The Worst Place You Ever Pulled Over on a Road Trip
There’s a kind of freedom that kicks in the moment you hit the road; you’ve got snacks in the passenger seat, your playlist is queued, and the destination is still a few hundred miles away. But you won’t drive forever, and not every stop adds to your fun trip memory. Some are cursed, to put it bluntly, like a surprise traffic stop in a heatwave or a motel that looked fine until you noticed the door needed a special skillset to lock.
Everyone has at least one story like this. They definitely weren’t funny at the time, but at least we now know what to avoid. Here are ten of the worst kinds.
That Gas Station in Gilmer, Texas
Image via Unsplash/Nelly Antoniadou
There’s always one friend in the group who insists the cheap gas is worth it. In Gilmer, Texas, that person will regret it. Locals know the stop has just two pumps, a flickering light, and a restroom that resembles a set from a 1990s action movie. The toilet paper is never stocked, and the sink is held up by duct tape and despair. It’s always humid inside, even when it’s freezing outside. Your visit is sure to end with a hand sanitizer and a vow to make better choices.
Buc-ee’s on a Holiday Weekend
Image via Wikipedia/Larry D. Moore
Buc-ee’s has a fan base bigger than some boy bands. The bathrooms are famous, and the jerky wall stretches longer than most hallways (lots of snack options). Unfortunately, that doesn’t help when the entire highway decides to stop there at the same time. Just try stopping there on Memorial Day, and you’ll learn what traffic panic feels like in a parking lot. Inside, the line to pee is longer than the one for the cash register. You’ll fight for a pump spot and come out with 19 snacks you didn’t need.
Side of I-84 Near Hartford
Image via Wikipedia/Daniel Case
Pulling over on the shoulder of a highway is already a risk, but the side of I-84 in Connecticut becomes a nightmare once the sun sets. Near Hartford, the lanes are tight, and the shoulder barely exists. A tow truck might help, but that takes time. Sitting there with hazard lights blinking while cars shake your rearview mirror is a crash course in panic breathing. After a flat tire, one driver waited too long and had to change it while trucks passed at full speed. There’s little room to move safely and no barriers to give space. It’s not a safe place to stop, and it’s worse in bad weather.
Garden City, Kansas Campground
Image via Wikipedia/Quintin Soloviev
On first look, this campground seems like a good stop. There’s a pool, a little office, and a parking spot under a tree. But by sundown, the wind shifts, and so does the mood. The pool becomes full of leaves, sand, and some mysterious debris. Stray dogs bark through the night, and most of the guests are long-term residents working at local factories. This brings us to the smell of the nearby meat plant that rolls in like a heavy fog. You lie in your camper wondering if this was worth the detour. It wasn’t. It didn’t feel unsafe, but it definitely wasn’t relaxing.
Any Place Advertising “Clean Restrooms”
There’s a rule in road-tripping that if a sign brags about clean bathrooms, they’re probably not clean. It’s more of a cry for help. You’ll find a toilet with no seat, soap dispensers that were last filled during the Bush administration, and lights that flicker like a haunted house. One traveler stopped at a gas station advertising “Clean Restrooms” in bold red letters, and the air smelled of chemicals and mildew. Multiple air fresheners were taped to the walls like ornaments, trying to mask the damage. Signs may lie, but your nose won’t.
I-10 Between Balmorhea and Fredericksburg
If you’re low on gas, food, or phone signal, this stretch is not your friend. It’s long, hot, and unforgiving. A few small towns are scattered along the route, but the options for food and fuel are limited. People rave online about Allsup’s burritos out here, but you should not believe the hype. It’s deep-fried regret. The burrito has been reported as undercooked and disappointing. The restrooms are dirty, and the area looks forgotten.
Sketchy Motel in Columbus, Ohio
A budget motel near Magic Mountain in Columbus had a large sticker on the door reminding guests to use the deadbolt for safety. That’s never a good start. The place overlooked an abandoned fun park, and the other guests kept popping outside for smoke breaks that felt more like watch shifts. The room smelled musty, and noise carried easily through the walls. It must have been hard to sleep, considering the safest play would be checking your car through the window from time to time through the night.
Burger King in Nowhere, Georgia
This Burger King is one of the only food options open late at night. You’ll recognize this one by the drive-thru sign duct-taped to the menu. The lobby was closed, and the drive-thru was slow. Once parked, a traveler tried to use the restroom, only to find it locked with no staff nearby. The food order was wrong, and the drinks were flat. Anyone sitting in the parking lot eating half-cooked chicken fries is bound to start reflecting on their decisions.
Breaking Down Near the Grand Canyon
National parks sound like peaceful places to pull over, until your alternator dies and the nearest mechanic is 90 minutes away. A driver making her way across the country with a trunk full of gear and no cell service sat parked at the Grand Canyon village, watching her dashboard die. AAA eventually arrived, but no shops were open. It took overnight shipping and a mobile mechanic just to get rolling again.
Northern Indiana in the Rain
On paper, it’s scenic, close to Lake Michigan, and has lots of roadside trees. But if you’re passing through on I-90, good luck finding a decent stop. Someone driving through during a storm found that nearly every rest stop along I-90 and I-94 was in poor condition. Every bathroom was flooded, and many restaurants were understaffed or out of basic items. Some ATMs weren’t working. The entire scene must have made a long trip feel even longer.