As if you need another excuse to hit the open road ...
There's nothing better than appreciating a work of art in the proper context. For example, when you're nursing a few beers at any of Nashville's boot-stomping honky-tonks, you don't want to hear electronic music (even if you don't mind it). No, you
want to hear the twangy heart-wrenching cowboy ballads and country songs that made Nashville the epicenter of the form. The same is true when it comes to food, and luckily, we're close to some great food destinations. So if you haven't already, we dare you to plan a vacation entirely around food and drink. Remember, great food is always worth the drive, even if it's a few hundred miles away. So pack up the rig -- it's time to hit the two-lane blacktop and travel to some of these great far-but-not-too-far-away food destinations.
Santa Fe, NM
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Distance from Denver: 392 miles
New Mexican cuisine has a flavor all its own. As a fusion of Spanish, Mediterranean, Mexican, Pueblo Native American, and cowboy chuck wagon flavors, the cuisine is just as rich as its history. With a little research into the Santa Fe restaurant scene, you'll quickly find tons of great places to eat. We recommend anything with New Mexican chiles and tamales. For those of you with a larger RV, the streets of Santa Fe (founded by the Spanish in 1610) are very old and can be tight in areas, so a car, taxi, or ride share is advised.
Omaha, NE
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Distance from Denver: 537 miles
Avid hunters and butchers will tell you that any animal you consume will taste somewhat like the things they eat. That's why a lot of prominent chefs actually quietly admit to preferring corn-fed beef over grass-fed. There's nothing wrong with grass-fed, but instead of a mineral-rich earthy taste, corn-fed beef has a slightly sweeter taste, and sweet plus fat equals carnivore heaven. Do your research, go to Omaha, and have a behemoth corn-fed steak.
Kansas City, KS-MO
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Distance from Denver: 604 miles
Distance from Omaha: 189 miles
Some people cringe when you tell them you're planning on vacationing in Kansas City, but that's only because they haven't had Kansas City BBQ. There are just some things you can't beat, and if you're a meat-eater, Kansas City BBQ is one of them. And you probably wouldn't be wrong to assume that people come from all over the country or even the world just to taste the succulent cuts the pit masters are slingin.'
What are your thoughts, people? Do you know of any good spots in Salt Lake or Wyoming? If so, we want to hear about them!
