Bicycle tourism?

[cbloom]

Has anybody done this?

I guess there are two main schools, one is the load up your bike with paniers and lug a tent and everything, the other is to hop from hotel to hotel and just ride during the day. I'm more inclined to the latter but would like to hear anything about the former as well. I'd much rather speed around on my racing bike than plod along in a sturdy cruiser.

My dream is to go to the south of France or to Tuscany and bike around there, which would require transporting my bike and a ton of gear.

Is there anywhere in the US that's worth making a trek for? (I live in CA which has some really great biking destinations)

Any advice/trip reports would be awesome.