“Restaurant” is a derivative of the Latin word “restore.” Inns were once places where travelers could have a simple meal, then hit the road for a continuation of their journey. Today, with the arrival of modern-day tourism, travelers often visit destinations for history, cultural and gastronomic components. Yes, food is the spice of life, and we asked our members to list their favorite state destinations for pleasures of the palate. It's fun for our readers to see another side of our writers, who have been delivering original content not found anywhere else on the globe.

Once upon a time, the joke among those in the cruise industry was that the cruise vacation was something for the "newlywed" or the "nearly dead." I remember those jokes, as well as a time in my own life when I would be embarrassed to say that I was even going on a cruise. One day it occurred to me; how else could I see six Caribbean Island nations in eight days or explore a series of major Alaskan cities that are inaccessible by road in under a week? I quickly became a champion of the cruise experience.