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13 Food-Filled Day Trips From the Twin Cities

Minnesota wineries, smokehouses, and food destinations around the state

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Whether you want to chase fall color, escape winter drudgery, or make the most of summer in Minnesota, a day trip from the Twin Cities is practically always a good idea. Fortunately, Minnesota and southwestern Wisconsin are full of gorgeous scenery and excellent grub. Parks and hikes may be great adventures, but the best kind of day trip is the kind that spotlights food. (For extra travel inspiration, check out nearby rustic pizza farms and great food in Duluth. ) Here are 11 excellent, food-filled day trips from the Twin Cities.

Stockholm Pie and General Store

Stockholm Pie is a little touristy, but for good reason: People love pie. One of this spot’s best flavors is the raisin sour cream pie, an old-fashioned dessert made with raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg, rum, sour cream, and custard and topped with homemade whipped cream. The adjacent general store sells fruit preserves, an eclectic selection of classic candies and soda pops, glassware, art, and other home goods and pantry items. If Stockholm is too far of a schlep, simply get to Stoneware Coffee in Red Wing for a slice of Stockholm Pie.

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Chef Shack Bay City

Chefs Lisa Carlson and Carrie Summer launched Chef Shack as one of the Twin Cities’ very first food trucks back in 2007 — they parlayed their success into a Minneapolis restaurant before relocating to Wisconsin in 2019, where they recently earned a semifinalist nod from the James Beard Foundation. At their new(ish) Bay City location, just across the river from Red Wing, they’re serving a newly revamped menu of French and Peruvian-influenced food, offering both a multi-course tasting menu or a la carte options at the bar. Note that Chef Shack is only open on weekends and closes during the winter, so check ahead to make sure it’s open.

Hanisch Bakery and Coffee Shop

They’ve got more than leather shoes down in Red Wing. Hanisch Bakery & Coffee Shop serves handmade donuts on the edge of Bluff Country, which was carved by glacial meltwater long ago. Your appreciation of the area’s stunning limestone bluffs will double if you have an apple fritter or maple long john in hand.

King's Place Bar and Grill

“Don’t worry, you won’t find a $20 burger on this menu,” the King’s Place website guarantees. This casual Miesville bar, which is just 10 miles from Cannon Falls and its beloved antique stores, instead offers more than 50 burger options at approximately $10 each. These include the Fair Ball (with a sausage patty, fried egg, and American cheese), the Double Play (with Swiss cheese, sautéed green peppers, and onions), and the Batter Box (with peanut butter, maple syrup, and bacon). Why all the baseball lingo? King’s Place is a five-minute walk from Jack Ruhr Field, the home of the amateur Miesville Mudhens. On game nights, you can get into the bleachers for just $3 (and kids’ admission is free).

Ember and Bean Roasting Co

There are several excellent coffee roasters in Wisconsin, including Ruby Coffee Roasters and Wonderstate Coffee . But Ember and Bean is just over the Minnesota-Wisconsin border in Hudson, making for a snappy 35-minute drive, and their coffees are not yet widely distributed in the Twin Cities. Visit this coffee shop to sample one of Jessica and Jonathan Pressley’s latest single-origin brews or specialty coffee drinks.

Gasthaus Bavarian Hunter

Venture 25 miles east to scenic Stillwater — one of the many small cities that dot the Upper Mississippi River valley — to Gasthaus (or “guest house” ), which  serves all sorts of German standards, from spätzle (an egg noodle side dish) to schweineschnitzel (pork schnitzel) to schwarzwälder kirschtorte (Black Forest gateau). On weekends, an accordionist ambles about the dining room. To glimpse an alternate universe in which the local craft beer boom never happened, peek at the Gasthaus’s beer list, which is 100 percent imported and includes selections from major Munich breweries Hofbräu, Paulaner, and Hacker-Pschorr.

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Mousse Sparkling Wine Co.

“But Minnesota wine isn’t that great,” you say. Well, cold climate grapes are relatively acidic, which makes them ideal ingredients for a beautiful glass of bubbly. Plus, winemaker Josie Boyle is one of our regional experts on sparkling wine. Look for the Mousse bottles produced using the traditional method (most commonly used for Champagne) or the charmat method (most commonly used for prosecco), and enjoy the 45-minute trip southwest to Jordan, where you’ll find a historic tasting room with exposed brick walls, hardwood floors, and a cute patio.

University of Minnesota Arboretum AppleHouse

As the University of Minnesota develops new apple varieties, it has to do something with the test fruits. Enter the AppleHouse, an offshoot of the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, in Victoria. Every fall, the AppleHouse sells tried-and-true U-of-M-developed varieties, such as the Honeycrisp, the Haralson, and the Zestar, alongside yet-unnamed test batches. Apple season also brings North Star Donuts, a food truck with apple cider mini donuts and apple cider slushies. In November and December, the AppleHouse becomes the Holiday Boutique, vending apples, winter squash, and holiday knickknacks. (Note that the apple house is only open in the fall)

Krewe Restaurant

There aren’t  a ton of great New Orleans-style eateries in the Twin Cities, so it’s well worth heading an hour northwest to Krewe Restaurant, where shrimp jambalaya, sumptuous gumbo, and smothered collard greens await. Mateo Mackbee and Erin Lucas co-own this New York Times –recognized restaurant and its companion business, a bakery called Flour & Flower, both of which are less than 10 miles from St. Cloud in central Minnesota. Krewe even has beignets, the fried dough delights most famously served at New Orleans’s Cafe du Monde.

Charlie's Cafe

Charlie’s Cafe in Freeport, Minn., is a beacon of comfort on the long, flat stretch of I-94 between Fargo and Minneapolis. This classic Midwest diner was purchased and rebranded in the early 1960s by Charlie Heidgerken, a fourth-generation German American, and it still commemorates German Night on Wednesdays by serving sauerbraten, wienerschnitzel, and potato pancakes. Any day of the week, you can snag a vinyl-covered counter stool or a laminated plastic booth and tuck into steak and eggs, a homemade caramel roll, and/or a slice of lemon meringue pie.

Ida Graves Distillery

Spouses Anna Wilson and Brock Berglund distill organic, single-batch spirits in Alexandria, Berglund’s hometown, which is about two hours northwest of the Twin Cities. Since founding their business in 2016, Wilson and Berglund have expanded their line-up to include amaro, aquavit, gin, and vodka. Sure, Ida Graves spirits are available in bars and restaurants all over the Twin Cities metro — but you’ll have to hike to their 77-acre property if you want to see nearby Lake Ida Cemetery (get it?) or take a short distillery tour . Wilson and Berglund hope to open a cocktail room for the public in 2024. (To double down on good eats, swing through cheese palace Redhead Creamery in Brooten, Minn., on the way to or from Ida Graves.)

New Scenic Café

Chef Scott Graden’s New Scenic Cafe, just north of Duluth on Highway 61, is a destination dining spot on the shores of chilly Lake Superior. This Scandinavian-influenced menu offers small plates like beet-cured gravlax and lobster salad; mains like sea scallops and Swedish meatballs, all served in a dreamy, cedar-paneled dining room where delicate birch trees arc across the ceiling. On summer evenings, grab a chair around the fire pit.

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Where to Eat and Drink in Duluth, Minnesota

Russ Kendall's Smoke House

At about two and a half hours from Minneapolis, Russ Kendall’s might be a little far for a day trip. But if you roll out of bed early and pack fresh bagels and cream cheese, you can complete your brunch with some of the best smoked fish on the North Shore. This rustic family-owned business sells flaky smoked lake trout and brown sugar-cured salmon less than a half-mile from Lake Superior. Pro tip: Get caffeinated at Duluth Coffee Company or Dream Cloud on the way through Duluth.

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Plan your trip around food and eat your way across the country.

Love food ? HungryTrip is not a GPS, it's a food finder . It's for the person that plans their whole trip around food. If you're a foodie that loves interesting restaurants and new food adventures, HungryTrip is for you . It's about taking a tour of the best food along the best route, not just the fastest way there. These aren't just foodie destinations, they're short detours for awesome bites. Eat your way across the country , and plan a food road trip to discover the best places to eat that only locals know.

We'll help you build an entire food itinerary, even if it takes days to cover everything. You can plan every meal on your road trip so no food opportunity is wasted. You can even customize the theme. Go ahead, plan a donut road trip , or hit every tasting menu in the state and do your own restaurant ranking. Take your dream road trip to food happiness . Because it's not about the destination... It's about the journey!

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• 16 Spots For Delightful Dim Sum in Las Vegas
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14 Restaurants Where First-Time Las Vegas Visitors Should Eat

On your first visit to Las Vegas, lead with a memorable meal

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Any first-time visitor in Las Vegas is likely overwhelmed by the sheer number of places to visit. A food lover may already have a list of go-to spots to try, while a newbie fresh off the plane might not come with an agenda. This list gives a little of both, with over-the-top experiences that come with a memory and a story to tell the friends back home. Those who want a deeper dive into the best of everything this city has to offer, beyond just tourist-friendly destinations can check out Eater’s Guide to Las Vegas , Vegas Dining 101 , or the Eater 38 . For the hottest restaurants of the moment, visit the Eater Vegas Heatmap .

Golden Steer Steakhouse

Old school Vegas comes back to life at the Golden Steer, open since 1958. Booths here come with plaques remembering the stars of yesteryear who dined at the steakhouse. Mobster Tony "The Ant" Spilatro, actress Natalie Wood, singer Nat "King" Cole, baseball player Joe DiMaggio, Elvis Presley and race car driver Mario Andretti along with the Rat Pack stars Frank Sinatra, boxer Muhammad Ali all dined here. Table-side carts dish out Caesar salads, and anything with red meat is a must-order.

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Peppermill and Fireside Lounge

Visiting Peppermill is a rite of passage for any Las Vegas visitor. Gaudy neon, trees draped over the booths, a counter for single diners, green and red sugar, and massive plates of diner fare are all worthy reasons to visit, especially late at night. Customers should have at least one drink at the neighboring Fireside Lounge’s firepit to complete that memory. Plus, it’s open 24 hours on the weekends.

Tacos El Gordo

When it’s all said and done, at the end of the night you’re likely going to need a snack to soak up all the good times. That's when you should make a beeline for Tacos el Gordo. They’ve got several area locations, but the can’t-miss experience is lining up for late-night tacos with all the revelers on the Strip. You can’t go wrong with any of the taco fillings, but we particularly like the chorizo.

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The French trio of chef Yuri Szarzewski, pastry chef Vincent Pellerin, and manager Nicolas Kalpokdjian all worked in award-winning restaurants in France before opening Partage in a multicultural dining hub on Spring Mountain Road. Each of its surprise tasting menus feature interesting dishes made with seasonal ingredients — with affordable pricing. Five courses for $110, seven courses for $140, and nine courses for $175.

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Tao Asian Bistro

Pan-Asian food defines the menu, but the possibility of spotting a celebrity walking past that giant Buddha floating above a pond Japanese Koi in the middle of the dining room is perhaps the highest here at this nightclub and restaurant at the Venetian.

Ping Pang Pong

You can’t leave Las Vegas without sampling some of the city’s exemplary Chinese food. Ping Pang Pong is the gold standard for dim sum with roving carts loaded with mango lobster scallop rolls, duck buns, Sui mai, and much more. In the evening, the menu switches over to high-end Chinese dishes including Macanese crustacean claypot with a ginger laksa curry broth, roast duck, Cantonese princess chicken, and more.

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Bacchanal Buffet

Inevitably, everyone wants to eat at a buffet, if only for the experience of piling as much unlimited food on a plate as possible. Bacchanal has always been one of the city’s best, but after a $2.4 million renovation during its closure in March 2020, there’s even more reason to visit. The whole place is built for spectacle: there are nine open kitchens where guests can see the food being prepared, and offerings span sushi and sashimi, a carving station, hot and cold seafood offerings, Mexican, pizza, barbecue, Chinese, Korean, and a center island dessert bar. Dishes change with the seasons, plus the buffet features at least 15 daily specials. Wear loose-fitting attire.

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Gordon Ramsay Hell's Kitchen

Reservations are tough to come by at Gordon Ramsay’s fourth restaurant in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace. The restaurant pays tribute to Ramsay’s Fox Network Hell’s Kitchen TV show with 8,000 square feet of themed space sporting an interior bar, two dining rooms, a showcase kitchen, and retail space. His famous beef Wellington, pan-seared scallops, sticky toffee pudding, and, appropriately, a Caesar salad make the menu.

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Giada De Laurentiis opened her first-ever restaurant in Las Vegas in 2014 and has remained a favorite among visitors. The Food Network star can regularly be found in the kitchen and walking through the dining room to meet and greet diners eating her California-influenced Italian food at The Cromwell.

Mon Ami Gabi

Queue up early to grab a seat on the patio of Mon Ami Gabi at the base of the faux Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner make the menu here at this French bistro, but it’s the people watching and view of the fountains at Bellagio that create the memories.

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The Mayfair Supper Club

This supper club at the Bellagio is at once novel — and time-efficient. One of the most popular dinner-and-a-show options in town, the restaurant is located just behind the Fountains of Bellagio, offering a direct view of the dancing waters in the few moments that dancers and singers are not on stage. Order spicy tuna rolls, Maine lobster thermidor, and garlic-crusted prime rib to enjoy while performers bring the entertainment from the stage right down to your table.

Casa Di Amore

At this off-Strip Italian restaurant, feast on generous servings of linguine bolognese, pasta carbonara, and ossu bucco in a classic restaurant with Rat Pack vibes. Inside, live jazz is performed nightly. Outside on the patio, find yet another classic Vegas dining trend — the tiki bar. If you’re staying on the Strip, give the restaurant a call at 702-433-4967 for free transportation.

Anima by EDO

For a peek into the culinary talent that thrives off the Strip, venture into the southwest corner of the Las Vegas Valley and visit the neighborhood restaurant, Anima. The tasting menu here is not only a tour of exciting Spanish and Mediterranean flavors — it’s also affordable. The seasonally rotating tasting menu is usually around $80 for seven courses. And you’ll be treated to artfully plated small dishes of purple potato, handmade pasta, and delicately fried potato.

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Michael's Gourmet Room

Gourmet rooms used to be all the rage in Las Vegas; Michael’s at the South Point is the only one that remains. This jewel box of a room deck out in red velvet features dashing servers decked out in tuxedos often making dishes table-side. Make it a romantic night with the chateaubriand for two and then order dessert from the pastry cart of fantasies.

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USA TODAY 10Best

A perfect weekend in Easton, Maryland: Where to eat, drink, and stay

April 25, 2024 // By Sarah Maiellano

By Sarah Maiellano April 25, 2024

Maryland's Eastern Shore along the Chesapeake Bay is a playground for sailors, seafood lovers, and sunset chasers. Easton, Maryland, a charming, walkable town that punches well above its weight regarding cultural attractions and dining, is a must-stop. A short drive from Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Philadelphia, Easton might not be on the water, like nearby St. Michael's, but the coastal feel is there.

The town comes alive in the summertime when vacationers descend to enjoy the area's waterways, villages, and local crab and oysters. But its history, charm, and colonial and Victorian architecture make this a year-round destination. No wonder it's been a top contender for Best Small Town Cultural Scene and Best New Year's Eve Drop in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards.

Here's where to go, what to do, and where to stay in Easton, Maryland.

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Things to do in Easton

For a small town, Easton is rich in arts and culture. At the restored 100-seat Ebenezer Theater , celebrated musicians from around the world take the stage. The 400-seat Avalon Theatre hosts touring bands in an art deco venue a few blocks away.

Founded by a group of local artists in the 1950s, the Academy Art Museum features a wide-ranging collection, from Marc Chagall and Mary Cassatt to contemporary artists. The mix of 19th century and new architecture includes a beautiful two-story glass atrium. Catch special exhibitions that showcase works from modern masters and emerging artists alike.

Easton was involved in some meaningful moments in Black history, particularly those involving Frederick Douglass and Harriett Tubman, who were both born in this area.

Take self-guided driving tours of important moments in Douglass' life, including the abolitionist's early days on the Eastern Shore before he escaped enslavement and returned as a local hero.

Don't miss the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center , about 30 minutes south of Easton. This national park site tells the story of Tubman's life, from the time of her enslavement in Maryland to her brave Underground Railroad missions and beyond.

Where to eat in Easton, Maryland

The ultimate destination on the Eastern Shore is Bas Rouge . Led by James Beard Award finalist Harley Peet and former staff from New York City's Le Bernardin, Bas Rouge exudes elegance. Rare ingredients dot the prix fixe menu in this glowy, high-ceilinged space, while sommelier-led wine pairings complement each course. You must order post-dinner cheese and dessert, plated tableside from rolling trolleys.

Bas Rouge's sister eateries should also be on your list. Bonheur serves ice cream, pie, high tea, and morning crepes in a whimsical, picture-perfect space. Sunflowers & Greens specializes in fresh, create-your-own salads, some with high-end ingredients like savory prosciutto.

Locals enjoy tiki-themed Tiger Lily for brunch. For lunch, dining on the patio at Legal Assets , located in an 1867 carriage house, is a treat.

Where to sample wine and scotch in Easton

On the same block as Bas Rouge, The Stewart takes its cues from Edinburgh. Its $1.5 million Scotch collection is set behind a curved bar in a cozy space with a central fireplace. Your best bet is to try one-ounce pours of a few different single malts — the knowledgeable bar staff will guide you. The menu is tight, with indulgent treats like fries topped with caviar and a grilled cheese stuffed with braised short rib.

The Wardroom is a busy wine, liquor, and cheese shop and a sit-down restaurant. During the day, come for cheese (aged in a 40-degree underground cave on-site) and charcuterie-filled lunches, and at night, it's all about fresh pasta. A self-serve wine tap system lets you sample well-sourced new and old-world wine.

Where to shop in Easton

All over town, large-format vintage posters decorate the walls of local businesses. Call it the Flying Cloud Fine Art Posters effect. This gallery and shop collects and sells colorful posters that hawk long-gone airlines and liquor brands. Next door, find bestsellers and a sweet children's section at Flying Cloud Booksellers .

