Bob and Mary Wentworth, along with their 12-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter, were on the second day of a family road trip when Bob became distracted by a troubling toothache. While he went to a dentist’s office, his wife and children enjoyed more pleasant pursuits. Mary looked at the items available in an embroidery shop, son Billy entertained himself in a game room, and his sister, Phyllis, browsed in a music store.
When Dad’s dental problem was solved, the kids said they were hungry. After perusing the choice of familiar fast-food restaurants in the food court, the family opted instead for the 300-seat family-owned restaurant and buffet. After they ate Bob filled the car’s gas tank and the family went on their way.
Nothing about this unplanned stop during a car vacation sounds unusual except where it took place. This family found all of the amenities, activities, and attractions at a single location—the Iowa 80 truck stop.
As you travel by car for vacation or business, truck fuel stations can offer a welcome alternative to traditional gas or electric charging locations. Because they cater primarily to long-haul rig drivers, many have facilities geared to making hours-long commutes as pleasant as possible. These add-ons also may appeal to those traveling by car.
As the self-proclaimed “World’s Largest Truck Stop,” Iowa 80 offers perhaps the greatest variety of options. Along with those referenced above it’s also home to a barber shop, workout facility, movie theater, dog wash, and truck mini museum.
At the Jubitz Travel Center in Portland, Oregon, which boasts of being the “World’s Classiest Truck Stop,” dogs can enjoy a shampoo, blow dry, and application of conditioners. Their owners might prefer a shower, lounging in the Jacuzzi, or having a damaged shoe repaired. Adding to the mix are a lounge with live music, state-of-the-art cinema, and club offering lottery games.
Located along historic U.S. Route 66 in Glenrio, New Mexico, Russell’s Travel Center sports a diner that is a throwback to that highway’s legendary past. It shares space with an antique car and memorabilia museum, dog park, and gift and vintage trinket shop.
The scent of meat roasting over an open wood fire tempts some trekkers to turn into Trails Travel Center at Albert Lea, Minnesota. Skol Woodfire Grill is one of several eateries there. It adjoins a movie theater and chapel, where worshippers might very well give thanks for finding such an inviting spot for rest, relaxation, and restaurants.
A destination Indian restaurant attracts both passersby and locals to the Big Apple Travel Center in Joplin, Missouri. Open 24-7, it features traditional naan and tandoori dishes along with vegetarian selections.
Some truck stops are part of nationwide conglomerates, and the Pilot Flying J leads that pack with more than 750 travel centers in 44 states. Its unusual name relates to Osborne Jay Call, a flight buff who used his family’s experience owning a gas station and convenience store to meld the two types of enterprise.
Its sites represent the third-largest franchiser of quick-service restaurants in the country and the biggest in the world for Subway diners. The company supports a number of charitable activities, ranging from promoting career opportunities for women in the trucking industry to providing free meals to military service members and their families on Veterans Day.
Then there are places where both truckers and car jockeys may seek a bit of R&R that greatly expands the image of a typical motor vehicle service station. That describes Whiskey Pete’s Casino Truck Stop in Primm, Nevada.
Legend has it that a when a gas station owner named Pete MacIntyre was going broke during Prohibition years he resorted to bootlegging alcoholic beverages. The name of the truck stop-casino complex that opened on the site in 1977 recalls those heady days. Amenities include a full-service hotel, swimming pool, fitness center, and four restaurants.
When it comes to a combination of campy and convenience, South of the Border gets a tip of the sombrero. Perched just below the North Carolina-South Carolina state line, it has been a landmark for more than 70 years.
