Overview
Santa Nella is a town of about 2,000 people in Merced County in California's San Joaquin Valley. It's best known as a major rest stop on Interstate 5 and as the home of the iconic Danish-American diner Pea Soup Andersen's.
1 places to eat · 3 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Feb–Nov. Summer highs reach about 81°F; winter lows dip to about 38°F. Wettest: Jan and Feb. (climate data from nearby Hollister)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- MCE Merced Regional Macready Field, Merced — 31 mi away. Directions
- SJC Mineta San Jose International Airport, San Jose — 53 mi away (major hub). Directions
Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Food for you
Like most large freeway stops, Santa Nella has plenty of chain restaurants, including Subway, Denny's, Taco Bell, In-N-Out, and McDonald's.
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Eat
Like most large freeway stops, Santa Nella has plenty of chain restaurants, including Subway, Denny's, Taco Bell, In-N-Out, and McDonald's.
Eat Pea Soup Andersen's
Pea soup (eat-in or to-go) is the specialty at this charmingly kitschy Denmark-themed roadside attraction, but the menu contains many other options from sandwiches to dinner entrees to breakfast foods. Also has an attached shop with lots of snacks, souvenirs, and road trip entertainment.
Sleep
Go next
- Los Banos - about a 20 minute drive along 152 East.
Nearby
Los Banos
City / town · 6 listings · 10 mi away
Gustine
City / town · 1 listings · 11 mi away
Hilmar
City / town · 1 listings · 23 mi away
Patterson
City / town · 1 listings · 27 mi away
Hollister
City / town · 7 listings · 27 mi away
Atwater
City / town · 3 listings · 29 mi away
Turlock
City / town · 5 listings · 30 mi away
Henry W. Coe State Park
Park · 6 listings · 30 mi away
My experience
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