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It’s just over the border after all. Once you’ve run out of breweries to explore, there is still plenty to do in Southeastern Idaho, from small town zoos to delightfully strange museums to the minor-est of minor league baseball.
MUSEUMS
EBR-I
The Experimental Breeder Reactor-I is the world’s first nuclear reactor. In its operational day, it provided power to the first nuclear-powered town, nearby Arco, Idaho. Now a fully-curated museum, the facility gives tourists a good look at the guts of the place, with visitors allowed a fascinating chance to climb and duck and wander their way through a good-sized building that provides info on a very particular slice of US history. The facility’s located on Route 20, about an hour outside of Idaho Falls; though remote, highway signage is sufficient to get you to the location.
EBR-1, Arco, Idaho
208-526-0050
Farnsworth TV and Pioneer Museum
Now here’s a real corker. In li’l Rigby, you’ll find a museum dedicated to the life and work of television’s pioneering visionary, Philo T. Farnsworth. But the actual space given over to the building’s namesake is minimal, with displays and exhibitions given over to him, but also to taxidermy, skiing, local horsemen, antique agriculture equipment and special exhibitions, like a quilt show that was literally being broken down as we arrived. Its other name, The Jefferson County Historical Museum, does better justice to this sprawling place, as a host of weird odds/ends of the region’s past are housed here. Special mention has to be given to many mannequins found throughout the space, each looking quirkier than the last. Did we mention the taxidermy? All these curiosities for the mere admission price of $4.
118 W 1st S, Rigby, Idaho
208-745-8423
Idaho Potato Museum
Gotta be honest: this one sounded like it could have some real snooze factor happenin’, but the reality is that the Idaho Potato Museum is loaded with fairly-interesting, well-curated and even entertaining micro-exhibits about the history and impact of the potato on agriculture. There’s a bit of whimsy (à la the well-represented Mr. Potato Head), but it’s mostly-straightforward in approach, not the least bit dull in making that choice. Best of all, you can get some fries or a stellar baked potato at the in-house cafe. This place was surely a bit of a surprise, found in the heart of tiny Blackfoot halfway between Pocatello and Idaho Falls.
130 NW Main St., Blackfoot, Idaho
208-785-2517
The Museum of Clean
A gentleman by the name of Don Aslett had a mission in life. And it wasn’t only to create a nationwide janitorial company, which he did, before turning his attention to the very-specific goal of curating a museum of cleaning products. Over several floors, Aslett’s sprawling collection includes a bit of everything, with an in-house cinema showing highlights from his dozens of appearances on network TV, where he preached his gospel of cleanliness. It’s weird and charming and well worth the modest admission. On a given day, you’ll also find Aslett, wandering through his collections, holding court with visitors. To say it again: charming; weird.
711 S. 2nd Ave., Pocatello, Idaho
208-236-6906
Museum of Idaho
On a day-to-day basis, the Museum of Idaho contains several exhibitions of hyper-regional interest, with natural history at the core of its standing, curated collections. Currently, the space also holds what’s clearly a touring exhibit, “Genghis Khan: Conquest & Culture.” It’s a big ol’ show and will take most of your attention as you wander through two floors of interpretive displays of Mongolian culture. While seeming to be a bit of a conceptual stretch for a small-town museum, a drive in any direction from Idaho Falls will take you through lands that may not differ all that much from Mongolia. So, yeah. Good job, curators!
200 N. Eastern Ave., Idaho Falls, Idaho
208-522-1400
SPORTS
Atomic Motor Raceway
In full disclosure: on the day that we passed through Atomic City, the raceway was closed. And it’s in that state most days, save for about a dozen nights a summer when weekends are loud in this li’l town that once served as home to many of the workers at the EBR-1 facility. In fact, you can still find some of those workers (now handling tours, rather than radiation) at the Atomic City Bar, which is located directly across the street from the track. The bar is open and it’s a decent place to enjoy a cold, cheap beer, while getting the lowdown on this town’s history and the 40-odd residents who still call it home. Catching a race here would undoubtedly be a treat.
