Below is my list of pit stops and other such places between the Bay Area and Eugene, Oregon.

Note that most of the places are Espresso-centric mainly because decent coffee has been traditionally hard to find along the route (but it’s getting better). Also, my fam are fairly hardcore road trippers, so they are used to minimal stops at this point, so I may have to supplement this with a few more kid-friendly places…

Also, if you are heading SOUTH from Eugene, reverse the order, of course…

WILLIAMS, CA [EXIT 577]:

Take the main Williams exit. Turn WEST off of exit. Turn right on 6th street and park.

1) Granzella’s 451 6th St, Williams, CA 95987

REDDING, CA [EXIT 680]

GREAT sandwiches for the road and okay coffee/espresso. LOTS Of olives and almonds and other knickknacks.

2) Bartel’s Giant Burger – 75 Lake Blvd E, Redding, CA 96003

Take exit 680, turn left onto Lake Blvd about 3 blocks to Hilltop Drive and turn left and immediate right into the parking lot.

Giant Burger is an old-school Hamburger joint that still makes hamburgers to order with fresh beef.

MOUNT SHASTA CITY, CA [Mt. Shasta EXIT 740]:

Mount Shasta is around the half-way point between Berkeley and Eugene (or at least Ashland).

Take Mount Shasta City exit and go straight on main street.

3) Seven Sun’s Coffeehouse – 1011 South Mount Shasta Blvd

Cool stone building on the Left after the WHITE HOUSE restaurant – Used to be the best espresso until Eugene, but Ashland has caught up.

4) Berryvale Natural Foods – 305 South Mount Shasta Blvd

Further along Main on the WEST side. A nice natural food store with a cafe. Good for a grocery stop.

ASHLAND, OR [EXIT 11]:

Take first Ashland Exit. Follow exit road straight (becomes Siskiyou Blvd).

5) Noble Coffee Roasters – 281 4th St, Ashland

This is the place if you want good, hip, well-crafted coffee. Spacious space in a neighborhood with a number of excellent shops/galleries, but off the main drag just enough so it’s easy to park.

6) Village Baker – 372 E Main St, Ashland, OR 97520

Great rustic bread and some muffins and pastries. More a place to pick up a loaf of bread to take for munching or as a gift for when you get where you are going.

CANYONVILLE OR [EXIT 98]:

Canyonville is 99 miles south of Eugene and is usually our last pit stop when heading north from Bay Area.

Take the first Canyonville exit. Right turn on East 1st Street to MAIN.

7) Ken’s Sidewalk Cafe – 100 Main St, Canyonville, OR 97417

A great old-school walk-up burger joint. I have a soft spot in my heart for non-chain, greasy-spoon burger joints. This is a good one. Lots of things besides classic burgers, including Elk Burgers and Lobster Wraps!

DID YOU KNOW – it is impossible to fall asleep while driving if you are chewing beef jerky? Because you can’t fall asleep while you are going “tsthht” with your tongue trying to get the jerky that’s stuck between your teeth. Really.

4) Seven Feathers Casino

Near the north end of Main st. Worth taking a drive by to check out the cool bronze sculpture of an eagle catching a salmon in front of the casino.

MYRTLE CREEK OR (EXIT 103)

8) The Happy Donut – 860 S Old Pacific Hwy, Myrtle Creek, OR 97457

Good donuts. Right off the highway, and they even have donuts for your bath (no, really).

Those are our regular stops, having made the Eugene/Berkeley run about a billion times since 1988.