Stroll around to find art galleries and lovely shops of all stripes, like Caroline Dalton's boutique, Arrae , known for fine jewelry, home decor, beauty products, children's items. Get in the coastal spirit at Sailor , which outfits shoppers in Lilly Pulitzer, Southern Tide, Patagonia, Vineyard Vines, and other brands perfect for seaside locales. Shopping for kids is easy at Crackerjacks , where owner Linda Laramy has sold unique toys to generations since 1979.

Benjamin is a must-stop whether you're a window shopper or have the budget to collect fine crystal, china, and silver. The gallery-style boutique literally sparkles.

A quick drive from downtown, pick up some Amish-style soft pretzels, pies, and fudge at Easton Amish Market . More than 20 vendors from central Pennsylvania sell their wares — including solid wood furniture — at this market.

Where to stay in Easton, Maryland

You can walk to all of Easton's attractions from the Tidewater Inn. This centrally located hotel offers comfortable rooms in its main building and a historic mansion about a block away. Rooms take on distinct themes, like the Palmetto Suite and the French Suite.

The Hummingbird Inn , a bed and breakfast in an 1800s house, is also centrally located. Rooms here are spacious and guests enjoy gathering in a Victorian Garden with a fountain and a firepit.

For a next-level stay, drive 10 miles to the Inn at Perry Cabin in the buzzy neighboring town of St. Michael's. You might recognize it as the waterfront filming location of the film, "Wedding Crashers." Named the most romantic inn in the U.S. by 10Best readers, this luxury property features a spa, golf, tennis, sailing, and a popular seafood restaurant.

About Sarah Maiellano

Sarah Maiellano is a Philadelphia-based freelance writer covering travel, food, wine, and more. She was born and raised in Philly and lived in Washington, D.C. for 10 years.

Read more about Sarah Maiellano here.

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25 Easy Make-Ahead Road Trip Meal Ideas they’ll love!

Planning a road trip? Looking for easy, make-ahead meal ideas, whether for a weekend break or a longer trip? Or maybe you want some easy recipes for meals on the road? Here are 25 great ideas for you!

*We work hard to make this the best motorhome travel blog and road trip website possible, full of helpful content for you. The website is supported by our readers, so if you buy through links on this site we may earn a commission- at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain our own .

If you find this post useful, you can also treat us to a coffee – we promise to enjoy it while creating more useful content like this- we might even indulge in a biscuit (or two!)

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Easy Make-Ahead Road Trip Meals

I’ll be honest- planning meals for a road trip is one of the things I dislike most.

Don’t get me wrong- I like cooking and I DEFINITELY like eating … but I am not good at creating a meal plan.

I also have a daughter who has gone from eating whatever we give her to being more and more particular about what she likes- and she’d rather not eat at all than eat something she doesn’t love. At home, it’s pretty easy to cook separate meals, but in the van, it becomes a whole different issue- and it makes the process of meal planning a lot harder.

Why plan meals on a road trip at all??

Oh, I hear you. In an ideal world, we’d just head off into the unknown and see what we find. One of the things we enjoy most about travelling is sampling local foods and dishes and enjoying discovering new things.

Both Mr WB and myself are fairly easy to please and can make do with all sorts, but anyone with kids knows that it’s just not that easy. I also don’t want to spend my time on the road worrying about whether she’ll eat anything- so it makes MY life easier if I plan it out a little in advance.

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Road Trip Meal Planning

So, where do you even start with planning meals for a road trip??

For me, I break it down into 2/3 day intervals. Generally, we like to pop into a shop and buy fresh bread, fruit and other bits every 2/3 days. We don’t do MASSIVE week long shops when we travel- our fridge is nowhere near big enough to deal with that and there’s the worry about what happens if you lose power or gas? All that food will go to waste.

Of course, if you’re only going to a weekend, you can easily make-ahead several dishes and just heat them up- much easier.

TOP TIP for picky eaters- Make them choose some meals

One way I tackle our favourite picky eater is to get her to pick 5-7 dinners she will eat. (Annoyingly, this seems to change every week or so!) I also make her come shopping with me- I find if she chooses it, there’s a higher chance she’ll eat it.

While we’re on the subject of kids, here are some posts you might find useful:

• 21 EPIC Children’s car games & road trip activities
• 14 quiet time activities for kids, tweens and teenagers

Our Normal Road Trip Food shopping method

On a ‘normal’ two-week road trip to mainland Europe, this is my tried and trusted routine:

• Buy stuff in UK which we struggle to get overseas (see below)
• Make-ahead meals for first night or two
• Buy things as you travel (at local markets, supermarkets or Lidl)
• Do this every couple of days so we can buy fresh bread, fruit and croissants! Yum!!
• Try to ignore jeans not doing up….!! 
• Remember that people eat EVERYWHERE and try not to overbuy before you leave the UK.

This system has worked fairly well for us. It’s allowed us to discover new things, let Jade choose what she fancies and my stress levels don’t get too high trying to plan out a whole weeks worth of meals.

What about perishable foods?

We have a fridge which works both whilst we’re driving (battery) and when we’re parked up (gas). So we bring a small amount of perishable food with us- milk, cheese, ham, meat, yogurt, fruit, bacon.

We don’t buy too much in case there is a problem and the fridge breaks- it’s always been a little tempermental and is the part of the motorhome I trust the least!!

Easy Road Trip Recipes

When I’m on a road trip, especially if it’s a holiday, I don’t want to spend hours of my time in the galley, prepping, washing, chopping, cooking and washing up!

Here are a few easy recipes we use and love. Most only use one pot and many can be made in advance if you prefer.

5 easy road trip Breakfast ideas

• Greek Yogurt and fresh fruit
• Muesli/ cereal
• Scrambled eggs in a wrap or on toast (toast is HARD to cook on a gas hob though!)
• Bacon/ sausage sandwich (bring your own bacon from the UK. Alternatively, look in European supermarkets- but it won’t look the same. It’s usually much thinner and cooks MUCH faster.)
• One Pan English Breakfast 

Note how those went from fairly healthy to full-on delicious! I’m making myself hungry!

10 easy Lunch ideas for a road trip

We tend to do lunch as we travel- or if we’re exploring we’ll treat ourselves to a cheeky lunch out. Just don’t do that at Neuschwanstein Castle ! ( Jeez- you thought Norway was expensive!!!! )

• Fresh crusty bread and… anything. Cheese, ham, tuna, butter, garlic cheese, crisps, chicken, leftover beef, fish fingers…
• Salad. We try and add some fruit or salad in where possible- we’ll pretend to be healthy every once in a while! If we’re parked up I love to fry up some chicken and pop it onto a quick salad with avocado, tomatoes and peppers. Or try these delicious healthy salad recipes . TOP TIP- WASH your salad. Even the ones in bags. They don’t always wash it in Europe. It also doesn’t seem to last as long (that might be the heat) so don’t over buy.
• Grilled Cheese (see below for recipe)
• Couscous (see below)

I have still not found a decent way to make toast in the van. It’s an ongoing process that I will continue to work at! Still, Grilled Cheese sandwiches are a perfect snack:

Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe

• Sliced Bread
• Cheese (Cheddar and Mozzarella work well)

Butter bread thinly and put butter side down into hot frying pan (not too hot and use butter, not oil.) Add slices of cheddar and mozzarella cheese. Add other slice of bread on top, butter side up. After a couple of minutes (when bottom slice is brown but not burnt), flip sandwich over. Grill for a couple of minutes. For an extra touch, transfer sandwich to oven tray and bake in oven at 170’c for 5-7 minutes until cheese is totally melted.

Burritos are basically large wraps, with beans and/ or rice added into the wrap. One of the easiest ones is the bean and cheese burrito, but you can easily add in meat, sauces and any leftovers you might have.

Ingredients: 

• 1 whole-grain tortilla wrap
• 1 medium-sized can of black beans (cook in advance if needed)
• Cheese- sliced or grated

Simply spread ingredients over wrap, fold in all ends tightly and enjoy!

5 Easy Road Trip Sandwich ideas

Sometimes, simple is best. Here are some easy road trip sandwich ideas:

• Sausage or Bacon Sandwich – great for breakfast or lunch!
• Ham/Chicken/ Salami Sandwich – with or without cheese
• Jam or Peanut Butter Sandwich
• Egg Mayo Sandwich
• Tuna sandwich

Couscous is magical. Lighter than rice and so versatile. I make a big helping of this and it lasts for lunch and dinner quite happily.

The trick is to double the amount of liquid to cous cous. One cup couscous= 2 cups stock. I love to use chicken or vegetable stock. Nothing fancy; those little cubes in some boiling water are just fine. Stir until the cube disolves, then pour it over the couscous. Leave to stand for 10 minutes. The beauty of this is you can add whatever you like to it. We like lemon, mint, feta, avocado, red peppers, spring onions, celery… the list is endless. I generally make a bowl of plain couscous and we each add different fillings to it.

10 easy or make-ahead road trip meals for dinner

Ahhhh… now this is the fun part. Everyone’s been driving in the exact same motorhome for several hours… and as soon as you arrive somewhere and the van is parked up for the night, they all turn to you and ask ‘what’s for dinner?’…!

All of these recipes take no more than 30 minutes or you can make many of them ahead for the first few days of the trip.

TOP TIP- Be kind to yourself. Many people dislike ‘pre-made’ sauces, feeling that they’re ‘cheating’ if they don’t cook everything from scratch. But it’s your trip too, so don’t be judgemental about sauces from a jar. Yes, there might be a bit more sugar or salt- but it’s a heck of a lot better than a pizza or McDonalds. So be kind to yourself and make things easy.

Some easy or make-ahead meal ideas for dinners on the road:

• 3-way mince (Bolognaise, Chilli, Savoury)- can be made in the slow cooker

Spanish Omelette

• Easy make-ahead taco Bowl

Chicken Quinoa

• Pea/ Pesto Pasta

Cheats Pizza

3-way mince: bolognese, chilli or savoury.

Here’s the recipe for 3 way mince bulk cooking. You can get savoury mince, bolognese and chilli from 1 pack of mince. It’s the perfect ‘make-ahead’ recipe and is very easy to heat up on the road.

1 pack of 500g mince makes 5 meals: 2 x savoury mince 2 x chilli 1 x bolognese

Start with chopped onion, pepper, garlic and grated carrot all in one large pan with a little oil (or butter) until softened.

Split the mix between 3 pans & add the mince. Cut it long ways in the packet before adding so it’s easier to break up in the pan.

You can add any vegetables at this point. Previously I’ve used courgette, mushrooms and aubergine, all finely chopped. You can get 6/7/8 kinds of vegetables in there!

Brown the mince on a low to medium heat so it doesn’t clump together, break it up with a spoon as it cooks.  Add the seasoning to the chilli pan (cumin, turmeric, chilli powder, garlic powder and paprika) and garlic powder to the savoury mince & bolognese pans. 

Once browned, strain peas & sweetcorn (one small can of corn & 1 small can of peas and add to savoury mince pan.

Add one can of chopped tomatoes to the chilli pan & 1 to the bolognese, stir through. Drain and rinse the kidney beans and add to the chilli. I used half a can of beans, I’ll save the rest for a salad.

Rinse the tomato cans out with a little water & add to the savoury mince pan. Stir in Bisto granules (or beef stock & maybe cornflour or thickener as needed). Add a little Worcestershire sauce & pepper to taste.

Taste & adjust seasonings if necessary.

Divide & eat, or store in the fridge until ready.

Many thanks to Phillippa from PhilyaBelly for the recipe – follow her on Instagram

Serve with:

• Spaghetti, rice or potatoes.
• Garlic or crusty bread
• Grated cheese
• Side salad if your family will eat it.

I LOVE this Spanish Omelette. It’s so easy to make and only uses one pan.

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped

Heat the oil in large frying pan. Peel potatoes and slice thinly. Put the slices in the pan with the onion & garlic. Cover the pan and cook until the potatoes are tender, turning them occasionally. Beat the eggs.

When the potato and onion mixture is cooked, add it to the eggs and mix together. Heat another spoon of oil in the pan, and turn the heat down as low as it will go. Pour the egg, onion & potato mixture into the pan.

The essence of this dish is slow cooking and it should take about 20 minutes. When there is no liquid left turn omelette over for 2 minutes. It’s now ready to serve and eat! Delicious- perfect with salad or french loaf.

Lamb Kebabs

Take 500g (4 people) of lean lamb mince and add spices (salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, paprika… whatever you like!) Mould into balls or around a skewer and cook on BBQ or in oven until browned.

If using BBQ and wooden skewers, soak the skewers in water for about 30 minutes first.

Serve with Tzatziki- Greek yogurt, mint, lemon and cucumber

Easy make-ahead Taco bowl

• 1 can of beef
• ½ of a small jar of salsa
• Bag of tortilla chips
• 1 can of beans
• 1 avocado/ guacamole

Warm beef and cook beans as directed on label. Mix and add on top of chips (can be warmed in oven) Add Salsa, avocado/ guacamole, sour cream and grated cheese as desired (we pop the whole thing in the oven to melt the cheese.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1/4 tsp. herb de Provence (or any herbs)
• 1 cup. quinoa
• 1/4 cup. white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup. olive oil
• 2 green onions
• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 4 cup. rocket/ lettuce/ salad
• 2/3 cup. olives, quartered
• 12 oz. tomatoes, halved
• Season chicken breasts with herbs, salt and pepper. Grill 3 minutes per side on medium-high or until cooked through.
• Cook quinoa as label directs.
• Mix vinegar, olive oil, green onions, Dijon mustard and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss half of the vinaigrette with cooked quinoa, salad/ rocket, tomatoes and olives. Serve chicken over quinoa with remaining vinaigrette.

Pea / Pesto Pasta

• Pasta  
• fresh or frozen peas
• Chopped chives, for serving
• Cook pasta. Drain and return pasta to pot. 
• While pasta is cooking, roughly chop 1 cup peas. Add ricotta and lemon zest and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. 
• Add ricotta mixture, remaining 1/2 cup peas, and pasta water; toss to combine. Sprinkle with chopped chives, if desired.

Alternatively, cook pasta, add several large spoons of pesto and some grated cheese and mix well.

Salmon with rice and vegetables

We eat salmon a lot- it’s very good for you.

Grill (or use a low-wattage air fryer ) and serve with rice, couscous (see above) and vegetables.

Sure, you can make your own dough and add toppings- and if that works for you, then go for it. However, we cheat.

• Grab 2 pitta breads per person and pop them under the grill
• You want them warm, but not ‘crispy’
• Turn over, and spread with pesto (green or red)
• Add mozzarella cheese, ham, salami, mushrooms… whatever you like!
• Grill until bubbling

If you’d like more inspiration, here are a couple of our favourite camping cookbooks:

Healthy Road Trip Snacks

We’ve done an entire post on 15 quick & healthy road trip snacks (many of them Keto friendly) but here are a couple more ideas for you:

• 1 large can of tuna
• ½ cup of cranberries
• A packet of whole-grain crackers

First, take the tuna out from the can and empty it into a bowl. Next, mash a whole avocado and add it with the cranberries into the tuna. Use whole-grain crackers to dip into your tuna.

Apple Cookies

• 2 green apples
• Peanut butter
• Dark chocolate chips
• Almond slices

Cut an apple into slices that resemble a cookie, then layer the rest of the ingredients in between two slices to make the snack look like an apple sandwich. The snack will stay fresh in an ice cooler for two days.

Barabrith – great snack for afternoon tea!

Other things:

Whilst we’re on the subject, don’t forget to bring:

• Washing up liquid
• Big scrubbing pad for BBQ if using
• cleaning supplies
• Kitchen roll
• Bottle/ can opener
• Mugs and glasses
• Tea/ coffee/ sugar

How else can I help you today??

• See the BEST Road Trip Journal to record your adventures!
• Show me essential Road Trip Accessories
• Get 100+ essential road trip songs (+ playlist)
• Help me plan my road trip
• See gift ideas for road trippers

Kat never planned to buy a motorhome. She also never planned to quit her job as an air traffic controller, go touring around Europe in said motorhome, start one of the UK’s largest motorhome travel websites… or get a cocker spaniel.

Find out how she went from stuck in the rat race to being a digital nomad and inspiring thousands of people to have their own epic adventures here.

If you’d like to connect with Kat, send her an email or follow her adventures on social media.

Last update on 2024-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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Hi Kat I’ve not tried these yet but they get a good review on Amazon. As I’ve bought the barbecue you recommended in your blogs I thought I would try to keep my new BBQ clean as I absolutely hate scrubbing it after use. Just bought a pack to try on our trip to France in September BBQ Grill Mat, Set of 5 Beeway® Non Stick Barbecue Baking Mats for Charcoal, Gas or Electric Grill – Heat Resistant, Reusable and Easy to Clean, FDA Aproved – Bonus 12″ Just thought you may also find these useful

They look amazing- let me know how you find them 🙂

The https://wandering-bird.com website is one of the best we have found, and the 15 Easy Road Trip Meal Ideas article is very well written and useful! Thanks and kisses! 🙂

I recommend a ridge monkey for camper van cooking. You can cook chicken breasts, steaks, poach eggs, bake a cake, make an omelette, and it also makes great toast!

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50+ Road Trip Food Ideas- Easy Meals On the Go!

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When you’re taking a road trip, bringing the right food can make a huge difference.

Not only is sustenance a necessity on a long trip, but it also breaks up the drive and gives everyone something to look forward to. Especially when you’re traveling with kids! 

There are a lot of factors to consider when picking food for a road trip. Which foods are best for eating on the road? How much should you pack? How should you store it? How can you stay organized and neat? 

Not to worry, this guide has all the information you need to create a perfect road trip meal plan!

Road trip food

Everyone has different road trip strategies and traditions.

Some families prefer to bring food for breakfast and lunch and eat out for dinner, whereas others would rather bring all the food they will need for their entire trip.

Some families prefer to focus on healthy meal and snack options, while others see road trips as a perfect excuse to let loose and enjoy some “fun” food choices.

Whatever your preferences are, we’ve got you covered. 

We’ve divided up our food ideas by meal, although there may be some overlap (a meal that’s good for lunch can also be a great option for dinner, etc).

