Olympic National Park! Just visited there for the first time this past summer and loved it. Over the course of several days, we stayed at Lake Quinault Lodge (beautiful spot), hiked thru rain forest, went to beach along the coastline, went to Hurricane Ridge for a spectacular view of the Olympic mountains, and spent a day/night in Port Townsend. We had a great time, and I would highly recommend it, especially since you will be so near (Seattle & Mt. Rainer). You will have less driving time and more time to enjoy the sights.

Having done what you describe, I think you CAN indeed do both places: Oregon Coast and Olympic National Park.
I am assuming that your week is 7 days, or at least 6. Here is a suggested
plan:

Assuming you leave Mount Ranier on the morning of Day 1, drive to Crater Lake, Oregon via Mt. St. Helens. Spend the night at Crater Lake (need to reserve well head) You should have time to drive around the rim of the crater.

Day 2, continue south through Grants Pass, then head West through the redwood groves to the coast. Turn north and drive to about Brookings, where there are motels.

Day 3. Drive north up the Oregon Coast.
Yachats is a logical place to end up for the night. There is a motel there that sits on a rocky spit where the surf sings you to sleep. I think it is the Fireside Motel (and they give you a log to burn in the stove)

Day 4. Drive farther North along the
Oregon Coast, possibly ending around Portland. Tour the Rose Gardens in Portland and other items you might find to strike your fancy. Spend the night enroute to Olympic.

Days 5 and 6 and part of 7.
Tour Olympic Park. We spent a day there and saw most of the sights that can be reached without a lot of walking.

If you are going to give a preference, I say see the coast. I really did not find that much to see and do in Olympic and I am a walker and hiker.

Day 6.

I am surprised more people did not engage in the Oregon coast thread.
To augment my earlier post, we did do the Hurricane Ridge and rain forest bit at Olympic. My friend who is an instructor for NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) says you have to penetrate the rain forest all the way to the snow line to see the real wonders of the park. I did not do that.

I suggest that you drive the Oregon Coast from south to north so that the sun is not in your eyes most of the day. The glare off of the water can be very blinding.

I vote with Pat. We live in Portland and have spent a lot of time at the Oregon coast, which is beautiful, and spent one week on the Olympic peninsula, also beautiful. Rainier is great, but you already know that. From Seattle, I'd just go to the Olympic peninsula, due to its proximity and diversity. (However, you might consider using a day to see Mt. St. Helens, approaching from the west side entrance off of I-5, climbing to the Johnstone Ridge Observatory. It takes an entire day to hit all the visitors centers from that approach, but it will be an awesome day you will never forget. There's also an entrance from the north, much closer to Mt. Rainier, but I don't know much about that route.) On the Olympic peninsula, we took a hike on Hurricane Ridge, which is gorgious. Like Pat, we stayed at the Lake Quinault Lodge. We rented a little cabin at the lodge, and went canoeing on the lake. On the coast, we stayed at Kalaloch Lodge. It has a sand beach with huge logs of sculpted driftwood. I believe it is one of the only accomodations right on the beach. Lots of beautiful beaches nearby you can hike in to. (The beaches and rocky outcroppings on the OR coast are more accessible, with the road running alongside and the state park system. There are some in Washington that are as beautiful, just harder to get too.) Hoh rain forest was great. Have fun.

Anyone have any suggestions for a side trip from seattle? Will be in the area next week. My choices are to head up to vancouver island for exploration and staying in a nice B&B (Sooke Harbour House) or to stay in Olympic National Park area and explore the park. I have no good idea for a nice place to stay in Olympic National Park area. Any thoughts? Thanks.

To Mike (above) If you are going to the Olympic Nat'l Pk area (which I highly recommend!) by all mean, stay at the Doubletree in Port Angeles. It is located on the water with the mts. directly behind. The ferry is one block away and all the parks sights are nearby. We ended staying longer at that motel than expected. We were not happy with Victoria....muct too touristy. We did spend the day there...the trip on the ferry is fun. The Doubletree # is:1-360-452-9215 (I'm sure that there is a 800 #, also)

Is anyone still out there??? I realize this post is now 14 years old, but it is very relevant to a trip I have planned for this August. I only have 6 days in the area and have planned an action-packed adventure. I know that you can spend days in a single national park and still want more time. But I am only planning to stay in any one place for a day on this trip - a sampler. I've done this through southern Utah and it was fantastic.

Here is my question. I have the route I originally planned and then developed an alternative. Total driving time is relatively unchanged, but some it does change some of the daily drives quite drastically.

Route #1: PDX, Mt Hood/PDX, Cannon Beach, Quinault RF, Mt. Rainier, SEA.

OR

Route #2: PDX, Mt Hood/PDX, Kalaloch, Quinault RF, Mt. Rainier, SEA.

Basically by heading north to Washington coast instead of west to Oregon coast. I will have one day that is 4 hours and 1 that is only an hour as opposed to 2 3-hour days.

I am still inclined to go to the Oregon Coast. Does anyone have any suggestions for my trip. I am still open on everything except the arrival in PDX and departure in SEA.

The Oregon Coast is way more accessible than the Washington coast. Route 101 goes right down the coast (like route 1 in California) and 97% of the land is public. The drive through the Olympic peninsula is largely through forest and clear cuts. There is simply non comparison.

My vote:
Day 1. PDX, Columbia R. Gorge, Mt. Hood Loop and back to PDX
Day 2. Canon Beach and explore area, including Ecola Beach State Park. Stay in Canon Beach.
Day 3. Tillimook loop and back to PDX
Day 4. Mt Rainier. Stay at Rainier
Day 5 Mt Rainier. Stay at Rainier
Day 6 Seattle and out.

You might want to start a new post.

We did the Columbia River Gorge, Mt Hood, Mt St Helens, Mt Rainier trip a couple of years ago. We, too, wanted a day on the coast and spent one night at Depoe Bay, OR, the "whale-watching capital of the Oregon coast". We flew in and out of Portland, OR.

With limitied time. I would do just Seattle, Olympic, Rainier
OR just Portland, Coast, Hood, Gorge, St Helens.

I do like Orcas iten. But, when we were there a couple of years ago we couldn't get one night reservation in Cannon Beach. 2 night was the minimum. You might want to just do it as a day trip from PDX and you wouldn't have to change rooms.

How many days total do you have? What Month?

I haven't been to the North Cascades, but I am going in August. This could be something to do from Seattle. Also San Juan Islands would be a good thing from Seattle.

I always say on the first trip - go for it. While I love Crater Lake - and grew up within an hour of it - I think the DeblnTn suggestion is the best for including some of Wash and Ore. In other words - get a little of both the Wash and Oregon feel - and then next time - decide where you might want to further explore.

Personally - from PDX - I would head north to Mt. Ranier for night - driving in past St. Helens - and over to say Hurricane Ridge/Pt. Allen for a preview of the Olympics part (maybe venturing further out and down the Peninsula on a day trip/drive) - and then back down I-5 to Portland and over to Lincoln City for a couple days of days on the Oregon Coast - and then you are within a couple hours of getting back to Portland for your last night - where you could drive the Gorge - and if enough time - loop around past Mt. Hood on the way back.

If you have a couple extra hours in Portland - go to Wash Park and see the Rose Garden and the Japanese Tea Gardens.

And I also recommend staying at Depoe Bay (check out the Surfrider for an inexpensive - great view) and from there - drive on down the Oregon Coast a bit and then back to Portland to fly out.

This does involve some driving - but you are exploring/seeing some incredibly beautiful scenery - which I find invigorating.