The Best Thing I Ever Ate … near the Redwoods!

I don’t know about you, but I love to eat. I can’t get enough of good food, especially after exercising in the redwoods. I’m obsessed with calorie-counting because my friends and I are planning a birthday bash in October, so every meal, snack and workout counts!

The weather over the weekend was beautiful. It was warm enough for shorts and cool enough to run beneath the redwoods. I headed out for Portola Redwoods State Park at 7 a.m. I love Portola Redwoods because of its 18 miles of hiking trails, camping sites and two beautiful creeks. It also is home to some of the tallest, most majestic redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Grilled fish sandwich at Alice's Restaurant.
Grilled fish sandwich at Alice’s Restaurant.

When I’m there I usually jog. Sometimes, when I’m up for it, and no one is watching, and there is a big, delicious meal waiting for me, I will incorporate some moves from PiYo or Turbo Kickboxing. Jogging usually depends on how late I was up the night before, but that all changes when I’m at Portola Redwoods. The park is always energizing – the sun is usually shining while it stays cool and damp near the forest floor. This makes for ideal running conditions. Running on these trails always beats jogging on pavement because it’s far more forgiving on these old knees.

Three hours later I completed my workout and I decided to top off my day with a meal at Alice’s Restaurant. It’s the best place to get a grilled fish sandwich with fries. Most restaurants will serve fried fish, so I tend to avoid it if I plan to order a side of fries. I have to be picky because I have that birthday bash coming up in October, remember? There is one other thing that I like almost as much as fries: potato chips.  And guess what? My sandwich came with a bag of chips too!  What more can a girl can ask for here at Alice’s? Now how about a slice of pie to end the meal and the gorgeous day!

Do you have a favorite restaurant in or near the redwoods? Let me know I’d love to check it out!

About the author

Jennifer joined Save the Redwoods League in 2007 as the Director of Outreach and is now the League's Chief Marketing and Communications Officer. A Bay Area native, Jennifer brings several years of journalism, marketing communications and media relations experience in the public and private sectors to her work. Jennifer is charged with leading the organization's marketing communications and outreach efforts to connect people to the peace and beauty of the redwood forests.

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2 Responses to “The Best Thing I Ever Ate … near the Redwoods!”

  1. grant

    My favorite place to eat near Redwood National Park is the Thursday night BBQ at Elk Meadow Cabins. I am a picky eater, most restaurants in the area hate me because I order something different than what is offered on the menu. So they say ‘if you can do better than . . ”
    Well, I am the cook at the Elk Meadow BBQ and I get to make it how I like it!
    We are featuring local King Salmon cooked Native American style- on redwood stick over open fire of madrone and alder, we feature local salad and grilled veggies from the Redwood Greens farm in Orick. Plus beans, garlic bread, watermelon and a fruit crisp for dessert.
    Kinda of a plug for our business, but it is the best food near Redwood National Park.

    Reply
    • Jennifer Benito

      Thanks Grant for your recommendation. I’d love to check out your restaurant. The King Salmon with grilled veggies sounds amazing. What’s the best time to visit? I want to make sure I meet the fantastic chef!

      Reply

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