Buc-ee’s isn’t just a convenience store; it’s practically its own subculture. Originally from Texas, the first Buc-ee’s came to Florida with its St. Augustine location opening in 2021 followed by a Daytona Beach location.
Buc-ee’s is famous for its buck-toothed beaver mascot, brisket, Beaver Nuggets (which taste a lot like Sugar Pops cereal) and so much more. Because of Buc-ee’s massive size, it often attracts visitors who need gas or a drink but who also want the full Buc-ee’s experience. We visited the Daytona Beach location to get the scoop so you know what to do and see when visiting Buc-ee’s in Daytona Beach.
What It’s Like to Visit Buc-ee’s in Daytona Beach
Our visit was on a weekday morning but during a holiday, so we knew it would likely be busy. Buc-ee’s in Daytona Beach is an easy turn off of I-95, the famous north-south interstate that can take you all the way from Miami to the Canadian border in Maine. (For the Daytona Beach location, it’s off of exit 265.)
The first order of business was to get gas, and there were 104 (!!) gas pumps from which to choose. After filling up, we found a spot in the ample parking lot (nearly 400 spots), where surely a circle of life is happening on any given day (not unlike a Walmart parking lot). As many people are driving RVs or road tripping, you could see how they use a Buc-ee’s parking lot to regroup, whether that means taking a brief rest or taking their dog out for a walk. In fact, Buc-ee’s is so often used as a rest stop for dogs, there are some clever signs to remind visitors to pick up pet waste.
Going Inside Buc-ee’s
Going inside Buc-ee’s is like a collision of a convenience store with a Cracker Barrel, Texas charm, and a massive amount of products with that buck-toothed mascot.
Depending on when you visit, you may be overwhelmed by crowds, something we read about in reviews. The day of our visit was busy but not overwhelming, so there’s was no problem ambling around.
Buc-ee’s is famous for a few specialties, most of which are Texas-themed and made fresh on site:
–Brisket
–Kolaches, a type of Czech pastry brought to Texas in the 1800s
–Fudge
–Glazed nuts (our personal fave)
–Beaver Nuggets
–Beef jerky
The middle of the store has bustling areas where employees are making some of these items (and additional items), so it’s quite the scene to see how they work. You may decide to pick up a biscuit breakfast sandwich, a brisket sandwich, or some fudge (ask for samples!). The area with the freshly prepared foods was definitely the busiest part of the store.
There’s also a part of Buc-ee’s that’s similar to other convenience stores, with drinks, snack chips, candy, and other routine items as well as not-so-routine items (like quail eggs). This part of the store is less hectic than the rest of the store but still may be a necessary part of your trip depending on what you need.
Of course, there are restrooms–large ones–that are clean and ample. We don’t know if they will always be the cleanest restrooms in the world as the company states, but we had a positive experience.
Then, there’s the merchandise. If you’re looking for a T-shirt, socks, toy, football, PJ pants, or just about anything else with the Buc-ee’s logo, you’re in luck. This is the same area where you can find those Beaver Nuggets for sale. You’ll find all of those items for sale here or online (ironically, Buc-ee’s doesn’t have an online store but sells its merchandise on Amazon and on sites like Texassnax.com). In a moment of weakness, we almost bought the Buc-ee’s PJ pants.
There’s another part of the Buc-ee’s store that’s filled with down-home goods–think “Yellowstone” meets Southern Living. Cowboy hats, wine glasses with sayings on them, honey-based soaps, kitchen towels (like the one with a cow on it that says “Kitchen Closed–This Heifer’s Had It”), and soooooo much more. There’s also a lot of similarly themed Florida merchandise.
If you’re a big shopper for goods like these, you’ll likely enjoy it all and want to take your time. If all of that just makes your eyes glaze over, you probably will just want to go back to your car and recover.
A Few Extra Buc-ee’s Tips
—Make time for your visit. If you’re new to the Buc-ee’s world and want to check it out, this isn’t the sort of place you’re going to be able to get in and out in 5 or 10 minutes. Give yourself and your companions a good half hour or hour maybe to visit. Account for crowds as well, which may slow things down. We wish we could tell you a best time to visit Buc-ee’s but as it’s open 24/7, we’re guessing it stays busy pretty consistently. If you’re in a hurry, stick with a regular-sized gas station/convenience store.
—Don’t bring your 18-wheeler. The Buc-ee’s parking lot is not designed for semi-trucks–this is apparently a policy at all Buc-ee’s, not just the one in Daytona Beach. There are signs throughout the lot to let people know.
—Decide on a souvenir you may want to buy. Want some inspiration in advance? We enjoyed this “Southern Living” magazine article on Southern products to buy at Buc-ee’s, including bacon grease, deer feeders, and BBQ.
—After you get gas, move your car to a parking spot if you plan to go inside and shop. With 100+ gas spots, you may assume you’ll have no problem leaving your car there while you go shop. Yet consider how busy a Buc-ee’s can get. You’ll likely leave other customers just waiting so they can get gas. Be considerate and move your car if you plan to do more than just use the restroom.
—Check out this video from TheSmokies.com for other tips on visiting Buc-ee’s–specifically, 10 things to NOT do when visiting the convenience store. Here’s a video from Roadtrip Dave that provides a video tour of the Daytona Beach Buc-ee’s.
Where Can I Find Buc-ee’s in Florida? What Other States Have Buc-ee’s?
Florida currently has Buc-ee’s locations in Daytona Beach and St. Augustine, with a third location slated near Ocala (slated to be its biggest Buc-ee’s ever) and a fourth location planned in St. Lucie County.
In addition to Texas and Florida, you can also find Buc-ee’s in Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
