Salinas is a small city that's been an important agricultural center in California since the railroad came through about 150 years ago. It gets pretty foggy and damp here, but that creates good growing conditions for crops like artichokes, flowers and lettuce. The town's most famous son is author John Steinbeck, who featured Salinas and surrounding areas in many of his works, most famously in Cannery Row. The National Steinbeck Center Museum is here as well as Steinbeck's childhood home, which now houses a tasty homestyle restaurant staffed by volunteers. Other attractions include the annual Salinas Rodeo and California International Airshow, the local River Road Wine Trail and the Oldtown Salinas restaurant scene.