If you take lots of road trips, and you haven’t stopped at a Buc-ee’s, I am here to share five reasons why you should always stop at one! We discovered Buc-ee’s about a year ago on our way to a soccer tournament in Atlanta. My child and I were both shocked and amazed at what we experienced on our first visit.
So what exactly is Buc-ee’s?
Buc-ee’s is a chain of travel centers that started in Texas and has slowly made its way to the southern states of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee. However, Buc-ee’s is not just a convenience store with gas pumps and bathrooms. It is so much more! For those of you who live in East Tennessee, they are opening one in Sevierville this May and it is supposed to be the biggest one yet!
Let’s talk about why you need to stop at Buc-ee’s the next time you hit the road:
1. Clean bathrooms. Need I say more? It can be difficult to find clean bathrooms when you are traveling. If you are anything like my daughter — who refuses to use bathrooms that are dirty — you will love Buc-ee’s bathrooms. At Buc-ee’s, they have bathroom attendants and lots of stalls, so even if there appears to be a line, it moves extremely quickly. And yes, the billboards are accurate: “Potty like a Rockstar,” “It’s Potty Time,” and “Let Us Plan Your Next Potty.” If you don’t stop for anything else, trust me, stop to use their clean bathrooms with fast-moving lines.
2. Gas. They have over 100 gas pumps at each Buc-ee’s. They appear to be extremely busy, but because there are so many pumps, it is easy to find a spot to fill up. They also have EV charging stations at most locations, although many are for Teslas only. Most locations are working on getting more charging stations, many of which will be compatible with all EVs.
3. Food. Buc-ee’s is not your average convenience store. You can find all kinds of food and snacks there. Buc-ee’s is mostly known for their Beaver Nuggets (similar to caramel popcorn) and Texas-style brisket sandwiches. However, they have a huge variety of other foods and snacks including a beef jerky wall, a fudge station, a bakery, and an area with fresh fruit, veggies, pre-packaged sandwiches, and more! I especially like the cookie dough bites. They have an extensive drink station area for coffee and fountain drinks too. While they have several stations with a variety of other choices, they also have your regular gas station snacks, including chips, candy bars, cookies, etc.
4. Souvenirs. Buc-ee’s sells plenty of merch with their famous mascot, Buc-ee the Beaver, on it. This includes t-shirts, hoodies, sweatpants, hats, running shorts, pajamas, hats, swimsuits, blankets, towels, and pretty much anything else you could ever possibly want. I even bought Buc-ee’s Christmas-themed wrapping paper last year!
5. Household items/gifts. Besides the merch with the Buc-ee’s logo, they have a whole other section with household items and other gifts. This area is stocked with candles, toys, wall decor, cutting boards, cast-iron pans, cookbooks, soaps, magnets, tea towels — I could go on and on. It is also stocked based on the season, so you can find all kinds of fun gifts and decor for your home depending on the season.
A few other things to know about Buc-ee’s:
- You will lose track of time, so if you know there is a Bucee’s on your next route, allow time to stop and explore!
- The locations closest to Knoxville right now are Crossville, TN and Calhoun, GA. We travel to Nashville and Atlanta a lot, so those are the two location we have stopped at the most. We stopped at one in Daytona Beach, FL and it was the busiest one of the three.
- Usually the mascot, Buc-ee the Beaver, is out and about and will stop and take pictures with you and your family. Most recently, they have been passing out samples of Buc-ee’s products such as praline pecans, chocolate covered Beaver Nuggets, and trail mix.
