Adventure Advisor:

No matter where you set up camp along the Pacific coastline, you'll probably end up at a must-see spot. In fact, if you were traveling later in the year, I'd say just wing it-- you'll know a good stopping point when you see it. But since campgrounds tend to fill up early during the summer, you'll need to make reservations ahead of time. Here are a few recommendations to get you started:

Moran State Park on Orcas Island (just off Seattle) has more than 21 miles of trails, one of which leads up to the peak of Mt. Constitution. It's only 2,400 feet high, but from there you can look out onto the rest of the San Juan Islands, up to Vancouver Island, and inland to Mt. Ranier. For information on camping reservations, trail maps and ferries from Seattle, call the Orcas Island chamber of commerce: 206-376-2273.

Halfway down the Oregon coast, the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area actually touches the highway in some parts. Amazingly, the easy access doesn't make it any less pristine. Some of the dunes tower 500 feet over sea level, and trails wind through forested areas and small coastal lakes. The quietest campsites (no dune buggies) are Carter Lake or Tah Kenitch. For reservations call 800-280-CAMP or 877-444-NRRS.

The obvious stopping spots in northern California are Redwood National Park and Big Sur. But if you do make it as far south as Santa Barbara, I'd definitely add Montana de Oro State Park (near San Luis Obispo) to your itinerary. While the campground itself is nothing spectacular, the nearby hikes are some of the best California has to offer. You'll walk along poppy-dense hillsides that are often tipped with fog, making your ridge-top approach to the ocean look remarkably Hawaiian. The trail that parallels the beach runs from blowhole to blowhole along rocky cliffs and sandy beaches. For information call 805-528-0513. You can also make reservations at www.ReserveAmerica.com.