How to store your road trip food

For any road trip longer than a couple of hours, we highly recommend bringing a cooler with ice or ice packs . This allows you to bring food that needs to be kept refrigerated and greatly increases your meal and snack options.

A few tips on coolers:

• The ice in your cooler should last for several days, depending on the kind of cooler you have and how often you take the lid off.
• If you find you need more ice, you can pick some up at a gas station or grocery store.
• Avoid opening your cooler frequently to prevent the ice from melting quickly and to keep the food cool for longer. 
• Keep ice/ice packs on top of your food, not just at the bottom of the cooler. This will keep your food cool better and longer, as cold air sinks.

**Meat and dairy products should not be left at room temperature for longer than two hours. The warmer the room (or car), the shorter the time perishable food can be left out. 

Road Trip Breakfast Ideas

Breakfast is arguably one of the easiest road trip meals to plan for. There are a variety of breakfast foods that are simple to pack and convenient to eat on the go. Here are a few of our top choices.

• Banana bread
• Banana with peanut butter
• Fresh fruit
• Protein bars
• Boiled eggs
• Bagel and cream cheese
• Yogurt parfait
• Mini cereals

Road Trip Lunch Ideas

There are a lot of different options for lunch on a road trip. Some people might prefer light snacking throughout the day, whereas others might want a full lunch meal. If you prefer hearty snacks as opposed to a large meal, scroll down to the snack section for ideas of foods to supplement your lunch. 

And even if you’re packing a lunch instead of eating out, this still might be a convenient time to stop and get out of the car for a little bit. A park or rest stop is often a convenient place to stretch your legs and have a quick picnic lunch. 

Sandwich tip – wait to add ingredients that have any moisture (tomatoes, condiments, avocado, etc) until right before you eat to prevent your bread from getting soggy.

• Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
• Sub sandwich with lunch meat and cheese
• Cream cheese and raisin bread sandwiches- this has been a favorite of our family’s for years. We would always have it for road trips growing up, but I’ve never seen anyone make it like we do, so I’m sharing the love by including the recipe here! Scroll to the bottom to learn the simple recipe. They are a huge hit with kids!
• Hawaiian roll with cheese
• Rotisserie chicken- presliced, great on a roll, bread, or just eaten plain
• Crackers with cheese and summer sausage- precut cheese and sausage into slices before you leave
• Tuna sandwich
• Egg salad sandwich
• Lunchables- kids love these and honestly, they can be fun for adults too
• Salad- prepared from fresh ingredients before you leave (wait to add dressing until you’re ready to eat) or from a salad kit

Road Trip Dinner Ideas

Dinner always seems like the hardest meal to plan for on the road. Many people are used to eating hot meals for dinner, but that’s not really an option for a road trip unless you stop to heat something up at a gas station. 

But there are some delicious meals you can prepare ahead of time for dinner, especially if you are bringing a cooler. 

• Barbeque chicken sandwich
• Chicken and cheese sandwich
• Pita sandwiches
• Chicken salad sandwiches
• Turkey rollups – from Costco or homemade
• Premixed salad kit
• Fruit salad
• Chicken Caesar salad (Costco has a great premade kit)
• Taco salad- store chopped ingredients separately, then combine and add dressing when you’re ready to eat
• Pasta salad
• Potato salad

Road Trip Snack Ideas

No road trip is complete without road trip snacks. Having something to snack on can prevent people from getting hungry and grumpy during the stretches between meals. It can also help to keep the driver awake if they start to feel drowsy while driving and keep kids entertained!

• Granola bars- Lara bars, Cliff Bars, fig bars, Kind bars
• Crackers- Goldfish, Pirates Booty, Wheat Thins, Cheez-Its, animal crackers
• Pretzels- regular or peanut butter filled
• Pringles- a nice, non-greasy chip option
• Yogurt- Gogurts are less mess and easy to eat in the car
• Fresh fruit (apples, grapes, strawberries, mandarin oranges, blueberries, bananas)
• Dried fruit (apricots, apples, bananas, mangoes, pineapple) 
• Celery and peanut butter- prepack the peanut butter in a condiment cup and dip the celery sticks
• Veggies and hummus- carrots, broccoli, celery, cherry tomatoes
• Fruit leather
• Popcorn- Simply Pop brand or make a fresh batch before you leave and snack on it throughout your trip.
• Sunflower seeds- great for snacking on if you’re starting to feel drowsy 
• Nuts- Mixed nuts, almonds, peanuts, cashews
• Cheese- Babybel cheese, string cheese, cubed cheddar, mozzarella, and/or pepperjack
• Rice cakes with peanut butter

If you’re traveling with kids, plan a “movie night” during the drive and pull out the popcorn and treats while you watch a fun show the whole family can enjoy. It’s a fun way to break up the drive!

Road Trip Desserts and Treats

Sometimes it’s nice to have some food that feels a little special when you’re on a long driving trip. Pack a couple of these dessert foods for a fun treat to pull out during your drive. 

• Rice Krispie treats
• Cookies (chocolate chip, peanut butter, snickerdoodles)- made in advance or store bought
• Brownies- make and individually wrap before your trip
• Candy- if you want something non-meltable choose a candy like Sourpatch Kids, Redvines, Starbursts
• Fruit snacks

Don’t forget to Bring…

In addition to meals and snacks, there are some other non-food essentials that you don’t want to forget on a road trip. Skim through this list to make sure you aren’t missing anything important. 

• Paper towels – a necessity for inevitable spills and messes
• Wet wipes – for wiping hands and faces after eating
• Reusable water bottles – it’s important to stay hydrated on a road trip. Bring reusable water bottles and refill as necessary when you stop for gas. 
• Sandwich bags – useful for for divvying up food, storing leftovers, etc
• Garbage bags – bring a couple of garbage bags for storing trash so you can keep you car clean and organized
• Grocery bags- useful for organizing food, trash, etc
• Hand sanitizer – prevent germs by cleaning everyone’s hands before eating. Also very useful if the place you stop to go to the bathroom doesn’t have soap…
• Plates and bowls – may be a necessity, depending on your meals
• Plastic utensils – forks, spoons, knife
• Cooler and ice/ ice packs – store food that needs refrigeration
• Collapsible car organizer – hugely helpful for storing non-refrigerated food and staying organized, especially in a van
• Condiment cups – These are amazing for dividing up condiments and dips in small portions 
• Salt/pepper packets , condiment packets – useful for adding flavor to your foods (depending on your meals). You can pack your own or buy small packets before your trip.
• Snack catcher – If you’re traveling with a toddler or young child, bring a snack catcher to use for crackers and other small foods. They are much less likely to spill their snack all over the car and create a mess. And it acts as an activity to keep them entertained trying to get their food out of the container!

Road Trip Food Tips

• Keep a hand held vacuum in your car – you can easily vacuum up any spills and inevitable food crumbs, keeping your car feeling much cleaner.
• Make food in advance and freeze it – there is so much to do to get ready for a road trip. Where possible, make food several weeks in advance and freeze it until you’re ready to leave on your trip. This works great for muffins, breads, cookies, and some sandwiches and meat dishes.
• Throw out your trash when you stop for gas. Regularly clearing out the garbage will prevent buildup of trash in your car and the stinky smell of rotting food.
• Have a pre-filled road trip bag- If you’re going on road trips frequently, have a bag ready with the nonperishable items you need for your road trip. Keep inside a list to restock the bag after a trip. It’s much easier to just grab your bag when you’re getting ready for a trip than having to repack it every time.
• Try to avoid foods that are excessively greasy, sticky, or crumbly – messy foods can be a pain on a road trip. Minimize mess, minimize stress.
• Bring a couple of water bottles and refill as necessary when you stop for gas. We try to stick to mostly water as our beverage of choice for road trips to avoid sticky spills.
• Stock up on food and meals at a wholesale store before your trip. Costco has great pre-made meal options that you can buy right before your trip. We love the Costco sandwich rolls, Caesar salad, muffins, potato salad, and fruit bowls for road trips. And of course, you can’t go wrong with their bulk snacks like trail mix, dried fruit, fruit leathers, popcorn, crackers, etc.

Benefits of packing your own food for a road trip

Although it’s a little more work and preparation than stopping for food, there are a lot of benefits to bringing your own road trip food. Here are some reasons to skip the fast food and pack your meals.

It’s more cost-effective

Eating out for every meal, even if it’s at a fast-food restaurant, can get expensive. This is especially true if you’re traveling with your whole family. 

Save money by bringing your own food! If you plan ahead, you can buy most of your road trip foods at a wholesale store, then divide it up into the portions that you want. 

It saves time

Stopping to order and pick up food takes time. Sometimes it can be nice to break up your trip with a food stop.  But if you’re trying to make good time, stopping for every meal adds extra hours to your road trip. 

If you’ve packed all or most of the food you will need, you have snacks and meals to pull out when people get hungry without having to pull over!

It’s often healthier

Eating out for every meal is often quite unhealthy. When you pack your own food, you have more options and control over what kinds of foods you are eating and how many sweets and treats you want to include. 

Easier to Accommodate Preferences and Dietary Restrictions

If you’re traveling with dietary restrictions, it can be risky leaving food to whatever you happen to find along the way. Packing your own meals ensures you have plenty of safe food to eat. 

And if you’re traveling as a family, you can easily cater to everyone’s preferences by packing food you know everyone will enjoy. That way you don’t have to spend a lot of time picking a place that everyone can agree on.

Cream Cheese and Raisin Bread Sandwich Recipe

As promised, here is our family recipe of cream cheese and raisin bread sandwiches. They are sure to be a road trip hit for people of all ages!

Ingredients

• 8 oz cream cheese
• ¾ C powdered sugar
• 1 loaf cinnamon raisin bread

Instructions

• Soften cream cheese to room temperature. 
• Using a mixer, combine cream cheese with powdered sugar. 
• Lay out half of the raisin bread and spread the cream cheese mixture evenly between all pieces. 
• Top the cream cheese with another piece of raisin bread to complete your sandwiches. 

**You can freeze the whole premade loaf and pull it out when you want to use it, just let it come to room temperature before eating. This is perfect for road trips because you can pull it out in the morning and it’s ready to eat by lunch!

Final Thoughts

Selecting and preparing road trip food can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be! With this list of food and road trip tips, you have everything you need to prepare for a great trip.

If you’re planning on flying with kids, check out these awesome toddler airplane snacks !

Other posts you might be interested in:

How to Have a Successful Road Trip with a Toddler

Road Trip Activities for Toddlers (That They Will Really Love!)

7 Essential Tips for Road Tripping with a Baby

30 of the Very Best Travel Activities for Kids!

Related Posts:

2 thoughts on “50+ Road Trip Food Ideas- Easy Meals On the Go!”

Very thorough with lots of good information. Makes me want to go have a cream cheese raisin bread sandwich right now.

Thank you!! And yes, they really are so delicious!

Comments are closed.

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Please can I have recommendations for any:

Good price snack bars / cafes / restaurants for sit down meals

Recommendations for any supermarkets / shops I can buy ready made sandwiches etc which are reasonable price

Cafes for breakfast

Also supermarkets - i plan to buy loads of snacks and bottles drinks and take them out each day plus make a few sandwiches for us to take on our day trips.

We then have another 9 days touring about Texas with a car and I assume we will splash out on more restaurants / be able to stop roadside (to make it cheaper) during those days but in the city I know it can be difficult.

Many thanks for your help

7 replies to this topic

**Agree with the previous comment. There are any number of mini-marts and convenience stores downtown (like 7-Eleven) and even a Whole Foods. Texas in general, thrives on fast casual outlets (like Chipotle) which is a step up from fast food. Many places have pickup and to-go windows, and there is also UberEats for delivery. Just watch out for inflated fees. What I do mostly is open google maps when I get there (or before) to explore options.**

Beware of eating at or purchasing food from a Whole Foods supermarket. There’s a reason many people call it “Whole Paycheck”.

You’ll get equally good food and more choices for grocery items at much cheaper prices at an HEB supermarket.

Cathy A: You mention a mini-fridge, but you don't mean any cooking appliance like a microwave or stove.

One of the best ways to cut costs is to consider the hotel itself. I don't know what flexibility your husband has, but consider an Embassy Suites, Homewood Suites, or similar - which have good full morning breakfast and even limited afternoon snacks, too. Those are easily time and money savers.

Convenience food, ie ready made meals at the grocery store are already more expensive, plus you have to get them delivered (or Uber to/from the store) and storage is limited to a mini fridge. How much will you actually save? I’m honestly not sure. And it seems you can’t heat anything up? Maybe ask if your hotel will provide a microwave.

In addition to fast food You can look into “family meals” At places like Taco Deli and Fresa’s which are both Austin-y places with good food. Maybe you can walk to them from your hotel? But anytime you have something delivered there will be a delivery fee and also gratuity will be expected.

Based on another post, it looks like the OP will be staying at the La Quinta on 11th Street. Their website says that the rooms have a refrigerator and microwave, but no stove. La Quintas also include a free, basic breakfast.

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21 Top Foodie Destinations Around the World

If you love food and want to explore some really fantastic foodie destinations, we’ve got the list for you! Adding culinary activities to your vacation itinerary is one of the best ways to experience the culture of the destination you’re in. 

This list contains 21 of the best places to go for foodie vacations. If there’s one thing we truly believe here at Savored Journeys, it’s that eating well and traveling well go together like… well, you can’t have one with the other, as they say.

» Looking for awesome dining experiences to travel for? Try these 10 Most Remote Dining Locations . You might like How to Recreate International Dishes at Home.

For us, it’s part of the experience to taste the  tapas in Barcelona , the sushi in Tokyo , chocolate in Switzerland, and that incredibly delicious sauerkraut soup in Prague . That’s why we make it a priority to visit top foodie destinations around the world. If you agree, then you’re probably a foodie traveler, just like we are.

We make food a priority during our travels, in order to experience the culture, learn about the people, and immerse ourselves in what makes this place unique. Yes, we believe you can do all of that through food.

Read more about our favorite foodie cities: Paris | London | Bologna

Table of Contents

Why We Travel For Food And So Should You

Culinary vacations are becoming more popular now than ever before. We’ve all started to realize that many of our favorite things to do on vacation and the strongest memories we take back home with us have to do with food.

Maybe you took a really great food tour , or you learned to make pasta in Italy, or you ate at a particularly amazing fine dining restaurant. Those are all cherished memories now.

Have you ever noticed how even the faint aroma of something you ate on vacation instantly takes you back to when you experienced it? Tasting an Argentinian Malbec transports me to a tasting room in Mendoza . The smell of galangal and lime instantly brings to mind the Thai cooking class we took in Chiang Mai.

Even the sight of choclo (really large corn) gets me excited for the intense flavors of Peruvian food . Just ask Nick – “big corn”, makes me unreasonably excited. Food is powerful. It’s what makes us who we are as a people. It is an essential part of life and community.

In fact, I seriously question whether you can experience the real, authentic side of a culture without experiencing the food.

After all, what is Thailand without a plate of Pad Thai, China without Dim Sum, Canada without poutine, Mexico without street tacos?

Indulging in Michelin starred restaurants , veering off the beaten path to where they make the best fried noodles, immersing yourself in pasta making in Chianti, or even accepting a dare to eat balut in the Philippines – these are the things vibrant memories are made of. Check out these vegetarian food experiences too!

Top Foodie Vacations Around the World

We are always searching for culinary vacations that promise incredible dining options, fun food-inspired experiences and some really good wine to wash it all down with.

And while there are so many great locations around the world that satisfy that craving, some stand out more than others in the culinary department. I have to admit, even picking only 21 destinations that we think are foodie heaven is hard – there are so many!

When it comes to foodie destinations, the best ones have irresistible food that’s you can’t find anywhere else. Some will immediately come to mind, like Italy and Spain. Others you have to search a little for.

1. Mendoza, Argentina

Some of the best wines come out of Mendoza, but did you know about its culinary scene? Mendoza is a perfect spot for foodies who want to enjoy all three of pillars of good travel in one destination: good food, wine and adventures.

Many of the top wineries in the region serve impressive multi-course wine lunches from their winery restaurants that have often have breathtaking views of the Andes from every seat and include as much wine as you want to drink.

Visit these wineries and restaurants for a complete foodie experience in Mendoza:

• Bodega Ruca Malen (lunch and wine tasting)
• Andeluna Cellars (lunch and wine tasting)
• The Vines of Mendoza (for a comprehensive tasting)
• Siete Fuegos (Fine dining on an open fire — and stay at The Vines Resort & Spa – check prices and read reviews )

Tours you may enjoy:

• All day, small group, luxury wine tour with gourmet lunch
• Maipú Wine-Tasting Tour from Mendoza Including Trapiche Winery

2. Paris, France

When people plan their trips to Paris, they tend to forget that the city is a foodie paradise, even though it’s in France. There are so many fun food things to do in Paris that will enhance your sightseeing, help you build lasting memories, and create a diverse and interesting itinerary. 

With so many delicious French foods to try, croissants and Croque Monsieurs belong right there alongside the Eiffel Tower and Sacre-Coeur. No vacation to the French capital is complete without trying the foods that make the country so unique – yes, escargot and frog’s legs included!

Whether that’s a stop off one of Paris’ many street food markets to check out the products, at a local crepe stand, or on a full-day food tour , there are many ways to taste and enjoy Paris.

If you have extra time, you can also get outside of the city to either the Bordeaux wine regio n or Champagne wine region . Reims and Epernay are two of the main Champagne cities to visit to learn more about French wines .

Tours you might enjoy:

• Montmartre Hill Sweet & Savory French Gourmet Food & Wine Tasting Tour
• Bateaux Parisiens Seine River Gourmet Dinner & Sightseeing Cruise

3. Tuscany, Italy

One of the top things on most foodie’s bucket lists is to take cooking classes in Italy . We dream of making tender, homemade pasta and rich meaty tomato sauces, drinking wine in Tuscany and eating briny olives and antipasto on the terrace overlooking the vineyards.

This experience can be found all over Italy — there’s no shortage of cooking schools and wine tasting tours.

One of our favorite areas in Tuscany is Chianti. Not only is it absolutely gorgeous and easy to get around (see our self-guided Chianti tour ideas), there are dozens of amazing Chianti Classico wines to try. Here are some of our favorite places to stay in Tuscany for wine tasting.

