In northern CA and north, be sure to try the Dungeness crab. No, it isn't in season, but it can still be found fresh in the good restaurants. Sourdough bread. Cioppino. Sand dabs.

Best picnic ever: a loaf of fresh bread, a stick of Gallo dry salami, a chuck of jack cheese, some fruit, and some wine. Take it up to the Marin headlands to a vista point that looks down on the north tower of the bridge.

What's your westbound route? What states will you be passing through?

If you go to wine country in California, I recommend that you visit Sonoma County instead of Napa, as it is smaller and more manageable - and more beautiful IMO. If you get down to Castroville, you can sample deep-fried artichokes, as well as artichokes prepared many different ways.

If you are going from Maine to California, it looks like you will not make it to Texas. How far south will your trip take you? I'm not familiar with the north, except for Washington and Oregon. Seattle had great Greek food when I was there, but I have not been there for quite a few years.

Lars

Heck, if you get to Castroville, call me, I'm just a very few miles away. We'll take you to Phil's for crab and cioppino as well as artichokes and the best strawberry shortcake ever.

Here is a link that might be useful: Phil's

The PNW is the place to try geoduck and razor clams...but the clams might not be in season. We also have excellent Dungeness crab caught in much colder water than CA..so I think it is sweeter :-) You can do a taste comparison. We have fabulous oysters (see if you can find some Olympia oysters - tiny, succulent gems) as well as some of the best fresh caught wild salmon. I'm not sure how common sablefish/black cod is elsewhere, but it is amazing and readily available here. If you make it to Seattle a trip to the Pike Place Market is a must...everything NW is available there.

Also, because of a large immigrant population that settled here from SE Asia, there is extraordinary authentic Asian as well as Asian fusion food. Especially Vietnamese, Thai and Korean.

The ultimate NW food experience is fresh and local. We also have extraordinary wines grown in WA and Oregon.

If you want specific recommendations, ask here or check out Chowhound. I almost always agree with their recommendations.

When in Iowa and central Illinois....don't miss a tenderloin sandwich for lunch. You need to inquire where to stop because some are fabulous and others are just a ground pork patty breaded and fried.
Let's see...."golden eyes"....a smoked white fish along Lake Michigan, and of course a Chicago hot dog and deep dish pizza...preferably at Lou Malnatti's.
On the way back you may get some local sweet corn hours from the stalk.
Let's see...pastis in western Wisconsin....and don't forget the cheese and bratwurst any where in Wisconsin. Runzas and steaks in Nebraska, BBQ in KC....and points south..
And Cincinatti chili, shoofly pie and schnitz und knepp and chicken bot pie in Pennsylvania as well as a Philly cheese steak and a Taylor pork roll sandwich....or a slice of Taylor pork roll as a side for your breakfast eggs.
Eating your way across the US.....what fun!!

Great suggestions so far, thanks!!! Lindac thanks so much for the reminder about a tenderloin sandwich. I went to college in Peoria and haven't had a tenderloin sandwich since graduating.

Arley we will beat feet for Chicago then stop for a couple of days to visit friends and family, then the real trip begins. We'll travel through Illinois, Iowa Nebraska Colorado Utah Nevada California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, then into Canada for the rest of the trip home.

Sushipup, the Marin headlands idea sounds great.

Lars, we won't make Texas this trip, but I hope my DH gets the travel bug and if so, Texas we'll hit Texas.

Olychick, fresh and local is my fave, so the NW sounds great. We have plans to hit every farm stand or farmers market we see. I've been to Seattle twice and loved it. I think my favorite things were the Asian food (not to be found in Maine), the public library, and the incredible views everywhere.

Thanks for the great ideas, I am taking notes.

If you are driving along the West Coast from N. CA through Oregon and Washington, you will see lots of places selling smoked salmon. There are all kinds of versions from mild to heavy, almost jerky like, smoked salmon. There are lots of great fresh fish and sea food along the coast. And fresh fruits and veggies too. Also have a piece of olallieberry pie for dessert or buy a jar of olalieberry jam to take back home. Yummy!
Clare

Here is a link that might be useful: olallieberry

Are traveling in a motorhome or hotels?
Either way, you can "camp" with me on your way through Oregon. Depending on your route, I'm 20 minutes from I-5 and 45 minutes from Hwy 101 on the coast. Two hours from Hwy 97 if you're taking the east side.

