One of the longest drives in California begins in San Diego and ends in Eureka on the Northern California Redwood Coast. It is a 765-mile trip taking about 13 hours under normal conditions and no stopping. With many beautiful coastal vistas along the way in places such as Big Sur and Mendocino, the drive provides one of the most memorable experiences you'll ever savor. And what really amazes travelers are the towering redwood trees that appear on the coastal landscape. In Humboldt County where Eureka is located, you'll pass by the tallest (and some of the oldest) trees in the world.

These trees once fed a major industry-logging, though redwood lumber is now a precious commodity and hard to come by. While there are but a few lumber towns remaining on the California coast, California state parks provide safe harbor for the oldest, tallest trees on earth. These parks are open to the public for exploring and are a must-see on your trip. But there's something else you really should not miss-Samoa Cookhouse, the last surviving lumberjack restaurant in the West!

Located just north of Eureka in an old lumberjack town called Samoa, the restaurant is open to the public and serves meals in the same room where lumberjacks began eating hearty meals in 1893. When you order food the servings are generally "heaping" sizes. And while you wait for a place at the long rows of tables where lumberjacks ate, you can explore the lumberjack museum inside the restaurant.

To reach the Cookhouse, take the Samoa Bridge (Hwy. 255) from Eureka, turn left at the end of the bridge on Samoa Road and look for signs. Call: (707) 442-1659