I’ve always been enchanted with Montepulciano, as well.

Montepulciano is a charming hilltop town in the heart of Tuscany, Italy, known for its picturesque streets, historic architecture, and world-class wineries. The town is surrounded by rolling hills covered in vineyards, and the local wine industry is a major part of the economy and culture.

There are several wineries in and around Montepulciano that offer tours and tastings, like Avignonesi, Poliziano, and Boscarelli.

• Small-Group Wine Tasting Experience in the Tuscan Countryside
• Cooking Class and Lunch at a Tuscan Farmhouse with Local Market Tour from Florence

4. San Sebastian, Spain

It might not be a major cosmopolitan city like Paris or London , but San Sebastian is perhaps the greatest food destination in the world, with more Michelin stars per capita than any other city and a thriving pintxos scene that you won’t believe until you see it.

It makes the list not only because of the overabundance of haute cuisine, but because it is literally paradise, with its incredible view over the crescent bay and the beautiful La Concha Beach. There are three 3-star restaurants, among a handful of 1- and 2-starred places, plus a plethora of pintxos bars serving gourmet-style bites that are just as good as any fancy meal you’ve ever had.

• Here’s a great evening pintxos tour in San Sebastian that you’ll love.
• Arzak – 3-stars — one of the top restaurants in the world — not to be missed.

Just an hour or so from San Sebastian is the Rioja wine region of Spain, where you’ll also find some really incredible food from Michelin star chefs and formidable home-style restaurants. One of the funnest foodie things we’ve ever done was a pinchos crawl down the tiny streets of Logrono, Spain. It’s a foodie’s dream!

• Evening Pintxo-Tapas Tour with a Local Expert
• PINTXOS in San Sebastian – Private Gastronomic and Cultural Adventure

5. Bordeaux, France

Combine the delicious wines of Bordeaux with the gorgeous scenery and you have the vacation every foodie has been dreaming about in France. You should plan for at least a week in Bordeaux to give it justice. You can spend two days in the Left Bank and two days in the Right Bank , and still only scratch the surface of the wine and food possibilities.

Also, be sure to spend time in the center of Bordeaux, where we found some really incredible food options, from wine bars to street food markets. The newly opened wine museum is also very much worth a visit.

A bike tour through Bordeaux is perfect for wine enthusiasts, foodies and really anyone who wants to enjoy the countryside while biking through some of the world’s most beautiful vineyards.

You can enjoy a winery biking tour through the Left Bank or the Right Bank. The area around Saint Emillion is my favorite, and it’s flat and easy to ride.

Imagine foie gras, duck confit, and black truffles paired with bold and complex Bordeaux wines. You’ll be having gourmet lunches and dinners paired with world-class wine every day. It doesn’t get any better than this.

Check out these guided foodie activities in Bordeaux:

• Small-Group Saint-Emilion Day Trip from Bordeaux
• Bordeaux Gourmet Food Walking Tour with Lunch

6. New York City, New York, USA

New York City is also a culinary capital of the world. Here you’ll find incredible food everywhere, from street vendors to Michelin-starred restaurants and even a few completely outrageous foods that you won’t find anywhere else.

Culinary trends seem to start and end in NYC. But one of the things that makes this city so great is the high number of really talented chefs that call it home. Most of them have restaurants there that aren’t insanely hard to get into, so you can eat dinner made by a master. Some to check out are Le Bernardin, Eleven Madison Park, and Cosme (by the legendary Mexico City chef of Pujol ).

Be sure to also make it to favorites like Katz Delicatessen, Momofuku Noodle Bar, and the Peter Luger steakhouse. You’ll also find huge, thin slices of New York Pizza, street hot dogs, Jewish delis, extravagant brunches. It’s all there waiting for you to discover.

• Greenwich Village Walking and Food Tasting Tour
• Chelsea Market and High Line Food Tour

7. Tokyo, Japan

I’m a huge sushi fan. Who isn’t, right? In Tokyo, you will find the freshest, best, most amazing sushi in the world. If that’s not reason enough to head to Japan for your next foodie vacation, I don’t know what else I can say – WAIT, yes I do.

How about the really fun, totally cool izakayas you can find in all the back alleys and small crevices around the city. It sounds like dive bar quality, but it’s so not. In fact, it’s an adventurous foodie’s dream. Or the old Tsukiji outer market , which is an absolute must visit in Tokyo.

You’ll see foods you’ve never heard of before , even lots of unique Japanese drinks , and get to sample tons of things along the way. In Japan, you can eat the best of every type of food they make, from gyoza to okonomiyaki to ramen and takoyaki. Nearly every chef is a master at his cuisine.

Another great activity in Tokyo for food lovers is participating in a traditional tea ceremony. You can see what it’s all about and learn the proper manners in an informal ceremony in Hamarikyu Gardens . These things and more are part of our complete 3-day foodie guide to Tokyo.

• Tsukiji Fish Market Food and Culture Walking Tour
• Walking Food Tour of Shibuya at Night

8. Bangkok, Thailand

I think Thai food is very much a universally loved cuisine. Getting to try authentic Thai dishes the way they were meant to be eaten (at a night market or from a street vendor in Thailand ) is one of the best culinary experiences I’ve ever had.

In Bangkok, there are opportunities for cooking classes , food tours, street food for every meal, even Michelin star restaurants. For an even more unique experience, head out of town to the nearby floating markets to witness something you won’t see anywhere else. Make sure you try the mangosteens. Oh so good.

The best thing about Bangkok food is that there is a lot of it everywhere. There used to be street food vendors dispersed throughout the city, but now there are conglomerations of food stalls that you can find in the city. Some of our favorites are Bangkok’s Chinatown Market, Wang Lang Market, and the Chatuchak weekend market.

No matter where you’re staying, there is likely a street food market nearby. Be sure to keep your eyes open as you walk around. Street food is definitely the way to go in Bangkok. It’s so cheap and it’s delicious.

• Bangkok Midnight Food Tour by Tuk Tuk
• Chef designed Bangkok Food Tour for 8 Exclusive Guests

9. London, England

Another big city that is often overlooked as a food destination is London . But don’t make this mistake! London is the food capital of the world. No where will you find the array of international food choices , dining experiences , and foodie activities  that you will find in London.

People often think London doesn’t have good food – or that it consists merely of fish and chips and pub food. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. In fact, London is one of the biggest food cities in the world. You can find every type of cuisine imaginable in the city. Plus, where else in the world can you find nearly dozens of afternoon tea choices ?

You can browse around London’s many markets , including Camden Market and  Borough Market – which are two of our favorites, or you can stop for a street food break at the really cool and fun Boxpark in Shoreditch.

We absolutely love Soho for the dizzying array of food choices. You can’t walk three steps without coming up a different restaurant, wine bar, pub, waffle bar, gelateria – you name it.

• London East End Food Tour
• Secret Food Tour: London Bridge & Borough Market w/ Private Tour Option

10. Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne, Australia, is a great food city, with many great restaurants to check out around the city. Some of our favorite restaurants in Melbourne are located on Flinders Lane. Two that I highly recommend are Chin Chin and Lucy Liu.

While staying in Melbourne, don’t miss the opportunity to get out to the wonderful Yarra Valley wine region. There are more than a dozen of wineries to visit. It’s a cool climate, so they produce a lot of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and some sparkling.

We love food and wine events, and Melbourne, Australia is home to one of the best, the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival . The festival extends for 17 days in March and features global culinary superstars who host events, create unforgettable dishes for participants to sample and draw crowds of over 250,000 each year.

• Melbourne Foodie Discovery Walking Tour
• Yarra Valley Wine & Food Day Tour from Melbourne with lunch at Yering Station

11. Stellenbosch, South Africa

Only an hour outside of Cape Town is the Stellenbosch Wine Region of South Africa. Of all the places we’ve been to for wine tasting, Stellenbosch is my favorite. The winery experience is so much more inviting and relaxed here.

You can take a tour with a group, so you don’t have to drive yourself, or you can plan your own winery tour with a designated driver. When you arrive at a winery, you’ll be able to  relax at a table or on a comfy couch and have the wine samples brought to you.

The region also has a large number of top restaurants with chef’s who know the wine well and create masterpieces that live up to the wine.  Some of the best foodie things in Stellenbosch:

• Rust en Vrede Restaurant
• Overture at Hidden Valley Restaurant
• Spier Winery and Eight at Spier Restaurant
• Visit Stellenbrau Brewery

When you’re done eating your way through Stellenbosch, there’s another nearby wine region to explore: Franschhoek. Both areas are well known for their gourmet cuisine and fine wines.

• Full Day Afrivista Wine Tours from Stellenbosch
• Wine Tasting and cultural tour with a wine maker

12. Bologna, Italy

While there are many touristy things to do in Bologna and the surrounding area, it truly is one of the best culinary vacation spots in the world.

There are so many food experiences to have in this area, from a full blown DOP food tour that takes you to a Parmigiano-Reggiano factory, a Parma ham production facility, and a home where traditional Balsamic vinegar is made, to a more intimate cooking class in the city, you simply will not run out of food-related things to do.

The Emilia-Romagna area (of which Bologna is the capital), is known for its wine, but you may think it’s only home to the sparkling semi-sweet Lambrusco wine. Lambrusco is found mostly in the northern part of the region, but Romagna makes mostly Sangiovese red wines, in a style not too different from neighboring Tuscany.

A wine-tasting trip to Romagna will reveal a whole new world of wine you didn’t know was out there.

• Bologna Food Tour from a local perspective
• Secret Food Tours Bologna w/ Private Tour Option

13. Mexico City, Mexico

When we were preparing to go to Mexico City , thoughts of indulging in real, authentic Mexican food were all I could think about. I could eat burritos, carnitas, enchiladas, tacos and guacamole all day, every day and be perfectly content.

If that sounds like something you might say, then a culinary trip to Mexico City should definitely be at the top of your list! There are a lot of great eating experiences to have around Mexico City. We found some really great restaurants , like Pujol and Maximo Bistrot. We tried many different mezcals and tequilas, and spent an entire day wandering around Mercado Roma, tasting awesome foods.

We also highly recommend taking a food tour – we like this historic center food tour . You may even want to try your hand at making some of these foods – if you’ve never handmade a tortilla, I think it might be time you tried!

Here’s a cooking class that includes a food market tour.

• Colonia Roma Food Tour
• A Night of Tacos and Mezcal in Mexico City

14. Dotonbori, Osaka, Japan

When it comes to food, Japan has more dishes to love than nearly anywhere. But for me, the star of the show is one single street in Osaka, called Dotonbori . And one of my favorite things to eat there is the famous Osaka dish, Okonomiyaki, pictured above. Dōtonbori is one of the principal tourist destinations in Osaka.

It runs along the Dōtonbori canal from Dōtonboribashi Bridge to Nipponbashi Bridge in the Namba district of the city. It’s not a huge area. It covers only about 8 blocks. But it is absolutely jam packed with restaurants, food stalls and street vendors selling every type of food specialty Japan is known for. I would make a special foodie trip to Japan, just to visit Dotonbori and eat my heart out.

Around 5pm, Dotonbori Osaka turns from a fairly quiet, mostly deserted street, into a bustling and utterly jam-packed food metropolis with lines of hungry people queued up to buy trays of hot-off-the-grill gyoza , yakisoba, takoyaki, okonomiyaki, sukiyaki! If you can eat it, they are selling it. On Dotonbori food is king!

• Eat, Drink, Cycle: Osaka Food and Bike Tour
• Sushi Cooking Class in Osaka
• Osaka Local Foodie Walking Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

15. Lima, Peru

You wouldn’t think it, would you? But Peru was named the top South America Food & Drink Destination by Frommer’s and for very good reason. Peru has a multicultural population that includes immigrants from Spain , China, Japan and more, and that helps to create a thriving food scene with regional variations that are unique and unexplored. 

Lima’s signature dishes, like ceviche and chicharones, are becoming favorites around the world and opening people’s eyes to the flavors of Peru. (Read our guide on foods you must try in Peru.) Restaurants like Astrid & Gaston have been delighting foodies for many years in Lima.

Superchef Gaston Acurio of La Mar and many others are priming the city with a modern take on traditional favorites. Now is the time to experience Peru’s food scene, before it is fully discovered.

⇒ Where to stay in Lima, Peru: Hilton Lima Miraflores ( see prices and read reviews )

• Lima Gourmet Food Tour: Evening Experience
• Peruvian Cooking Class Including Local Market Tour and Exotic Fruit Tasting

16. New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans food expands way past typical American food. It has a style and culture all its own, with Creole and French influences. It’s an amazing place to explore if you’re a foodie who likes to try new things.

Not only does New Orleans have an abundance of great chefs and dining experiences , it also boasts a rather sophisticated cocktail scene. Many of the cocktails served in New Orleans are routed in the city’s eclectic past, and come not only with a swizzle stick, but a long history that you’ll want to hear all about.

• Unique foods you’ll want to try in New Orleans
• Shortcut Guide to the best restaurants, cocktail bars and things to do in New Orleans
• Click to see the best hotels on and near Bourbon Street .
• New Orleans Food Walking Tour of the French Quarter with Small-Group Option
• New Orleans Cooking Class

17. Copenhagen, Denmark

A must-do on many foodie’s list is Copenhagen , Denmark, to eat at  Noma , a highly acclaimed restaurant that’s spent many years at the top of the  The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.

Chef/owner Rene Redzepi knows how to delight diners with his ultra-modern menu, now in a new location on the edge of Christiania. However, Noma remains very difficult to get into, not to mention expensive.

Even if you can’t make it to Noma, Copenhagen is blessed with chefs who came out of the Noma kitchen to build their own restaurants like 108, Amass, and Sanchez.

A few of our favorite options in Copenhagen are 1 Michelin star Relae, the first all-organic restaurant to make the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, Baest (from the same owners), and 2 Michelin starred AOC.

For a more laid back food experience, head to the trendy food-filled Reffen on Copenhagen’s industrial Refshaleøen, where food trucks and stalls sell high quality International dishes.

Where to stay in Copenhagen: 71 Nyhavn Hotel ( see prices and read reviews .)

• The Copenhagen Culinary Experience Food Tour
• The Art of Baking Danish Pastry

18. Hong Kong

Hong Kong a wonderful food city, with all kinds of great food stalls, restaurants, and dishes with many cultural influences to try. One of the best ways to acquaint yourself with the food and to discover some of the best places to eat and drink in Hong Kong is by taking a food tour.

There are a dizzying number of restaurants in the city, not to mention foods that many Western travelers haven’t even heard of before. Let an expert guide you through the experience. Probably the most iconic food in Hong Kong is dim sum. There are even a few super affordable dim sum restaurants in Hong Kong with Michelin stars.

You must go to one of these top-rated restaurants to order a full meal of dim sum. For a Michelin-star meal, head to Tim Ho Wan. Another one to try is One Dim Sum . Roast goose is the dish I will never forget. It’s an iconic Hong Kong dish that you absolutely must try. The crunchy skin and layer of rendered fat over tender meat. It’s a thing of true joy.

We ordered roast goose in a tiny restaurant called Yat Lok Roast Goose in the Central neighborhood on Hong Kong Island.

• Hong Kong Food Tour: Central and Sheung Wan Districts
• Hong Kong Markets Private Walking Tour with Local Guide

19. Istanbul, Turkey

One of the best places you can travel to for an amazing foodie trip is Turkey . As one of the most visited countries in the world, Turkey has a lot to offer visitors. From seaside resorts on the Mediterranean Sea, historical sites, welcoming people, rich culture, amazing museums and delicious Turkish dishes, a trip to this county will be quite memorable.

Whether you’re spending time in Istanbul, Capadoccia, or one of the other popular cities in Turkey, you’ll be able to try great food everywhere you turn. Each area has a spin on the dishes they serve, but look out for things like Doner Kebab, Meze, Pide, and Baklava.

• Taste of Two Continents Food Tour
• The 10 Tastings of Istanbul With Locals: Private Street Food Tour

20. Naples, Italy

Each region of Italy has its own unique list of specialty foods you must try, and Naples is no different. From the iconic Neopolitan pizza, to deep fried macaroni, to rum-soaked sponge cakes, you really must spend some time eating your way through Naples to fully discover the city and all its charms.

Be prepared. There are a LOT of great things to eat in this city.  If you’re looking for a way to experience the best Italian food in Naples, there’s really no better way to do it than to go on a food tour with Eating Europe . We spent a week venturing around the city to find the best pizza.

Our favorite pizza in the city was at Pizzeria Da Attilio, but there are memorable pizzas at 50 Kalo and Antico Borgo Ai Vergini . These are just a few of the top of their game. Other foods to try include Pizza Fritta, Cuoppo and Pasta Frittatine.

• Naples Street Food Tour With Local Expert
• Street Food Tour of Naples with City Sightseeing and Top-Rated Local Guide

21. Catalunya, Spain

If you’ve been to  Spain , you already know that the entire country is vastly rich in culture, heritage, and especially  products and foods  that are specific to each micro region. Catalunya is one of those regions, and the amount of unique products, recipes and foods you can find there is astounding.

Catalunya has a very complex food culture. Not only does it have specific products that you don’t find in other parts of Spain, each of the smaller areas of Catalunya also have their own unique dishes that other areas of Catalunya don’t have. As a foodie in that area, you really will become immersed in a rich food culture. Even if you wanted to avoid it, you couldn’t. Food is so much a part of who they are.

While there, we discovered a plethora of products and foods you must try. You can visit wineries (there are many different wine regions – including Priorat and Emporda , plus they make Cava in Catalunya.)

With all of these great culinary destinations, you’ll never run out of food-centric vacations to take. We’ve been to each one of these and have loved them all. The variety of food around the world is just astounding.

Why not visit some of your favorites and find new dishes to love!

Be Prepared For Travel Planning is the most important part of any successful trip. Do it the easy way:

🧳 Travel Packing List | ✔️ Why You Need Travel Insurance | ✈️ What to Do Before You Leave Home

• Find and book the best hotel (our favorite booking site is Expedia)
• Research flight options (our favorite tool is Skyscanner )
• Book a tour (we always use Viator to find the best tours)
• Rent a car through Discover Cars (they search the best deals for you!)

