We built an entire afternoon in Arizona around a fuel stop. And it was worth every minute!
That’s not an exaggeration. Buc-ee’s isn’t a place you stop because your car or truck is running low and you actually need fuel (gas as they call it). It’s a place you plan for. I’d flown in from Australia to visit my girlfriend, who is based in Arizona, and when she found out the chain’s first Arizona location had just opened in Goodyear, she was the one who recommended we build an afternoon around it and having always heard about the Texas one, I was excited by the idea.
If you’ve never heard of Buc-ee’s, don’t feel bad. It’s a distinctly American thing, and even most Australians who’ve road tripped through the US have never crossed paths with one, since the chain has spent most of its life confined to Texas and a handful of neighbouring states.
Getting There From Phoenix
The Goodyear Buc-ee’s sits at 1001 N Bullard Avenue, right off Interstate 10, about 30 minutes west of downtown Phoenix depending on traffic. It’s an easy detour if you’re heading out toward the West Valley, Yuma, or on to California, and it’s worth adding a stop onto your route even if you weren’t planning to go that way.
Take I-10 west out of Phoenix and get off at the Bullard Avenue exit. You genuinely cannot miss it. The place is enormous, and on a clear day you’ll spot the sign well before the exit.
We made the run in the 2026 Chevrolet Suburban Premier we had for this trip, and the drive out was effortless, cruising along I-10 without a second thought. It wasn’t until we were back on the road with the largest fountain drink Buc-ee’s offers that the Suburban really proved itself though. Those cupholders swallowed it without any wiggle room the whole way back, perfect for keeping your drink in the cup, not all over your car.
What on Earth is Buc-ee’s
For the uninitiated, Buc-ee’s is a Texas-born chain of what Americans call travel centres, though that word does it no justice at all. Picture a petrol station crossed with a supermarket, a tourist attraction, and a cult, then multiply the scale by ten. The mascot is a grinning cartoon beaver, plastered across everything from the signage to the merchandise, and somehow it works. Americans genuinely love this beaver.
The chain built its reputation on two things. Clean restrooms and enormous fuel bays. That might sound like faint praise until you’ve actually needed a clean restroom on a long American highway drive, at which point you understand why Buc-ee’s has developed something close to a religious following.
Why it’s a Destination, Not a Fuel Stop
The Goodyear location has 120 fuel bays. That’s right, One hundred and twenty gas pumps! We stood at the edge of the forecourt trying to count them and gave up. Pumps stretch out in rows that genuinely disappear toward the horizon, and even with that many bays, the place was still busy every time we drove past during our stay.
Inside, it’s less a shop and more an event. There were families taking selfies. There were people wheeling carts stacked with snacks like they were doing their weekly grocery shop. Nobody seemed to be in a hurry, which is a strange thing to say about a petrol station. The merchandise area alone could occupy you for twenty minutes, T-shirts, hats, novelty mugs, all branded with that same grinning beaver.
The Restrooms, Believe it or Not
I know how odd it sounds to recommend a road trip stop partly for the toilets, but I’m doing it anyway. The hallways leading to the restrooms at the Goodyear store are lined with artwork and murals, turning what’s normally the most forgettable part of any road trip stop into something you actually want to walk through slowly. It’s a small touch, but it tells you everything about how much thought goes into this place.
What to Eat at Buc-ee’s
This is where Buc-ee’s earns its cult status. We went straight for the chopped BBQ beef brisket sandwich, and it’s every bit as good as the online hype suggests, smoky, tender, and every bit worth the price. From there we grabbed a box of Beaver Chips and a bag of Buc-ee’s Nuggees, which are a sort of caramel corn puff that I still think about more often than I’d like to admit.
My girlfriend’s pick was the cinnamon pecans, and she made a wise choice, a favourite amongst everyone. If you’re after something to sip on while you shop, the fountain drinks are absurdly cheap, you can walk out with what feels like a gallon of soda for a few dollars.
The Legendary Beef Jerky
No trip to Buc-ee’s is complete without the jerky wall, and I mean wall in the literal sense. There must be twenty flavours lined up, and we ended up buying six bags to bring home for mates in Australia. The cherry maple flavour was the clear winner. Sweet, smoky, slightly sticky, and gone within minutes of getting it back to Brisbane.
The Verdict
It’s not the original Buc-ee’s in Lake Jackson, Texas, and if you’ve done the pilgrimage to that one, Goodyear won’t quite replicate the novelty. But for anyone road tripping through Arizona, this is now a genuinely unmissable stop, not because you need fuel, but because it’s one of those only-in-America experiences that’s hard to explain until you’ve stood in the middle of it.
As for the best time to visit, there isn’t really a quiet window. It’s busy morning, noon, and night, and that’s part of what makes it fun. Rock up whenever you’re passing through and let the crowd carry you in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The Goodyear location is worth a dedicated stop even if you don’t need gas (fuel). Between the scale of the store, the food, and the sheer novelty of the place, it functions more like a roadside attraction than a petrol station. Like Disneyland for cars?
Start with the chopped BBQ beef brisket sandwich, then grab a bag of Beaver Chips and some Buc-ee’s Nuggees (these are like sweet corn puffs) for the road. The cinnamon pecans and the cherry maple beef jerky are also standouts worth taking home.
The Goodyear Buc-ee’s is about 30 minutes west of downtown Phoenix via Interstate 10, making it an easy detour for anyone heading toward the West Valley or on to California.
Not quite. The original Buc-ee’s in Lake Jackson, Texas, carries more novelty for chain veterans, but the Goodyear store still delivers the same scale, food, and atmosphere that made Buc-ee’s famous.
Any time works, since the store tends to be busy throughout the day regardless of when you arrive. Treat the crowds as part of the experience rather than something to plan around.