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These bathrooms here in Minnesota could be number one when it comes to #1 and #2!

Finding decent restroom facilities when you're on a road trip is always appreciated, and now these two bathrooms right here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes have been recognized as some of the best in the country.

And, in fact, they could be THE best restrooms in the U.S., if they win this year's America's Best Restroom Contest, that is. It's an annual contest put on by the Cintas Corporation to find the best bathroom facilities around.

READ MORE: Have You Visited Minnesota's Strangest Roadside Attraction?

Cintas says their America's Best Restroom Contest is all part of the mission the company is undertaking to 'locate America's porcelain pioneers who are taking dramatic steps to create unforgettable facilities.'

And two rest areas recently built by the Minnesota Department of Transportation are one of 10 finalists. Specifically, MnDOT's Clear Lake and Des Moines River Safety Rest Areas (SRA) in Jackson, along I-90 in southern Minnesota, are repping the Bold North in this year's contest. They're located just under 3 hours southwest of the Twin Cities, a little over 2-and-a-half hours west of Rochester, and about an hour and twenty minutes east of Sioux Falls.

Here's how Cintas describes these two MnDOT Safety Rest Areas: 

Open 24 hours to the traveling public, the SRAs share a similar design language that focuses on cleanliness, durability, safety and inclusion. Dual restrooms for each gender enable access to one pair during cleaning. Family restrooms are designed to meet the needs of families, adults with special needs and users desiring gender-neutral facilities. Entrances to the multi-user restrooms are enhanced by large photographic murals illustrating detailed views of the prairie landscape by a well-known local photographer.

Minnesota's entry in the contest is up against other apparently-stellar restroom facilities in Baltimore, Maryland; Nashville, Tennessee; San Francisco, California; New York, New York; Melbourne, Florida; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Huntsville and Salt Lake City, Utah;  and Greenville, South Carolina.

Voting is open now through August 11th, 2023 on the Cintas website, and the contest rules say the winning restroom will receive $2,500 in products and services from Cintas. So, go Minnesota! And speaking of road trips, keep scrolling to check out the Must-Drive Roads in Every State.

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