T/A WILLINGTON CT, I-84 EXIT 72(i think):

I agree with the smell, all though (not an excuse) the water I think is heavily filtered there. Sometimes it doesn't smell as bad. I stay away from the buffet for the most part. Sometimes I'll get breakfast. Now with the Swine Flu/H1N1 virus, I'm eating out of the truck exclusively.

Yup the wait staff is really strange I'd agree. Went in one morning, had breakfast and had my thermos beside me. I didn't announce the thermos was empty, I never got it filled. The waitress, figured my bill, took my money and gave back my change. Never asked about the thermos that was sitting there for an hour.

Parking is decent, there are spots available pretty much all night. It just depends on how far a driver wants to walk.

Showers are also a problem, unless a driver hits them in the morning. The showers themselves are spacious.
Bring some disinfectant also. Which I pack in my shower kit 90% of the time.
The management doesn't seem to have an idea about cleanliness.

The biggest downfall, pay parking unless you get 50 gallons of fuel. At $3.099 per gallon, it's the biggest drawback.

 

sad part is you have to pay to park there

 

I don't remember which TA it was in CT, but I stopped in for coffee about a month ago, and the sign at the booth where you get the parking tickets said "free parking." This was on a weeknight.

 

what'd you expect? it's t/a, man. t/a is geared more toward the desperate-need-to-park-somewhere-before-my-hours-are-out crowd, haggard drivers, and people who are probably wanted for a violent felony committed somewhere, and have yet to answer to their probation officer.

 

the petro in wheeler ridge, california is pretty #### nice. no matter what time of the day or night, there is always parking in there. the spots are set up for blindsiding. however, a driver seldom has to worry about that because there are always more than a dozen spots where one can pull through. i'm currently at a pilot in ontario, oregon that has yet to have a massive backup at the fuel island. it has been relatively slow. the lot itself isn't THAT BAD, and the clientele doesn't seem to be the run of the mill slobs. there are some fine ladies working in there, too. believe it or not, the spot i'm currently parked in doesn't reek of ammonia. that's quite rare! i am able to leave my windows partially rolled down to let the nice slight breeze in.

each time i park at a t/a, it's usually due to needing to be off the road ASAP. i hardly ever venture into their stinky buildings. many of their lots in the midwest are inundated with hookers, drug dealers, and junk salesmen. i prefer to hide in my cave and leave once i'm able.

i think there's a sinclair t/s in dublin, va that isn't too shabby. the lot is somewhat small. last time i was there, it was very quiet. once i rolled out of there around 2300hrs, atlantic, the lot was still half empty. the old petro in frystown, pa was also quite nice. i've been there a handful of times. the diner was real good, too, and i didn't get the runs. other than those, i'm not too familiar with the truck stops on the east coast. i hardly ever get out there. all i know is that i stay the hell away from the ones in carlisle, pa. that place is a 24/7 mosh pit. i don't want any part of that bullcrap.

 

Best thing about Willington T/A is the Dunkin' Donuts coffee!

Unfortunately, seems every time I pull in there, at least one or two buses have just beaten me to it.

And the restrooms have been that way for years.

 

There's also not too many options up that way. There is a rest area on 84 in that vicinity. Northbound, you can continue on up to the Pilot in Sturbridge - very limited parking, there is some by the restaurant up from the Pilot, or you can hope that there is something on one of the I90 service plazas - even more limited. Southbound you're headed for the TA at Southington at exit 28 - that's also a pay lot, or the Pilot on I95 - which is most of the way to NYC.

Competition... it's good for the corporate soul, and better for the restroom aroma!