If you’re heading out on a West Coast road trip this summer, here’s some essential equipment to bring along for the ride. No, it’s not a dash cam or a multi-prong charger, but the two-volume Pacific Northwest Garden Tour and California Garden Tour by travel expert and garden enthusiast Donald Olson, published by Timber Press.

Farm History. Family History. Artistry. Bursts of color. Tradition. Community. Creativity. So many different celebrations of life represented by the bountiful wooden quilts that majestically drape almost five dozen barn doors illuminating the landscape of Tualatin Valley (Twal’ i-tin), Oregon (Oar’-i-gun) – yes, the semantics DO make a difference (at least locally…). The combination of personal history and rural tradition that find voice in these quilt blocks brings to life customs, folklore and artistic expression reminiscent of the whole Valley.

McMenamins Grand Lodge (Mic MIN i mins) in Tualatin (T’WAL-i-tin) Valley, Oregon (OAR-a-gun) – you get the idea – gives new meaning to the word funky – also whimsical and droll and quirky. Oh yes, and historic. But if you're looking for glitz or glamour – not to mention basic amenities such as a TV or a dresser – the hotel is not for you.