1769 N. 2650 West, Atomic City, Idaho
208-313-8815
Idaho Falls Chukars
A member of the western states’ Pioneer League, the Chukars are an independent baseball team that’s served as something of a feeder for the Kansas City Royals’ system. The team’s 3,400 seat, single deck stadium is Melaleuca Field, located a few minutes from Idaho Falls’ lively downtown. As you’d expect, games here are typical of unaffiliated minor league action. There’s a lovable, shaggy mascot (Charlie Chukar). There’re sound effects and advertisements for a local autoglass company, heard with every foul ball leaving the park. Concessions are affordable and offense is the rule, with most of the team’s 2022 hitters batting over .300 and ERAs routinely 5.00 and above. America’s pastime in this environment is both pretty cheap and pretty fun. Just be careful that you don’t collide with a kid; they’re everywhere.
568 West Elva, Idaho Falls, Idaho
208-522-8363
ZOOS
Idaho Falls Zoo
The self-titled “Best Little Zoo in the West” affects the displays and exhibitions of a larger zoo, with monkeys, tigers, kangaroos, penguins and other popular, plushie-ready animals. We’ll definitely say that the place smartly uses a literal river that runs through the zoo, while the place is generally well-shaded. Though we showed up with less than an hour of operation to spare, we were able to take in the whole facility. Some of the exhibitions have clearly been updated in recent years, while others could, quite frankly, be shuttered until later expansion (including the primate house which features a sad gibbon, one deserving of a better life). The overall feel here is family-friendly and the location, in a public park, gives it a relaxed feel.
2925 Rollandet St., Idaho Falls, Idaho
208-612-8552
Zoo Idaho
To its credit, this 1932 facility is under major construction, part of a long-term plan to revitalize the space. Already, some exhibits showcase an updated feel, with larger enclosures and a more-contemporary. A few, though… well, they look as if not much about them has changed in the 90-years since open, with large mammals like mountain lions and black bears found in spaces small enough to cause obvious agitation for the animals within. That said, the 25-acre park is seamlessly blended into a hillside and surrounding meadows, giving it a unique look-and-feel. And a shout-out to the zoo’s many, many marmots, local smarties who’ve figured out that they can eat and drink to their heart’s content, while milling in with official zoo residents like elk and bison. Clever li’l mammals!
2900 S. 2nd Ave., Pocatello, Idaho
208-705-3718
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The ferry ride lasted a little more than 20 minutes after leaving Point Defiance, but the misty breeze had me feeling as though I was crossing an endless sea. Clearly, I’ve been a landlocked captive in Utah if the short crossing of Puget Sound’s south end had me feeling like I was Shackleton with a sextant, but I’m unashamed to admit how pleasant the ride was. After disembarking on Vashon Island, I hit the pavement and started turning the pedals aboard a moderately loaded bicycle with an ill-fitting frame bag and a cranky derailleur. The faintly rural vibe of the quiet tree-lined streets felt lightyears away from the relative metropolises of Tacoma and Seattle, buzzing with activity just across the sound.
I’d set out with few plans other than to cycle around Vashon, stopping intermittently at various locations around Maury Island—an island within an island connected to Vashon by a causeway—and Vashon’s downtown, which is comprised of a single four-way intersection with an unlikely concentration of delightful food and drink establishments. On the route I was immersed in the classically moody Pacific Northwest atmosphere with a moist haze—never really rain, but never not rain—that’s a refreshing respite from the, at times oppressive, aridity characterizing much of the Intermountain West.
Washington’s alchemy of natural beauty and distinct culture, defined by seemingly indulgent food and drink at every turn and an influential music scene that very much soundtracked my youth, overwhelms, inviting you to lean in, breathe deep and enjoy. Embrace it.
