Are these future Buc-ee's locations as of the time of publishing this? No. Every road trip enthusiast has imagined the perfect place for the next Buc-ee's. Did Buc-ee's ask for our opinion? No. But after traveling hundreds of thousands of miles across America, filming highways, studying traffic patterns, and experiencing the nation's busiest travel corridors firsthand, we believe we know the interstate system better than just about anyone. If Buc-ee's executives ever decide to expand into these corridors, we hope they take a look at our list. These are the locations we believe have the greatest potential to become some of the busiest and most successful Buc-ee's stores in the country. No one knows America better than us.

​

If Wally's is looking to expand, many of these same corridors could become outstanding locations for its next generation of travel centers. Several of these interstates remain underserved despite carrying enormous volumes of daily traffic, creating a significant opportunity for any operator willing to invest. At the end of the day, we're not rooting for one brand over another—we simply want travelers to have access to the very best travel centers on America's busiest highways. More competition means better facilities, cleaner restrooms, better food, and more choices for millions of road trippers every year. Whether it's Buc-ee's, Wally's, or another company willing to build a world-class destination, we'd love to see these locations become home to the next great travel centers in America.

​

1. I-95 Between Baltimore, Maryland, and Wilmington, Delaware

​

This is our top pick.

 

Located between Baltimore and Wilmington, this corridor captures enormous traffic volumes moving between Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and New York City. It also serves one of the busiest stretches of Interstate 95 in America.

​

If Buc-ee's could secure a suitable site in this region, we believe it would almost certainly become one of the three busiest locations in the entire company—and quite possibly its busiest.

​

2. I-5 Between Olympia and Chehalis, Washington

​​​

If Buc-ee's ever decides to enter the Pacific Northwest, this should be one of the first locations considered.

This corridor captures traffic between Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, and Portland while also serving travelers coming from Vancouver, British Columbia.

​

With very limited large-format travel centers in this region, a Buc-ee's here could become an instant destination and potentially one of the company's top-performing stores.

 

3. I-94 Near Portage, Indiana

​

If we had to bet on one future Buc-ee's becoming a blockbuster, Portage would be near the top of the list.

This location captures traffic traveling between Chicago and Detroit, Chicago and Toledo, and Chicago and Indianapolis. It also serves travelers heading into Northwest Indiana and Michigan.

​

The combination of regional and cross-country traffic makes this one of the strongest candidates anywhere in America.

 

4. I-85 Between Kannapolis and Lexington, North Carolina

​

Interstate 85 is one of the Southeast's most important freight and travel corridors.

A Buc-ee's here would serve travelers moving between Charlotte and Raleigh while also capturing long-distance traffic traveling between Washington, D.C., and Atlanta.

​

This section of interstate rarely slows down and would provide a steady stream of customers throughout the day.

 

5. I-95 Near Rocky Mount, North Carolina

​

Anyone who has driven I-95 knows how busy this corridor becomes.

​

Located along one of the primary East Coast travel routes, a Buc-ee's near Rocky Mount would attract travelers heading between Washington, D.C., and Miami, along with countless vacationers making seasonal trips.

​

This would quickly become one of the premier East Coast locations.

 

6. I-70 Near Columbia, Missouri

​

Few locations offer the strategic advantages of Columbia.

​

Situated between Kansas City and St. Louis, this corridor also captures a tremendous amount of coast-to-coast interstate traffic crossing the United States on I-70.

​

Whether traveling east or west, millions of motorists pass through this region every year.

 

7. I-35 South of Norman, Oklahoma

​

Interstate 35 serves as one of America's primary north-south highways.

​

A location south of Norman would benefit from heavy traffic between Oklahoma City and the massive Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex while also serving travelers heading farther north toward Kansas and beyond.

​

The consistent volume of passenger vehicles and commercial traffic makes this a strong expansion candidate.

 

8. I-65 Between Brentwood and Franklin, Tennessee

​

South of Nashville sits one of the fastest-growing regions in the country.

​

This corridor captures traffic traveling between Nashville, Huntsville, and Birmingham while also serving thousands of daily commuters and long-distance travelers heading through the Southeast.

​

With Nashville continuing to grow, this location has tremendous long-term potential.

 

9. I-15 Between Mona and Spanish Fork, Utah

​

Southern Salt Lake County continues to experience rapid growth.

​

A Buc-ee's in this corridor would serve travelers moving between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas while also benefiting from Utah's expanding population and tourism industry.

​

The combination of local traffic and long-distance travel makes this an excellent western expansion opportunity.

 

10. I-95 Between Woodbridge and Richmond, Virginia

​

Northern Virginia remains one of the busiest transportation regions in the United States.

​

This location would capture heavy commuter traffic between Washington, D.C., and Richmond while also serving the tremendous number of travelers heading to and from Florida along Interstate 95.

​

Even at No. 10 on our list, we believe this would still rank among Buc-ee's highest-performing future locations.

 

The future is now.

 

Buc-ee's has built its reputation by placing stores in locations that combine tremendous traffic with excellent accessibility. If the company continues expanding across the United States, these ten corridors should be among the first places considered.

​

Of course, Buc-ee's has its own data, market research, and real estate experts. But after spending countless hours driving America's highways, we believe these locations offer exceptional potential based on traffic flow, population growth, tourism, and long-distance travel patterns.

​

Time will tell where the next stores are built—but if any of these make the list, don't say we didn't call it first.