| Few travelers speeding along Interstate 5 near | | | | restaurants. It's the 6th highest in California, and it takes |
| Coalinga realize that those cattle they see in feedlots | | | | 400 employees to maintain all of the various Harris |
| next to the freeway are actually In-N-Out burgers | | | | Ranch businesses. |
| waiting to be processed. Sure, everyone knows that | | | | The Harris Ranch story began long ago. The present |
| burgers come from cattle, but did you know In-N-Out | | | | owner is John Harris, whose father and grandfather |
| burgers come from these cattle? | | | | were also farmers. In 1937, John's father moved |
| That's because the famous California-based burger | | | | farming operations to the San Joaquin Valley. When |
| chain uses the high-quality beef produced by Harris | | | | his father, Jack, died in 1981, John took over what was |
| Ranch, which is really much more than a feedlot. Drive | | | | still a relatively small operation and turned it into a |
| on down the interstate a piece and you come to an | | | | mult-million dollar enterprise that now includes seven |
| island of hospitality that features a resort-style inn, four | | | | different businesses that range from beef processing |
| restaurants and various tourist services all operated by | | | | to raising 35 different farm commodities - everything |
| Harris Ranch. | | | | from fruit to nuts. Harris even finds time to indulge his |
| Just about equidistant from Los Angeles and San | | | | passion, raising thoroughbred horses. |
| Francisco - three hours each way - The word oasis is | | | | At the heart of it all is the beef operation which, at any |
| apt for Harris Ranch; as you're driving along the | | | | given time, can have between 60,000 and 120,000 |
| interstate it seems to come up out of nowhere. If | | | | cattle in the feedlots or being processed at a nearby |
| you've drived north and south along Interstate 5, you | | | | facility. Harris Ranch USDA Choice natural beef is |
| know that there are hours of boredom driving through | | | | distributed throughout the country and is sold to major |
| the San Joaquin Valley. A few service | | | | chains such as Costco, Albertson's, Safeway and, yes, |
| station-and-fastfood stops appear, but none like the | | | | In-N-Out. Another good reason to stop at Harris Ranch |
| one at Harris Ranch. | | | | is that visitors can buy steaks to take or ship home - |
| Drive into the parking lot at Harris Ranch and what you | | | | they come in ice packs to keep cold. |
| might have thought was just another freeway-side | | | | The restaurant began back in 1977, targeting nothing |
| motel is actually a resort like you would find in Palm | | | | more than the local farmers who would come in and |
| Springs or some other major tourist destination. The | | | | have coffee or a meal now and then. Because of its |
| Spanish stucco buildings surround a dramatic | | | | convenient location on Interstate 5, the restaurant |
| Olympic-size swimming pool. Add some palm trees | | | | became popular with travelers looking for a rest from |
| and resort-style landscaping and, voila, this becomes | | | | a long drive. The 150-room inn was built in 1987 with |
| much more than an overnight rest on your way down | | | | the idea that the accommodations should be first-rate, |
| the freeway. | | | | but still casual. There's no valet parking, for example, |
| We've gone past Harris Ranch many times, but our | | | | but the lobby driveway looks just like one that would |
| curiosity - and a need to break up the drive from | | | | have valets. The rooms were designed by John |
| Northern to Southern California - convinced us it was | | | | Harris's wife, Carole, who included such features as |
| time to spend the night at the "ranch." It was a Sunday | | | | Ralph Lauren fabrics for curtains and bedspreads. |
| night and we found the inn filled to much less than | | | | The Harris Ranch complex today is like a mini-shopping |
| capacity. Consequently, we were swimming in that | | | | center with shops that offer unique gifts and |
| huge pool all by ourselves with only one or two | | | | collectibles, spices and other goods. The bakery is a |
| couples poolside at any given time. | | | | favorite for travelers who want to take home |
| Our over-sized room was on the third floor offering a | | | | fresh-baked items all made from scratch. And of |
| view of the agricultural lands that seem to stretch | | | | course there are the usual traveler services such as |
| forever in the San Joaquin Valley. The room was not | | | | the gas station and Subway sandwich shop, and the |
| a motel room - it was a resort-style room with many | | | | not-so-usual facilities such as the Harris Ranch airport. |
| added amenities and, in fact, enough space to place | | | | It all combines to make Harris Ranch much more than |
| two reclining chairs near the television. The beds were | | | | a beef processor, much more than a farming |
| big, soft and comfy and yet another tell-tale sign was | | | | company, much more than a roadside inn or a |
| the fluffy resort-style bathrobes. This was proving to | | | | restaurant. This little patch of ground along the |
| be much more than a stop-over; it was a destination all | | | | freeway really is a small city and travel destination all |
| unto itself. | | | | its own - and home to millions of future In-N-Out |
| That's why many California families find Harris Ranch | | | | burgers. |
| an ideal location to meet up with relatives from the far | | | | AT A GLANCE |
| northern and southern parts of the state. It's a big state | | | | WHERE: Harris Ranch is about 200 miles north of Los |
| so, depending on where you and your relatives live, | | | | Angeles and 200 miles south of San Francisco on |
| you can each eliminate hours of driving and pamper | | | | Interstate 5. |
| yourself while you visit with each other in a resort | | | | WHAT: Not just a rest stop for weary travelers, Harris |
| setting. | | | | Ranch has grown into a resort community with |
| One big benefit of spending time at Harris Ranch is | | | | restaurants, shops and other services. The |
| that you can settle in and enjoy one of the best beef | | | | well-manicured grounds even attract many couples |
| dinners you'll ever experience -- with service to match. | | | | who decide to book the ranch for their wedding |
| The Harris Ranch Steakhouse is a spot to rival even | | | | functions. |
| the most expensive steakhouses you see in the big | | | | WHEN: Year-round, with blue-sky weather in the |
| cities. When the restaurant owner raises the cattle, the | | | | summer, a little cooler with some potential fog in the |
| result is unbelievably tender beef cooked to perfection. | | | | winter. |
| Even if we don't have time to spend the night, we will | | | | WHY: Harris Ranch is the perfect spot to break up a |
| make a point to return to the Steakhouse to sample | | | | drive between Northern and Southern California. |
| more cuts of that tasty Harris Ranch beef. | | | | Sample the Steakhouse Restaurant and you'll see that |
| The restaurant operation is indeed a major part of the | | | | Ruth's Chris and other famous steakhouses have |
| Harris Ranch operations. According to Restaurants | | | | nothing over the sizzling beef at this out-of-the-way |
| and Institution Magazine, Harris is ranked 57th in the | | | | restaurant. The inn is on a par with many resort-area |
| nation among high volume, independently owned | | | | properties. |