Road Trip!!! The joys of eating your way cross country

I grew up in the Midwest but went to school on the West Coast. I remember packing up my Chevy Pickup and loading up the shell (yes, remember camper shells?) and heading west. Between semesters I drove "home" and depending on the weather, I took the "southern route" when it was cold and the "northern route" when it was warm. What a treat I thought to discover the beauty of the lakes and expanses of the Midwest, the Southwest and its deserts and all the people along the way.

As a bonus, I discovered the "mom and pop" restaurants, the diners and the truck stop counters which offered regionalized cuisine. Long before the "food channel" and its travel logs, I knew that this was a secret to the open road that I would not trade for a cafe in Paris or tea with the Queen.

The secret I will share is to avoid the conventional. The fast food Corporate conglomerates will wait for you in your home town, but that bbq stand in Oklahoma city will leave you wanting to come back for more. The breakfast with eggs, hams and yes "grits" with warm melted butter will carry you many miles down the road with a smile on your face and a warm feeling in your belly. I can never forget or fail to stop for a steak in Amarillo. The diner with the UFO on the roof in Arizona with its homemade salsa will make you feel out of this world. Even the standard fare of pizza or hot dogs will let you know you are in Philadelphia of Chicago. Let's not forget the coney dogs smothered in indistinguishable loads of chili, cheese and onions. Not being a fan of seafood, I will detour for battered cod and malt fries and even the catfish nuggets.

Even the drinks can add to the flavor of your trip. Date shakes in Thermal, California or real Vernors ginger ale on tap in Michigan. No wonder my seat belt seemed a bit more snug when I reached my destination.

What is your favorite food or drink and the place you remember from a road trip?

 

Thanks Flexin for the warm welcome. I know being originally from the Midwest that food is an important part of the culture and there are so many good "hole in the walls". Although I stayed away talking about the chains, "back h ome" we had White Castle drive thrus (not frozen at the grocery) and Steak and Shakes and some really classic stuff.

 

I've never been on a long road trip before, and I guess that ship has sailed because I have a kid now. v.v My friends are going on a year long road trip across the US and that sounds like it will be such a neat experience! They're focusing on visiting neat landmarks and nature type places, which I would definitely be excited for, but man, if it was me, you can bet I would be eating my way across America...

 

Maybe you can't do a long one, but pick an area you haven't been, pack up the car and the kid and say we are going for an adventure. It's not the length but what you do with it.

 

That's a good idea! I think I'll wait until he hits a year, maybe, or 6 months, but maybe we'll have to do that. Thanks for the inspiration!

 

I am a road trip fanatic and I think it started as a kid when we even pulled an old "Holly" house trailer and stopped along the way. I remember the license plates, the animals and even the fireflies we use to catch and put in dixie cups. I think it also a good bonding and educational experience when the kids get a bit older to get to know about this great country and the scenic places we sometimes take for granted. You are very welcome!

 

I love good road trip! And your tip about visiting unconventional places is spot on! We like to hit the local diners. Always fun! The last time we took a road trip we made sure to go to the main restaurant in town, and we all loved it!!

 

Justforus, that story of your college cross country trips reminded me of some of my road trips across the country, or just across part of the state. I agree with you about the wonderful little cafés along the road.
There used to be a little trucker cafe in east CleElum , WA, that we were always sure to stop at every trip from Spokane to Seattle area. They had the most awesome deluxe burgers, and homemade apple pie that was beyond description !

To your question though, I have to say that there was one place that was the most memorable of all the traveling stops. I was on a highway, but not a freeway, so there were cafés, and shops along the road. When I passed a little dinky roadside stand that had a big sign announcing "Indian Tacos" , I knew I HAD TO. Have one !

Well, an Indian Taco was a huge circle of fry read, with beans, meat, and all the taco toppings on it, and it was hot, spicy, and altogether DELICIOUS !
I have since found them at fairs, but that first one at the little roadside stand, will always stand out in memory as the greatest.

 

Happyflowerlady...Do you really think you will get away without telling me where that little stand is. Where was the highway and the closest city. I assure you I will put it on my itinerary. I am coming up on another "mid life crisis" type roadtrip and I can head just about anywhere.

 

I would love to try as well driving through America. Hopefully someday that will come true. I am a fan as well of hunting good restaurants while doing a long trip. This is one of the things that excites me about travelling. I am a foodie traveller so would definitely love to do this one day!

 

Hmm, what a tasty idea, so good that makes me wish to go behind the wheel again to go into a cross country road trip just to enjoy the food down the road.

This post brought to my mind my childhood days going with parents and stopping at typical places to have lunch or buying a snack to calm down the hunger monster until the next gas station

 

Oh the nostalgia is incredible. Try to traverse some of the old portions of Route 66 and you will find the oddest and most fun tourist traps and food experiences of your life. I am such a big supporter of mom and pop restaurants and when they say "home cooking" you may be surprised to find just that...or even better than.

My finaticism about road trips started when I was younger, we pulled a "house trailer" but the real treat was going to a diner. My parents had 5 of us little ones, so you can imagine what a "joy" we all were.

 

Justforus I'm from the midwest too and I now live in the South I take the road trip up there once a year. Your road trips actually sound a lot more fun than mine lol. I'm sure you discovered some great places and food.

 

Oh yes and I found some great food in the south. I also did the Midwest to Florida drive several times. I learned that you can get great grits with breakfast, some good BBQ and even ate those little kumquats in Florida. Best way is to drive a bit off the beaten path or ask at a gas station near the freeway. My experience is most mechanics know where the good food is and ask about the mom and pops.

 

Whenever we go on road trips we always pack a lot of food but mainly snack. We like sampling cooked meals along the way, from roast to grill, we like them all. In one area there is about a mile stretch of shops along the roadway. You can get roasted yams, breadfruit and fish. They have delicious soups and chicken and fish prepared in several ways with fried dumplings and bammy on the side. I always like going through that area because the food is so good.

 

We've been all around the west coast and some of the east, especially since family is spread all over the US. I've tasted a lot of really great food (and some awful stuff, mostly at seedy diners on the road) but I really can't resist some quality BBQ and for me the best I've ever had has got to be either in North Carolina or Georgia. My folks live in NC so its always a pleasure to go see them because we get to have some truly awesome BBQ.

 

There is no road trip without great food. Every single road trip that I have been on which has left me with amazing memories has always been accompanied with amazing food. It is very surprising how much food there is on the other side of the country. It's also very surprising how enjoyable food is when you're traveling. So I always make it a point that whenever I'm traveling I stop by somewhere and I try something different. I try out some new food. I try out anything that intrigues me and is always great and it leaves you with a lasting memory.

 

I'm originally from michigan and I MISS coney island hotdogs oh so very much.

 

I love driving through Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina, the home of amazing barbecue, in the summer time. There is nothing like the smoke, smells and tastes of the coastal route on a nice day.