Trails Travel Center

5 stars and kudos to the staff at TA Truck Service. Our boat trailer blew a tire on the Interstate. Staff came right out and helped change our flat. Top notch service. Thanks guys!!!

This was one of my fave stops on a multi-​state trip I make a few times each year, but the creepy Christian music they blast at the pumps has me switching to another stop.

This place is heaven. You basically NEED to stop here. In addition to having a Mac D, Iron Skillet, Cold Stone and Pizza Hut, there’s seriously everything you could ever want to eat in this place. Fried gizzards, sloppy joe, potato soup, make your own slurpee, rotisserie chicken, every snack ever, the list goes on.
The bathrooms are PRIVATE STALLS. With hair dryers and decorative flowers. And a fan. Just perfect. I could live here.

Nice Truck Plaza. Clean spacious restrooms. Nice little shopping area.
However, this truly is one of the slowest McDonalds restaurants I have ever been to. It wasn’t that busy but took over 10 minutes for a simple order. Good thing I didn’t have a deadline.

I purchased the apple orchard bread from the trails. It was moldy. Make sure you check dates on their food. Outdated! Ok, so I called there to let them know. Can not do anything about it. I am 2 hours away. So needless to say. I will not be buying that again.

This is easily one of the best truck stops I’ve ever visited while traveling across the country!
After many many years of traveling between Colorado and Wisconsin, you get pretty good at finding the best stops and consistently sticking to them. Trails Travel Center in Albert Lea is one of them.
Plenty of pumps to fill the car, of course, but you’ll find all the good stuff inside. Tons of souvenirs, pre-​made food, snacks, huge bathrooms, some with showers I believe, and even a few restaurants to boot.
Definitely add Trails to your next road trip if you’re passing through the area. It’s a great place to get out, get some food, and stretch your legs.

My Co-​Workers and I were on a trip from Minneapolis to Cedar Falls, IA and we needed a place to relieve ourselves and pick up some snacks.
This place had a restaurant and a McDonald’s if you wanted fast food.
The restrooms were clean and the people working there were really nice and helpful.
They had Frank’s Red Hot Sunflower Seeds, so I was a happy camper!

Well, this is the half-​way point to Minneapolis-​St. Paul. We took a pit stop and some got breakfast. Really nice bathrooms and huge inside. The outside looks like a LL Bean with all the wooden log cabin look. If you need a quick bite to eat, then you are in luck. If you come too early, then only McD’s is open but who needs Coldstones at 8AM in the morning: D

I’ve been drivin’ all day, my hand’s wet on the wheel
There’s a voice in my head that drives my heel
It’s Gayle callin’, says I need you here
And it’s half past ten and I’m shifting gear…
We stopped here last week on the way up to the Twin Cities from Ames. There’s also something about the Albert Lea area during periods of inclimate weather as we were slipping and sliding all the way down the Exit ramp. I kept my parent’s car whole, but this was a good time to fill up and regroup a bit. That was a good thing as things (including lots of cars in the ditch) got worse for another 30 or so miles North.
No more speed, I’m almost there
Gotta keep cool now, gotta take care
Last car to pass, here I go
And the line of cars drove down real slow
I love Truck Stops don’t really need much of an excuse to stop into one that looks interesting. The movie «Truck Stop Women» also comes to mind. The Trails TA Travel Centre is on the large side as it lies near the major intersection of I-​35 and I-​90. There’s a Shell station in front for the cars and a huge area in back for the trucks. Inside contains almost everything that I one might expect in the light of day. In addition to a restaurant and convenience store offerings, you’ll find various Trucker parts and supplies, a kitchy gift shop, and of course various accommodations (showers, theatre, lounge, etc.) to assist these road warriors as they keep our economy moving.
When I’m feeling lonely and I’m sure I’ve had enough
Gayle sends the comfort coming in from above
Don’t need no radio at all
We got a thing that’s called…