Posted on July 6, 2021 at 10:59 AM by Blog Committee
When you make your living on the road, truck stops are a big part of your life. Everyone has their favorites but we know not all truck stops are created equal! What amenities or features put one at the top of your list of truck stops? Here’s a list of some of our favorites:
Iowa 80 (Walcott, Iowa)
No list is complete without Iowa 80. Situated on the eastern edge of Iowa, at exit 284 near the Mississippi River, the Iowa 80 Truckstop is considered the world’s largest. Established in 1964, Iowa 80 features not only fast-food restaurants and full-service shopping, but also a movie theater, laundromat, showers, barber shop, dentist office, and a trucking museum. With enough parking for 900 semi-trucks, 250 cars, and 20 buses, Iowa 80 has whatever you need on the road. Iowa 80 serves more than two million cups of coffee annually and nearly 5,000 customers daily. It even offers church services on Sunday.
Johnson’s Corner Truck Stop (Johnstown, Colorado)
Opened in 1952, Johnson’s Corner is a world-famous restaurant and full-service truck stop travel plaza located on I-25 south of Loveland, Colorado. Known for their amazing plate-size cinnamon rolls, Johnson’s Corner also offers outstanding meals and desserts. For those on the road, Johnson’s provides more than just great food. It offers many amenities such as a load board, ShorePower, live video with CO road conditions, a TV lounge, truck accessories, ATM, free WiFi, CAT scales, and even a place to get your DOT physicals done.
South of the Border (Hamer, South Carolina)
Dubbed America's Favorite Highway Oasis, South of the Border off I-95 has been a landmark of the southeast since it began as a beer depot in 1949. If you’re driving through South Carolina and have some time to kill, it’s definitely worth a stop. You’ll find six different restaurants featuring everything from casual dining to a steakhouse. With kid-sized bumper cars, a carousel, and a pair of 18-hole miniature golf courses, South of the Border’s amusement park gives everyone a place to loosen up and have a little fun. Check out the creatures in their Reptile Lagoon, an indoor terrarium populated by crocodiles, alligators, snakes and turtles. Visitors can also ride a glass elevator 200 feet up to the sombrero-shaped observation tower for a 360-degree view of the Carolina countryside.
Morris Travel Center (Morris, Illinois)
If you’re looking for a truck stop where you can get a burger to satisfy any appetite, make a stop at Morris Travel Center. Its phenomenal R Place restaurant features a 4-lb. burger known as the Ethyl Burger, a meaty marathon that, for those who finish the whole thing, earn a spot on the Wall of Fame. They also have every amenity you would expect out of a top truck stop such as a travel store, showers, truck maintenance, and even a walking trail where you can walk off some of those calories from that burger.
Billy Bob’s Texas Truck Stop (Ft. Worth, TX)
While not technically a truck stop, Billy Bob’s Texas gets so many truck drivers coming in that we had to mention it. Built in 1910, Billy Bob’s Texas location was once an open-air barn used to house prize cattle for the Fort Worth Stock Show. Since then, it’s been used as livestock stalls, an auction ring (now the Billy Bob’s Bull Riding arena), livestock event venue, an airplane factory, and department store. Today, Billy Bob’s Texas has over 127,000 square feet of entertainment and amenities including real Pro Bull Riding, and a Texas-size dance floor. Some of the biggest stars in country music and classic rock have performed on its stages.
Where is your favorite truck stop and what do they offer that puts it at the top of your list? Tell us about it in the comments below! Have more to say? Contact us; we’d love to hear from you.