Earlier this year I shared my experiences with traveling gluten free in Seattle Washington, with the next stop of our trip being a day hike at Mount Rainier. In typical gluten free fashion I stocked a few different gluten free snacks in my pack for the day: trail mix, power bars, peaches we picked up at Pike’s Place, and cherries we picked up at a rest stop between Seattle and Mount Rainier for $1 a basket. It was the perfect mix of hiking snacks. I highly recommend this hike for ANYONE that loves the mountains; it was spectacular. We did the Grove of the Patriarch’s, a trail in the redwoods area, and an 8 or so mile loop in the Paradise area.
Paradise area trails.
Mount Rainier.
Top of the Paradise loop, with Mount Saint Helen’s in the background.
Like I said, phenomenal right? After our hike we started to make our way down to Portland by way of Centralia Washington and Cannon Beach Oregon. In Centralia we made a dinner stop at McMenamin’s, a local chain found across Washington and Oregon that features not only a restaurant and pub but also a hotel. The Centralia location is in a small little town along the railroad in an older hotel called the Olympic Club. Throughout the meal you could hear freight trains buzzing by as we picked a few items off the gluten free menu. Gluten Free pizza crust and buns were available as many other options including hard ciders. We ordered the cedar plank salmon with cranberry hazelnut butter and vegetables, and the Queen Anne sandwich. The fries aren’t gluten free, so be sure to sub a salad. The food was delectable and well priced. You’ll be well cared for if you stop by McMenamin’s if your in Washington or Oregon.
Northwest Rockfish Tacos in Cannon Beach OR
The next day we were on to Cannon Beach Oregon along Coastal Highway 101. If your entering Cannon Beach from this direction be sure to stop by the Jerky shop along the way to pick up some regular, or vegan jerky, in a variety of flavors. Many items are labeled gluten free. Cannon Beach is a tourist hot spot in Oregon, notably full of resorts and large families with tons children. The beach is gorgeous, although overcrowded. After a stroll on the beach to visit the iconic Haystack Rock on the shoreline we dined at The Lumberyard Rotisserie and Grill, which has since transformed into another restaurant the Public Coast Brewing Company. Many gluten free options were available, and they had a dedicated fryer so of course french fries were on my radar. I ordered the Northwest Rockfish Tacos and the Lumberyard Dirty Fries. Each was a decent mingling of flavors served in hearty portions, pretty good for pub style food. Next up on our trip was making our way southeast towards Portland, but that’s for the next post. Stay Tuned!