As a nice compromise, Pearl Izumi makes loose-fitting tights (Is that an oxymoron?), which also have pockets. They're called "Tokyo Tights," and you can almost get away with them as regular pants. As someone said, "They don't make you look like a superhero on vacation." And they're really comfy. If you want padding, you've gotta wear your bike shorts underneath, but I often just wear them when lounging around the house.
More here:
http://www.pearlizumi.com/product.ph...color_code=021