The Sound of Northwest History
Vashon Island was named for James Vashon, a Royal Navy Admiral who, as far as I can tell, never visited the area but served as superior officer to George Vancouver, who commanded the Pacific Northwest expedition in the 1790s. Vashon, it should be noted, went on to marry Sarah Rainier, the sister of his former shipmate Peter. One needn’t be a geography or history scholar to decode the region’s naming conventions while recognizing the absurdity of doling out monikers for people obliquely related to “great discoveries” made some 10,000 years after native inhabitants, including the Marpole, Salish and S’Homamish, called the land home.
After European settlement came some logging and then a 50-year stretch where Vashon became an island of endless strawberry fields, farmed primarily by Japanese Americans until the population was forcibly relocated to internment camps during WWII. Suburban development has squeezed the commercial farming out of Vashon, but the island is still home to many independent growers and an annual strawberry festival hosted each July. Like the other islands dotting the sounds throughout Washington’s coast, Vashon has a turbulent history but is nevertheless a stunning place. It’s a community and escape wholly distinct from the mainland just a short ferry ride away.
What To Do
Bike touring around Vashon Island requires a bike, obviously. If you’re not like me and didn’t bring a disheveled touring bike to ride around Vashon, you can stop in at Spider’s Ski and Sport (17624 Vashon Hwy., 206-408-7474) to rent a bike. If you are like me and brought a poorly maintained relic in need of some love, Vashon Bikes (9926 SW Bank Rd., 206-999-1551) will get your bike in tune.
Starting from the southern end of Vashon, I headed northeast towards the causeway near Portage to Maury Island. Maury is named for an American naval officer on the 1841 Wilkes Expedition who later went on to raid Union ships on behalf of the confederacy, but don’t let that anecdote distract you from the gorgeous undeveloped shoreline. Locking up my bike at the Maury Island Marine Park, I hiked the Maury Island Viewpoint Trail, a leisurely two-mile jaunt through forest and wildflowers to the water. I saw neither bald eagles nor whales on the hike, but many are luckier than I. There’s an orca tracking website, orcanetwork.org, you can use to see if there have been recent orca sightings in the area, too.
Back in the saddle, I pedaled a short distance to the Point Robinson Lighthouse, an iconic 19th century structure on the easternmost point of the island overlooking the sound. The lighthouse, with its overtly New England aesthetics, sits on a 10-acre park and marine conservancy where the former keeper’s dwellings are offered as weekly rentals.
From there I settled in for a ride up towards Vashon’s main drag for a stop at the Vashon Maury Island Heritage Museum (10105 SW Bank Rd., Vashon, 206-463-7808). Inside, the island’s history, both its complex human machinations and fascinating natural origins, is explored in nuanced detail and depth. The extent of the riding combined with the alarming amount of food and drink I consumed—more on that later—meant I cut short my circumnavigation of Vashon and turned in for the evening. In the morning, I headed to the island’s North Terminal and took the Fauntleroy Ferry to West Seattle.
Any semblance of rural vibes evaporated as I rode to Alki Beach, which is a little slice of southern California beach life, replete with volleyball, rollerblading and the like. After soaking up a bit of Seattle semi-sun I rode around West Seattle, which is chock full of hipster-adjacent niceties you’d expect in Seattle from bohemian coffee shops to indie record stores.
Where to Eat and Drink
The coffee culture percolating through the Northwest is hardly a secret, and the birthplace of specialty coffee is located right in the center of Vashon Island. The Vashon Island Coffee Roasterie (19529 Vashon Hwy., 206-463-9800) serves some of the finest artisanal coffee you’ll ever taste in a historic building made of old growth island fir. The building was previously owned by Jim Stewart, who’s known as the grandfather of specialty coffee, for being the first person to roast artisan coffee in Seattle and for starting what would eventually become Seattle’s Best Coffee right from that building on Vashon. Though the SBC logo still adorns one side of the building, the roasting inside is unique and innovative as ever.
After a caffeine infusion to get going, head over to Snapdragon Bakery and Café for brunch (17817 Vashon Hwy., 206-463-1310). The pastries are incredible and massive, and the rotating menu of wonderful vegetarian cuisine changes daily with creative options like a spinach and arugula pesto omelet with a yogurt dill cucumber sauce or a beet Rueben with house made sauerkraut, roasted beets and gruyere on house focaccia.