I've got extra rooms and plenty of space on 12 acres in the country for a motorhome.
Give me a shout through the my page email.

When is your estimated date in Oregon? Late June and early July are great for strawberries, raspberries, cherries and all sorts of fresh produce. Snow peas, greens and maybe an early tomato, depending on your timing.
Just in Eugene, we have farmer's markets on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday (in conjunction with the Saturday Market that has arts and crafts booths). All local. Awesome. There are several farm stands as well.
I'd be more than happy to be your guide.

I second the Dungeness Crab and salmon. Also Albacore Tuna, Halibut and Cod. Razor clams, mussels and shrimp too.
We also have wonderful, local grass-fed beef and pork.

Stay here and I'll make breakfast from eggs less than 24 hours old, bacon raised within 2 miles and potatoes from my garden last year (frozen). :)
Or, homemade yogurt with my blueberries and Bob's Red Mill oatmeal.
Bob's is a fun stop near Portland. Factory tour and then the store (breakfast in the restaurant). Pop across the street to Dave's Killer Bread outlet store.

I'll bet you can meet several CF'ers if you want and have the time!

Deanna

Well, I will certainly bow to the more experienced drinkers here, but I didn't say anything about food pairings, I asked how a mimosa or sangria would not kill the palate but a screwdriver would.

I also learned that the only reason to drink a fruit based drink is to get sloppy drunk, so I am once again schooled on appropriate social behavior, because I didn't know that.

Now I have to go to Ashley's for a BBQ, it's her birthday. They'll be having beer and I'll be having Diet Coke. But we're from the wrong side of town and have no manners, so we can do that. Thank goodness, it must be deadly dull to have all those rules to make sure everyone else is following.

Annie

At this time of year the crabs are coming from the PNW and Alaska anyway. Much cheaper up there, too. As a Californian, driving through the PNW was like cherry-picking: everywhere we went, the food was often as good but always cheaper than we pay in Northern CA.

Me, I'd get Columbus lite salame instead of Gallo, but same idea. Also, I would second Sonoma Cty. We are retired and travel extensively/often throughout Northern CA, and Sonoma Cty is much more beautiful and interesting than Napa Cty.

Reserve the tour at the Marin Cheese Factory, west of Petaluma on the Marin/Sonoma cty border - gorgeous drive, fun way to spend an hour on their short but informative tour, all the picnic food and wine you need, along with a beautiful picnic grounds area and clean bathrooms. The cheese isn't up to French standards, but it's pretty darn good and you can't get any more local; they've been around for almost a century.

If you are stopping between SF Bay Area and Eugene/Portland, may I suggest Red Bluff instead of Redding? If you need a hotel, the Hampton Inn there was amazing - possibly one of the most comfortable (and newer) mid-level hotels we've ever stayed at. And Los Mariachis nearby had THE BEST ceviche we have had in over a half-century of dining in Northern CA...my DH is still swooning over it, two years and dozens of ceviches elsewhere.

Note that traffic sucks big-time in the cities and over bridges, so don't plan on going anywhere in a hurry at commute hours. This is true anywhere, including the entire West Coast.

More super ideas, and thanks Deanna and Sushipup for the kind offers, we will e-mail. We are tent camping, and are experienced campers so no worries there. We have a National Park Pass and will use the park campgrounds of state/local parks for the most part, with the occasional hotel when we need deep cleaning ;-)

Right now our plans calls for California the first week of July, and we'll meander up the coast, hitting Oregon the second week of July. It will probably be late for strawberries but I am hoping for cherries, as I LOVE them and Maine isn't great for cherries.

jkom LOVE the idea of the cheese factory tour! And thanks for the hotel and ceviche pointers. We are prepared for awful traffic, we bought a car last year in preparation for the trip and bought my first automatic! We just need to remind ourselves the traffic is part of the experience and will be a reminder about why we picked Maine with the winters and short growing season.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I am psyched to experience and taste the west!

Since the cheese factory was of interest to you--how about Tillamook in Oregon.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cheese Factory

Looking forward to hearing from you!! The second weekend in July there's an event in my little town (pop. 5000) that pulls in 25000-30000 people over three days.
The Oregon Country Fair. Not to be confused with the County Fair in all it's traditional manifestations.
The Country Fair is entirely different. I've linked to the Wiki website that will give you a very good idea of the 'flavor' of this event and some history. Tickets must be purchased in advance, no sales at the event.

