If you plan your holidays around meals, Sunset's culinary travel section has quietly become one of the better starting points for food-focused trips across the American West. The coverage spans everything from fine-dining weekends to genuinely oddball experiences, and the common thread is eating your way deeper into a place rather than just sightseeing around it.
The most distinctive recent piece profiles The Cultured Abalone Farm on the rugged Gaviota Coast north of Santa Barbara, where visitors get a hands-on look at one of California's oldest culinary traditions — and a window into the future of ocean conservation. It's the kind of stop that turns a coastal drive into a proper food pilgrimage.
On the events side, Sunset has been following the intersection of big sport and big food. A recent feature on soccer's biggest moment at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood made the case for the stadium experience done right: smoother arrival logistics, better seats, real food instead of stadium compromise, and a civilized pregame nearby — proof that a mega-event can feel effortless if you plan it like a food trip.
Wine lovers get practical intel too. One recent update covers the news that airlines will now let you check an entire case of wine to certain destinations — a game-changer for anyone returning from a tasting trip who has faced the heartbreak of luggage-limit roulette. Sunset has also flagged that this year's conditions are ideal for harvesting in California wine country, making a vineyard visit especially rewarding right now.
For produce fans, a strawberry-season guide rounds up sweet farms across the Golden State worth timing a spring drive around. Meanwhile, diners who like a bit of drama with dinner can follow chef Chad Colby, whose moveable feasts are taking crowds to destinations across Europe — an option for those who want a chef-led trip rather than a self-guided one.
The section also does city guides well: there's a list of Sunset's favorite modern classic restaurants in the West, a Los Angeles guide for movie lovers who'd rather skip the Walk of Fame crowds, a write-up of 855-Aloha where old-school local Hawaiian flavors get a modern twist, and a full where-to-eat, drink, and play rundown for San Diego County.
Why it matters: food travellers often get stuck choosing between glossy city lists and niche blogs. This coverage splits the difference — practical, West Coast-focused, and occasionally surfacing experiences (a working abalone farm, a checked case of wine) you won't find in generic top-ten roundups. It suits anyone planning a California road trip, a wine-country weekend, or a foodie angle on a bigger US West itinerary.
