Ramapo Travel Plaza

Like many people, I mistook this for just a giant McDonald's. It's bad enough that because of the incorrect location for this venue (which I just submitted for correction as of this review) most people were reviewing the McDonald's instead.

Anyhoo, this is your typical Thruway rest stop. You've got the aforementioned McD's, and you also get a Lavazza Coffee, Carvel and Fresh Fudge, and Pizzeria Uno. For gas you've got Sunoco.

I stopped here long enough to use the washroom and moved on. No complaints other than the grease smell.

I like how the Thruway service plazas have a variety of different vendors. This one at Ramapo has a Carvel and instead of Dunkin or Starbucks, they have a Lavazza Coffee. Nice!

Bathrooms here were not as tidy as those earlier. Just as busy, if not more so as we get further into Sunday night and the traffic back into the City gets heavier.

Again with the right-angle turn and the lack of shade for a nap but this late in the day, it was overcast.

[Review 11520 overall, Round number 1300 of 2019.]

If you're just looking for a quick pit stop to use a bathroom, gas up or grab a coffee this place will do.

However, if you've spent any time at all luxuriating in the other Thruway travel plazas with their modern rustic mountain lodge design, soaring vaulted ceilings, wagon wheel chandeliers and plethora of amenities, the Ramapo Travel Plaza stands out as little more than a glorified outhouse.

Instead of the cathedral-like grandeur of a Modena or Sloatsburg, here you get a cramped parking lot and a rabbit warren of a building with drop ceilings and (barely) three food options and (don't forget!) a sunglasses display case.

According to the Thruway Authority website, this is considered the "Sloatsburg/Ramapo Travel Plaza", but this is a cheap ploy to distract from the sad state of affairs at Ramapo.  While the two travel plazas are connected by a pedestrian bridge over the Thruway they might as well be on opposite sides of the world for the time it takes to climb all those stairs and cross six or however many lanes of Interstate highway. Gotta call BS on that one.

Is it better than one of those unattended bathroom stops in the middle of nowhere with a payphone and a soda machine? Sure. But is it in the same league with 99% of the other Thruway Travel Plazas? Not even close.

This rest stop is very convenient, however most of the stalls in the women's room were dirty or out of order.   Not many of the sinks worked either and they were completely out if paper towels.  
As for food selections there are carvel pizza or McDonalds.  There are also venting machines for other things.  
The low rating on this test area is not based on the food as we only stopped there for the bathrooms.  I will update the review if my next experience here is more positive.  As a women's room, I give this rest stop 2 stars.

Meh. Not my favorite. Sometimes it's clean-ish. But often it's not clean-ish.

If I'm really desperate, I have eaten here. But rarely.

In terms of reliability, there have been multiple occasions that this rest stop was closed due to water issues. Same thing with fuel availability...sometimes the gas pumps don't work. I always fuel up further north if I need to...just in case.

One of the worst travel plazas I have ever been to. Small. Cramped. Disgusting bathrooms. Seriously- there was water (?) all over the floor and one whole row of stalls were out of order. No paper towels. Broken hand dryers.

Will never stop here again.

This is a reasonable spot for me to stop as it's about 90 miles away from my house when I'm on a road trip. The majority of your options here are using the rest rooms and/or getting something at the McDonalds which dominates the plaza. It's always been reasonably well maintained.

Between the NJ border and Woodbury Commons, heading South, you are on a toll part of the NYS thruway system.  One of ten benefits of that is this test area.  It's a super busy one, but if you've been driving Rt 17 for a while and need a break, this is a good spot to stop.  

They have large restrooms, that have been maintained when I have been there.

Nice rest stop. Very clean. A lot to choose from for food and drinks. Restrooms are large and clean. Gas station available.

Had been driving for about 3 hours and needed a break and a place to pee.  Stopped in and found a McDonald's with several other fast food restaurants and a much needed bathroom.  They have a carvel here and I was really in the mood for ice cream, so got a large cup of a twist and that was considered lunch.  Hung out in the parking lot for a few minutes to relax and get ready for some more driving.  Nothing wrong with this rest area, must have been rebuilt since the other reviews as it seemed in pretty good shape.  Not your standard rest area, but it did what I needed it to do.