I love long car trips, don’t you?
Here’s how you can avoid common rookie road trip mistakes like boredom or McDonalds-itis
1) bring lots of good music (or find a few great satellite radio stations)
2) bring a couple audiobooks (I highly recommend Cutting For Stone or any of the Alex Cross books by Jams Patterson)
3) bring snacks like nuts, dried fruit, fresh fruit, or granola bars
4) plan ahead! Research restaurants or dine-in grocery stores (like Whole Foods) that are along your route, so you won’t be stuck scrounging at Burger King when you’re starving. Urbanspoon and Happy Cow are two of my favorite apps that help me find vegetarian-friendly spots nearby
We lucked out and found a Loving Hut in Ledgwood, New Jersey. It’s a franchise of vegan Asian fusion, and was just what we were craving.
To start, B and I shared the nori stars: seaweed wrap with brown rice, avocado, shredded carrots, zucchini, tofu + tempeh. These were fresh and slightly warm, and were my favorite part of the meal.
For his main, B ordered the Golden Charm: flash-fried soy protein with lemongrass, peppers, onions and jalapeños. We both really enjoyed this, even though it’s not something I’d normally order for myself. Very good!
I went with the Royal Chop: romaine with gomasio, garlic croutons, and grilled- but probably fried- marinated soy protein. It was just like a Caesar salad, which I’ve really been craving lately!
After a few hundred more miles of driving, we checked into The Mitchell Ponds Inne, a B&B my dad and I used to stay on trips to and from college.
It’s kind of “country chic,” with exposed brick, high beams and a big red barn.
I’m kind of obsessed with the idea of living in a barn one of these days…
So peaceful.
A little Googling brought us to Oil City, Pennyslvania, a small town that built its fortune in the 1850s and became famous for its petroleum industry. We found a cute little restaurant, The Stuffed Tortilla, that served just what we were in the mood for…
Giant burritos! With spicy black beans, lettuce, tomato, and “cheeze.” I am always so appreciative of places that serve non-dairy cheese… especially in small towns like this one!
For dessert, we ordered the vegan chimichangas, one with cherry + “cream cheese” and one plain. I’ve never had a dessert-style chimi before… they were burrito-sized tortillas stuffed and then deep-fried. Not my favorite thing, but somehow I couldn’t stop eating them… funny how that works out!
After dinner we drove to the Kennerdell lookout point, where we could see over the trees to the Allegheny River. Breathtaking!
Now, we find ourselves in Michigan with an equally beautiful view of the Great Lake. I’m a city girl for sure, but I do love these views.
Do you like road trips? Which “ingredients” make up your perfect trip?