After leaving the urban Bay Area behind, we chugged past Elkhorn Slough -- where I saw standup paddle-boarders and kayakers -- and through the rich agricultural country north of Salinas. We passed through Gilroy, famous for its garlic, and Castroville, the artichoke capital of the world. (Did you know that Marilyn Monroe was the artichoke queen in 1947?)
Just about two hours after departing Oakland, we pulled into Salinas' low-slung rail station. I dig the color scheme and typeface on its welcome sign.
Although the National Steinbeck Center was my main destination, I first spent some time wandering Salinas' downtown, having a sandwich at the Bakery Station (in a converted gas station) and dessert at Fluff Cupcakery. This duo was playing some red-hot music in front of Gold Leaf Spice & Teas on Gabilan Street.
The Steinbeck Center is worth several hours of exploration. Through its extensive exhibits (including plenty of personal effects and even the camper he used for Travels with Charley) and several videos, you'll learn more about how the geographical and political landscapes of Steinbeck's time informed his books; how he worked as a manual laborer between stints at Stanford; how he wrote campaign speeches for Adlai Stevenson; and how the Nobel Prize committee honored him for his writing about "the oppressed, the misfits, and the distressed."
After the museum, I walked down Central Street to see Steinbeck's boyhood home, along with several other cool Victorians. The Steinbeck House offers lunch Tuesday through Saturday and occasional afternoon teas and tours as well.
But by then it was time for dinner, so I stopped in at Monterey Coast Brewing for some pizza and two great beers (a cherry wheat sampler, chased by a pint of hefeweizen with hints of cloves and banana).
It was a day well spent, and with Amtrak as my designated driver, I rode back to Oakland in the September sunset.
See more posts about places to visit in California.