Related Posts:

• 36 Best Beach Drinks to Order at All-Inclusive Resorts (+ Recipes!)
• 13 Unconventional Things To Do in Washington DC
• 11 Port Houses to Visit in Porto

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Laura Lynch, creator and writer of Savored Journeys, is an avid world traveler, certified wine expert, and international food specialist. She has written about travel and food for over 20 years and has visited over 75 countries. Her work has been published in numerous guidebooks, websites, and magazines.

48 thoughts on “ 21 Top Foodie Destinations Around the World ”

Nice list! I have been to a Lima, New Orleans, Tuscany, Switzerland, & Bordeaux and definitely agree! I turn every trip into a foodie destination, and while some places are better than others I have yet to be disappointed by the overall food anywhere. Right now I’m parked in South Korea and finding this food to be some of my favorite in the world!

Thanks for posting your thoughts, Katie. With so many awesome food destinations around the world, it’s hard to narrow it down, but I think most foodies would agree that these are some of the very best. I loved South Korea too. So much good food. I look forward to reading more about your adventures there.

Have you never been to Turkey?

oh my goodness! I have a lot of traveling and eating to do! I have been to Spain twice but not San Sebastián but love the food there! And Tuscany-so good! I went to a South African wine tasting recently so can’t wait to get there in person to drink the wine! And hardly a Better place in the US like NOLA!

Right? It’s hard to beat any of these places for good food. That’s what I love so much about traveling for food – there’s always more to discover!

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Well I thought reading the article would help me choose a foodie destination for our 10th anniversary but now I’m famished and I can’t pick one location!!!so im going to ask as a foodie who’s travelled on a foodie vacation, where would you go?!? Ok let me rephrase that if you had to choose 1 place that’s amazing and you could visit again where would it be? Suggestions greatly appreciated!

I know, food overload! Where you go depends greatly on the type of food you like and whether you want to do mostly food things, or historical things too. If I had to pick one, is go with Bologna Italy. You can do so many different food activities there, plus extend down into Florence and Tuscany. My second choice would be Tokyo. If you like Japanese food, you will be in foodie heaven there.

Have you been to Bilbao, Spain?

Yes and we love the food in that region!

always malaysia is a food paradise

Hi, Great list. Thank you for your post. I have a passion for travel and food as well and I gained a lot of information from your post. It creates motivation for me a lot. I hope that in the near future, you will have other posts like this. Best regards

Glad you enjoyed it!

nice post thanks

Left out Istanbul, Turkey. Best food ever!

You’re right, Carolyn. I love Turkish food too.

Wonderful blog! Thanks for sharing!

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Great blog. Thanks for sharing..

www.luxxpress.com

You left out Vietnamese street foods in Ho Chi Minh city . Also street foods in Hong Kong.

Absolutely! We’ll be sure to add those to the list in the future.

You are missing Ho Chi Minh City.

Thank you! This list is really helpful. Our website is also about foods to eat in different cities. https://foodieadvice.com/

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i’m gonna cry..where is malaysia….it’s country with the food paradise???uwahhhh

So sorry! I agree that Malaysia is a fantastic foodie paradise.

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I’m a merchant mariner and I’ve traveled my whole adult life going all over the world trying good eats. I just came back from SE Asia and I’m pretty astounded that you would include Manila on this list. If there is a great Philippino dish to try it’s certainly the Sinigang not street squid (which I do love). However, the food game in PI isn’t on par with the rest of Asia. Have you been to Borneo? I’m in San Diego right now and I can honestly say that the food game here is better than half of these cities listed.

Part of the fun of traveling for food is to try these different cuisines and decide which ones you like the most. 🙂

Hi..I think you forgot India here ….I assume you never been to India.

We have, in fact, been to India and are headed back in January. This list can’t possibly be all inclusive. It’s just a taster of options for people looking to do culinary vacations. Thanks for adding India.

Missed Chengdu, China in the heart of Sichuan cuisine!

Worth a visit if you get a chance! The food, people and city are lovely!

Thanks Patrick!

Southern Italy (especially Naples and Sicily) is never mentioned in these rankings but it’s probably the best foodie region in Europe, easily topping Central and Northern Italy (Rome, Tuscany, Bologna, Venice and so on).

Thanks Christian. We visited Naples and Puglia this year and loved the food. It’s definitely a good addition to the list.

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Hey Laura, just finished reading the article, and god I’m so craving for that Neopolitan Pizza and a glass of wine imported from Italy only!!!!

Sounds amazing, right?!

Awesome write-up! Food tours are an amazing experience not only for foodies but for travelers who are interested in the culture of the destination as we all know that cuisine and food culture of any destination is based on historical influences and the uniqueness of the environment. For my tour, Delicious Kyiv: Ukrainian Wine & Appetizers Tasting Tour all wines and specialties of Ukrainian cuisine are prepared with ingredients from local wineries and farms.

I’m disappointed with the list. You missed Charleston, SC big time. It is a foodie destination and the best vacation destination.

We love Charleston too, but we wanted to keep the list short and not focused only on the U.S.

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• Travel Resources

105+ Easy Road Trip Meals & Snacks: Best Road Trip Food

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Road trips are exciting adventures to take with your friends, family or solo. However coming up with a list of the best road trip food & easy road trip meals and snacks can be hard.

Which is where our ultimate list of the best food for road trips comes in handy. To help you avoid hangry companions, outrageous food costs, and unhealthy gas station food stops.

We’ve taken our share of cross country & multi-day road trips over the years, both as adults, and with kids from months old to teenagers. So we know quite a few tricks when it comes to road trip meal planning.

Our list includes easy ideas for healthy snacks, breakfasts, lunches & dinners, for all ages we love. As well as gluten-free, and vegetarian options too.

Plus we provide essential packing tips and a list of non-food items to bring along, at the end of this post. Hop in the car, & let’s go!

Table of Contents

ULTIMATE HEALTHY ROAD TRIP MEALS LIST

If you plan ahead and pre-make some yummy snacks and meals, your family will be well fed on the road. Whether you are heading on a Southwest USA road trip or a coastal road trip from Boston to Acadia National Park or elsewhere.

Healthy road trip food & easy meals the whole family will love.

Why Bring Make Ahead Meals For Road Trips?

Before I get into our epic food list, I’ll quickly go over a few reasons why we bring our own make-ahead road trip meals and snacks. And why you should too:

• Road trip meal planning is a great way to reduce fast food temptation, junk food and save money for your family road trip .
• Bringing good food for road trips frees up some of your hard earned cash to splurge on meals you will actually look forward to . 
• We find our own make-ahead meals & road trip food tends to be healthier.
• If you have dietary restrictions or allergies, creating a road trip meal plan will allow you to have safe meal options on the road.
• Have fun picnics at rest stops, parks, or in your hotel room along your long drive.
• Avoid hungry kidlets with healthy road trip snacks , so they can focus on road trip activities , not driving you crazy with whining. I know you feel me on this one!

Bringing your own food is well worth the time and money you can save on your adventure. Use our road trip planner to help organize your trip.

I love how make ahead easy travel meals are great for cutting down on the mess, stress and time it takes to prepare and clean up on the road. Because as a parent anything I can do to make my life easier is golden.

Road Trip Breakfast Ideas

We’ve found it’s easy to take these road trip breakfast ideas to go, or quickly eat hot in the morning.

As long as we’ve made them ahead of time, and brought them in our cooler. Or if we have access to hot water or basic kitchen facilities or a microwave.

Grab tasty breakfast recipes .

Cold, Non-Perishable Road Trip Breakfast Ideas

• Granola 
• Cereal Bars & Granola Bars
• Breakfast Bars
• Fruit & Veggie Pouches 

⭐️ PRO TIP : Bring a reusable coffee mug and water bottles for each family member. They’re a great option for filling up with hot water, tea, coffee and water on the go. We’ve found they’re less likely to spill in the car if you use a spill-proof refillable cup and snack cup for the littles.

Cold Breakfast Ideas for Road Trips

• Yogurt – Tubes, Drinks
• Fresh Fruit
• Rye Crisp Breads & Goat Cheese
• Chia Pudding – Make the night before
• Granola & Overnight Oats – Make the night before
• Muffins & Peanut Butter (or other nut or seed butters)
• Egg Muffins or Mini Quiches (To heat or not to heat. That is the question)
• Hard-Boiled Eggs
• Breakfast Cookies 
• Vegan Blueberry Muffins
• Bagels and Cream Cheese
• Peanut Butter and Banana Wrap
• No Bake Oat Bites 
• Apple Pie Oat Bliss Balls
• Croissant, ham, cheese
• Croissant, jam & cream cheese
• Pancake Sandwiches – nut butter / jam between two mini pancakes (make ahead)

Hot & Quick Breakfast Ideas

• Instant Oatmeal 
• Cup of Soup or canned soup
• Pre-made Mini Quiche (just heat up)
• Egg, Cheese, & avocado tortilla wrap
• Haloumi Cheese and Bacon Breakfast Sandwich
• One Pan Chickpea Hash (fried chickpeas, veggies, herbs) & Fried eggs

More kid friendly breakfast ideas here .

Road Trip Lunch Ideas

Road trip lunch ideas are probably the easiest for most people to come up with, when it comes to thinking of meal planning for road trips . We like to think of them as picnic lunches.

What is the first thing that comes to mind, but sandwiches. Sandwiches are such a staple we’ve given them their own section below. 

To be honest, I often just prepare and pack foods I would usually take for lunch at work, for the first day or two.

Then I add easy road trip lunches to grab and prep along the way, like sandwich fixings. Or cheese, meat  and cracker plates for a longer trip.

Easy Non-Refrigerated Road Trip Lunch Ideas

• Canned Tuna & crackers – The mini pull tab tins come in many flavours
• Protein Bars , Energy Bars
• Sardines or Mackerel canned with avocado, crackers or bread
• Snacks for lunch: Beef Jerky, Trail Mix, Smoothie Pouches, Nut Butter Pouches
• Peanut Butter (or other nut & seed butter) & Jam Wraps
• Canned grape leaf rolls

Cold Road Trip Lunches

• Sushi / nori rolls – sweet potato, cucumber and avocado,  smoked salmon, cucumber and avocado, smoked salmon & cream cheese
• Sandwiches (see Road Trip Sandwiches below for ideas) 
• Tortilla Pinwheels
• Meat Kabobs
• Pasta Salad
• Corn & Zucchini Fritters
• Fruit (apple slices, cantaloupe, grapes), cheese and bread or crackers
• Charcuterie plate – cheese, deli meats, olives, dried fruit
• Chickpea or Bean Salads
• Quinoa Salad
• Mason Jar Salad – keep the dressing separate
• Pre-made Quesadillas – Refried beans and cheese. Keep salsa & sour cream separate in small leak-proof containers

Sides to Add to Lunch Ideas

• Cut up veggie sticks and hummus
• Fruit – apple, berries, melon, grapes
• Homemade cookies or energy balls
• Cucumber, cherry tomatos & peppers salad

Road Trip Sandwiches

What’s a road trip, without a sandwich or two. In fact sandwiches are so iconic, portable, easy to make and ideal for lunch and family vacation dinners they deserve a section, all on its own.

For easy,  awesome sandwiches we’ve found you will only need a few things to mix and match:

• Bread: First you’ll need some kind of hearty bread (kaiser bun, wraps, pita, baguette, ciabatta)
• Protein: Pair with protein such as deli meat, sliced chicken or beef, bacon, eggs, tofu, nut butters
• Extras: Add on the extras such as cheese, lettuce, pickles, fruit 
• Condiments: mayo, mustard, olive tapenade, other sauces

Tasty Sandwich Ideas for Traveling:

• Cheddar and Jam
• Egg Salad 
• Cream cheese and cucumber
• Spicy Tuna and Cucumber – leave out the spice if it’s not your thing
• Pesto Egg Salad Baguette
• Ham & Cheese Baguette or Wrap
• Turkey and Cheese Baguette or Wrap
• Turkey Club Sandwich
• Turkey, Pear, Feta Wrap
• Apple, Cheddar and Mustard Sandwich
• Roasted Red Pepper & Hummus Sandwich
• Curry Chicken or Curried Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Tips for Packing Sandwiches on Road Trips

• Start with heartier bread or toast it first . Put a layer of mayo, or mustard on each side. It actually helps prevent soggy sandwiches.
• I often toast the bread, and then wait until it’s completely cooled before making and storing the sandwiches.
• Keep wet sandwich ingredients separate like tomatoes. We add them right before eating.
• Pack each ingredient separately . Then everyone can assemble their sandwich how they like, on-the-go. We’ve found this helpful with our pickiest eater.
• Pack sandwiches in a hard sided container . Either use reusable individual sandwich containers or larger leak-proof containers for multiple sandwiches. We also love silicone sandwich bags to cut down on plastic.
• Keep the sandwiches on top of the cooler for easy to grab meals on the road.

You may also like 50+ Easy to make, healthy road trip snack recipes

Easy Road Trip Meals Dinner Ideas

Dinner is the one meal we often splurge on, and choose to eat out at a local restaurant, instead of on the road when possible. 

I like to do a bit of research and see what the area is known for, or if there are special meals we can’t get at home. Also after a few days of packed road trip meals, it’s nice to sit down at a restaurant and have someone else clean up and organize.

However, there are times I find when you need a few dinner in the car ideas on hand. You can always re-use the lunch or even the travel breakfast ideas , because they are all tasty anytime of day. 

Check out our favourite easy vacation dinner recipes .

Cold Road Trip Dinner Ideas

• Pasta Salad & Greek Salad
• Cobb Salad 
• Other Cold salads – Potato, bean, egg, chickpea, salmon, tofu, quinoa, rice and bean
• Sandwiches – check out ideas in sandwich section
• Chicken salad / caesar wrap
• Falafel Wrap
• Rice Paper Rolls & Peanut Sauce
• Chicken wings & pre roasted veggies
• Grilled or roast chicken, rice and veggies
• Tortilla Chips, Bean Dip and Salsa
• Egg roll pinwheels with spinach, and cheese 
• Mason Jar grain + protein + roast veggies (pre-made)

Salad Tips – Keep the ingredients & dressing separate. That way each person can assemble to their liking, and the lettuce doesn’t get soggy from swimming in the dressing all day.  

KOA has 10 fun on-the go recipes to try.

Mason Jar Meal tips

Mason Jars are a fun and easy way to store pre-made meals.

They are fairly sturdy (I’ve dropped them many times without breaking them) and come in different sizes. The 500ml and 250 ml are perfect for individual meals.

Choose a grain + a protein + roasted, steamed or stir fried veggies and you have a delicious meal to go.

• Pre-cook a grain: brown rice, basmati rice, white rice, quinoa,
• Choose a protein : roast chicken or beef, curried chickpeas, tofu
• Cooked veggies: stir fries, steamed broccoli, curries, stew,

Hot Road Trip Dinner Ideas

One pan or pot dinner ideas are perfect for travel, camping and road trips. Especially if you ‘ve been entertaining the kids with road trip conversations all day.

As long as you remember the hot plate, or cook stove. I’ve been there, done that, forgetting the stove. Another option is to choose motels, or places to stay that have basic kitchen facilities. 

I’ve also gone the route of meal prepping ahead of time and putting individual meals in separate containers that are easy to reheat and clean up. 

If you are a camping family, what you plan for pre-made camping meals is similar.

Think easy camping type meals:

• Baked Beans
• Cup of Soup or Canned Soup
• Frozen Homemade Soup (use the first day or two after it defrosts. Bonus it helps keep the cooler cold)
• Bacon or Sausages and Eggs
• Quesadillas
• Rice and beans or ground beef for tacos or wraps
• Chickpea Curry and Rice (pre-make and heat up)
• Spaghetti 

ROAD TRIP SNACK & DRINKS LIST

We have a full article on our favorite road trip snacks to bring that both adults and kids will love. Good food for long journeys.

Here are a few snack ideas to get you started:

• Energy Balls
• Baby Carrots, Cherry Tomatoes, Snap Peas, Celery Sticks & Dip 
• Cheese and Crackers
• Apple Pear Muffins
• Jerky, Beef Sticks
• Potato Chips
• Plantain Chips
• Moon Cheese
• Cheese Crisps
• Seaweed Snacks
• String cheese
• Sunflower seeds
• Gluten-Free Bars –  We like these mini Gluten-Free Bars  

Who doesn’t drink too much on the road because they are avoiding using restrooms at pull-outs or gas stations?  

I’m guilty of this too, but this often leads me to crankiness and wicked headaches, sooo…… Do as I say, not as I do (said Parents everywhere).

Staying hydrated is super important. While water should be the number one choice, sometimes you need a little something different like:

• Coconut water
• Water with crushed berries, or cucumber slices, or lemon
• No sugar added fruit juices 
• Flavoured Sparkling water 
• Almond / Oat / Soy Milk

🚙 More road trip ideas 7 day Zion, Bryce and Grand Canyon itinerary

Road Trip Food & Meal Planning Tips

Meal Planning Tips

When meal planning healthy road trip foods, I think it’s important to consider a few key important things:

• What road trip meals you want to bring, and which one’s you’d like to buy.
• If travelling with kids, which foods do they already like. They aren’t going to magically start liking raw broccoli and raisins on your long trip. Adapt your food for road trips with kids.
• Road trip meal ideas – Make a list of food ideas for breakfast , lunch, dinner, snacks and drinks. Make sure they’re easy food to travel with.
• Creating a road trip grocery list is a good idea, so important items don’t get forgotten. But don’t stress, as usually you’ll be able to pick up ingredients along the way if needed.
• How to pack food for your road trip, so it doesn’t get squished, and stays cool longer.

With so much to do when planning a road trip, it’s sometimes hard to be prepared when it comes to traveling food.

