VIA Staff's blog

Old-fashioned buckwheat pancakes, a prosciutto scramble, croissant French toast, and a house-made sausage tempt you to get out of bed.

Zucchini cheese cake, chilaquiles, lemon-ricotta hotcakes, and a bacon burger join the usual tasty lineup.

Searching for the perfect place for that stealthy, morning venture capital tete-a-tete or a spot to recharge with carbs after that a.m. jog? Look no further than these Peninsula joints.

I can justify eating a big breakfast: I have all day to wear it off. And what better place to wear off cinnamon rolls, home fries, eggs Benedicts, a gallon of coffee with honey, and polenta fries than the beach town of Santa Cruz?

I crave warmth and sunshine. What do I do? Head to San Jose, Calif., for summer specials at a nice hotel with a good pool, great eats, and terrific performances.

I always feel like Huckleberry Finn when exploring the South Fork of the Yuba River near Nevada City, Calif. Unlike plopping on the beach, staking out a secluded swimming spot along this 20-mile tributary can sometimes take a bit of work.

Here are five popular and affordable San Francisco Bay Area destinations that make hot sauces worth hearing about.

Restaurant chef-turned-chocolatier David Briggs is a mad man of pork. At Xocolatl de David in Portland, Ore., he mixes bacon into chocolate bars and pushes it to another stratosphere by adding everything from lard to pig blood in confections.

I met up with Lightning McQueen, Tow Mater, and the gang at the opening of Cars Land at California Adventure Park. It’s safe to say you struck oil at the newest addition to to Disneyland.

An old general store, a mission built by a local tribe, a mega bike ride, and a wild whitewater ride await visitors to the gem state.