Good stops from Minnesota to the Oregon coast?

My husband and I are leaving this Saturday to travel from Minnesota (twin cities) and heading out to the Oregon coast. We are going the highway the entire time, just to save time and spend more time at the coast, but does anyone have suggestions on good places to stop and eat or to take a break from the ride? Any fun stops would be greatly appreciated!

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

Taking breaks from the highway to get some exercise and think about something besides the road ahead and the traffic around you is something that we heartily recommend for all travelers. It is quite possible to take such breaks at enjoyable locations every few hours along all major highways in the U.S. Unfortunately, we can't be quite as forthcoming in suggesting specific eating venues. There are just too many of them for us to have sampled even the smallest percentage of them, and even then restaurants change hands, menus and chefs far too often for an experience based recommendation to have a very long shelf life. What I generally suggest is that you get away from the exit ramp fast food joints and take your meals in good sized towns to small cities where restaurants are serving their friends and depend on repeat customers. And don't be afraid to ask a few people on the street where they eat.

AZBuck