Hello Andy! And welcome!

I have driven the I-5 corridor between Seattle and Los Angeles more time then I can count, along with every possible route north/south off I-5. Your first problem is that there are essentially three routes to go - along the Coast, along I-5 or inland. Each has their plusses and minuses and you're going to miss things along the line by taking one route over the other.

The downside to an RV is that gas is much more expensive, you're going to be going slower on the boring parts of roads, they're harder to maneuver, and during that time of the year you're going to have to have a firm schedule and reserve camping spots ahead of time. If you were going to stay at a remote location for a length of time and RV is the ideal option in my opinion, but not for long trips like this.

A car gives better flexibility to your schedule and allows you to bypass boring parts easier. Motels are fine for families, I use the Expedia iPhone App to book places about an hour or so before I get into town.

Personally I would at least do two or three days at Disneyland while in California. Maybe one at Universal Studios. At that age your kids are going to love it and Disney is sort of a once in a lifetime thing for many people. You might also head out to the beach there if that's your thing. Other options are Car Museums, California Science Museum (where one of the Space Shuttles is located,) Griffin Observatory (both for the science, but also as a place that has been in movies multiple times.)

I would head north to go see Yosemite for a day, then cross over to San Francisco and stay there a day or two. The waterfront is awesome for a first visit, the Zoo is one of my personal favorites. Take 101 north from there to Eureka and go through the Red Woods along the old highway. If you're into Wine at all, this is the opportunity to do some tastings. There are tons of Roadside attractions through there that are educational and fun. Continue on 101 north until Crescent City where I'd pass inland to Grants Pass and then to Crater Lake. You'll want to spend the night in Grants Pass because all camping and lodging near Crater Lake at that time of the year will be booked up. Suggest you look into eating at Taprock Northwest Grill for both the view and the food. And grab some sandwiches for a picnic at Crater Lake.

From Crater Lake head north along 97 up to Bend. Spend the day in Bend, there are a number of educational things around there from lava caves to the High Desert Museum to the Peterson Rock Garden (showing it's age, but still cool).

Bend to Portland is an easy day trip. Look out for the Crooked River Canyon (Peter Skene Ogden State Park) as a good rest stop. *edit* Can't add the picture for some reason go here to see it: http://pnwphotoblog.com/peter-skene-ogden-state-park/

Spend a couple of days in Portland. Lots of good food options, check out food carts for cheap eats http://foodcartsportland.com . OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) is geared towards kids your age and worth it.

From there head west along Highway 26 towards Tillamook. The Air Museum there is cool, the Tillamook Cheese Factory is cool. Head North to Astoria and try to stay the night there. Seaside is a tourist town with a bunch of things to do, and lots of cheap hotels. Depending on the day they may all be full though so it's usually easier to stay in Astoria. Astoria has several WWII Forts, the Astoria Column, and Fort Clatsop as educational options. Across the river are a couple of Lighthouses and Marsh's Free Museum in Longbeach. The stretch between Tillamook and Astoria is absolutely gorgeous with several good places to stop for view.

From there cross the river and keep on 101. I'll be honest, there is little do along 101 between here and Aberdeen. But it's a gorgeous drive. From Aberdeen head inland towards Seattle and finish up your trip there.


Taking it slow that trip would take me about ten days to do.