Taylor Gale pours a beer at Dru Bru in Snoqualmie Pass, Wash., Friday, Aug. 12, 2022.
Margo Cordner, owner of the Lunchbox Cafe in Ellensburg, Wash., wraps up a pastry for a customer on Friday, Aug. 12, 2022.
A tuna fish sandwich, a popular lunch item at the Lunchbox Cafe in Ellensburg, Wash., and a mixed berry smoothie are pictured in the seating area on Friday, Aug. 12, 2022.
The Yakima River is seen from State Route 10 between Ellensburg and Cle Elum, Wash., Friday, Aug. 12, 2022.
Rotary phones are seen inside the Telephone Museum on First Street in Cle Elum Wash., Friday, Aug. 12, 2022.
Shops are seen along First Street in Cle Elum, Wash., Friday, Aug. 12, 2022.
Cupcakes are seen inside a case at 509 Bake House in Cle Elum, Wash., Friday, Aug. 12, 2022.
Marta Ramos prepares corn dogs for customers at Bob's Espresso Stand in Snoqualmie Pass, Wash., Friday, Aug. 12, 2022.
Corn dogs from Bob's Espresso Stand in Snoqualmie Pass, Wash., are pictured Friday, Aug. 12, 2022.
A flight of beer is pictured at Dru Bru in Snoqualmie Pass, Wash., Friday, Aug. 12, 2022.
Taylor Gale pours a beer at Dru Bru in Snoqualmie Pass, Wash., Friday, Aug. 12, 2022.
Margo Cordner, owner of the Lunchbox Cafe in Ellensburg, Wash., wraps up a pastry for a customer on Friday, Aug. 12, 2022.
A tuna fish sandwich, a popular lunch item at the Lunchbox Cafe in Ellensburg, Wash., and a mixed berry smoothie are pictured in the seating area on Friday, Aug. 12, 2022.
The Yakima River is seen from State Route 10 between Ellensburg and Cle Elum, Wash., Friday, Aug. 12, 2022.
Rotary phones are seen inside the Telephone Museum on First Street in Cle Elum Wash., Friday, Aug. 12, 2022.
Shops are seen along First Street in Cle Elum, Wash., Friday, Aug. 12, 2022.
Cupcakes are seen inside a case at 509 Bake House in Cle Elum, Wash., Friday, Aug. 12, 2022.
Marta Ramos prepares corn dogs for customers at Bob's Espresso Stand in Snoqualmie Pass, Wash., Friday, Aug. 12, 2022.
Corn dogs from Bob's Espresso Stand in Snoqualmie Pass, Wash., are pictured Friday, Aug. 12, 2022.
A flight of beer is pictured at Dru Bru in Snoqualmie Pass, Wash., Friday, Aug. 12, 2022.
Editor’s note: Travel isn’t always easy. Time, money and itineraries can be tricky to juggle. Here at Explore, we are running a series of stories about road trips that can be done in a day or include an overnight stay. Each will take you on small adventures to places you might have overlooked or missed the last time you drove through. This week we take a trip on Interstate 90.
Interstate 90 is a major transcontinental east-west freeway across the United States. In Washington, it starts at the Idaho border and travels through Spokane, Ritzville and Ellensburg to Seattle. The road from Ellensburg to Seattle, at about 100 miles, is a route many Yakima residents know well.
While everyone has their favorite rest stops along the way, we’d thought we share a few hidden gems.
Leaving the Yakima Valley, if you have the time, travel through the Yakima River Canyon. State Route 821, also called the Canyon Road, follows the Yakima River and is a scenic route that stretches 25 miles between Ellensburg and Yakima. Motorists can see wildlife and birds, and there are often people fishing or floating on the river. At the north end of the canyon, Canyon Road becomes Thrall Road, which leads right into Ellensburg and I-90.
