Wife is planning a road trip some time this April from Bend,OR (via I-5) to L.A. (Seeing family at Disney), then from L.A. To vegas for a night, from vegas to back home. What's to do in between? Museums,race tracks, etc? We just got the new Xtrek and looking to put some miles on it. Wouldn't mind a picturesque landscape to take photos off-road (a road worthy of the subie, nothing over the top). What do you guys have? I've done everything in vegas including racing. Drop some coordinates on me. We might take HWY 101 after San Fran for a scenic route to LA.
The new porsche experience center, though reservations are roughly 6 months in advance
101 was well worth the time. And while not automotive related - the Jelly Belly factory tour was a blast.
Valley of Fire state park a little northeast of Vegas should be good for some pictures. May not be any real "off road" areas to park, though. Some of the parking lots may be gravel. 
The most direct route between LA and Vegas will have you skirting the Mojave National Preserve, so there should be some good photo ops to be had there. And if you feel like detouring somewhat, Joshua Tree National Park is pretty good, too.
Oh, and when driving through Tonopah, make sure to stop and check out the Clown Motel, if you haven't seen it already. 
Techatticup mine outside Nelson, NV is pretty cool.
The Petersen Automotive Museum located on Wilshire Boulevard-- one of the 100 things a gear head must see before they die.
Also the Nethercutt collection in Sylmar for prewar cars.
Death Valley has some good roads for that crosstrek.
Put a camera on it to remember some of the drives.
Enjoy the drive.
Have GoPro, will travel. Jelly belly is now on the list, same with some of the parks. Keep em comin'! These are all great!
Toebra
Reader
2/4/17 8:36 a.m.
Canepa is right on your way too. Some VERY pretty roads along the way for you. Desert, beach, mountains, there is a lot of stuff that is on your way. How much time will you have? Going through the California wine country is always nice. The Laguna Seca, 17 mile drive, Hearst Castle are also on your way. The Monterey area is lovely, might be overcast and rainy in April though.
I've always wanted to drive on laguna seca! It's my favorite track, it's my go to track for testing on any simulator. It would likely be a mid week deal with us being in Vegas on Saturday and heading home Sunday, or Friday to Saturday vegas and heading home Sunday. Since I've never been, if there was no events going on would the place be staffed? Could I pay to do a parade lap if it's empty? Not sure how a real (meaning big time) racetrack works. My local track (PIR) is dead and gates closed unless an event is happening.
Seems like Bend to Eugene to Coos Bay and down 101 on the way to LA. And then 395 north out of LA ending on 31 or 97. Travel towards I5 as needed to do fun excursions.
Also of note, I got tagged with two toll lane infractions because the signage wasn't clear which lane I needed to be in until it was far too late to get into the correct lane in the LA area.
In reply to Trackmouse:
Laguna Seca is a county park, so even if there is no event you can get on premises (AFAIK, I've never tried).
That said, when there is no event the track isn't staffed - after all, it's still run by a club, not a commercial entity - so I doubt you'll be able to take a parade lap around it.
Toebra
Reader
2/4/17 2:50 p.m.
April Laguna Seca Calendar
Looks like 13th and 14th is an HPDE that you might be able to get on the track. For parade laps, I think you generally have to be going with a group. For example, this is my grandson and I going down the corkscrew at the Miata 25th Anniversary thing. I got to do some parade laps at Sears Point during a Trackmasters event when we were autocrossing in the paddock.
Shwing! Even just being there would be a bucketlister
