Have you seen that 65-foot tall ice cream cone on Interstate 15? That's not a mirage - that's the sign that you're passing by Eddie World, but you don't want to drive by it.
Eddie World is, as owner Alex Ringle describes, the "Disneyland of gas stations." He says that the reaction people get when they first walk in is, "... the reaction you get when you first bring a kid to Disneyland or you first bring them somewhere very special that they're never going to forget."
So what makes this spot the happiest gas station on earth?
Inside the 27,000-square-foot travel stop is a quality dining experience, where fresh fish, jerky, pizza, and Peet's Coffee are available. Ringle anticipates a customer's anxiety about eating fish in the desert, which is why his slogan is, "Our fish is two hours fresher than Las Vegas."
He's not lying. Eddie World is located in Yermo, Calif., halfway between LA and Vegas -- 13 miles east of Barstow on Interstate 15. The fish is distributed from the Santa Monica Seafood company, the largest seafood distributor in the southwest that serves businesses in the Central Coast and San Diego, as well as Las Vegas.
Beyond the salmon and sushi is what Eddie World describes on its website as the "largest selection of candy" in California. This doesn't include their homemade ice cream, housemade gourmet popcorn and abundant jerky. Essentially, this stop has fresh food for all appetites, overseen by executive chef Miguel Jaimes, who wants to change your perception of gas station food.
One of Ringle's biggest talking points of his business is the restrooms, which he brags are the "cleanest" on I-15. He even goes further to describe them as the "Bellagio" of restrooms. The bathrooms are partioned from floor to ceiling, with self-sanitizing door handles and interactive games at the urinals for men. The website promises their cleanliness. "We are dedicated to clean bathrooms, it is our passion, period."
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Of course, there are fueling stations at this pit stop -- 26 in fact, plus several Tesla charging spots. Customers who wish to visit Eddie World can choose from 160 parking spots.
Ringle wants customers to think of Eddie World as a destination, not just a gas station.
"I think that when people come here and when they first see it and when they experience it, they can't stop talking about it, and they just fall in love," he said.
Be careful -- this detour might add some time to your trip, but it's worth the stop.