For a different experience later in the day, try the Ruby Brink, a combination bar and whole animal butchery (17526 Vashon Hwy., 206-408-7795). Artisan meats and cocktails don’t get any better than this. The bar features a variety of local beers and craft cocktails to choose from. The oak-aged sour from Propolis Brewing Wild Ales is outstanding. The menu consists of delectable items like humbly named braised beef meat and noodle—which has beef, a soft boiled egg, noodles and local vegetables in a 24-hour bone broth—and house-made chicken liver mousse on toast. And yes, there is an outrageously good butcher shop on site for your home chef needs.
Where to Stay
Stay within striking distance of the water at the Burton Inn and Spa (24007 Vashon Hwy., 206-910-4520). The Inn, which is just a short walk from the Quartermaster Marina right on the sound, has a handful of charming rooms and even a glamping tent for those looking to dip their toes into experiencing the famous PNW weather. The Inn also has a spa and guitar lessons every Wednesday for people of all skill levels.
Crash a little closer to the action at The Lodges on Vashon (17205 Vashon Hwy., 206-641-4717). Chic, minimalist 570-square-foot lodges are scattered across the property which also features communal geodesic domes and an open-air pavilion. The Lodges are pet friendly and a stone’s throw from downtown Vashon’s restaurants, breweries and shops.
Once back on the mainland, enjoy a classic Seattle experience by staying at the Ace Hotel (2423 1st Ave., Seattle, 206-448-4721). Just a short distance up S.R. 99 from West Seattle and Alki Beach, The Ace Hotel has deluxe rooms as well as more economical shared bathroom options all featuring west coast bohemian-lite trappings like painted exposed brick and artwork from Shepard Fairey (the artist who designed the iconic Obama “Hope” image). It’s the perfect home base to explore Seattle’s historic Belltown neighborhood.
ROAD TRIP 1: MOUNT RAINIER MOUNTAIN ESCAPE
Mount Rainier is a fixture of the Pacific Northwest skyline, and the mammoth 14,411-foot active stratovolcano is the perfect centerpiece of adventure. Explore the outdoors on foot, on skis and from horseback, all while indulging in some local cuisine and culture along the way.
1/ Hike Pinnacle Peak Loop Trail
Kick off exploring the Rainier region with a hike on the Pinnacle Peak Loop Trail. The three-mile loop includes an observation tower providing remarkable views if the weather is cooperating. Even if it isn’t, the spring wildflowers won’t disappoint.
2/ Eat at Il Siciliano Ristorante Italiano
Refuel with authentic Italian cuisine prepared by the Brancato family, which relocated to the Enumclaw from Italy in 1995. The Porcini Sacchetti is outstanding.
3/ Horseback Riding with Echo River Ranch
Mount up for a guided horseback ride through gorgeous timberlands surrounding Echo River Ranch. Guides will shower you with local naturalist knowledge, including on available foraging tours for wild mushrooms and berries.
4/ Explore Federation Forest State Park
Boasting a landscape blanketed with old-growth Douglas fir, Sitka spruce and western hemlock, Federation Forest State Park’s hiking trails are the perfect place to lose yourself in the immense evergreen labyrinth that defines the region.
5/ Visit Wapiti Woolies Outdoor Shop
World-famous mountaineer Ed Viesturs—the only American to climb all 14 8,000-meter peaks—had his pick of the litter for outdoor gear, but chose only one hat, from Wapiti Woolies. Visit the home of the legendary headwear and leave with a unique hat of your own.
6/ Stay at Alta Crystal Resort
Turn in at the Alta Crystal Resort for a little rest amid adventure in the mountains. The resort is the closest lodging to Mt. Rainier National Park and has shuttle service to the lifts at Crystal Mountain. Enjoy the hot tubs and chalet-style suites you expect at a mountain retreat.
