California

Long-haul drivers rolling down Interstate 5 have a secret they pass along at fuel stops and rest areas.…

By Evan Cook · Sep 19

Long California road trips have a way of making you hungry for something salty, chewy, and easy to…

By Evan Cook · Sep 19

Some restaurants earn a following that stretches far beyond their zip code, and this one sits right on…

By Evan Cook · Sep 19

Drive along Highway 395 through the eastern Sierra and you will notice something strange happening in one small…

By Evan Cook · Sep 19

Ordering a burger without leaving your seat feels like something out of an old movie, but a handful…

By Evan Cook · Sep 19

There is a corner of Southern California where retirees trade daily commutes for early tee times and evening…

By Evan Cook · Sep 19

Some places sell milk. Others let you meet the animals that made it. In a quiet corner of…

By Evan Cook · Sep 18

California road trips have a delicious secret, and it comes on a bun. Along highways and small-town main…

By Evan Cook · Sep 18

Somewhere between the coast and the freeway rush, there is a low-key diner where the coffee cup never…

By Evan Cook · Sep 18

Some places refuse to chase trends, and that stubbornness is exactly why people keep showing up. Tucked along…

By Evan Cook · Sep 18

Some places in Los Angeles hold their ground while the city changes around them, and this one has…

By Evan Cook · Sep 18

Along a winding stretch of Highway 1, there is a tiny counter tucked behind a hardware store where…

By Evan Cook · Sep 18

Along a stretch of Highway 395 where cattle graze against a wall of granite peaks, drivers keep hitting…

By Evan Cook · Sep 17

Some places seem to freeze time on purpose, and this little spot in Fremont does it with checkerboard…

By Evan Cook · Sep 17

Fish tacos might be simple, but the best ones can turn a lazy weekend into a full-blown road…

By Evan Cook · Sep 17

Retiring on a fixed budget can feel like a puzzle with too few pieces, especially in a state…

By Evan Cook · Sep 17

California is full of tiny towns where the best reason to stop is a warm cinnamon roll pulled…

By Evan Cook · Sep 17

South Bay diners keep a short list of places they return to without a second thought, and one…

By Evan Cook · Sep 17

Some places in Long Beach hold onto the past on purpose, keeping colored booths and oldies music alive…

By Evan Cook · Sep 16

Anyone who has driven California’s long highways knows the truck stops start looking the same after a few…

By Evan Cook · Sep 16

Ask around Ventura for the best smoked beef and a funny thing happens. People do not point you…

By Evan Cook · Sep 16

Merced holds a spot where two very different kinds of comfort share one menu, and locals keep coming…

By Evan Cook · Sep 16

Some taco shops keep a loyal crowd for two decades, and there is usually a good reason behind…

By Evan Cook · Sep 16

Some places have been feeding families for so long that grandparents, parents, and kids all have their own…

By Evan Cook · Sep 16

California has plenty of ice cream shops, but a handful of them are doing something you can’t grab…

By Evan Cook · Sep 15

A long line snaking toward the counter usually scares people off, but the regulars here know a secret.…

By Evan Cook · Sep 15

Some of the best food in California does not come from a fancy kitchen. It comes from a…

By Evan Cook · Sep 15

The French dip is one of those simple sandwiches that keeps people coming back for generations. Thinly sliced…

By Evan Cook · Sep 15

Some breakfast burritos are a snack. Others are practically a two-person meal wrapped in foil, and those are…

By Evan Cook · Sep 15

Long before the vineyards fill with wine tasters, there’s a bakery in downtown Napa where a line forms…

By Evan Cook · Sep 15

Tucked along a busy stretch just off the highway in San Diego, a small counter-service seafood spot keeps…

By Evan Cook · Sep 14

California takes its tri-tip seriously, and a few spots do it so well the beef practically gives up…

By Evan Cook · Sep 14

Some road trips end at a monument or a museum, but plenty of Californians point their cars toward…

By Evan Cook · Sep 14

Some plates of noodles carry a whole city’s reputation on their forkfuls, and a certain spot near the…

By Evan Cook · Sep 14

California has more than beaches and big cities. Scattered across its deserts and mountains are old mining towns…

By Evan Cook · Sep 14

California has some of the best natural hot springs in the country, and many of them cost you…

By Evan Cook · Sep 14

California gets plenty of attention for its beaches and big-city dining, but some of the best steaks in…

By Evan Cook · Sep 13

California gets a reputation for sky-high home prices, but not every corner of the state costs a fortune.…

By Evan Cook · Sep 13

California has more than its share of shiny new burger spots, but the ones that really stick around…

By Evan Cook · Sep 13