Hello. For two years, RTA helped put together great road trips for us and I seek everyone’s help again considering a kid-orientation. We are a crew of 5 with 3 kids, 7, 10, 13.

We love baseball, hockey, natural beauty, quirky local flavor, history and science, and comfort –that is, we are not campers or extreme-adventurers, not that we can afford luxury-- but a very occasional splurge is possible.

When planning road trips, I have been overambitious and you have kept me in check. I think I am getting more of the hang of it.

I like having everything figured out beforehand: for each road trip (NM to CA and CO-WY-CO) your suggestions were the foundation for binders I made with web printouts, maps, suggested detours and restaurants.

This year we are going north up the west coast as one way.
We have 16 days in August. Plane and mini-van are booked.
Bringing our Garmin car navigator.
Suggestions and advice from all experts and been-theres, please!

Here are some thoughts without close analysis of a map.
-The crew would like to hit Portland.
-Husband thinks it's possible to bunk inside a redwood tree and
-he wants to make a quick detour to the Korbel winery.
-We are going to try to get to games for the As, Giants, and Mariners to help along one son's wish to visit all the stadiums over time.
-We are trying to hit all 50 states in our lifetimes.
-I would like to visit at least one of the amazing heights (volcano, etc.) if its inclusion wouldn't mean overambitious timing or camping (but cabins are okay).

From what I can glean from RTA, I submit the comment that scenery is important but I understood I couldn't get to Portland easily if we just do a scenic run up the coast -- is that true?

I can do research on my own re SF and Seattle-- so I have these questions now:

1) We prefer 3-5 hours of driving at a time with a night or two at each stop. What itinerary do you suggest?
2) What stops and roadside oddities can you recommend on the way?
3) What do you think, drive up to Vancouver and then end up in Seattle for touring and plane ride home? Or tour Seattle and zip up to Vancouver and stay overnight in Seattle for the ride home?

Thanks for all! And Thank You for being here!