Why California Might Be The Best State For Seafood

Every state has a food item that it is known for. Wisconsin is famous for its cheese curds, Idaho its potatoes, Pennsylvania its Philly Cheesesteak, and New York its pizza. Sure, you can get some variation of that food just about anywhere else, but something about eating an iconic food in its home state is magical. So listen up, seafood lovers: You need to go to California.

One of the best parts of visiting a new area is trying the local cuisine. California, like the many other coastal states, is known for its seafood. That's not too surprising. However, what is surprising is that California might just have better seafood than you can get in Maine, Alaska, Hawaii, or other states well-known for seafood dishes.

What makes California so special? What does it have that other states do not? What kind of culinary inspiration can we take from the Golden State?

With over 840 miles of coastline, it's no wonder California boasts so many seafood restaurants. Cities like San Francisco, Malibu, and Los Angeles sit right by the water, drawing tons of seafood and tourists.

Because California has so much coastline, it is home to an impressive spread of seafood, something smaller states like Massachusetts miss out on. Northern California brings in a lot of king salmon and sea urchins; the central region specializes in Dungeness crab and white seabass; Southern California sees swordfish and prawns (via The Daily Meal).

Unfortunately, most of us can't afford to travel out to the West Coast just for some seafood. That being said, the U.S. has a boatload of seafood chains, including Slapfish and Krispy Rice, both of which originated in California. Another way to enjoy seafood is to cook your own. However, seafood can be tricky to prepare, so be sure to read up on cooking tips ahead of time.