Touring Buc-ee's: The Right Way

Inevitably, long drives require gas stations and bathroom breaks. If you've been anywhere in the southeast, you know that the ultimate destination for both such necessities is Buc-ee's.

I love Buc-ee's! From navigating the sea of people to the smell of pulled pork sandwiches to the towering wall of beef jerky, I don't know if I'll ever get tired of that place.

That being said, Buc-ee's is not for the faint of heart. Knowing when to go, what to get, or what to do is surprisingly harder than it seems.

Luckily there's this nifty guide to spell it all out for you!

So here are my top rules for going to Buc-ee's, covering every aspect of the place from entry to exit.

The Parking Lot and Gas Stations

When you first drive up to Buc-ee's, depending on what time it is, the parking lot will probably be very busy, crowded, and chaotic. This is definitely the biggest flaw I've noticed in the Buc-ee's system, the parking lot has little to no traffic control.

There will be lots of pedestrians, cars trying to get a gas pump, cars leaving, cars entering, cars parking, etc. So definitely BE AWARE when driving through.

Most likely, you won't have a whole lot of trouble finding a gas pump, mostly because there are so many pumps and because turnover is pretty high. When you do find a spot though, don't park at the pump to go inside, move to an actual parking spot. Common courtesy.

However, if you're in an RV then you'd probably be fine to park at the pump (we do every time, no issues). I doubt anyone would blame you for not wanting to maneuver the crazy parking lot with extra bulkiness.

Also, Buc-ee's does have electric vehicle charging stations, for any of you fancy folks out there.

Sometimes the back of the parking lot will have a mural that you can get a picture by!

And of course, the picture with the Buc-ee statue out front is a must!

Merch and Gift Shopping Area

Another thing that sets Buc-ees apart from other gas stations/truck stops is their huge selection of merch and gift items. Seriously. Want a Buc-ee's bikini? You got it. Need a last-minute Mother's Day gift? No problemo (I may or may not know from personal experience).

However, the prices for most of the items are kinda expensive compared to buying at another store or on Amazon, definitely compared to other truck stop shops. Just something to keep in mind. I did notice prices were cheaper at the Sevierville location in Tennessee, so it may just be based on which state you're in.

Food and Bevvy Area

There are two sections to the Buc-ees food and beverage area, the freshly made and the prepackaged. If you need a quick lunch or a pastry, then you'll want the fresh stuff. The Kolaches are my personal favorite :D

If you just want chips or something, go for the prepackaged area. The large beverage selection is against the back wall in the fridges. For prepackaged goods, my family really loves the Light Delight meringues and the Bohemian Garlic Jerky ofc.

Bathrooms

Does this even need a paragraph? I mean, you go into the cleanest, brightest, most private bathroom, do your business, wash your hands without issue, and leave. There's even lovely local art on the walls. Chances are, there won't be a line either because there are just so many stalls.

Checking-Out

Once you've got all your merch, food, bevvys, and such, it'll be time to check out and leave the mob! The Buc-ees checkout area requires a little bit of discretion, there isn't a whole lot of order to the "waiting in line" part. Just pay attention, try not to cut in front of anybody, and don't let anybody cut in front of you! I love how Buc-ees still has the take-a-penny-leave-a-penny bin, very classy.

Saying Goodbye

Hopefully, your experience at Buc-ees was a good one! Now, all you gotta do is exit the parking lot with all your goodies and enjoy the open road!

-Kayla

PS Technically, there is also a car wash at Buc-ees, however, dually trucks don't fit in them and so, therefore, I was not able to offer my advice. You'll have to explore on your own time.

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