Forgot coffee? Once you’re out of the canyon, visit D&M Coffee Canyon, 1709 Canyon Road, No. 2. It’s conveniently located near on- and off-ramps to I-90 and is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
D&M Coffee also has locations in downtown Ellensburg at 323 N. Pearl St. (7 a.m.-6 p.m. daily) and a drive-thru at 204 S. Water St. (5 a.m.-6 p.m. daily).
The drive-thru offers common drinks like lattes, cold brew and Americanos along with tea, Red Bull drinks, chai and Italian sodas. Bakery items are on the menu, and you should get the chocolate chip cookie! I’ve been in love with it since my days at Central Washington University, over 15 years ago.
If you are traveling through on a weekday, need breakfast or lunch and have some time to spare, travel into downtown Ellensburg and visit Lunchbox Cafe at 409 N. Ruby St., across from Safeway. The local favorite is open 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays.
The name of the cafe is fitting, since the outdoor seating area’s shape is reminiscent of a lunch box. The menu offers a variety of hot and cold breakfast and lunch options, with many vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free items, too. The grab-and-go sandwich is always a good choice. It’s a cold sandwich made daily for those in a hurry.
Owner Margo Cordner says “the best tuna fish ever” is a regular favorite, made of tuna salad with pickles, celery, horseradish, mayo, tomato and lettuce. It’s served on multigrain or buttermilk white bread from nearby Vinman’s Bakery, gluten-free bread, tortilla wrap or romaine leaves.
Lunchbox Cafe also serves a variety of hot and iced coffee drinks, hot and iced teas, seasonal options and smoothies. Sweets are also on the menu — including a three-bite cookie, only 75 cents and a perfect finish to any meal.
Traveling east and west on I-90, Thorp is hard to miss. And if you do miss it, there’s a giant American flag to mark the spot. The flag is at Shree’s Travel Plaza, 410 Gladmar Road, a good stop if you need fuel or to grab a cold drink.
Right next door is Thorp Fruit and Antique Mall on 220 Gladmar Road.
The Thorp Fruit and Antique Mall is open daily; hours are seasonal. Call 509-964-2474 to find out the hours if you’re traveling by and want to stop.
The mall offers local in-season produce, specialty foods from shops in Central Washington and the Pacific Northwest. There is a cooler full of cold apple cider and an assortment of beers and wines from local establishments.
Browse two levels of antiques, full of records, vintage clothing and racks of old magazines and books, among an array of collectibles.
The Thorp Fruit and Antique Mall also has an espresso stand and hard ice cream counter. Looking for road snacks? They have a table full of those, too. You’ll find sesame sticks, dried fruit and trail mix, as well as saltwater taffy and other sweet treats.
If you are interested in a more scenic route between Ellensburg and Cle Elum, State Route 10 is the way to go. It offers beautiful views of the Yakima River. You’ll also see wind turbines and the Cascade Range. It’s worth the extra time.
Cle Elum and South Cle Elum are split by Interstate 90. Cle Elum has exits off I-90 at the north and south end of town.
The town has a population of just over 2,100 and its location is an ideal jumping-off point for camping and outdoor activities. First Street runs the whole length of town and is home to cute shops and eateries. It’s a good place to walk around and stretch your legs.
Visit the Cle Elum Telephone Museum at 221 E. First St. It’s open from Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day weekend, noon to 4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays.
Though small in space, it’s packed with neat information, switchboards, telegraph machines and old rotary dial phones. The museum offers a quick history lesson for anyone passing through Cle Elum. Admission is free but donations are accepted.
Cle Elum’s old brick buildings and nature surroundings may make it seem like a one-horse town, but don’t let that fool you. For instance, it has two meat vending machines. You read that right. Two different vending machines in front of two different meat shops.
Owens Meats is near the east end of Cle Elum at 502 E. First St. Its hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays.
The Owens Meats vending machine is hard to miss right outside the exit door. It includes smoked meats like different flavors of pepperoni sticks and jerky, as well as packages of snack-size cheese and pepperoni.
Inside Owens Meats, customers can find a variety of fresh meats like steaks, pork chops, various sausage links and bacon. There are also more smoked meats inside as well as specialty products like dry pastas. If the line’s too long for the vending machine, you can find yard-long pepperoni sticks inside as well as cheese and pepperoni bite-sized snacks by the scoopful.
