Summertime means road trips. Although most people partaking in their annual pilgrimages are thinking about the destination, sometimes it's the pit stops along the way that make the trip most memorable. And we don't mean the roadside vistas and picnic grounds. Often it's where you relieve yourself that makes all the difference on your journey.
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So next time you're on a trip and need a stop in the loo, pass up the dingy dives that make you want a shower. Instead, take a detour to one of these 9 toilets that are sure to improve any road trip, even the ones that are on the brink of disaster.
1. The Iowa 80 Truck Stop
Walcott, Iowa
In the world's largest truck stop, you're likely to find some pretty swanky bathrooms. After all, truck drivers need to take care of themselves too! Inside the facilities, you'll find not just toilets but showers and a laundromat. That's right, just off the I-80, you can clean everything all at once.
2. Jungle Jim's Bathroom
Fairfield, Ohio
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Despite looking like a porta-potty, the bathrooms at Jungle Jim were voted "America's Best Restroom" in 2007. Don't worry though, they only look like porta-potties, inside they're normal restrooms.
3. Buc-ee's
Texas
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Buc-ee's is really the only place you should be stopping in Texas. Not only are their bathrooms clean, but their gas is cheap, ice is plentiful, and the inside is a temple of road trip snacks.
4. Public Bathrooms
Minturn, Colorado
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Yes, these bathrooms are called simply the public bathrooms. However, they are anything but average.
In fact, these bathrooms are works of art. Created to resemble a Rocky Mountain mine, the architecture creates a beautiful and calming atmosphere that will make you want to stay and really take a load off.
5. Sapp Bros
The Midwest
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The Sapp Bros have sixteen locations between Salt Lake City, Utah and Clearfield, Pennsylvania. That way you are almost certain to always have a clean restroom to look forward to if you're driving down the I-80. Besides bathrooms, the chain also provides 24-hour roadside service.
6. Whiskey Barrel Bathroom
Charleston, South Carolina
Indulge in some sweet relief from the open road when you stop in South Carolina's whiskey barrel bathrooms. Not only will you enjoy relieving your bladder while you're encased in beautiful wood paneling, but you can indulge in a sample or two of some of South Carolina's finest whiskey.
7. South of the Border
Dillon, South Carolina
This stop is located off of I-95 in Dillon, South Carolina and it is more of a mini-town than a place to merely use the restroom. Here you can find six different restaurants, the largest indoor reptile exhibit in the United States, an amusement park, and a campground that welcomes overnighters. Needless to say, the staff here regularly maintains the toilets so that they are always ready to use.
8. R-Place Restaurant
Morris, Illinois
Stop for a bathroom break, stay for the food. This 24/7 eatery serves baked goods and American cuisine that is sure to please a weary traveler. Their menu even includes a 2-pound hamburger!
You may find yourself making use of their restrooms twice in one visit.
9. Tamarack Tourist Information Center
Beckley, West Virginia
Tamarack is located on Exit 45 off of I-77 and I-64 in Beckley, West Virginia. Although it's little, this town will surprise you with the big amenities that it offers at its tourist information center.
Of particular note are its restrooms. Clean and shiny, you may be more thrilled to visit the facilities than even the fine arts gallery, theater, or food courts that are also available.
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