PATRICK Y.

Seasons Restaurant

One doesn't normally associate haute cuisine with Inyo County. I'd read about the Seasons Restaurant before I decided to make reservations, and nearly all reviews were unreservedly positive. After eating there I understand why. While I wouldn't go so far as to say it is the best food I have ever eaten, it was still a great experience and value.

We went early and were seated right away. The interior was warm and inviting. Light colors graced the open space, and the simplicity of the decor matched the casual dining atmosphere. I was a bit nervous about bringing our 1 1/2 year old daughter there, but the servers were accomodating. The menu even featured children's meals (to the delight of my 7-year old).

Light and clean flavors characterized everything I ate, and I relished the subtleness of the flavors. I had the pork tenderloin dijonnaise. The meat was tender and juicy, and the dijonnaise sauce light and pleasant. If I could find the recipe for the sauce I would probably try it on most meals at home! The vinagrette dressing on the salad was also pleasingly light.

For two adults' meals and one child's meal, the tab came to less than $65 including one glass of beer and wine. We will definitely go again when we are in town.

Stovepipe Wells Village

We stayed in the Roadrunner rooms at the back of the property. Not only was it quiet because it was far away from the highway, but it also afforded great views of the mountains to the south/southeast. The room included two twin beds, a refrigerator, a hair dryer, and soap and shampoo. There are a restaurant and gift shop on site. We saw some people swimming in the outdoor pool, but it was a bit too cold for us to join in. There is a gas station and store directly across the street, also. One night for a couple and two children cost us about $115 in January.

Stovepipe Wells is located in the heart of Death Valley National Park. The sand dunes and Devil's Corn Field are less than a mile away. Scotty's Castle is to the north, Badwater to the south, Rhyolite to the east, and the charcoal kilns to the west.

Mad Greek

I love the tacky Greek decor at this I-15 fixture. It's a fast food restaurant with lots of photos of Greece, plaster statues, and more blue and white paint than you can shake a stick at. Expect long lines during the lunch rush. While the gyros and souvlaki were good, the famous "fresh strawberry shake" was a letdown. It lacked fresh strawberry flavor and creaminess. Lunch for two with soft drinks comes to about $25. While it's an expensive alternative to the Bob's Big Boy across the street, it's a welcome relief from ordinary road trip food.

River Cafe

When they say home-style cooking, they mean home-style cooking. The staff are as friendly as can be, and the food is like something you'd make for yourself for lunch. For example, my patty melt was made on the kind of bread you'd buy at the local grocery store and cooked in the most ordinary matter. The french fries were probably straight out of the cooker via an Ore-Ida bag. If you're looking for a regular restaurant experience, this isn't the place for you. If you are on a long trip and tired of the regular chain resturant menu, this may be a refreshing change.

Wendy's

The only thing lacking was refills for soft drinks. Otherwise, we were happy with the food and service. The signs on I-5 as we headed south led me to believe it was located east of the highway, but it is on the west side.

Panda Express

My wife (from Taiwan) doesn't have high hopes for fast food versions of Chinese cuisine, but we were away from home long enough on vacation that she decided to give Panda Express a shot. Overall the food was decent for the price and circumstances. The rice was a bit dry for my taste (similar to Uncle Ben's converted rice) and the orange chicken was short on vinegar flavor, but the beef broccoli was good. In short, it satisfied her craving for Asianesque food for a while (and that's a good thing).

Aplets & Cotlets

If you'd like to see how Aplets and Cotlets (similar to Turkish delight) are made, want to see a tourist stop the kids will enjoy, or would just like to do a bit of candy shopping, the Aplet and Cotlets factory/ store is a good pick. The kids like the free samples, and the adults enjoy the selection gourmet sauces, mustards and the like for sale in addition to their confections.

Brewster Marketplace/excel Fds

This Subway shop is located in the local supermarket on the south end of town. While I usually like to be a bit more adventurous in my dining experiences, Subway was the best choice I could think of to take on a picnic at Fort Okanogan State Park just across the river. The sandwich makers made ours to order quickly and efficiently. We'll go there again if we're in the area.

Fort Clatsop National Memorial

The old Fort Clatsop replica (built in 1955) burned down in 2005. Now we have a newly rebuilt replica with that great new fort smell. It is part of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Park and is near the visitors center and book store. The park staff is helpful, and the museum is informative and well laid out. Those with children between 6 and 14 years old may want to take advantage of the Junior Rangers Program in which they can fill out a workbook and earn a badge.

The book store has books, videos, posters, decorations, etc. that Lewis & Clark fans will love.

Tillamook Cheese Factory

Others have written about the cheese factory tour, so I will focus on the ice cream.

The Tillamook Cheese Factory tour served as a great motivator for my 7-year old to stop dragging her feet on our vacation. Once she knew the Tillamook Cheese Factory also served ice cream she really wanted to go there. They did not disappoint! They had more than 31 flavors, and the ice cream was GOOD. Waffle cones, sugar cones, waffle bowls, toppings, etc added to the choices.

I wish we would have loaded up on some cheese before we left since it's almost twice as expensive to buy it near home. The extra sharp cheddar is wonderful.