A
roadside park is a designated
park on the wide side of a
road for the traveling
tourist usually maintained by a governmental entity, either local, state, or national. It is for recreational use such as a picnic spot or a trail head. A roadside park will generally be found in a
rural setting, whereas a
rest area will be found on an interstate
highway in a suburban setting or between major destinations like cities. A rest area is specifically designed for the rest and relaxation of the motoring public. The roadside park with the use of
picnic tables is the predecessor of the modern rest area / travel plaza.