Stopping to eat on a road trip when you’re, say, just 200 miles away from home, is spiritually different from a road trip that requires 500 miles of driving. When you reach hour six of a road trip, you are a different person and, if you do it right, there are different rules. Different expectations. Different foods.
The question I’m asking today is not your favorite road trip food or the best rest stop. This isn’t Whataburger v. Sonic v. In-n-Out. This is about the food your soul and body require when you’ve exited the rivers and the lakes that you’re used to. This is about chasing waterfalls.
My waterfall is a cod sandwich from Culver’s. I grew up in Texas, and the cheerful and butter-based Midwestern cuisine has always been a little foreign to me. Fried cheese curds instead of stuffed jalapenos. A frozen custard instead of the hand-dipped cone. Wisconsin cheddar on a fish sandwich instead of American.
There’s a specific Culver’s in Sandusky, Ohio that calls to me even now. Perhaps I shall return there soon…
Until then, what’s the Culver’s in your mind?
top photo: Culver’s
I haven’t done a 500 mile drive in quite awhile. The last time was driving an ambulance I bought on the East Coast to the West Coast about 4 years ago.
However, I have done plenty of all day drives / road trips and I search towns ahead on my route on google maps for the best rated local restaurant or food truck. We don’t do chains or fast food. Well except for on Thanksgiving when everyone is closed and then it is Dennys for their turkey platter.
(Thanksgiving is a great time to travel as most travels are heading home or to relatives not hiking the trails in National Parks.)
Usually bring my own on longer trips, but something flame grilled from BK seems appropriate after a long day of driving
An alcoholic beverage of some kind is my mental “off” switch after a marathon drive.
My brain is like “You’ve made it, the driving is done. Now consume a beverage to prove the driving HAS to be done.”
Username checks out 😉