4 on the road TN-MO-WY-OR-CA-NV-MS-TN help!

[imported_carrie]

Hi- myself and up to 3 others are planning a roadtrip from Tennessee to California and back. The "back" part of the trip is taken care of, but the "to" part is causing us some problems. We don't know where to go.
We know we want to ride some of 101 and definitely 1 in Cali, but where should we jump on? Portland, go to Vancouver?

We are not the stop and shop types...We don't care where the best outlet malls are...we want to get the best bang for our buck....and none of us has been to CA before or the West Coast for that matter...

Any help/advice on camping sites, hostels, cool side trips etc. would be HIGHLY appreciated.

Thanks in advance!
Carrie

[Don Woodmancy]

If you are over 21, going all the way from Canada (Vancouver) to Mexico has a lot of appeal. If you are under 21, be prepared to be turned away from Canada by the Canadian immigration authorities. If you're under 18, that turn-away is almost a sure thing. The coastal drive along Oregon is really spectacular as it also is in California. Two of my favorite places along the California coast are Cape Mendecino, north of San Francisco and Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, about 25 miles south of Carmel. You can check out all the California State Parks at www.cal-parks.ca.gov. Have a great trip.

[Bob Miller]

Mulholland drive at midnight, Knotts Berry Farm(daytime), HOLLYWOOD sign, in LA. Try side trips into the mountains to see the REAL Ca. Golden Gate, with Alcatraz, Death vally, Roy Rogers Museum in Victorville. Grand Canyon, Vegas at night, Hoover Dam tour. Meteor Crater, Petrified forest. And if real adventuress there is a liitle road east thru Yosemite Park that gets real hairy in a summer thunder storm!
My advice? Go. And when you see something that interests you, go on!!