With the motoring vacation season fast approaching, Oklahoma’s large travel centers, operated by a major state corporation and several Native American tribal enterprises, are ready to offer most anything a traveler might need.
Centrally located in the U.S., with Interstates 40 and 35 bisecting the state east to west and north to south, and I-44 going from southwest to northeast, Oklahoma offers inviting locations for large travel centers.
In addition to the significant operations already established, rumors were swirling earlier this year about the possibility of another major player – the ever-popular Buc-ee’s – opening its first megastore in Oklahoma, eyeing a spot on I-40 in far west Oklahoma City.
Love’s, meanwhile, is one of Oklahoma’s major operators for the traveling public. The company, headquartered in OKC, operates both Love’s Country Stores – smaller convenience store operations – and Love’s Travel Centers, which run the gamut of merchandise, food and complete service for cross-country truck drivers.
Similarly, the Choctaw Nation operates 18 Travel Plaza stops throughout their 11-county area of southeastern Oklahoma. In 2024, they opened a 12,000-square-foot market in Hochatown. The Cherokee Nation also operates several welcome centers, one along the Will Rogers Turnpike.
“The Cherokee Nation Anna Mitchell Cultural & Welcome Center is a staple in the Vinita community and has become a vessel of Cherokee culture right on Route 66,” says Lori Ballew, gift shop manager. “Through permanent and rotating exhibit spaces, cultural classes and authentic Cherokee artwork, it is more than just a welcome center, but truly a gateway into our rich history and thriving culture.”
The Cheyenne and Arapaho tribe operates a major travel center on I-40 in western Oklahoma, featuring RV hookups, a restaurant, truck services, laundry and showers, and even a dog park.
Love’s communications manager Caitlin Jensen says the company’s stores are reliable, clean and safe for daily commuters, professional drivers and long-distance travelers alike.
“Beyond convenience, Love’s adds significant economic value to each town it’s located in, including sales tax revenue and local employment,” she mentions.
Photos courtesy Love’s
In November, Love’s re-opened a major travel plaza on the Turner Turnpike at Stroud, including a truck service that Jensen says is the company’s first on an Oklahoma turnpike, featuring more than 100 parking spots for trucks.
Stroud city manager Bob Pearman says that while no sales tax figures are yet available, a previous travel center at that location was an enormous benefit to the city.
“We do not see them as competition for our stores in town,” Pearman says, because they’re mostly serving turnpike travelers. Stroud residents, however, can access the travel center without having to pay a toll.
Jensen says Love’s seeks to be a good neighbor to the cities near their stores. When a new location opens, store team members select a local nonprofit to receive a $5,000 donation, and an additional $5,000 is donated to the area’s children’s hospital “to make a difference locally,” she says.
Chase Horn, public information coordinator for the state’s Commerce Department, says that while there are no direct incentives to build travel centers, they’re a good thing for Oklahoma nevertheless.
“Communities are interested in having them because they live and die by sales taxes” that big travel centers produce, he says.
Lee Benson, chief communications and marketing officer for the state’s Tourism and Recreation Department, echoed that sentiment. His department promotes travel, with a goal of increasing the numbers of visitors to Oklahoma.
“Travel stops can enhance the visitor experience in our state,” he says.