7/ Shred Crystal Mountain
Arguably the best skiing and snowboarding in the Northwest is at Crystal Mountain. 2,600 acres of terrain and stunning views of Rainier are a recipe for great times on the slopes each spring.
ROAD TRIP 2: Uniquely Pacific County
Connect the dots with visits to iconic attractions down Washington’s coastal beaches. Hidden gems, roadside hits and quirky curiosities await on an evergreen journey through oceanside villages.
1/ Washaway Beach
Explore one of the fastest-eroding places in the Western Hemisphere at Washaway Beach. The beach, planned as a luxury destination in the 1800s, loses 150 feet per year to the ocean and had a clam cannery, a lighthouse and a Coast Guard Station, all of which fell into the sea. The ocean is relentless.
The oldest hotel in Washington, the Tokeland is a house of history. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 and sits adjacent to the stunning Pacific seashore.
3/ Wildlife-Heritage Sculpture Corridor
When driving through the town of Raymond, the streets come to life, lined with silhouetted sculptures of deer, bears and other wildlife. Unexpecting drivers will do double takes, so best to take it slow and enjoy the art installations along the way.
4/ World’s Largest Oyster Shell/Oyster Capital of the World
South Bend, Washington, nicknamed the “Oyster Capital of the World,” is home to Willapa Bay where oysters are plentiful. It’s also home to a sculpture of the world’s largest oyster shell as well as plenty of wonderful oysters to dine on if you take the time to stop for a shuck.
The North Head Light was built in 1897 to aid mariners approaching Cape Disappointment from the North. Situated at the mouth of the Columbia River, the historic relic is managed as part of Cape Disappointment State Park where marshes and oceanside tidelands create a magnificent coastline.
6/ Waikiki Beach
The beach where Lewis and Clark actually reached the pacific was morbidly named for when a Hawaiian sailor’s body washed ashore after his ship wrecked trying to cross the Colombia River Bar. Today it’s a dramatic, rock-lined cove more suitable for picnics and swimming than shipwrecks.
ROAD TRIP 3: Olympic Peninsula Paradise
Immerse yourself in the pristine scenery of remote mountains, lush rainforest and rugged ocean beaches on the Olympic Peninsula. Discover rich local culture and enjoy farm-to-table meals that are enthusiastically paired with local ciders and spirits.
The Lake Quinault Lodge is the perfect base camp to explore the Olympic Peninsula. Built in 1926, the rustic lodge’s grand scale is matched only by the natural wonders surrounding it. Immerse yourself in the surrounding lushly green forest on the 31-mile Quinault Rainforest Loop Drive around the lake.
2/ Olympic National Park
From glaciated peaks to old-growth forest to the pacific coastline, Olympic National Park is home to numerous iconic ecosystems to explore depending on your appetite.
3/ Ruby Beach
Dramatic sea stacks jut from the ocean on this coastal section of Olympic National Park. Piles of driftwood and a moody marine layer lend Ruby Beach a heavy northwest vibe.
4/ Hoh Rainforest
The Hoh Rainforest is the wettest forest in the contiguous United States. Since it’s situated within Olympic National Park, the forest surrounding the glacially created river is uniquely pristine and protected from commercial exploitation.
The story of non-native settlement in the Pacific Northwest is entwined with the timber industry. Forks was once known as the “Logging Capital of the World,” and today a museum housed in a log cabin tells the history of homesteading, farming and logging in the region.
6/ Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge
At nearly seven miles long, the natural sand spit at Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge is one of the world’s longest and narrowest. The refuge is a birder’s paradise, a migratory stop for myriad species of birds which breed from Alaska to South America. It’s also home to high concentrations of shellfish and harbor seals.
7/ Cider Tasting Route
The country’s best hard ciders are born on the Olympic Peninsula. Stop at a trio of tasting rooms near Port Townsend—Finnriver, Alpenfire and Eaglemount—to enjoy the amazing bounty from the local orchards.
8/ Ludlow Falls
Wash down the cider with a short hike to scenic Ludlow Falls in the nearby town of Ludlow. The well-maintained trail is lined with enormous cedar trees leading to falls.