Road Trip Food Tips

Beyond throwing a bunch of items into the cooler and food bag and hoping for the best. Let’s give you a few of my top tips to make packing a bit easier:

• Bread: Bring wraps, pitas and flatbreads – we find they take up less room, and won’t get squished like bread loaves
• Perishables: Eat your perishables and more fragile fruits first (bananas, raspberries, pre-cut fruit like melons, pineapple, mango etc.)
• Freeze Water bottles: When hot out, freeze a couple of the water bottles the night before. They’ll keep your cooler cold, and we love that they give us cold water to drink as they melt.
• Pre-Make Meals & Portion Out: Pre-make meals, and portion them out in mason jars or reusable plastic or glass containers.
• Place your cooler somewhere cool the night before, or pre-chill the cooler for up to 12 hours with ice / ice packs you won’t be using on your trip. 
• Lay solid blocks of ice or reusable ice packs on the bottom, plus put a layer of ice on the top
• Pack the cooler full – too much space helps the inside heat up faster
• Freeze food you won’t need for a couple of days, and use frozen water bottles to help keep the inside colder, longer
• Try to limit the number of times you open the cooler in the day.
• Pack your food in order of when you want to eat it, leaving the next day or two’s meals on top. 
• Garbage Bag for the car: We always have a designated garbage bag for the car. It helps to keep the garbage contained, and the car organized.
• Clean-Up Kit :  Bring a clean up kit. Kids, adults, toddlers all on occasion make messes. Having a clean-up kit handy just in case is good practice. Include wipes, paper towel, extra water, and an easily accessible change of clothes.
• Storage: To keep things organized, we usually use small stackable Rubbermaid containers to pack our non-perishables.

🚙 More Road Trip Ideas: 4 Day family friendly itinerary in Acadia National Park

Road Trip Essentials

Now that we’ve got the meals all planned out, and the best road trip SNACKS organized  let’s move on to the non-food items you’ll need to add to your road trip packing list. 

Reusable Items

Our goal is to reduce our impact on the earth whatever mode of travel. Bringing reusable items on our trips to cut down on waste is one simple way to do this. If you make it part of your routine, you will be pleasantly surprised how easy it becomes.

Here are some other reusable items to pack for your road trip:

• Plastic, glass or stainless steel containers – Can be used for leftovers, as dishes, hold snack packs, or even small toys, art supplies
• Cutlery – knives, forks, spoons, 
• Dishes – Cups, plates, bowls
• Coffee Mugs – Our favs are Yeti Mugs or the Klean Kanteen  
• Reusable Straws
• Water bottles for the kids
• Water bottles for the adults
• Cloth fruit bags 
• Bento Boxes
• Garbage bags – reuse grocery bags

Storage & Cleaning Supplies

• Reusable Ice Packs 
• Hand sanitizer
• Paper Towels & Wet Wipes 
• Biodegradable Soap

Travel Backpacks

You will definitely want to make sure you and your kids have their own travel backpack for the trip.

A good travel backpack can be multipurpose, for hiking, storing road trip activities and entertainment, plus give easy access to a couple of snacks, and a handy change of clothes.

There’s been numerous times my “safety first” approach & extra clothes has saved us on long trips. From puking children, to epic diaper blow outs, and unexpected spills, with kids it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Best Road Trip Coolers

Coolers provide more flexibility with the types of meals and snacks  you can bring on your trips. We think they are a road trip essential, without a doubt. Before choosing one, there are a few things to consider:

• How long is your trip?
• Which meals will you be packing from home?
• How often will you have access to a grocery store?
• How much space do you have in your vehicle? Where do you want to put the cooler?

Answers to these questions will give you an idea of the size and cooling ability needed from your cooler. We’ve put together a list of the best coolers to try, that are easily available on Amazon.

Best Overall Cooler – Yeti Roadi 24 Cooler

The Yeti Roadi 24 Cooler is narrow, so it easily fits behind the seat, is well insulated, which holds the cold, and is lighter than previous versions.

It can also be transformed into a stool if you buy the cushion. It’s a bit of an invesment, so a good buy if you are planning on using it a lot.

Best Afforable Family Cooler – Coleman 316

The Coleman 316 Cooler is a top pick for size, flexibility and price. It can hold a lot of food and ice, which can be kept cool at higher temps for 2-3 days.

Perfect for shorter trips, or if you plan on replenishing your food / ice every few days.

Best Soft Sided Cooler – TOURIT Leak-Proof Backpack

The Tourit Leak Proof soft-sided backpack is an excellent option for shorter road trips or if you are planning a picnic or day at the beach. This leak-proof high-density insulated backpack can keep food cold for up to 3 days. It also has side pockets for extra storage.

Tips to Prepare For Your Next Road Trip

Anything you can do the day or two beforehand to prep your food, and pack your non-perishables, do it. This will save rushing around at the last minute, and forgetting important things like your water bottles.

We recommend doing the following ahead of time:

• Make a Shopping list and meal plan.
• Check off the items as you pack them. 
• Wash and cut veggies and fruit
• Prepare sandwiches, meat slices, cheese slices
• Freeze meals and water bottles the night or two before
• Prepare the snack bags or snack tote 
• Prepare your Clean up kit
• Pack non-perishable foods in small totes or bags
• Pack your perishable foods in the cooler, & an airtight container, right before you leave.

PRO TIP: Pack your car the night before you leave, to make sure everything fits. Make sure your cooler and essential road trip snacks are easily accessible. 

Conclusion: Ultimate Easy Road Trip Meals & Snacks List

With over 100 delicious and easy road trip meal ideas, you will find a party in your cooler for all taste buds or your next long journey.

 Plus don’t forget that a little pre-trip planning can go a long way towards a stress free vacation.

Grab a great road trip snack or two and head on out on the open road. I hope this helps you have an epic road trip.

Related travel tips and destination articles:

• Easy ways to take a frugal road trip
• Epic RV Gift Ideas: Gifts RV Owners will love and use
• Epic Gifts for Beach Lovers – prep for your beach vacation
• Best Walkie Talkies For Road Trips
• Complete Road Trip Packing List For Families

Donna Garrison is the founder of Packed for Life, an ever curious traveler with a passion for making memories with her family. With a unique perspective on travelling on a budget gathered over 30 years, 20 countries and 5 continents she gives families the tools & resources they need to experience the joys of travelling more for less through practical solutions. She helps over 20,000 families a month plan & take the family travel, camping and road trip adventures of their dreams in Canada, the USA and around the world. Contact her at: Donna [at] packedforlife.com

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50 Food and Travel Quotes That Speak to a Foodie Traveler’s Soul

Looking for food and travel quotes that make your heart and stomach flutter? These food trip quotes will speak to your foodie traveler’s soul.

Food and travel quotes serve as a delicious reminder of the adventures that await us around the globe. They inspire us to dive into new cuisines, immerse ourselves in the local food scene, and appreciate the universal language of food that connects us all.

Consider this: dining out or visiting a farmers market is more than a mere activity—it explores global cultures and tastes. A drunken fish taco transports you to Mazatlán, Mexico , or a slice of Key Lime Pie evokes memories of Key West . From the invention of the cheeseburger in Pasadena, California , to the iconic beignets of New Orleans , every dish has a story of origin and discovery.

Even if it’s just for a few minutes, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single bite. It’s what makes a Tasty Itinerary.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning we earn a commission at no extra cost. Please refer to our  full disclosure  for details.

Below, we share some travel and food quotes from famous authors, renowned chefs, and travelers to celebrate this amazing combination of foodie travel. These food trip quotes will make you want to book your next foodie trip.

Table of Contents

Food and Travel Quotes

1. “if i’m an advocate for anything, it’s to move. as far as you can, as much as you can. across the ocean or simply across the river. walk in someone else’s shoes or at least eat their food. it’s a plus for everybody.” – anthony bourdain.

Anthony Bourdain has some of the best and the most food and travel quotes in the world. His passion for exploring the world through food was infectious, and his words of wisdom will never be forgotten.

2. “People who love to eat are always the best people.” – Julia Child

3. “Food is not just eating energy. It’s an experience.” – Guy Fieri

We couldn’t agree more. Food isn’t just sustenance; it’s a chance to explore other cultures, and it gives us a connection to the world around us.

4. “One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” – Luciano Pavarotti

5. “food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate.” – alan d. wolfelt, 6. “food brings people together on many different levels. it’s nourishment of the soul and body; it’s truly love.” – giada de laurentiis, 7. “give me books, french wine, fruit, fine weather and a little music played out of doors by somebody i do not know.” – john keats.

When you visit Europe and sit outside a piazza, whether on the steps of an old monument or a cafe, this food and travel quote comes to life.

8. “People don’t take trips…  trips take people .” – John Steinbeck

9. “in both business and personal life, i’ve always found that travel inspires me more than anything else i do. evidence of the languages, cultures, scenery, food, and design sensibilities that i discover all over the world can be found in every piece of my jewelry.” – ivanka trump, 10. “it’s true: everything tastes best right out of the sea, the fields and the orchards.” – susan magsamen, 11. “a good restaurant is like a vacation; it transports you, and it becomes a lot more than just about the food.” – phil rosenthal.

12. “We live life in restaurants, its the center of social life, where we celebrate with family and friends, make new friends, travel without traveling, and of course, eat.” – Phil Rosenthal

If you haven’t started watching Phil Rosenthal’s travel show Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix, you should. His enthusiasm for food and travel is contagious.

13. “Eat dessert first because life is uncertain.” – Arthur Murray

15. “i am not a great cook, i am not a great artist, but i love art, and i love food, so i am the perfect traveler.” – michael palin, 14. “people will travel anywhere for good food – it’s crazy.” – rene redzepi.

We travel to eat. We will even wait in line for good food.

16. “We live life in restaurants, its the center of social life, where we celebrate with family and friends, make new friends, travel without traveling, and of course, eat.” – Phil Rosenthal

17. “there comes a moment on a journey when something sweet, something irresistible and charming as wine raised to thirsty lips, wells up in the traveler’s being.” – patrick macgill, 18. “in this life, you should read everything you can read. taste everything you can taste. meet everyone you can meet. travel everywhere you can travel. learn everything you can learn. experience everything you can experience.” – mario cuomo, 19. “with enough butter, anything is good.” – julia child.

Julia Child was definitely onto something with this food quote. There’s nothing like indulging in a delicious meal with some buttery goodness. Her love for Paris and French cuisine can’t go unnoticed.

20. “Travel is a new experience that can transport you out of your everyday routine to create memories with the ones you love.” – Brian Chesky

21. “travel is the spice of life.” – charley boorman, 22. “food makes travel so exceptional, because you get to taste what it’s actually supposed to taste like. to eat the real pad thai or finally have a proper curry is something pretty amazing.” – meghan markle, 23. “there is no sincerer love than the love of food.” – george bernard shaw.

24. “I never subscribe to the stay-at-home policy. I’m not sick of the road or sick of eating in good restaurants around the country. I like to travel.” – Levon Helm

25. “one cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” – virginia woolf, 26. “you know, food is such – it’s a hug for people.” – rachel ray.

We could all use a hug right now, and what better way to get it than through food?

27. “You never know when some small thing will lead to a big idea. Travel is very inspirational – but it’s in the ordinary that I find my themes of love and work and family.” – Adriana Trigiani

28. “if you’re twenty-two, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better,  i urge you to travel — as far and as widely as possible . sleep on floors if you have to. find out how other people live and eat and cook. learn from them — wherever you go.” – anthony bourdain, 29. “feed is learning.” – bee wilson, 30. “all sorrows are less with bread. ” – miguel de cervantes saavedra, 31. “food is a gift and should be treated reverentially–romanced and ritualized and seasoned with memory.” – chris bohjalian,  secrets of eden, 32. “the best way to know a city is to eat it.” –   scott westerfeld.

This is one of those travel and food quotes that is simple but to the point. Trying out local dishes, experiencing new flavors, learning about its history, and meeting people along the way are all part of the adventure. So the next time you travel, don’t forget to eat your way through the city.

33. “There are precious few problems a good taco won’t solve.” – Steve Multer

34. “food is our common ground, a universal experience.” – james beard, 35. “going to a restaurant is one of my keenest pleasures. meeting someplace with old and new friends, ordering wine, eating food, surrounded by strangers, i think is the core of what it means to live a civilized life.” – adam gopnik, 36. “if you reject the food,  ignore the customs,  fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home.” – james michener ., 37. “a  hangover  suggests a great night, jet lag suggests a great adventure.” – j.d. andrews., 38. “if love is the food of life, travel is the dessert.” – amanda jane sturges, 39. “food should be fun.” – thomas keller.

Food is fun. Eating is fun. Sharing it with a group of people is fun.

40. “LOVE: A word properly applied to our delight in particular kinds of food; sometimes metaphorically spoken of the favorite objects of all our appetites.” – Henry Fielding

41. “you can go anywhere in the world, and people’s faces light up when they put delicious food in their mouths.” – sandi toksvig.

42. “There is no conflict between a better meal and a better world.” – Rene Redzepi

43. “a great restaurant is one that just makes you feel like you’re not sure whether you went out or you came home and confuses you. if it can do both of those things at the same time, you’re hooked.” – danny meyer, 44. “travel is rich with learning opportunities, and the ultimate souvenir is a broader perspective.” – rick steves.

Rick Steves is one of the pioneers of travel. His advice is to explore, learn, and broaden your perspective.

45. “I take a cooking class everywhere I travel. I find it’s the best way to get to know a culture.” – Blake Lively

Cooking classes and food tours are always on the top of the list of travel experiences for foodies or anyone who wants to learn more about the local foods in the city or country they are visiting.

46. “Traveling is an experience, and you have to experience it as a whole.” – Zareen Khan

47. “I just couldn’t live without other cultures’ cuisines.” – Henry Golding

48. “most of us have fond memories of food from our childhood. whether it was our mom’s homemade lasagna or a memorable chocolate birthday cake, food has a way of transporting us back to the past.” – homaro cantu, 49. “where you are is who you are. the further inside you the place moves, the more your identity is intertwined with it. never casual, the choice of place is the choice of something you crave.” – frances mayes,  under the tuscan sun: at home in italy, 50. “great eats. great vacations.” – tasty itinerary.

BEFORE YOU GO, CHECK OUT THESE RELATED READS:

• Why You Should Take a Food Tour When You Travel
• Cruise Travel Quotes to Ignite Your Next Trip
• Quotes About Italy That Will Spark Wanderlust

Meet Kathy Ava, a food, travel, and cruise writer based in Los Angeles/Pasadena, and the owner and main writer of Tasty Itinerary. With over 20 years of experience planning trips and logistics at her full-time job and for herself, she's become a pro at crafting unforgettable tasty itineraries. She's always on the hunt for delicious, fun travel destinations and cruise itineraries. She firmly believes that life is short and we must make the most of it, so always say yes to dessert.

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The Happiness Function US

My Husband and I Did a 5-Day Road Trip Along the Most Iconic Highway in California: Here's Where To Stay, Eat, & Play

Posted: April 25, 2024 | Last updated: April 25, 2024

Our 5-day Highway 1 Road Trip itinerary covers Avila Beach, Cayucos, Cambria, San Simeon, and Baywood-Los Osos along the Central Coast of California in San Luis Obispo County.

A road trip along California’s famous Highway 1 is a bucket list trip if you love adventures with ocean views, wildlife, and fun outdoor activities.

My husband, Pablo, and I drove from San Luis Obispo (SLO) to San Simeon and are sharing what we did to help you plan your trip. From hiking and kayaking to foraging for seaweed, discover things to do, find the best places to eat (gluten-free friendly), and learn where to stay.

When Highway 1 Road Trip invited us for a hosted adventure, we jumped at the chance because we’d been dreaming of driving the iconic route for years.

How To Get There and Where To Start

If you’re not from California, like us, fly into the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (SBP). It’s a small airport and easy to get in and out of.

You’ll want to rent a car if you’re flying in. Pick up your vehicle at the airport by the baggage claim area (it’s super easy).

Start your adventure right from the airport and head southwest towards the coast to kick the day off at Avila Beach.

If you’re not flying in, no problem. Still, start at Avila Beach.

Where To Stay

Highway 1 is known for its cute artisan communities recognized for their laid-back coastal vibe. You can find boutique hotels and motels or inns overlooking the ocean. It’s the perfect road trip for adventurous couples and friends.

The Pacific Motel – Cayucos

We stayed at The Pacific Motel in Cayucos for half our road trip.

The owners take pride in what they have built. The motel has a hip surfer ambiance that is ideal for people wanting a relaxing and casual adventure near Cayucos. The rooms are trendy and within walking distance of the beach. They also serve a nice coffee bar in the morning.

The motel has fire pits, ping pong, a cute shop that supports local businesses, beach towels, beach chairs, and a beer and wine cooler. Guests can use beach cruisers from The Pacific Motel to get around town if they don’t want to walk.

It’s one of the cutest places we have stayed at, and we loved walking to breakfast and the beach every morning.

The Baywood Inn – Baywood-Los Osos

When we walked into our room at the Baywood Inn , we immediately ran to the huge windows and balcony facing Morro Bay.

Staying here is like staying in an apartment. There is a living room with vaulted ceilings, a fireplace, a small kitchenette, a bathroom, and a bedroom. It’s within walking distance of a handful of restaurants and an excellent location to access hiking, kayaking, and the Morro Bay Marina.

Breakfast is complimentary with your stay. When you check-in, the inn will tell you which restaurant is hosting breakfast.

Best Time To Visit

The Central Coast of California has a Mediterranean climate, meaning you can visit year-round. However, depending on the type of adventures you want, like getting in or on the water, spring, summer, and fall will have warmer temperatures. June, July, and August are busy, so be sure to plan ahead if you travel during the summer.

We visited during April. It was warm enough to wear a light jacket. Every day was sunny except for two days when the famous coastal fog rolled in. It was neat to see the fog, so it didn’t mess up our plans. We still hiked and explored until it burned off later in the day.

The wildflowers bloomed during our spring trip, and we saw the Elephant Seals. I can’t recommend the beauty of traveling along Highway 1 in the spring enough.

Explore Avila Beach, drive to Cayucos, check into The Pacific Motel, then walk Moonstone Beach in Cambria

Kick the adventure off by driving straight to Mersea’s for food near Avila Beach. We both got fish tacos – they were so good.

The restaurant is at the end of a pier. You might also see seals hanging out on the platform (we did). The water is a beautiful blue, and it will take your breath away.