The second vending machine is walking distance, less than half a mile away.
Glondo’s Sausage Co. is at 216 E. First St. in Cle Elum. Its hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays and Saturdays; 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. Fridays; and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays. Glondo’s offers cured and smoked meats packaged with cheese and crackers in their vending machine.
Inside, Glondo’s has an assortment of sausages, brats, salami, franks and coppa, as well as specialty gourmet items like sauces, raviolis and pizzas.
If you’re someone with more of a sweet tooth, 509 Bake House will curb your cravings and more. Located at 207 E. First St., 509 Bake House is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays. This small bakery has limited hours that attracts locals and visitors.
The small-batch items guarantee the freshest and tastiest treats. Cupcakes are colorfully lined up in a cold case next to cookies and peanut butter bars covered in chocolate.
All the treats are eye-catching and brought this Explorer in from the street. The smell of garlic-cheesy bread rolls was impossible to pass up.
As I-90 winds its way to the top of Snoqualmie Pass, the views of the Cascade Mountains are breathtaking and conjure images of skiing, hiking and scenes from the 1995 teen movie “Mad Love.” Anyone who travels I-90 often will recognize several scenarios from that movie.
Pulling off the freeway, travelers can find several options to enjoy the views.
Bob’s Espresso Stand in front of Lee’s Summit Grocery, 741 WA-906, Snoqualmie Pass, is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays-Sundays and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays. Bob’s is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Don’t let the name fool you.
Yes, Bob’s serves up hot and iced espresso favorites, but it also has hard ice cream, served by the scoop and in milkshakes. The milkshakes are perfect to wash down the hand-dipped corn dogs also for sale.
Perfectly crispy with just enough corn breading, these corn dogs are perfect without any condiments, but mustard and ketchup are available. Reasonably priced at $3.29, one is enough as a meal for one person.
Is pizza by the slice more your jam? Look no further than Lee’s Summit Grocery. Inside you will find Pie for the People. The hand-tossed New York style pizza is available by the slice or full pie, seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Pizza is also available from Red Mountain Coffee, 773 State Route 906, Snoqualmie Pass. Red Mountain Coffee offers 18-inch whole pizzas, a menu full of options to choose from or you can build your own.
Need a seat to enjoy your corn dog or pizza slice? Look across the road to Dru Bru, 10 Pass Life Way No. 3, Snoqualmie Pass.
The Dru Bru Brewery is open from noon to 9 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays-Sundays.
Dru Bru has 15 active taps, featuring award-winning beers, seasonal and small-batch offerings. Ciders and house-made root beer are also on tap. There is some indoor seating as well as heated outdoor patio seating with views of Guye Peak and Snoqualmie Mountain.
On tap, beer lovers can find Hop Session, an easy drinking IPA; Kölsch, a German-style golden ale; and Black Lager, a German-style black lager, among several other flagship beers.
Dru Bru offers 12- and 32-ounce cans, 22-ounce bottles and 64-ounce growlers to go.
The Squatch Box food truck is near the outdoor patio at Dru Bru. The food truck offers up hot dogs with several options of toppings, chili and fries. Outside food is also welcome at the brewery.
(Psst … Didn’t make it past Cle Elum but want to try Dru Bru beers? Check out their second tap room in Cle Elum at 1015 E. Second St. from noon to 8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 8 a.m. Sundays.)
These are plenty of places to stop on your way to Seattle or anywhere on the west side. One could easily make a day trip to just Ellensburg or Cle Elum or even a trip to the top of Snoqualmie Pass. There are also plenty of stops past the Snoqualmie Summit. Explore wants you to enjoy your trip to Seattle as well as discover new places on your way.
Reach Sara Shields at sshields@yakimaherald.com.
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Lots of good suggestions. For a great sandwich or breakfast, I would recommend Stella‘s in Cle Elum as well.
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