Hop on the Cheese Trail: Views, Moos, and One Cheesy Scandal

Brie for breakfast? Yes, please! Nibble fromage from dawn to dusk on the West Coast’s Cheese Trail. We’ll cuddle baby goats, sample hand-stretched Oaxacan-style cheese, and unwrap Monterey Jack’s unscrupulous origins on the region’s tastiest route. 

Along the “whey,” the trail’s founder, Vivien Straus, will share her family’s deep dairy roots, the joys of cheese-fueled road trips, and why the West Coast churns out the country’s most creative curds. You’ll hear about old-school creameries in Northern California, an innovative “cowcohol” vodka made in Oregon, and Washington’s award-winning canned cheddar. Whether you’re a casual snacker or a hardcore curd nerd, this one’s worth savoring.

A sampling of the cheese spread ahead:

- Marin French Cheese Co., Petaluma, California: The oldest cheese company in the U.S.; famous for “breakfast cheese.”

- Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company, Point Reyes Station, California: Makers of the state’s first blue cheese; offers tours, tastings, and spectacular views of Tomales Bay.

- Spenker Family Farm, Lodi, California: Try goat yoga, goat cuddling, and creamy farmstead cheeses here.

- TMK Creamery, Canby, Oregon: Family-run creamery offering cow-milking experiences, baby calf visits, and a vodka made from whey.

- Don Froylan Creamery, Salem, Oregon: Mexican American creamery known for Oaxacan-style string cheese, made fresh on site and braided by hand. 

- Washington State University Creamery, Pullman, Washington: Home of Cougar Gold, a cheddar-style cheese sold in cans and originally shipped to troops during WWII.

Via Podcast is a production of AAA Mountain West Group.