ROAD TRIP 4: Yakima Canyon Scenic Byway
Load up one of those eponymous roof boxes and hit the road. Experience central Washington’s scenic lake and mountain vistas, dive into diverse recreation and taste the highlights of wine country along this scenic byway.
Stop in at Red’s for information, gear and guided trips to make the most of the world-famous fishing on the Yakima River. The riverside location and deep local knowledge are tough to beat.
Spend the night at Canyon River Ranch for luxurious accommodations right on the Yakima. In the morning head out for some more fly fishing, hike through the central Washington landscape and even try your hand at some whitewater rafting. It’s your home base for adventure on the river.
3/ Umtanum Creek Recreation Area
Springtime sees the basalt-lined canyons of the Umtanum Creek Recreation Area bursting with color as sunflowers, larkspur and geraniums come to life. A variety of trails to suit any ability level all feature incredible vistas.
Sample the fruits of the fertile Yakima Canyon by visiting the Ellensburg Canyon Winery. Riesling, Rose, Cabernet Franc du Blanc and Cab Franc and Malbec port style wines are all available for your tasting pleasure. Each glass comes with an incredible view.
Turn in at Hotel Windrow, a boutique hotel located in downtown historic Ellensburg. The building melds modern amenities and rustic charm right in the heart of town, making it a perfect launching point for everything from fine dining and nightlife to outdoor adventure.
For more trip ideas, visit stateofwatourism.com. Get more travel ideas and itineraries with our California Road Trip.
Our bartender in San Diego scrunched up her face with an incredulous look and asked, “Oceanside? Why are you going there?” This was a common sentiment among citified southern Californians who still hold images of an Oceanside with a reputation for brawling Marines, low-rent car dealerships and sprawling train yards. Human memory is persistent but not always accurate. Oceanside, one hour by train from San Diego, has changed a lot since our bartender last visited. Yes. Oceanside still maintains some of its grit and, unlike other California beach destinations, it has no plans to sand it off. That’s a good thing.
AHEAD, THEN BEHIND
In the days before Southern California was connected and clogged with its vast network of four-lane concrete arteries, there was one road—Highway One. Early car travelers ventured south from Los Angeles, often headed to Mexico for liquor during Prohibition. To make the trip, they would cross the large un-serviced Rancho Santa Margarita before arriving in Oceanside. The little town became an ideal spot to stop and stay in one of the nation’s first “travelers hotels,” or Motels. When WWII broke out, the U.S. Department of the Navy commandeered Rancho Margarita to build Camp Pendleton. Thousands of raw Marine recruits arrived in town along with builders and their families who followed the work to carve out Pendleton. Oceanside boomed. The post-war ascendance of the automobile made Oceanside a destination for car buyers and the town’s new dealerships became the place for the Greatest Generation to buy its shiny Cadillacs, Buicks, Oldsmobiles and Fords.
But then, bust. California sprawl and cheaper land elsewhere saw the big dealers move closer to the metro areas, leaving the husks of giant showrooms behind. These shells were occupied by down-market used car dealers. Meanwhile, the rise of malls and megaplexes in the ’60s and ’70s gutted Oceanside’s once-bustling town center. It didn’t help that one of the state’s largest railroad switchyards, built during the war, was a giant eyesore in the middle of town. (The switchyard was moved in the ’90s onto Camp Pendleton, much to town boosters’ relief.)
But these downsides became upsides, says Oceanside historian Kristi Hawthorne. “We were largely overlooked and while everyone else was tearing down old buildings, neighborhoods and architectural treasures, we were left alone.”
