Recently, my husband and I embarked on a road trip, destination Clearwater, Fla. We enjoy the freedom of driving, seeing the country, listening to our massive music playlist and chatting. In our travels this time, we racked up over 2,500 miles on the car and had smooth sailing all along the way.
I was very interested in the diversity of the signage and how themes changed from state to state. As we hit Southern states, it seemed the signs became a bit more vague. As we had never done a road trip this far south, we were unfamiliar with some of the establishments in those areas.
For instance, we passed many signs for Cook Out. No other explanation, other than the number of miles to go. I guess if you’re a Southerner, no other explanation is necessary. Judging from the number of signs with those two words emblazoned, it was a pretty popular place. Turns out it is a fast-food chain that originated in North Carolina in the ’80s. Who knew?
By far the biggest puzzlement were the many signs for a place called Buc’ee’s, with an image of an animated beaver. Yes, a beaver. Again, no explanation. It had an amusing quality, and each sign made us more curious. You can see why. Some of the signs had messages like:
• Don’t Stay Thirsty, My Friends.
• Top Two Reasons to Stop: #1 and #2.
• We’re either a well kept secret or our sign fell down again.
• Thirst Trap Ahead
• Eat Here. Get Gas.
• Restrooms that make mom smile.
• Here’s Buc’ee!
You can see why our curiosity would be piqued. So on the way home, heading north on I-95, we decided to find out. I did what we all would do in times of curiosity — we Googled it. According to https://buck-ees.com, it is “a chain of travel centers known for clean bathrooms and many fueling positions.”
OK, we thought, we could use gas and a clean bathroom. We’ll make a quick stop, or so we thought. As we approached the designated exit, we immediately found ourselves in a long line of traffic, inching forward at a snail’s pace.
To my right were lots of banners of red and yellow flags, as far as the eye could see, lining the path to this Mecca of travel stations. I thought for a moment that we had taken a wrong turn into Disneyworld! The massive parking lot was a sea of cars, people were circling, trying to find a coveted spot. And gas pumps? I stopped counting at 35!
We were lucky enough to nab a spot near one of the three main entrances to this monstrosity of a rest stop. The building itself was far bigger than most retail stores, with an eclectic and expansive variety of merchandise.
Need a cooler? They have one. How about a boogie board? Yep, they have them, too. Jewelry, knickknacks, all manner of clothing, toys, stuffed beavers, snacks, drinks, the list is endless.
But the piece de resistance was located in the center of it all: an antique red pickup truck, packed to the brim with stuffed beavers of varying sizes, and a bright yellow Buc’ee logo on the door. But the best part? Buc’ee himself was there, posing for pictures and hobnobbing with delighted patrons. Really? A huge beaver? Wow!
Upon entering, the second thing that hits you (the first is the crazy sea of humanity) is the delicious aroma wafting from a large Texas mesquite grill area. Lunch anyone? We were so overwhelmed by it all that we didn’t even attempt to get near it. But boy, did it smell great!
I must say, I did manage to make my way through the mass of humanity, carving my own little path as if through the Red Sea, to the aforementioned bathrooms. Did they live up to their hype? I am happy to report they did.
Clean? Absolutely. There were no less than 30 different bathrooms, each had its own wooden door with red and green lights above, indicating if the room was vacant or not. Hand washing stations were a thing of beauty and were quite numerous.
I cannot vouch for the gas pumps — we were so awestruck by the whole experience that we just wanted to get the heck out of Dodge.
I appreciate the idea of an oasis from driving Route 95, a diversion from what might be a tediously long trip. I appreciate a location that carries such a variety of items, has great food and a Beaver for a mascot. The kids seemed to be delighted, with arms full of beaver souvenirs. The checkout lines were a testimony to the attraction of their stock. It is clearly a win/win for Buc’ee corporate and the locals in the Brunswick, Ga., area as well.
Buc’ee’s isn’t a quick travel stop. It’s a phenomenon unto itself. It’s a world where beavers rule, clean bathrooms are the norm, and gas pumps abound. It is an experience. If you go, pack your patience.
But if you have the time, meander around. It’s amusing. And tell Buc’ee I said hello!
