Different states, different rest areas

On a recent road trip through New England, I made an interesting observation about rest areas on the Interstates. I-93 starts at the north-west corner of Vermont and heads for the south-east corner of New Hampshire before heading into Boston. As a “national” road that crosses through several states, much of what you see — aside from the scenery — stays the same. The signs look the same as do the rest areas that appear at intervals.

But as I traveled south through Vermont, I noticed something else about the rest areas. In addition to offering vending machines, there was also wi-fi access. In the mountains of Vermont, cell coverage can be limited so wi-fi access is a great feature. When I cross over into New Hampshire, I found that the rest areas featured State Liquor Stores! Since New Hampshire has no retail sales tax, I would guess the thought was to capitalize on cross-state traffic. However, I thought it sent an interesting message about drinking and driving.

Perhaps it is a reflection of the New Hampshire state motto: Live Free or Die.