Recently, I have found myself on a Steinbeck kick (thanks to author Lewis Buzbee). Mr. Steinbeck is the reason we planned this Salinas Sojourn.

On February 27, 1902 cherished American writer John Steinbeck was born. He was raised in Salinas, the pastoral keystone to Monterey County and a place Steinbeck would later revisit in some of his greatest works, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning Grapes of Wrath (1939), and his personal favorite East of Eden (1952). Steinbeck attended Stanford University (with a long respite in Lake Tahoe), then tried scraping a living in New York City as a writer, only to be pulled back by the gravitational splendor of California, where he lived out his formative years during the Great Depression.
Our first stop, and a must-experience, was The National Steinbeck Center, whose mission is building community and celebrating creativity inspired by the words of John Steinbeck.

In the John Steinbeck Exhibition Hall, literature jumps off the printed page and into your imagination. Discover Steinbeck’s world through interactive, multi-sensory exhibits for all ages, rare artifacts, and seven themed theaters showcasing East of Eden, Cannery Row, Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath and much more.

The car from the film East of Eden.
The Red Pony was brought to life for school children and me.
Salinas' fame came from its lettuce. The art of the produce labels was quite interesting.
One our favorite books of Steinbeck is Travels with Charley: In Search of America. This travelogue depicts his 1960 road trip around the United States with his standard poodle, Charley. Steinbeck wrote that he was moved by a desire to see his country on a personal level, since he made his living writing about it. 

Steinbeck's specially made camper, Rocinante, name after Don Quixote's horse, has always appealed to the wanderlust within us. It is so extraordinary that it is here, as it was over 50 years ago. Oh the stories it can tell!
John Steinbeck’s birthplace and boyhood home is a restored Victorian (1897) owned by the Valley Guild. It is now a charming luncheon restaurant, located two blocks west of the National Steinbeck Center and the perfect place to savor Steinbeck.
After a sumptuous meal of a chicken, apple and brie sandwich, we were given a tour of the home by our volunteer waitress. This was pretty awesome.