I've never been. But, IF it's your thing I understand it's definitely the "Eugene Experience". Hee hee.

Me, I just stay home and try to avoid the whole thing. There are plenty of routes around to miss it if it isn't your thing.

Deanna

Since cheese factories may be of interest....here's another!
And I am just half a mile off I 80.
Linda C

Here is a link that might be useful: Blue cheese

I forgot to mention that if you are in the Santa Cruz area to do a wine tour. We have lots of wineries in the area. Here is some more information and maps.

I would also suggest the wharves from Monterey to San Francisco for fresh fish and sea food. It is fun to watch the sea lions and seals there too.
Clare

Here is a link that might be useful: Santa Cruz Mts Wine

Oops, sorry, wrong thread, that was supp0osed to go on the "bar" thread.

Annie

More super ideas, thanks all! The Santa Cruz Wine tour sounds good, we'll be camping at Sunset Beach for a few nights and it looks like a few of the wineries are not too far from Watsonville.

I love Maytag Blue Cheese, yum, and we'll be driving right by. I hope we can make that a lunch stop! Great idea Tillamook was on my list, and I'm hoping we can find Cougar Gold WSU cheese while out there.

Thanks for the ideas. Right now my house looks like the attic exploded as we get ourselves organized. It is my last day in the office so I have next week to prepare -- departure day is Thursday. Thanks again!

Sunset SB is just up the road, and about midway between me and Clare. Yippeeee!

We'll take you to Phil's, or if you like Mexican seafood, there's The Whole Enchilada. Any idea on the dates?

Here is a link that might be useful: Whole Enchilada

I would NEVER suggest driving downtown, but if you are walking around in that area over a weekend Fri-Sun, you might want to get in line for this. It's a phenomenal price for San Francisco:

La Boulange's Baker's Dinner is BYOB
SF Chronicle, June 3, 2012

Details:
$20. Dinner 5:30-7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sun.
2325 Pine St., S.F. (415) 440-0356.

What: Experience Parisian life and Provencal cooking when you attend a Baker's Dinner at la maison m�re (French for 'mother bakery'), La Boulange's flagship location on Pine Street. It's first come, first served and with lines forming around the block, it's a good idea to arrive early (with a bottle of wine - it's BYOB). You're seated at communal tables, and the ambiance is sophisticated bistro meets old country charm. Weekly menus usually include seafood on Fridays, a protein such as pork or duck on Saturdays, and poultry on Sundays, roasted in the bakery's rustic oven dishes. The meal also includes salad, the signature pan d'epi (the classic wheat stalk-shaped crusty loaf), roasted vegetables and a tart for dessert. Each week, chef de cuisine Alain Bourgade goes to the farmers' market in Marin to select the ingredients for the side dishes.

Who: Owner and baker Pascal Rigo is hoping to re-create a Gallic tradition. 'Years ago, the bakery was the only place in a village to have an oven so villagers would arrive with their dishes and put them in the oven,' says Rigo. 'They'd sit at a long table, eat some bread and get to catch up on the gossip.'

Here is a link that might be useful: Baker's $20 Dinner weekends

Pascal Rigo just sold his company to Starbucks for $100 million. How nice! ;-o

This sounds like a terrific trip! When we are traveling, (RV) we always look for friendly looking locals to ask for suggestions. When we're at National Parks, we strike up conversations with Rangers that live in the area and they are always good for recommendations, too! If you are coming through Wisconsin on a Friday, you MUST stop for a fish fry, look for perch or walleye. It's a tradition, and you'll find them absolutely everywhere, often in church halls and always in the small, locally owned supper club type places. Northern Wisconsin is cranberry country, too! If you're on the Eastern end of Wisconsin, if you can get into the "thumb" of the mitten look for a fish boil. They're a Door County thing and it's quite the show. If you are in Door County, also look for cherries.
If you're on the western end of Wisconsin, it's cornish mining country and you will find Pasties (pronounced with a short 'a'). But if you're in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, that's really Pasty country and you'll find them everywhere, and they can vary regionally. Superior whitefish, smoked or fresh...YUM. Wisconsin is my home state and I love it, but Michigan's UP is, IMO, one of the most beautiful places on the planet--absolutely gorgeous almost everywhere you look. If you are hikers, make a stop in the Porcupine Mountains on the Western half, and camp in the state park on Lake Superior. Superior is cold, deep and stunning in it's beauty. On the Eastern half, check out the Painted Rocks--it's worth the price of admission to take the boat tour. (and I don't often say that). Or, if you're a kayaker, rent one and make the tour that way. Munising is in the southern area of the eastern half, and it's waterfalls everywhere--even right on the side of the road sometimes. Look for little wooden structures advertising 'fresh whitefish'. The fish is displayed on ice in the front of the store, while in the back the fishermen are busily cleaning that morning's catch and trying to keep up with demand. It's that fresh, grill it at your campsite and you are in absolute heaven. :-)

