You don't have to wear plaid or swing an ax to eat like those massive men of yesteryear.

Bring your appetite and a sense of history to the century-old Samoa Cookhouse near Eureka. This famous eatery, a landmark along the North Coast for generations, doesn't care about making things fancy; afterall, it started as the place where brawny mill workers and lumberjacks once loaded up on huge platefuls of food then headed out to chop down some of the world's biggest trees, or slice them up into lumber.

Sit down at long oilcloth-covered tables and wait for the food to come. Dining is family-style, and, while all meals are served, a favorite one is breakfast, with stacks of pancakes and French toast, loads of sausages and eggs, enormous biscuits, and all the trimmings. Feeling guilty? You can hike it off later in the nearby redwood parks. But before you go, be sure to check out the adjacent Historic Logging Museum, filled with tools, photos, and wonderful tales.