If you’re ever in Alaska, stop and see my cute little Eskimo.
Two places.
(1) California. If you ever drive from Santa Paula to Ojai on state route 150 watch for the asphalt seeps along the road. There are only a handful of places in the U.S. with such visible seeps. (P.S. Don’t forget the La Brea Tar Pits.)
(2) California. If you ever drive through San Luis Obispo and want breakfast, stop at the Del Monte Cafe (near the railroad station). Been in business since 1981. Not spectacular fare, but good prices and a cozy place with a counter. For you rail folks, if you are lucky a train will come by.
A Third…
If you are cruisin’ up or down through California, take a detour to “The Lost Coast” (between Eureka and Fort Bragg, more or less). Have a driver with steady nerves and watch out for the locals in their huge pickups hauling bigger livestock trailers down the narrow roads at speeds you would not think possible. Some fabulous scenery, some terrifying roads, some wild times. Can’t tell you about eats or sleeps. Don’t think there are any! I did see one bar in Petrolia, but didn’t stop.
If you’re ever in Seattle, then you can just go and eat a bag of Dick’s.
While you’re in San Luis Obispo county, don’t miss the disgusting Bubble Gum Alley in the downtown area. If you get as far up the road as Cambria, visit Nitt Witt Ridge, an eclectic hillside house built of tin cans, abalone shells, and miscellaneous other odds and ends.
As for you rail folks, you probably already know this: If you’re ever in or around Bakersfield or Tehachapi, check out the world-famous Tehachapi Loop.
Google Image search with lots of pics.
NEW NEWS: In doing the above google search, I found that there is now a viewing platform! There was never previously a really good vantage point without trespassing on private land. Looks like this just happened this past summer (2021).
If you are ever in Los Angeles, make sure you take in the view of the city from Griffith Observatory. With its intervening mountain ridges and south facing beaches, it’s impossible to comprehend the shape and orientation of the city from street level.
And since my town of San Luis Obispo has been mentioned, drive to the end of Bishop St. and make the short but steep walk up to Terrace Park for the best and most accessible view of the town.
I try to hit that viewpoint any time I’m passing through–it’s only a few minutes off the freeway. I got lucky last time and hit the viewpoint right as a train was hitting the loop.
If you can’t make it to Tehachapi Pass, there’s a HO scale version of the loop in the San Diego Model Railroad Museum.
Huh. I’m pretty much a lifelong resident and I don’t think I’ve heard of this place. Thanks for the heads up.
Cool! We’ll be in Andersonville again next week. Getting a little shopping done.
If you make it to lancaster ca heres somethings to do :
Also for history buffs along the aforementioned BLVD has an aerospace historical path along various buildings on the street commemorating all the astronauts and test pilots and planes that are passed here I since the '30s
Do eat at one of the best diners around crazy ottos all but one closes about 3 PM the one open for dinner closes about 8 pm tho bring an appetite cause the motto there is “if you leave hungry it’s your fault”…
Unfortunately due to the recent minor league realignment we no longer have our much loved “jerhawks” and not a subject to bring up with most locals …
YES. Second this.
Definitely worth visiting.
In Buffalo, NY there are several places worth visiting: The Pierce Arrow museum is one of them. It also features Thomas Flyer cars and motorcycles. But the unique thing in the museum is a gas station that was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It was never put into service.
Damn, I was just in Buffalo a couple months ago. Would have gone there if I’d known about it.
There’s also the Colored Musicians Club, which is a museum and music venue. It’s the oldest continuously running African-American club in the United States. Don’t go if your knees give you grief, though, as it’s a steep climb up the stairs.
Oahu, Hawaii. Hawaii Plantation Village
Step back in time to when ‘sugar was King’ and experience the real Hawaii. Hawaii’s Plantation Village is the perfect location for keiki, family and all ages to explore a living history museum and botanical garden. A visit to us opens a door to a time of true hospitality and cultural sharing that sprung from Hawaii’s plantation life.
Hawaii’s Plantation Village is an outdoor museum telling the story of life on Hawaii’s sugar plantations (circa 1850-1950). The Village includes restored buildings and replicas of plantation structures, including houses of various ethnic groups and community buildings such as the plantation store, infirmary, bathhouse and manager’s office. We share the story of Hawaii’s many cultures: including Hawaiian, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, Okinawan, Portuguese and Puerto Rican.
This is a living museum of the foundation of Local Style, a unique mix of cultures and ethnicities.
Be sure to visit when a guide is available, because there’s so much history and stories (talk story) that will enhance the visit.
If you’re ever in New Jersey…make sure you bring a clothespin to clamp on your nose.
Just kidding. I grew up in Jersey, so I can bust it’s chops.
This one’s legit: If you’re ever in St. Augustine…make sure you head over to Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grille and get some Fried Green Tomatoes, She-crab Bisque and Shrimp -N- Grits.
After dinner, stroll down St. George Street and have JC the Cuban Roller roll you a Cuban seed cigar. Smooth as ice!
Buffalo is one of many cities I’d like to include in a trip. Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and others…what put these places on the map? Must be something. I know Cleveland has the RNR Hall of Fame and the actual house from “A Christmas Story.” Pittsburgh is often listed as a great place to retire. Cincinnati…?
@Chefguy, are you familiar with chef Matty? This may be NSFW…he often throws a few F bombs around. He once started a riot in his own restaurant…and had a heart attack at age 29. source He visits Buffalo in the episode below.
Well, Pittsburgh had the steel industry locked up pretty tightly for a long time. Buffalo sits on Lake Erie and was a major trade and shipping center, along with having Bethlehem Steel on site. It attracted many, many businesses including Brylcreem, Pierce Arrow, and General Mills just to name a few. When the steel mills closed, the city went downhill rapidly, but it’s making a good comeback in recent years.
I don’t know who Chef Matty is. I do know that you can get the best fish fry on the planet in Buffalo, and that Bocce Pizza is the best I’ve ever eaten. I’m not from there, but my wife is, and we visited there the year prior to the pandemic.
I’ve been keen to try New Haven style pizza (apizza?), which I heard is excellent.
If you’re ever in Virginia Beach, VA, make sure you get some Duck Donuts.
And check out the Neptune statue…it’s 34 feet tall.