I am planning on taking my teenage daughter on a road trip from LA to SF. Any suggestions on destinations that are especially interesting to a teenager? She is fifteen and at this moment she thinks she is "punk". Any suggestions on seeing anything to her liking? Also, any advice on inexpensive, yet unique hotels/motels?
Thanks a lot in advance,
Kirsten

Melrose Avenue in LA.

Santa Cruz boardwalk

Another vote for Santa Cruz. You can go to the Boardwalk and ride the rides, drive along the coast and watch the surfers - Steamers Lane at West Cliff Dr is a good spot to watch them from the cliffs. Then go down to Pacific Avenue downtown. It's an outdoor mall with shops and lots of hippies who think it's still 1967, skateboarders, and other interesting people to look at.

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk www.beachboardwalk.com should be a place that she will enjoy. You should also look into the Tech Museum of Innovation www.thetech.org in Downtown San Jose www.sanjose.org as well as Paramount's Great America www.pgathrills.com in Santa Clara, a nearby suburb of San Jose.

VENICE BEACH!! Really interesting for people watching, shopping. -Personally, I wouldn't go at night, but not to be missed!

Try horseback riding on the beach at Half Moon Bay. My teens (dog lovers) enjoyed the beach and the dog friendly restaurant in Carmel. They enjoyed visiting Berkley but not Stanford. In San Francisco they liked the sealions on the pier, cable cars, and being entertained by the street people.

Visit the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo [halfway between LA and SF] ... each bedroom has a different style [jungle, victorian, etc.], the mens' bathroom is actually a tourist attraction because there aren't urinals -- just a giant waterfall [I'm a local, so I know it's okay to check out when the bathroom is empty] ... Venice Beach, Hollywood Walk of Stars, Santa Monica Promenade, Santa Cruz Boardwalk .. are all good ideas.

I don't think you have to cater specifically to a 15 year old. Get her off with you and enjoy things together; Hearst Castle, Big Sur, the Elephant Seals, instead of the Santa Cruz Board Walk (no fun with Mom really) how about Capitola - lunch and shopping in funky shops. In San Francisco go to the Equinox Bar for a drink (a virgin version for your daughter) and see the view from the rotating restaurant. Lunch at McKormick and Kulettos at Ghiradelli and a ferry ride to Sausalito.

I think that if mom is willing to go on the rides and have a waffle cone, the daughter would enjoy a trip to the Boardwalk with her.

Another idea - just up the hill from Santa Cruz is the town of Felton. The Roaring Camp Railroad is there, which runs a narrow gage steam train through the redwoods. There is also one that goes down to the Boardwalk. I've been on the train many times and it's a lot of fun.