Have a great trip! I hope you can post on the way--WIFI is available in a lot of campgrounds these days, and I'd love to hear about it.

Cj

If you like fish, then comparing the fish of the Midwest (Great Lakes walleye, Lake Perch, whitfish and trout, and little inland lake fish like perch) to the West Coast seafood would be fun. Produce and baked goods always fab. in both places. The north country usually offers good cinnamon buns or sticky buns in most diners for hungry hikers for breakfast. The pie is usually good in the Midwest, I haven't had any on the West coast so I can't compare. I used to have my own favorite pie place off I-80 but I'm not sure what route you're traveling.

MI has Vernors ginger ale which you might try. Also we have Ruby Red Squirt which my east coast friend raved over. I don't know if they even sell it in MI anymore but might be worth a look. I can't drink any kind of soda pop anymore but Vernors really is unusual if you like ginger ale. It is unlike any of the other brands I've tasted, and I love gingerale.

L, we still have Ruby Red Squir and Vernor's gingerale.

I agree that the UP is pasty country, they're everywhere. Lake Superior Whitefish is amazing, from the cold water that keeps it firm.

And Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is a beauty all its own.

I have to admit, though, that I had the best grilled cheese sandwich I've ever had in Wisconsin, with fresh Wisconsin cheese. And one of the most unusual things I've eaten was a "rattlesnake basket", pieces of snake and french fries, served with cole slaw, right by the prairie dog village at Devil's Tower.

Annie

IMPORTANT NOTE! Be sure to have layered clothes and some warm stuff. Here on the coast it can get quite cold. Today was maybe over 80 but tonight it will be in the 50's. And the foggy mornings are bone chilling. But even inland the temperature can drop 25 degrees at night.

If your DH likes fishing, I can recommend Kahuna. A friend from Southern CA is here every summer for the fishing!

http://www.kahunasportfishing.com/

Well, we just got back from dinner with the travelers, who finally made it to our part of the world. I borrowed my neighbor's Aquarium passes for Mabel and DH to use, and then we met them for dinner tonight. We had a simply wonderful time, and it was like old friends getting together. They have had a fantastic trip so far, and Jim and I could have kidnapped them to keep them here. But alas, they will be moving on soon.

They'll soon be heading north, so keep an eye out for them coming to your town soon!

Check out Roadfood.com for recommendations on great road food all over the country. You will find many of the best places for pork tenderloin sandwiches, seafood in the PNW, and Mexican cuisine in California listed, plus so much more. Always call ahead to check on hours of operation!

Have fun!
Teresa

Here is a link that might be useful: Roadfood.com

I don't know if this is a regional specialty or a cultural one, but if you are traveling thru or near Indian country, try to find some Indian tacos. Thanks to the powwow circuit, tacos made with fry bread (kind of a savory sopapilla) have become pan-tribal and have spread all over the west/southwest. I'm not sure where to tell you to look for them, but community centers, churches, scouts etc. during special events
will often have booths serving this home grown Native fusion delicacy. It's not haute cuisine, but it's the real deal. Yum.

Hey! That means Mabel and DH must be headed my way!
Hoping for an email and we can make plans.

The cherries are definitley ON! Still a few strawberries due to cool weather delaying the season. Raspberries, snow peas, greens and believe it or not, some early blueberries.

There are 7-8 farms stands and/or markets within 30 miles of my house! Yup, this is an awesome place to live, in the summer anyway! We won't talk about the "rainy season" from November to May. :)

Deanna

Yup, they're heading north after they leave the Monterey Bay Area. They're great folks, I felt like I've known them forever.

I feel like an idiot!! I still had an old email addy for my contact through gardenweb so...........

Mabel! If you see this, try it now! If you sent emails before, I didn't get them!! I've updated and it should be good now!

Deanna

Deanna, I'm sending it to you.