USA Wanderers presents: must-try dishes on a culinary road trip across America!
I’m a foodie, and I love traveling. I just love trying different meals from several cuisines around the world because I can taste the culture and the aromas and have a peek at the locals’ lives. But in today’s article, we’re going home. Our country is huge, and our food is exceptional. Too bad not everyone knows about this.
If you love traveling and tasting several meals as much as I do, you’re going to love today’s discussion. It’s time to make plans for your next vacation because these are the must-try dishes on your next culinary road trip across America. You taste exquisite meals, you visit our incredible country, you snap fabulous photos, and you have the best time ever. Are you ready for an old-school adventure? Let’s begin!
Culinary road trip across America – pack your bags and let’s go!
1. The Finger Lakes Wine Trails
We can’t talk about a culinary road trip across America without drinking a glass of wine, am I right? The Finger Lakes region of New York State is home to over 100 wineries, thanks to the region’s slopes, vines, and lakes. These produce a microclimate ideal for Rieslings, which is just great for grape lovers.
The breathtaking scenery is even prettier thanks to the vivid fall foliage, and trust me, you’ll want to take pictures. Seneca Lake, Cayuga Lake, and Keuka Lake are three wine paths that have a similar appeal, but you’ll love it there. The views are stunning, the wines are exceptional, and the memories will be long-cherished.
2. North Carolina’s Historic Barbecue Trail
We continue our culinary road trip across America with North Carolina’s Historic Barbecue Trail. Each one of these 24 stops has to respect strict requirements, including operating for at least 15 years, cooking over wood or charcoal pits, making their sauces, and developing a solid reputation in the local community.
While the majority of the action takes place in the vicinity of Lexington, there are several stops along the way, starting in Ayden and going all the way to Murphy. Most rail restaurants serve incredible smoked pulled pork sandwiches as a traditional meal, with sauce options ranging from vinegar-based blends to tomato-based ones. Definitely a place to check out!
3. Alabama’s Northern Trail
Have you ever been on a culinary trip across America? If not, take this article as a sign to go on this adventure, because Alabama isn’t going to disappoint you. In response to the launch of the book “100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die,” this pretty state unveiled an incredible food map.
Each restaurant receives a vote from a panel with modern menus that showcase some of Alabama’s most delicious and popular foods, like fried catfish and Southern tomato pie. If you’re more into contemporary dishes, don’t worry; you’ll find lots of amazing things there.
Let’s suppose this culinary road trip across America sounds appealing to you. In that case, I recommend you check out Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, which is a landmark that opened in 1925 and is a must-see location for travelers on the Northern Trail.
Another thing you could do is take the Northern Trail and merge it with the Magic City Trail to find the Irondale Café. This served as inspiration for the book and movie “Fried Green Tomatoes,” written by Fannie Flagg, and is also a delicacy that will impress everyone. You can find it cooked to perfection at several locations on the trail.
4. Great Wisconsin Cheese Tour
Wisconsin has been in love with cheese for 175 years. If you also love this delicious dairy product, this cheesy culinary road trip across America will be the time of your life. Experts say that this state loves cheese so much that they consider it an art form that manifests in more than 600 different forms.
With so many possibilities available, Travel Wisconsin designed the Great Wisconsin Cheese Tour, a three-day itinerary that starts in Madison and combines experiential learning with tastings and some of the greatest beer Wisconsin has to offer. This one might sound crazy (and delicious, of course), but according to sources, the state produces 2.8 billion pounds of cheese annually.
You can start the day with seminars (this is available for bigger groups) and samples of regional artisan cheese at Fromagination, or visit the Emmi Roth Cheese Factory in Monroe to see the production process in action.
5. New Hampshire Ice Cream Trail
Dear food lovers, we can’t continue with this culinary road trip across America without including the most delicious ice cream in our article. There are several ice cream markets in New Hampshire, serving classic Northeastern flavors like maple walnut and moose tracks. If you want to check out where the milk comes from, you can visit Brookford Farm and Connolly Brother’s Dairy Farm.
A favorite among the state’s charming ice cream parlors is Dewey’s Ice Cream Parlor and Café, which is situated close to some of New Hampshire’s most picturesque natural landmarks, including Lake Winnipesaukee. Trust me, this culinary road trip across America is the perfect vacation for all food lovers!
Keep reading to discover other impressive destinations for your culinary road trip across America!
6. Kentucky Bourbon Trail
Did you know that Kentucky is responsible for producing more than 90% of the world’s bourbon? This liquor is so good and popular that the Congress says it’s America’s only native spirit.
In 1999, people passionate about this drink wanted to impart knowledge on the science of bourbon production, so they opened the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, which is becoming more and more popular every year, drawing millions of tourists from all over the world.
This drinking and not-so-culinary road trip across America will take three days to finish, and tours include transportation, so you won’t have to worry about driving after a demanding day of tastings. The trail features well-known brands like Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark, and it can be coupled with the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour to find lesser-known distilleries. If you love souvenirs, you’ll like what I’m about to tell you: anyone who obtains all nine stamps on a free Bourbon Trail passport will receive a t-shirt.
7. Denver Beer Trail
If you’re a beer lover, say “I love beer” in the comments below. This is one of the most popular beverages in the world, dating back to ancient times. It comes in several varieties and colors, and since each of them is special and has its taste, everybody can find one they like.
The Denver Beer Trail is a terrific place to start, with so many dispersed across such a broad area. This incredible path has more than 20 breweries, and they’re frequently paired with food trucks for a delightful experience you won’t forget.
While the Denver Beer Company’s Platte Street Taproom is in an old garage, it features one of the largest outdoor seating areas in the city along with great beers on tap, such as Incredible Pedal IPA and Graham Cracker Porter.
This culinary road trip across America can be the adventure of a lifetime, especially since the Fiction Beer Company offers literary-themed beer events such as book clubs and author signings. You can also enjoy specialty beers such as Beat Cowboys, which is a pale ale influenced by Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, and Old Bums. Pack your bags, and let’s go! It’s going to be fun!
What do you think about our culinary road trip across America? Would you consider visiting any of these places? This will be an adventure to remember! Have you ever been on a culinary road trip across America before? If you have any tips or recommendations for us, feel free to share them with us!
If you enjoyed reading this article and you want to check out something else from USA Wanderers, here’s a good post for you: 10 US National Park Road Trips With Breathtaking Stops
