Buc-ee’s, the wildly popular roadside travel center offering sparkling clean bathrooms and Beaver Nuggets, brisket and beef jerky galore, are expanding across the nation — and one location opening in June is just a short car ride away from New Jersey.
The Texas-based, country-store-and-gas-station known for its massive size and tasty food offerings has primarily been a must-stop for those heading south. Reddit users have likened the store to a “major attraction,” much like Disney World, with its vast size, offering a barbecue area, bakery, clean restrooms, merchandise, snacks, gas station area, and more.
Living in New Jersey where Wawa and QuickChek reign supreme, you’ve either been lucky enough to stop at a Buc-ee’s while traveling to Texas, Alabama or Florida, or it’s been a lifelong mystery. Luckily, a new store to our south is about four aways away, while another in a nearby state may become your next roadside stop if you head west.
Here’s what to know about the latest Buc-ee’s locations, and if there has been any talk of Buc-ee’s coming to New Jersey.
Where is a new Buc-ee’s coming?
Just a few days ago, it was announced that the new Buc-ee’s in Rockingham County, Virginia, is set to open on June 30, according to the Staunton News Leader. Located off the Mount Crawford exit 240 on Interstate 81, the 74,000-square-foot store will be open seven days a week, 364 days a year, with 126 fueling pumps and plenty of food options customers love.
A second Virginia location in New Kent County is slated to open in 2027.
In early 2026, a Buc-ee’s is opening in Ohio, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer, citing the Dayton Daily News. The location will be the first in the state, showing what may be a promising expansion toward the Northeast. The store, which has hit a few delays, is located in Huber Heights, which is roughly an 8-hour, 20-minute drive from Trenton — and an ideal location if you’re headed across Pennsylvania and out west.
How far is the closest Buc-ee’s to New Jersey?
With the opening of the Virginia location in June, it will be the closest Buc-ee’s to the Garden State. From southwest New Jersey, you can get to this location by car in just over four hours.
Here’s a Google Maps image showing the route from southwest New Jersey to the new Buc-ee’s location in Rockingham County, Virginia:
This Google Maps image shows the travel route from southwest New Jersey to the newest Buc-ee’s in Rockingham County, Virginia, slated to open in June.
Here is a Google Maps image showing the direction of travel from Trenton, New Jersey to the new Buc-ee’s location slated to open in Huber Heights, Ohio, in 2026:
This Google Maps image shows the route taken from Trenton, New Jersey to the new Buc-ee’s location slated to open in Huber Heights, Ohio.
Buc-ee’s locations
Buc-ee’s was founded in Texas, where there are at least 36 locations, but also has stores in Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee and one each in South Carolina, Missouri and Colorado, according to the Buc-ee’s website.
In addition to the two Virginia locations and the Ohio store, Buc-ee’s is also expected to open a store in North Carolina.
Why is Buc-ee’s so popular?
It could be due to its massive size, large parking lots, it’s faithful customer base, it’s sparkling clean bathrooms (it actually won Cintas’ “Hall of Fame” award), or its adorable mascot Bucky the Beaver. The store is massively popular on social media, with millions of posts on TikTok and a fan base of over 420,000 followers on Instagram. Its array of food option also prove different than typical convenience store fare; popular picks include Bucky the Beaver nuggets (aka corn puffs), pastries and Texas-made jerky.
Will a Buc-ee’s come to NJ?
We have Wawa and QuickChek here in New Jersey, but is it possible a Buc-ee’s could come to the Garden State? While there have been no definitive discussions about bringing the chain to New Jersey, stores have begun to expand across the U.S., particularly since 2019, when it debuted its first store outside of Texas.
Miss New Jersey is a big fan of Buc-ee’s, so perhaps she’ll have some sway? The pageant queen was featured in a Buc-ee’s Instagram post in February with fellow Miss America hopefuls
In a post in February, Miss New Jersey’s Elizabeth Mendel posed with fellow Miss America contestants inside the store holding snacks and sipping drinks in their formal wear. The women were in Alabama for a homecoming celebration for Miss Alabama, who won Miss America 2025. Miss NJ USA Gina Mellish commented, “When a Jersey girl meets Bucees for the first time it’s a magical moment LOLL.”
Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Is Buc-ee’s getting closer to NJ? See where new stores are opening