After eating at Mersea’s, drive to Avila Beach a little down the road. You can access the beach here, and there are a bunch of boutique shops and restaurants.

Hit the road, drive towards Cayucos, and check into The Pacific Motel . If there’s still time in the day, drive a little further north towards Cambria and walk the Moonstone Beach Boardwalk .  It’s pretty at sunset.

For dinner, Pablo and I had a wonderful garden patio dinner at Robin’s Restaurant in Cambria. When we visited, they served mouthwatering, handcrafted meals and even had gluten-free cheesecake. If you’re road-tripping with your dog, pets are allowed on their darling patio.

Day 2 – Morning

Tour Hearst Castle in San Simeon  

Rise and shine. Then, walk to breakfast at the Hidden Kitchen in Cayucos. They have gluten-free waffles and breakfast tacos that are out of this world. Sit out back on their patio and enjoy oceanfront views.

After breakfast, hop in your car and drive Highway 1 north towards San Simeon to tour Hearst Castle . With the help of architect Julia Morgan, media mogul William Randolph Hearst funded the elaborate estate—the “who’s who” of the entertainment industry would retreat here by invitation only.

Today, you can take a guided tour to see all the magnificent art William Randolph Hearst collected from around the world. We thought the most interesting parts of the tour were walking through the gardens, seeing the Neptune Pool and the Egyptian Fountain, and walking across gold-plated tile in the Roman Pool. Online reservations to take a tour can be made 60 days in advance.

After we visited the castle, we drove to the Cavalier Coastal Kitchen . I ordered a BLTA on gluten-free bread, and Pablo got a fried chicken wrap that hit the spot. If you’d like to take in the views, a path is near the parking lot that overlooks the ocean. You might have the beach to yourself — we did.

Day 2 – Afternoon

Visit the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery near San Simeon and go seaweed foraging in Cayucos

Drive to the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery to work off your food coma. Located right off Highway 1, park your car and walk the trails along the coast to see the seals basking in the sun.

Walk to the north of the parking lot if you want to take photos — it has better vantage points. Watching the Elephant Seals was one of my favorite parts of our trip. Plus, it’s free to see them.

Did you know you can eat other seaweed besides the nori found around your sushi roll? During a seaweed foraging tour with Kelpful , you’ll learn all about the seaweed you can gather and eat. You can only do this special eco-activity when the tide is low. Visit Kelpful’s online scheduler to make a reservation.

We met our guide outside of Cayucos and walked down to the tide pools. We tasted raw seaweed from the ocean and saw crabs and an octopus while exploring. The experience was heartfelt, informative, and inspired us.

For dinner, check out the Lunada Garden Bistro . We walked there from our motel in Cayucos. They served up some of the best steaks we’ve ever had – and that’s not an exaggeration.

Day 3 – Morning

Hike Fiscalini Ranch Preserve outside of Cambria

From The Pacific Motel, walk to breakfast at Bijou Bakery in Cayucos . They have delicious gluten-free pastries (I got a lemon scone) and regular pastries (Pablo got a croissant). After enjoying a lovely breakfast on their patio, head back to the motel and pack up. Check out and drive toward Cambria to hike the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve .

We loved the trail along the bluff. There are neat spots to sit along the trail that remind us of Games of Thrones . Keep your eyes peeled for Harbor Seals – we saw one hanging out on the rocks. It’s free to hike here.

After, head into Cambria for lunch at Linn’s Restaurant . Try their famous Olallieberry pie – they have a gluten-free and regular pie crust. We were in pie Heaven.

Day 3 – Afternoon

Check into the Baywood Inn and walk El Moro Elfin Forest in the Baywood-Los Osos area

In the afternoon, drive south towards San Luis Obispo and check into the Baywood Inn . If you still have energy, drive and explore the El Moro Elfin Forest . It’s about a 5–10-minute drive from the inn, and you can get good views of the estuary. It’s free to hike here.

For dinner, Noi & Doi’s 2 nd Street Café , across from the Baywood Inn, serves some fantastic Thai food. The beef fried rice and green curry with tofu did not disappoint. We got ours to go and enjoyed a sunset dinner from our inn overlooking Morro Bay.

Day 4 – Morning

Kayak in Morro Bay  

If hungry, drive 10 minutes into Los Osos and grab breakfast at Celia’s Garden Café . Pablo ordered corned beef hash, and I ordered an omelet. It reminded me of a good old fashion diner breakfast — they give you huge portions of food.

After breakfast, drive to A Kayak Shack at the Morro Bay State Park Marina. The manager at A Kayak Shack said the best time to paddle is early morning before the winds pick up, so keep that in mind. We did a self-guided trip and cruised around the bay. It was terrific, and we even saw otters.

Make sure you stay at least eight kayaks length away from the otters so you don’t stress them. If they get stressed, they could have trouble finding food or taking care of their young.

After kayaking, have lunch at the Bayside Café across from A Kayak Shack. Guess what we had? If you guessed fished tacos – you’re our people.

Day 4 – Afternoon

Hike at Monta ña de Oro State Park outside of Baywood-Los Osos

Montaña de Oro State Park is one of the largest state parks in California. We used AllTrails to find a hike that suited our adventure level for the afternoon. We walked along the Bluff Trail and loved it.

Along with a beach to sun at and enjoy the water, the Bluff Trail wanders along the ridge, and you get fantastic views of the ocean and rocky coastline. We even saw more otters (or seals) frolicking in the waves.

After hiking, if you’re up for some tasty Mexican cuisine, walk to La Palapa across from the Baywood Inn. I ordered chicken enchiladas, and Pablo enjoyed the carne asada. It hit the spot.

Check out of your inn, go to breakfast, and drive to the SBP Airport

On your last day, check out of your inn and head to breakfast in Los Osos. We grabbed pastries and lattes at Ascendo . It is right across from Celia’s Garden Café.

They did offer gluten-free muffins while we were there. I grabbed a gluten-free blueberry muffin and a chai latte, and Pablo ordered a croissant and latte.

After, find a place to gas up your rental and return to the SBP Airport.

We couldn’t believe how fast the trip went and were sad to leave. We honestly sat in the airport looking at real estate because we loved visiting so much and were dreaming about living in this area full-time.

More Towns To Explore Along Highway 1 Nearby

If you have more time in the area, you might also enjoy visiting Ragged Point, further north of San Simeon.

The Edna Valley wine region, Arroyo Grande Valley, Oceano, and Nipomo are south of San Luis Obispo.

Have a wonderful time. The area truly is remarkable.

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Trip to Iceland leaves traveller shocked at food prices compared to Canada

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It's no secret a lot of us have been struggling with the  high cost of food lately , but one Canadian was left in shock after a recent trip to Iceland.

Despite Iceland being a rather expensive country — especially since it's an island and food is brought in by air or sea — it seems some food prices there are either comparable (or even cheaper) than here in Canada.

"Just spent 10 days in Iceland. Two years ago when I came here I thought it was the most expensive country I've ever visited. Now I've come again and I see that our Canadian groceries are the same or more than many of the things I bought at the grocery store in Iceland," they wrote on Reddit .

Canada groceries more expensive than Iceland by u/yourewrong321 in loblawsisoutofcontrol

They also provided some examples of produce they found to be cheaper or similar in price.

"Keep in mind that this is an island in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and everything has to be flown in or shipped by sea freight. Why the hell are we paying equal or higher in Canada?" they asked.

In the comments, others who had visited Iceland shared their insights.

"I was there a couple weeks ago and felt like the groceries/restaurant prices greatly exceeded Toronto prices," said one commenter.

The original poster replied, agreeing that restaurants in Iceland are much more expensive than those in Canada, but said that "groceries have been about the same [price]."

Another person who visited Iceland last year said they also noticed that the food there was "about the same price as in Canada."

One commenter said the claims of how expensive Canada's food prices are in comparison to Iceland were being exaggerated.

"You could get away with saying 'Canada is as expensive as buying food in Hawaii' because it's relatively close, but it's not anywhere in the vicinity of what food costs in Iceland," they stated.

Comment by u/yourewrong321 from discussion in loblawsisoutofcontrol

According to the  Icelandic Review , prices in Iceland are indeed very high compared to other countries for several reasons, including "high reliance on imports, geographical isolation and high import taxes and tolls."

Canada vs. Iceland

We conducted a price breakdown of some produce items from the Redditor's post (onions, celery and avocado) and a few basic grocery items to do a quick cost comparison of Iceland's and Canada's food prices.

For our price test, we searched items on Netto, an Icelandic grocery chain, and Walmart Canada's website.

According to the current exchange rate, one Canadian dollar is equivalent to 102.31 Icelandic Krona (ISK).

The Redditor said that in Iceland, onions were going for $2.38/kg CAD.

Iceland's price:  Netto's website says onions are 48 ISK ($0.47 CAD) or 240 Krona per kg. This works out to $2.35/kg CAD. Canada's price:  Onions sold at Walmart are priced at $1.88 or $4.34/kg. The winner:  The Icelandic onions.

The Redditor said that in Iceland, celery was $3.98/kg CAD.

Iceland's price:  Netto has celery priced at 297 ISK for a bunch ($2.90 CAD) or 479 ISK/kg ($4.68 CAD). Canada's price:  Walmart's website has celery priced at $2.97 for one bunch. Winner:  Iceland's celery is slightly cheaper.

The Redditor said that in Iceland, avocados were being sold at $4.79 CAD for two.

Iceland's price:  Netto's website lists one avocado for 183 ISK ($1.79 CAD). Canada's price:  Walmart's website has one avocado priced at $1.87. Winner:  Iceland's avocados.

Iceland's price:  A loaf of whole wheat bread on Netto's website is 399 ISK/kg or $3.90/kg CAD. Canada's price:  Great Value brand bread is $1.97 for 570 grams, which works out to $3.46/kg. Winner:  The Walmart bread is cheaper.

Iceland's price:  A dozen eggs on Netto’s website are 767 ISK ($7.50 CAD). Canada's price:  A dozen eggs on Walmart's website are $3.98. Winner:  Walmart eggs are cheaper.

Chicken breast

Iceland's price:  A package of two chicken breasts at Netto is 1,447 ISK ($14.14 CAD) or $30.29/kg CAD. Canada's price:  Walmart sells three Maple Leaf Prime chicken breasts for $15 or $2.08/100g. Winner:  If Walmart were selling at the same weight (370 grams) as the Icelandic chicken, it would work out to $7.70 for a package of two breasts, making it significantly cheaper than Netto's product.

Iceland's price:  A one-litre carton of milk at Netto is 255 ISK or $2.49 CAD. Canada's price:  A one-litre carton of milk at Walmart is $2.79 CAD. Winner:  The Icelandic milk.

Iceland's price:  A 165-gram bag of plain salted Lay's chips at Netto costs 300 ISK ($2.93 CAD). Canada's price:  A bag of plain salted Lay's chips at Walmart is $3.97 for a larger 235-gram bag. Winner:  When we crunched the numbers and converted the Walmart pricing to kilograms, that same Netto bag would sell for $2.79 in Canada, making it slightly cheaper than Iceland's price.

These are just a few items to provide a glimpse at prices in both countries.

Comments on the post also acknowledged that some factors must be taken into consideration when comparing prices, such as the size of the countries, food transport and distribution costs, and environmental regulations.

According to Numbeo, a website that uses crowdsourced information to compare the cost of living in different places around the world, grocery and restaurant prices remain  significantly lower than in Iceland .

Grand Warszawski /Shutterstock

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Pair these L.A. road trips with a hike and a lunch

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In April 2020 — only a month or so into the COVID-19 pandemic — my wife and I were running out of things to do. The novelty of Zoom calls with friends was wearing off. We’d watched lots of movies and TV. We were itching to get out of our apartment, but with the virus still raging, we couldn’t risk being around other people. Then we had an idea: Why not go for a drive?

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For our first trip, we drove the length of Little Tujunga Canyon Road in the Angeles National Forest. After that, we were hooked. In the ensuing months, we crisscrossed the Santa Monica Mountains and made trips into Los Padres National Forest and beyond.

My wife bought me a California road atlas, and it became part of our scenic drive ritual: We’d consult its pages for inspiration, looking for two-lane roads and state highways that squiggled through mountain ranges or meandered through deserts. After returning home, I’d highlight our route. Four years after our first drive, the atlas is full of highlights documenting our travels — and there’s still a lifetime’s worth of backroads we haven’t covered yet.

No matter where we go, each drive gives me a deeper appreciation for the incredible range of landscapes in Southern California. And these journeys have led to many rewarding discoveries, from out-of-the-way diners to new trailheads for hiking and biking.

If you’re tired of visiting the same places, it’s time to hit the road. These two trips — all within a three-hour drive of the city — will get you started.

Los Padres National Forest and Carrizo Plain National Monument This route traverses winding mountain roads through Los Padres and spits you out near the southern entrance to Carrizo Plain — a vast preserve of native grassland and a hotspot for wildflowers (at least on some years ) and birdwatching . From Interstate 5, take Exit 205 and head west on Frazier Mountain Park Road. This two-lane road changes names several times as it ascends into the San Emigdio Mountains, passing forested slopes and epic canyon views along the way.

After about 42 miles, you’ll meet California 166. Take a right here and then a left on Soda Lake Road to enter Carrizo Plain National Monument. Drive northwest for 35 miles to the parking lot for the Soda Lake Trail, a short boardwalk that gets you up close to the park’s salt-crusted lake. If you plan ahead, you can also book a guided tour of Painted Rock, a sandstone outcrop with Native American rock art.

Hungry? Head back the way you came, take a right on California 166, and drive west 15 miles to the Cuyama Buckhorn , a renovated ’50s motel, restaurant and bar. The eatery’s Santa Maria-style tri-tip is superb, and if you grab a room, you can turn this scenic drive into a full weekend escape .

Volcan Mountain and Julian This route will take you to Julian , a mountain town famous for its apple orchards and delicious pies. From Interstate 15, take Exit 58 for California 79. Take a right on Pechanga Parkway and head south. The road becomes Pala Temecula Road and emerges into a wide canyon with mountains towering on either side. Take a left at Pala Mission Road and continue east on California 76, which hugs the San Luis Rey River before ascending more than 1,000 feet up a chaparral-covered ridgeline.

After some hairpin turns, the road levels off and skirts Lake Henshaw, a picturesque reservoir. Take a right on California 79, and after 10 miles, take a left on Wynola Road. Follow that road for about 3.5 miles, then take a left on Farmer Road to arrive at Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve. Stretch your legs on the Five Oaks Trail , a 1.2-mile path that ascends the western flank of Volcan Mountain and offers sweeping views of the orchards below.

With your appetite revved up, head south on Farmer Road into Julian and make a stop at the Julian Pie Co . Grab a well-deserved slice of apple pie and some apple cider and rest your feet at a picnic table while you chow down.

3 things to do

1. Race plankton in Manhattan Beach In celebration of Earth Day, the Roundhouse Aquarium will hold a day full of educational activities inside and outside its facilities. Highlights include dolphin spotting, a fish feeding, crafts, games, a “shark shack” and, yes, plankton racing. The festivities kick off at 10:30 a.m. Saturday and go until 4 p.m. The event is free, but be sure to register ahead of time at roundhouseaquarium.org .

2. Go gardening in San Pedro Give back to the land by planting native species, removing weeds, mulching and watering the White Point Nature Preserve’s garden with the folks at Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy. You’ll also have the chance to enter a raffle and take a guided nature walk. As a bonus, refreshments will be provided by Starbucks to keep you cool and hydrated. The three-hour event begins at 9 a.m. Saturday. All volunteers under age 16 should be accompanied by an adult, and all volunteers under age 18 must have a parent or guardian sign a waiver at the event. Register at pvplc.com .

3. Stretch your legs on Venice Boulevard CicLAvia is back. And this time it’s shutting down a 5.75-mile stretch of Venice Boulevard that connects Palms, Mar Vista and Venice Beach for walkers, joggers, bikers, roller skaters, unicyclers, penny-farthings, pogo sticks — anything as long as it’s completely powered by humans. There will be three local hubs along the route where you’ll be able to partake in family-friendly activities, pump air into your bike’s tires, refill your water bottle and use the restroom. Be sure to reference CicLAvia’s digital map so you can scope out the local businesses you’d like to visit along the way. It all takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. For more information about the event and the area it covers, visit ciclavia.org .

The must-read

The Klamath River in Northern California has turned brown and muddy, but that’s a good thing. As Times writer Ian James reports , it’s a side effect of the largest dam removal project in history, which aims to restore the river to its natural state. Four dams are being removed along the Klamath, and the river is passing freely through tunnels in three of them, draining reservoirs and churning up an estimated 2.3 million tons of sediment that had settled along the bottom of those man-made lakes. Although the turbid water might look ugly, restoration advocates and tribal leaders see it as a sign of healing. The muck is passing out of the Klamath, and new life — everything from salmon heading upstream to native plant seedlings along the riverbanks — will soon take its place.

Happy adventuring,

Want to try birding but don’t have binoculars? Head to the Audubon Center in Ernest E. Debs Regional Park. The center is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, and you can borrow a free pair of binoculars (as well as a birding guide, backpack and other gear) to help you spot the 140 species of birds that call the park home.

For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild . And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here .

Sign up for The Wild

We’ll help you find the best places to hike, bike and run, as well as the perfect silent spots for meditation and yoga.

Michael Charboneau is a freelance writer covering gear and the outdoors, and he’s writing The Wild newsletter for a few months. He has written for a variety of publications, including Men’s Journal, Runner’s World and InsideHook, and he lives in West L.A. When he’s not writing, he can be found running, hiking and biking around Los Angeles and its mountains.

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The Best Gaspe Peninsula Road Trip Plan | Gaspesie [2023]

A Gaspe Peninsula road trip has long been on my travel bucket list. When I first saw an image of Percé Rock jetting out into the Atlantic, I decided then and there that I would visit. I was probably ten years old or so at the time, but I was determined to visit this unique part of Canada. Well, it took a pandemic, but I finally got there.

Despite taking decades to tick this Gaspe road trip off my list, I can happily say it was well worth the wait. From awe-inspiring natural beauty to friendly locals, this Gaspe road trip was exactly what I needed to snap my pandemic cabin fever.

