Daniel Mercer

Turns out, “yeehaw” is not a complete cattle-moving strategy. On this western Montana ranch, you actually get to…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 25

Croissants are basically edible peer pressure. One buttery layer turns into another, and suddenly the pastry case has…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 24

Who said the adults have to guard the towels? This Michigan indoor waterpark gives grown-ups plenty of excuses…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 24

Catfish has the headline, but the hushpuppies are already stealing clicks. That is the kind of dinner setup…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 23

Apparently, choosing a table can turn you into someone with very strong feelings about maple. Inside this Michigan…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 23

Brace yourself. With more than eighty flavors waiting in this Tennessee shop, things are about to get a…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 22

Ever had a road trip make you say, “Okay, but what is around that next bend?” That is…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 22

Some small towns seem to change personalities when summer shows up. This northern Michigan community had just 2,348…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 21

No need to sugarcoat it: this place has been on a serious candy streak since 1919. In Chesapeake,…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 21

The first thing you notice is the water. It is dark enough to look like somebody steeped the…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 20

By the time the pie comes into view, pretending this was going to be a light meal is…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 20

I have never trusted a Friday that does not involve something fried. In Wisconsin, this supper club gives…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 19

If the boiled peanuts are hot, I am already slowing down. This North Carolina roadside market has been…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 19

Michigan can be wonderfully quiet right up until the calendar flips and everybody remembers the same beach exists.…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 18

Most festivals ask you to find one parking lot. This Ohio one sends you back to the car.…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 18

Some bakeries have a signature pastry. This Michigan one seems to have given cannoli cream its own career.…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 17

October starts changing color before this East Tennessee road has finished climbing. Near the river, green can still…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 17

Indiana burgers clearly did not agree on a dress code. Some show up thin, crispy, and happy with…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 16

Texas wings have commitment issues. Some come breaded. Others skip the batter entirely. You will also find Korean-style…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 16

Connecticut did not stumble into a pizza reputation by accident. This state has been perfecting its craft for…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 15

Wisconsin does not do anything halfway. Especially when it comes to a buffet worth driving across the state…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 15

Retirees have a sixth sense for the good stuff, and word is slowly getting out about a quiet…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 14

Missouri just pulled off something nobody expected. A waterfall pouring over billion-year-old volcanic rock, surrounded by moss-covered ledges…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 14

Fresh Gulf seafood and a warm atmosphere that actually makes a person want to stay longer than planned.…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 13

Veteran-owned since 1958. A massive retail space packed with clothing, furniture, jewelry, shoes, and finds that make the…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 13

The supermarket shelf does not get much of a vote here. This Tennessee butcher shop keeps dinner flexible…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 12

Fall color and prime rib on the same drive? Wisconsin is making a very convincing case for leaving…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 12

Some seafood meals are best treated like a solo mission, while others practically ask the whole table to…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 11

Mexican food in Ohio has no interest in repeating itself. One family-run kitchen may lean into recipes that…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 11

Cars buried nose-first in the Nevada desert, every inch of them covered in spray paint, stacked in towers,…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 10

An hour down a road most people never turn onto, past a suspension bridge and through forested island…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 10

Frankly, New Jersey never needed a food trend to make the hot dog worth crossing town for. These…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 9

Before noon, Pennsylvania becomes a very persuasive reason to leave the pillow behind. These breakfast spots earn their…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 9

Who says a fall road trip needs to behave like a road trip? In Virginia, this one works…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 8

This roundup has a serious beef with small plates. Pennsylvania diners ignore reasonable portions. Here, chicken-fried steak arrives…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 8

Ohio has plenty of restaurants claiming family recipes, but this one seems prepared to defend every page. The…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 7

Indiana may be famous for basketball, but this Italian restaurant is quietly running a full-court press on your…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 7

Some Mississippi roads do not need loud stories to feel memorable. A quiet stretch of parkway can look…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 6

Fried fish has a way of exposing the truth about a lunch spot. There is nowhere to hide…

By Daniel Mercer · Sep 6