I suggest the N. California coast and mountains. The choices are endless for biking, hiking, camping, swimming, photography. We have some beautiful state campgrounds (if you are tent/trailer camping) with hot showers, nice bathrooms, and you can usually find lots of areas to bike ride. Two of my favorites: Standish-Hickey State Park, N. of Ukiah about 1 1/2 hours on 101. It's on the Eel River with access to a beautiful, clean river for swimming. Another: on the North Coast at Ft. Bragg is McKittrick St. Park. Again, very clean, on the ocean. Motels available if not camping. The Lake Tahoe area is very scenic. You can take a paddle wheeler boat ride across Lake Tahoe too. Another idea: using Sacramento (where I live) as a base, drive to Vallejo, take the ferry (they allow bikes) to San Francisco (i hour ride the kids will love), depart at Pier 39, enjoy the sights of the City, ride your bikes across/on the Golden Gate Bridge (must have camera), return via ferry (last run is about 9:00pm). Or spend the night in SF, hit a good restaurant, ride a cable car (again, kids fav.), visit the zoo, walk Telegraph Hill, etc. From Sacramento: SF close, Lake Tahoe is 1 1/2 hour, Sacramento has the American River Bike Trail and its a nice, scenic ride on a smooth paved trail. Also, we have hundreds of winerys to visit/taste. We are 2 hours from Yosemite Nat. Park with Sequoia National Park just to the south and both are must sees. Are you doing any camping or motels only? Either way, N. California is my choice for beautiful places to see.