snow can be heavy in New York near Syracuse and Watertown, and winter storms bring heavy snow to northern Pennsylvania.
- Take the grades slowly: Virginia's stretch has long, steep hills. RVs and trailers should use lower gears on the way down.
What the status on each rest stop means
We never call a rest stop open unless the state, or someone who checked, has confirmed it. A stop marked "Status not confirmed by the state" comes from the Federal Highway Administration's 2019 national list and may have closed or changed, so check before you rely on it. Amenities appear only where the state lists them. See how our status labels work.
Rest areas on I-81: frequently asked questions
Where are the rest areas on I-81 south? +
How long is I-81? +
What states does I-81 go through? +
Is I-81 a good alternative to I-95? +
Do I-81 rest areas allow overnight parking? +
How long does it take to drive I-81? +
⚠️ For planning only. Rest area status, hours, amenities, and parking rules can change, and our data is incomplete. Check before you rely on a stop, obey posted signs and time limits, and never drive tired. See our Terms of Use.