This is my update for the 2023 five-day Quebec City to Gaspe road trip itinerary, along with suggestions on things to see, do, eat, and drink.

Table of Contents

What is the Gaspesie Peninsula?

The Gaspe Peninsula, also called Gaspesie , is a 31,000 km² chunk of Quebec in the southeastern part of the province. It has a natural border of the St. Lawrence River to the north, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and Chaleur Bay and the province of New Brunswick to the south.

Gaspesie contains some of Québec’s prettiest parts, with rugged coastlines, towering mountain ranges, sleepy fishing villages, and ancient bedrock.

It’s also home to four (4!) national parks , two UNESCO World Heritage sites , miles of hiking trails, and, at the very tip, the captivating Percé Rock.

How Long Does it Take to Drive Around the Gaspé Peninsula?

Route 132 completes a full circle around Gaspesie, with the majority of the road following the shoreline. This makes a Gaspe Peninsula road trip incredibly easy to navigate and is one of the most scenic drives in Canada, if not North America.

Quebec City to Gaspé Road Trip

That said, Route 132 begins some 350 kilometers from Quebec City, so you have a way to go from a major hub before your Gaspe road trip starts. Departing from Quebec City, the complete loop is just over 1,500 km. Although it is doable in a couple of days, this certainly is not recommended.

• Compare prices on flights to Quebec City with Skyscanner

Initially, I set out to complete this Gaspe Peninsula road trip in just three days. I quickly found that this was not enough time to see and do everything on my list.

Since it took me so long to get out to Gaspesie, I decided to stretch my itinerary to five days. In retrospect, this was still a hurried pace. If /when I do this trip again, I will take a full week to enjoy all I can see and do.

That said, here is my five-day Gaspe Peninsula road trip itinerary.

Day 1 – Québec City to Matane

As mentioned above, to really experience the best Québec has to offer, a Gaspe road trip should begin in Québec City. I spent three amazing days exploring the walled city and was eager to hit the road and drive deeper into eastern Québec.

My first stop on this Quebec City to Gaspé road trip was just 170 km east of the city in Kamouraska, a charming town full of colorful buildings, galleries, and unique shops. It’s a great spot for a mid-morning stop to stretch your legs and grab a coffee.

Park at the church and explore the town on foot. Grab a coffee and maybe some handcrafted chocolates from La Fée Gourmande before making your way towards the wharf. Along the way, you will find many colorful houses and your first sweeping views of the now-widening St. Lawrence River.

Rivière-du-Loup

Continuing east for 30 minutes, you will arrive in the picturesque city of Rivière-du-Loup. Although there is plenty to see and do here, I left most of my exploring for my last night on the return trip. Still, if the weather is good, capitalize on it and visit Parc des Chutes (Falls Park) . This small set of trails is structured around a historic hydroelectric power station that has recently been restored. It is highlighted by a 33-metre (108-foot) waterfall which you can walk above via the trail over the damn.

I found this stop particularly fascinating as I was doing my Gaspé road trip in an electric vehicle .

EV or not, the park is both scenic and interesting. It highlights the history of the area leveraging the river to produce power for the city and beyond.

Similar to Rivière-du-Loup, I saved my time touring the town for the return trip.

Outbound I did stop in at the Pointe-au-Père Maritime Historic Site . Although the museum was closed on my visit, I really enjoyed walking around the lighthouse grounds. It’s great for stretching those legs and getting some photos at dusk.

The Pointe-au-Père lighthouse was built in 1909 and is the second tallest in Canada. Be sure to budget some time for a guided tour which includes a trip to the very tippy-top of the tower!

Next door to the Pointe-au-Père lighthouse and historic site, you will find the Empress Museum and the HMCS Onondaga, a retired Canadian Navy submarine. Guests can climb aboard and take a self-guided audio tour of the ship. It’s a great stop for kids of all ages, including this submarine nerd.

At just over 400 km from Québec City, Matane makes for a great resting spot on the first night of your Gaspé road trip.

Where to Eat and Drink in Matane?

I landed at La Fabrique microbrewery for a pint or two. Aside from being a great craft brewery, it’s located in a former bank and has a great pub menu, including several poutine options.

*For my non-Canadian readers, poutine is a quintessential Québec dish of french fries, cheese curds, and gravy. It’s amazing.

Where to stay in Matane?

I stayed at the oceanside Riôtel Matane ( check here for the lowest rates ) and can recommend it for its cozy rooms, ocean views, and outdoor fire pits. There is a great restaurant/pub on site (I enjoyed breakfast with amazing views), and there is a pool for those not willing to brave the frigid waters out front!

Day 2 – Matane to Gaspé

Day two of this Gaspé road trip is where the seaside scenery really kicks into high gear. Ocean-hugging roads, historic lighthouses, and sleepy fishing villages are all on tap.

Lighthouses and Coffee

After a hearty breakfast at the Riôtel Matane, I made my way east. I stopped for coffee at Boulangerie Marie 4 Poches in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts then continued on through the windiest and most scenic stretch of road on the trip.

From there it was on to historic lighthouses in La Martre, Pointe-à-la-Renommée, and Cap Madeleine.

Pointe-à-la-Renommée is of particular interest, given it was home to the first maritime radio station in North America . On-site, you will find exhibits and a plaque commemorating the event.

For lunch, I stopped in at Atkins & Frères for some delicious smoked fish. They are known for their salmon prosciutto (Saumoscuitto); after sampling, it’s easy to see why. I walked out with a Saumoscuitto bagel sandwich and extra fish to go. It’s that good.

Take your lunch to go and enjoy it at one of the seaside picnic tables just down the road in Mont-Louis.

Forillon National Park

One of the highlights of my Gaspé road trip was exploring Forillon National Park . I spent an afternoon here but truthfully you could spend three days camping and exploring the park. If you are able to extend your Gaspé road trip to seven days I suggest spending the extra time here!

There are tons of camping and “glamping“ options as well as wildlife and activities to enjoy. In my short visit, I stopped in at Cap Bon-Ami for the views before heading to a La Chute, a fairytale-esque waterfall.

The trail to La Chute is just over 1 km long and takes you down a raised boardwalk through cedar and maple groves. I lucked out and had the site largely to myself which made for a very peaceful experience.

Gaspé

Before rolling into town, make a stop at the Gaspé Museum . This impressive museum will give you a great overview of the history and heritage of the area. This includes exhibits on the Mi’gmaq and Gaspésiennes, the many ships that have sailed the Saint Lawrence, and a monument to Jacques Cartier.

Gaspé is known as the birthplace of Canada as French explorer Jacques Cartier first set foot here in 1534. He planted a cross and claimed the land in the name of France. Many years later, a monolithic cross was constructed in 1934, the 400th anniversary of Jacques Cartier’s arrival. Today, this cross is on display in the Birthplace of Canada village on the waterfront.

Guests can take audio tours of the area and explore the many buildings and artefacts depicting the important history of this port town. It truly takes you back to feeling like you are on the edge of Canada, a vast and unexplored unknown.

Where to Eat, Drink, and Sleep in Gaspé?

Just above the historic village, you’ll find Auberge sous les Arbres , my resting spot for the night. This cosy BNB was once home to the upper-class Gaspé residents. Today it is an expensive and unique 14 room hotel. Be sure to enjoy the expansive outdoor expensive patio if the weather permit and a great breakfast in your room before departing.

Also within walking distance of the Auberge sous les Arbres is the main strip of the old town. You will find a few dining options there, including Brise Bise , a laidback eatery with live music. Try the Lobster Club Sandwich!

If you are looking for a great cup of coffee and sweets, check out Cafe Des Artistes, and for a local pint, head to nearby Au Frontibus in Rivière-au-Renard.

Day 3 – Gaspé To Percé

Percé is pretty much the turnaround point of this Gaspé road trip. Conveniently, it’s also the apex of the trip.

I suggest a minimum of two days/one night in Percé. In my experience, the weather can shift drastically. When I arrived, the town was socked in. The next day, I woke up to blue skies, and it was the nicest day of my Gaspé road trip. Plan your activities in Percé accordingly.

Percé Rock

The massive slab of red sandstone just off the shores of Percé has been attracting visitors since the 1930s. As mentioned, images captivated me to visit and, upon first glance driving into town, it did not disappoint.

Despite the soggy weather, I spent much of my first day in town taking in views of Percé Rock. Parking in the old village, you can walk to the cross near the edge of where the shoreline drops off. Note, there is a man collecting a small fee for trail upkeep, so have some change with you.

You can also follow the trail in the opposite direction down the beach below. If you time the tides right, you can cross over to the base of the rock.

Note: Walking to Percé Rock is forbidden for safety reasons for both wildlife and humans. There are seabird nests, and frequent rock falls along the cliffs of Mont-Joli and along the walls of Percé Rock. Annually, 300 tons of rocks fall from the cliffs at any time of the season.

For those looking to get even closer, I suggest renting kayaks or taking a guided tour by boat. This was on my to-do list; however, the weather did not cooperate on my first day, and my second day was booked with a trip to Bonaventure Island.

Percé UNESCO Global Geopark

With the wet weather, I decided to check out the UNESCO Global Geopark . Inside and out of the elements you will find plenty of background on how Percé Rock came to be.

There is an interactive exhibit that makes learning about 500 million years of history interesting and fun. Be sure to return in the evening for a multimedia presentation on the side of the building covering The legend of Gluskap, a Micmac story on how “The Great Spirit” gave life on Earth.

The UNESCO Global Geopark also features several hiking trails including one up to a suspended glass platform some 200 meters above! This platform offers some of the best views of the town and Percé Rock…when the suns out. Thankfully the sun came out on my departure day so I was able to squeeze a trip up to the platform before continuing on.

Note: there is a shuttle service available from the Global Geopark centre. A return trip costs a couple of dollars and departs as when there are enough people to ride.

Those looking for a rush while taking in the views should check out the zip line running near the platform! This was closed during my visit due to the pandemic. Just another reason to return!

Bonaventure Island

Located a short boat ride away, Bonaventure Island is a National Park with plenty to offer. On top of unique views of Percé Rock, visitors can explore the island through its many trails – all of which lead to the most accessible colony of Northern Gannets in the world!

On the advice of a local, I avoided the Sentier des Colonies trail on the way out. Described to me as “The Highway,” this is the easiest and shortest path to the colony so it is well travelled. Instead, I took the Sentier des Mousses and quickly escaped the crowds.

I was surprised by just how much time I spent observing the Gannets at the colony. It truly is one of the best wildlife experiences in Canada and can recommend it, birder or not.

Getting to Bonaventure Island

There are a couple of companies in town that offerffer boat rides to Bonaventure Island, and they can be found in booths along the main drag. I went with Croisières Julien Cloutier , which departs every hour from the nearby Anse-à-Beaufils wharf.

Bonaventure Island – Cost

Crossing on Croisières Julien Cloutier is $45 per adult and $25 for children aged 6 to 12. Children under 6 are free. Depending on the time of year, a whale-watching excursion option costs $80 for adults and $45 for children 6 to 12.

Once on the island, park fees are $9.55 per adult and free for children under 18.

Where to Eat in Percé?

For such a touristy spot, there actually aren’t a lot of options for food in Percé. La Maison du Pêcheur is highly recommended and, as I found out, reservations are a must. Here you can sample local seafood dishes including lobster when in season.

For the bulk of my meals, I hit the well-stocked Co-Op grocery store (Coop Marché d’alimentation). I found plenty of local pre-made meals and local snacks (hello cheese curds and cold smoked salmon) to take with me on my hikes.

Where to Drink in Percé?

I also took these snacks next door to the Pub Pit Caribou , a unique bar with craft beer brewed in nearby L’Anse-à-Beaufils. The building has a ton of character and is a must-visit while in town! Again, my visit fell during the pandemic, which was a sobering time. I can only imagine how wild the place can get under normal circumstances.

Note: The Pub Pit Caribou is relocating to a new location (TBD) due to building renovations, so it may not be open on your Gaspe Peninsula road trip.

Where to Sleep in Percé?

I spent the night at a Hôtel-Motel Fleur de Lys . It’s very much low frills however with views like this, does that matter?

If you are looking for the best views of Percé Rock from your room check out the Riotel Perce .

There’s a ton of camping and RV options in and around Percé. If/when I return I would look at spending more time in the area and camp at Camping Cote Surprise for its sweeping views of Percé Rock.

Day 4 – Percé to Carleton-Sur-Mer

With half a buffer day in hand, enjoy a morning in Percé to tick off what you may have missed the day prior. For me, this was visiting Bonaventure Island and the glass observation deck overlooking Percé.

After soaking up the last of Percé Rock, make your way south out of town. On your way to Carleton Sur Mer stop in at the historic Cap d’Espoir Lighthouse and then the fascinating Banc de Pêche de Paspébiac National Historic Site of Canada . This historic fish processing plant has plenty of exhibits sharing what life was like on the abundant fishing banks off of Quebec’s shores.

Continue west, stop in at the charming Café Acadian in Bonaventure for lunch and a coffee to go.

Where to Eat and Drink in Carleton-Sur-Mer?

Head to the Le Naufrageur microbrewery for dinner and drinks. On top of an elevated pub menu featuring tapas, poutine, and local mussels, there are several house-brewed beers to sample.

Where to Sleep in Carleton-Sur-Mer?

I crashed at the expansive Hostellerie Baie Bleue and can recommend for its cosy and recently renovated rooms. Although the building has a converted high-school vibe, there is a large pub in the centre of it all making it a good option for those looking for a nightcap before bed. Parking is included in your stay and EV charging is available.

Day 5 – Carlteon Sur Mer to River du Loup

Sadly, this is where you say goodbye to the coastal drive and head inland. On the positive, the drive north along the Matapedia River is very scenic and offers a welcome change of scenery on the final day of your Gaspé road trip.

Carleton-Sur-Mer

If the weather is nice before heading out of town, enjoy the oceanside views one last time in Carleton-Sur-Mer.

Boardwalk Stroll

If you get in early enough the night before, you can stroll the one-kilometer beachside boardwalk before the sun goes down. Otherwise, grab a coffee in the morning at Brulerie du Quai and take a quick stroll. 

Mont Saint-Joseph

Overlooking Carleton-Sur-Mer is Mount Saint Joseph. At 555 meters, the panoramic views from its summit are stunning. Detour before heading out of town, check out the Oratoire Notre-Dame, a chapel dating back to 1935. Aside from the views, this Brittany chapel is known for its stained glass windows and colorful mosaics.

Routhierville Covered Bridge

You will find the historic Routhierville Covered Bridge just over an hour outside of Carleton-Sur-Mer. This is a great place to stretch your legs and stroll through this 1931-built bridge. At 78 meters, it’s the longest covered bridge in Bas-Saint-Laurent and was designated a historical monument in 2009.

30-minutes down the highway and you are in the town of Amqui. Known as “the place to have fun” in Mi’gmaq, Amqui is a great stop for outdoor activities. From salmon fishing to hiking and ATV trails, Amqui is a great stop for those travelling with family.

Sadly, my time in town was limited to lunch at the Microbrasserie La Captive , a former town hall and police station turned craft brewery. I enjoyed a sampler flight and smoked meat sandwich before hitting the road.

Trois-Pistoles

Once home to 16th-century Basques Whalers, today, Trois-Pistoles welcomes scuba divers and students. Since 1932, Trois-Pistoles has been the site of Western University’s French immersion program.

In 2023, I got to spend a week in Trois-Pistoles and really enjoyed my time in the small town . Highlights included the amazing Fromagerie des Basques, which has the best cheese curds and grilled cheese sandwiches I have ever had. Definitely stop in there on your Quebec City to Gaspé road trip!

Église Notre-Dame-des-Neiges

With its five steeples dominating the skyline, the Église Notre-Dame-des-Neiges is hard to miss. This 100-year-old Catholic church is worth a closer look at.

Le Caveau des Trois-Pistoles

Steps from the church and down a small pathway, you will find Le Caveau craft brewery . This is one of my favorite breweries on my Gaspé road trip, which is saying a lot, as there have been a few along the way!

Grab a pint or sampler and enjoy the outdoor space with live music before moving on.

Here is where Gaspé road trip comes full circle! Those who powered through Rivière-du-Loup and the way out (like me!) now have time to check out the town. I suggest parking downtown on rue Lafontaine and strolling the streets of many shops and restaurants.

Where to Eat in Rivière-du-Loup?

Speaking of restaurants, given this is the last night on this 5-day Gaspé road trip, I suggest treating yourself to your “last meal.” La Porte Arrière in downtown Rivière-du-Loup serves up classic French dishes with local ingredients. Its open kitchen gives it a cozy atmosphere and pairs well with its excellent wine selection.

Where to Drink in Rivière-du-Loup?

Just down the road is Aux Fous Brassant , a craft brewery with a clever nod to the city and area. Apparently, its beer names are derived from old dialects and local expressions. My minimal French was not able to confirm this with the staff but I can say that the beer on tap is very good!

Where to Stay in Rivière-du-Loup?

On my last night on this Gaspé road trip, I stayed at the Hôtel Universel – Rivière-du-Loup ( check here for the lowest rates ). This massive hotel is a mix of old-school character and modern touches thanks to its 301 rooms all receiving recent renovations.

Onsite amenities include a massive indoor pool, health center, and an outdoor Nordic spa. This makes Hôtel Universel the perfect place to cap of one helluva drive!

Gaspe Peninsula Road Trip – 5 Perfect Days

If I did it again and intend to, I would push this Gaspe Peninsula road trip to seven days and spend more time in Forillon National Park. That said, I saw a ton for my first Gaspé road trip and loved every minute of it.

From the rugged coastline to the small towns and the friendly people, Gaspésie is a true Canadian road trip gem. It’s everything I love about the Maritime provinces except in French. This makes it all that much more unique and special, don’t you think?

Although I came to fulfil a childhood promise, I discovered so much more about Québec, Gaspésie, and Canada really. This proves once again that life is about the journey and not the destination. To that, I say merci Gaspésie!

What say you? Thoughts on this 5-day Gaspé Road Trip ? Let’s hear it!

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