Food

If you don’t sleep in a caboose, at least eat in one. Right next door to the Hobo Inn, the Mount Rainier Dining Company (54106 Hwy. 7 E., 360/569-2500) is known for hearty breakfasts and finger-lickin’ barbecue. Try the smoky, hearty servings of homemade stew served in bread bowls. This house specialty is made from leftovers from the barbecue.

The other old standard in Elbe [1] is across the street. Scale Shack Burger (54109 Hwy. 7, 360/569-2247, daily 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.) flips its enormous “scaleburgers” from a converted truckers’ weigh station shack. Sit out on one of the picnic tables clustered around the shack and enjoy the colorful tractor tire flowerpots while you munch on behemoth burgers and crispy fries.