Silverton,OR to Los Alamos-San Diego-Chico-Home: looking for Suggestions

[duncans]

Whenever we hit the road, it has always been a pedal to the metal / gotta get there in our limited time. Or, take a picture of that roadside Historical Marker to read later, etc. Miles down the road, I realize "darn, we drove right by that..." not recognizing the available interests along the way.

So, yes this is a broad topic. Our plan is to drive to Los Alamos completing the interior portion of our trip before Winter sets in, then returning along the Coast. We will be visiting family in the 3 locations mentioned in the title, so are required stops. Interested in info re: places to drop anchor for a night or two, hikes to make, towns to see, etc. This will be our first ever slow moving trip to see the sights along the way. We expect to take 3-4 weeks and plan to leave early October. We never make reservations.

Thanks for any input! Much appreciated!

Susan, Dave, Figgy and the Phoenix