Showering on road trips
 

I'm taking a road trip from Bellingham, WA all the way down to the Stanford campus in California along the coastline on highway 101. I took a similar road trip a few years back but turned back at the Redwood forest. Last time I was gone for about 4 days and didn't feel like I needed a shower until the last day. Instead of renting a hotel every night I just slept in my car. However, this time I think I will need to take a few showers. What's the best way to get a cheap or free shower? I don't want to spend $50 on a hotel room just so I can take a shower. I was thinking about taking a shower at a camp site, but I wouldn't know where to find one. Any ideas?

I am not sure if Highway 101 is traveled by commercial vehicles. however, if it is, you just need to find one of the TA gas stations where the tractor trailers fuel up - most of them have showers, gyms, barbers, laundromats, etc.

TA gas stations? You mean like the weigh stations that all semis have to stop at to get weighed? Or like the rest areas they have every 50 miles or so they have along the freeway?

She means truck stops.

On 101, you're in luck. There are TONS of state parks with camping along Hwy 101 that have showers. This website can tell you which parks along the coast have showers in Oregon: http://www.oregonstateparks.org/searchpark.php For California: http://www.parks.ca.gov/parkindex/default.asp?tab=5 For Washington: http://www.parks.wa.gov/parks/

Some of the Oregon wayside parks also have shower facilities due to their proximity to the beach.

It is. It really is.

The last time I was on a road trip of any serious magnitude, San Francisco to Miami, I had soap and I used a hose and towel. Just have someone watch for cops.

baby wipes, a hand towel, some soap, and a jug of water....

Awesome, thanks a lot. I didn't realize there were that many parks along the Oregon coast. Do I still have access to these showers (in Oregon) even if I don't pay for a site? Or do you think I can get away with driving in and just using the shower?

Some places require a day-use fee, and other places have pay showers anyways. If there is no day-use fee, I wouldn't feel a bit odd about just driving in and having a shower. It's Oregon.