I’ve always been a sucker for a decent roadside attraction. It doesn’t even have to make sense, and in fact sometimes it’s even better when it doesn’t. So of course I added Buc-ee’s to my travel plans when they opened an outpost a few months ago in Mt. Crawford, Virginia (map).
This chain of convenience stores originated in Texas and it started growing beyond its lone star borders in 2018. For now — as of my visit in January 2026 — it has migrated as far north as Virginia. However, it plans to expand much further so Mt. Crawford should enjoy its “northernmost” crown while it can. I know I did.
Admittedly, calling Buc-ee’s a “convenience store” is a misnomer. Imagine the average convenience store and multiply it by about a hundred and that’s a better comparison. Typically, Buc-ee’s settles next to interstate highways and serves as both a rest stop and a destination. People are fanatically loyal to the chain and go far out of their way to savor the experience. Even so, paradoxically, it is not a truck stop. Trucks are specifically excluded from this experience.
The Destination
Did I really drive two hours from my home in the suburbs of Washington, DC, specifically to visit a Buc-ee’s? Well, yes, I did. I’d wanted to go there ever since it opened and I had to wait for the right opportunity. So, during the quiet time around Christmas and New Years, I sensed my chance. I avoided peak travel days and took the family on a little road trip into Virginia’s charming Shenandoah Valley. Both kids were home from college and joined us. The younger one has a particular fascination with Buc-ee’s ever since we drove through Texas two summers ago. The older one generally enjoys road trips and didn’t have anything better to do.
We rode down Interstate 81, passed through Harrisonburg, and took Exit 240 over to Buc-ee’s Boulevard. We could see Buc-ee’s in the distance and it was packed. The parking lot, more like one at a mall, had only a few vacant spots sprinkled throughout the vast acreage. I can’t imagine what it must look like on a busy travel day.
Merch Galore
If it’s possible to print a Buc-ee’s logo on an object or an item of clothing it will exist somewhere within this massive facility, available for the right price. In addition they also sell plushies of the cute buck-toothed beaver in just about every size and configuration imaginable. The amount of beaver adorned or beaver adjacent merchandise boggled the mind. However, I discovered they lacked at least one item: a wall calendar. I wanted a reminder of our Buc-ee’s adventure that would last an entire year. Of course I figured I could get a calendar, seeing how it was only January 2, and yet apparently they don’t exist. Oh well.
Feed Bag
Food service dominate a lot of square footage inside and the various counters seemed to do a brisk business. People want to eat after long drives and they get a lot of options here. Buc-ee’s is known particularly for its barbecue and that seemed like the big crowd pleaser. Traditionally this part of the south prefers barbecued pork, but Buc-ee’s comes from Texas and they’ll barbecue anything down there: beef; pork; chicken; turkey; and pretty much anything with legs. So Buc-ee’s does the Texas thing even as it marches into new territory. The whole building smelled delicious.
However, keep in mind that Buc-ee’s does not offer any tables or chairs for dining. This is strictly a carryout joint. So go eat in your car in the parking lot or enjoy it while driving.
Mascot
The kids, and yes even some adults, lined-up to take selfies with the Buc-ee’s mascot. Of course I did too, but I’m not going to post any evidence on the Internet. They even gave me a little Buc-ee’s sticker afterwards.
But I wondered why Buc-ee wore a number 82 when we were sitting along Interstate 81? It turns out the chain began in 1982 so I guess 82 makes sense in that context. Even so, I think they missed an opportunity by using 82 instead of 81 here.
Gas
Gas was like fifteen cents cheaper per gallon here than just about anywhere else along the interstate. I guess Buc-ee’s does it by volume because there were probably a hundred pumps. And nearly every pump had a car pulled up, refueling. We didn’t have any problem finding a vacant pump because of turnover but a new car quickly filled each bay as it opened. I can’t imagine the logistics of moving that much gasoline onsite. Fleets of tanker trucks must service this place continuously.
So that was our Buc-ee’s experience. It got us out of the house for a day and we did something a little different.
Epilogue: Not Buc-ee’s
We knew that Buc-ee’s attracted big crowds and they didn’t have anywhere to sit so we ate lunch before we got there. I’m always looking for places to add to my brewery list and we stopped about a half-hour north in the little town of Woodstock, Virginia (map). We had a nice meal and split a sampler flight at Woodstock Brewhouse, avoiding some of the Buc-ee’s chaos.
There’s a lot of history in the Shenandoah Valley so maybe I’ll return to Woodstock for some additional exploration. Maybe I’ll even go back to Buc-ee’s and try their barbecue.
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