Whether you’re curious about foraging, hungry for a meal at the highest-elevation fine-dining restaurant in the country, eager to eat at the edge of the Last Frontier, or open to the gourmet possibilities, we have a gastronomic experience that’s right for you.
Museums, national historic sites, and other popular points of interest are easy to find during your travels, wild and refined alike. An unforgettable hidden gem or superlative experience, especially one that adds a gourmet flair? Not so much. That takes a bit of digging.
So, in an effort to take some of the burden off your shoulders, C&I presents a few culinary adventure options across the West. Put on a good pair of shoes (the snow kind wouldn’t be a bad idea) and grab your favorite utensil set. Or, perhaps, kick back in luxurious surroundings. We’re setting off on an expedition of gastronomic proportions. Call this your hot list. Call it your next culinary adventure.
Foraging in the Bay
Pick ’em Hot Hot Hot
The Spirits of Texas Highway
Alpino Vino
A Taste of the Last Frontier
Adventure Snapshots
There is so much grubbin’ adventure to experience across the West we can’t include it all. Here is a quick roundup of other treks geared toward the culinary-minded.
Durango Brew Train
Offered by the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, this package gives beer lovers the opportunity to mix alpine views along Colorado’s Animas River with samples from a smattering of craft breweries while chugging toward Cascade Canyon in the San Juan National Forest. Once at the train’s destination, more tastings will be held. This summer’s tour includes samplings from Left Hand Brewing Co. and Four Peaks Brewing Co. durangotrain.com
Sip ’N Dip Lounge
Home of the C.M. Russell Museum and the Russell Exhibition and Sale—a must-visit for lovers of Western art—Great Falls, Montana, is also the site of the Sip ’N Dip Lounge, a hotel tiki bar stocked with day-glow drinks and a swimming pool with mermaids. ohairemotorinn.com/sip-n-dip
Texas Wine Trail
Take self-guided tours (with recommended itineraries) across more than 50 wineries dotting Texas’ rolling Hill Country. We suggest stopping in for tastings at Bending Branch Winery in Comfort, Becker Vineyards in Fredericksburg, and William Chris Vineyards in Hye. texaswinetrail.com
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Photography: Allyson Campbell/Courtesy Desert Door Distillery, Gabe Donohoe/Courtesy Above & Beyond Alaska
From the April 2019 issue.