I know this is an old thread, but I figured I would give my question a whirl on here, as it pertains a lot to what has been said already.

I am travelling along I-5 from Sacramento to the Canadian border on the 21st of April and I am curious if any truckers or travelers have advice on safe places (tried and true!) to nap and sleep along the way. I drove straight through with a friend on my way to Sacramento, but she has since gone her own way and I will be heading back alone. I plan to sleep overnight on the 21st for at least 5-7 hours in my car, which is fairly small, but it has been done before in Canada with no problems.

I will mention that I am quite independent and tend to be a tad bit fearless, which is my reason for posting here. I need a healthy dose of reality. If you have any suggestions on places to sleep safely (specific truck stops, rest stops, parking lots, etc.) or places not to sleep, do let me know. I am less familiar with traveling in the USA, and obviously there are some major differences in America and Canada for traveling.

Any info appreciated :)