THE ONCE- GREAT BECOMES NEXT-GREAT
Hawthorne and her colleagues at the Oceanside Historical Society lead free two-hour walking tours (visitoceanside.org, 760-722-4786) that highlight this “lucky” preservation. She points to neighborhoods filled with charming, stick-built bungalows including, famously, the “Top Gun House,” where Tom Cruise’s Maverick famously bedded Kelly McGillis’ Charlie Blackwood in the 1986 film, and palatial movie theaters featuring beautifully garish neon signs. For example, the Star Theater (402 N. Coast Hwy, startheatreco.com) with its space-age marquee, now bills local musical theater performances. Some of the old car showrooms are being gutted to become restaurants and craft breweries like the Bagby Beer Company (601 S. Coast Highway, bagbybeer. com). The works of architect Irving Gill, the minimalist modern architect who designed with subtle North African flair, are also a point of town pride—see The Americanization School (1210 Division St.), the still operational Fire Station No. 1 (714 Pier View Way), The Blade Tribune
Building (401 Seagaze Dr.) and the original City Hall (300 N. Coast Hwy.).
PLAY
At its heart, Oceanside is a beach town and thus home of the California Surf Museum (312 Pier View Way, 760-721-6876). The highlight is the shark-bit surfboard and the accompanying story of pro surfer Bethany Hamilton who lost her arm but ultimately survived an encounter with a tiger shark off the coast of Kauai. Good news: There are no tiger sharks off the coast of Oceanside—its beachfront is a wide, perfectly sandy stretch, marked midway by the state’s longest wooden pier (home of an irascible pelican named Charlie). On either side of the pier, the reliable break brings a daily line-up of surfers waiting for sets. Before you paddle out on your own consider a lesson. The family-owned shop Surf Ride (1909 S. Coast Hwy., Oceanside, 760-433-4020, surfride.com) offers lessons three times a week as well as gear rental. Or rent a rod and reel from the pier’s bait shop or a bike or 4-person surrey and cruise the strand.
DINE
Surf towns require breakfast. Oceanside’s go-to is Petite Madeline (223 N. Coast Hwy., 760-231-7300, petitemadelinebakery.com) with house-made pastries and heartier options. But then there is toast. How good can toast be? Find out at Camp Coffee (101 N. Cleveland St., 442-266-2504, campcoffeecompany.com) where cutsey coffee drinks (think S’mores) are served with hearty slices of “camp toast” a panini-style hunk of wonder.
Start a night out with a flight of Santa Barbara wine from Coomber Craft Wines (611 Mission Ave., 760-231-8022, coomberwines.com) on a fantastically chill patio. Up the block is Mission Ave Bar and Grill (711 Mission Ave., 760-637-2222, missionavebarandgrill.com), a whiskey-forward joint (more than 200 tipples in the library) with a meticulously blended Eternal Pour bottle behind the bar.
The phrase “let’s go out for Balinese” is not a thing, yet. But Dija Mara (232 S. Coast Hwy., 760-231-5376, dijamara.com) is well on its way to making it so. For the big meal of your trip, try Master’s Kitchen & Cocktail (208 S. Coast Hwy., 760-231-6278, mastersoceanside.com) where 28-year-old wunderkind Chef Andre Clark has unstuffified the menu. Clark got his start here, left for apprenticeship in some of San Diego’s finest kitchens and has returned with whiz-bang energy. For starters he’s got a thing for albacore. Yes. Ahi’s canned cousin, Clark points out, is caught locally, “Why am I serving tuna from Hawaii when I’m a chef in California?” Why indeed.
STAY:
Part of Oceanside’s rejuvenation has been the renovation of the old traveler hotels like The Fin Boutique Hotel (133 S. Coast Hwy., 760-279-6300, thefinhotel.com). com). Originally opened as the Keisker Hotel in 1927, The Fin preserves the mosaic tile lobby floor, the original grand wooden-rail staircase and the Tiffany windows, but, thankfully, updates the rest. (read: ensuite water closets). OK, it’s a chain but the Oceanside Springhill Suites boasts a rooftop pool with ocean views and is steps from the waterfront. Beachfront Only (beachfrontonly.com) is a vacation rental service offering, as the name says, a selection of on-the-beach properties from cozy cottages to 10-bedroom redoubts for the big reunion (friends, family, whatever).
This article originally appeared in the 2020 January/February edition of Salt Lake magazine and was originally published on saltlakemagazine.com on March 22, 2020
