Need help planning first trip to Pacific Northwest, flying into Seattle

If I understand you correctly, you're planning on spending about 10 days in Oregon and 1 or 2 in Seattle? Your trip seems a little unbalanced as far as time in each state...
I guess for a "best of" trip given your interest in wine and the outdoors, I would do something like this:

3 or 4 nights in Seattle and environs:
--Visit Woodinville tasting rooms (many tasting rooms, including some from the renowned Walla Walla wineries)
--Downtown: Pike Market, Space Needle, waterfront and Olympic Sculpture Park, a Tom Douglas restaurant (Etta's Seafood near the market or Dahlia Lounge), other stuff depending on your interests
--Ride the ferry to Bainbridge, viewing downtown Seattle from the water (nice) and have lunch OR
--Take the Clinton ferry from Mukilteo in the morning and do a Whidbey Island road trip (stop in Langley or Coupeville for lunch) returning through Deception Pass onto Highway 20 and then I-5 back to Seattle (long day but worth it)

5 or 6 nights in Oregon:
-- Drive from downtown Seattle to Cannon Beach by way of Astoria. (about a 5 hour drive) Spend 2 nights in Cannon Beach.
-- Tour Willamette Valley on the way from Cannon Beach to Portland (could spend 1 night in the valley)
-- 1 or 2 nights in Portland (others please contribute Portland "must dos"...I'm not an expert)
-- Drive to Mt. Hood for fall color
-- Could continue on to Hood River (good overnight stop...many people like this spot) and then north into Washington and through the Yakima Valley, which has additional wineries (Prosser). Then go from Yakima to I-90 and zoom back to Seattle for a night downtown before your flight home.
-- If you don't want to do all the above driving, just go to Mt. Hood and back while staying in Portland and drive back to Seattle from Portland. OR, detour to Mt. Saint Helens on the way from Portland to Seattle.

Others will have their own notions...there is a fair amount of driving involved, but I don't think it would exhaust you. I wouldn't do Southern Oregon in this trip...too much to see in the Seattle area and northern Oregon. You could do a fishing excursion from Seattle, too, I'm sure. Or just have salmon at Etta's Seafood. : )

Have fun planning...that's one of the best parts of any trip.

thank you so much. You are right I think southern Oregon is stretching it too much. I really like your itinerary. Just need to figure out best places to lodge. Looking on Luxury Link have had great luck with their packages in the past. You gave me a great starting point. At least a good general route. thanx again for your input

Sounds like your plane tickets are purchased already? For your original plan I would have suggested flying into Portland instead, since most of your focus is in Oregon (not Seattle or Washington).

You might get more responses if you repost and also tag this with Oregon.

Tu Tu'Tun is a great place, but voyaging is right; it doesn't really make sense with the time you've got. But I might suggest you go farther down the Oregon coast than Cannon Beach, especially given the likely weather at that time of year. Good chance it'll be wet. So consider the Overleaf Lodge in Yachats, where you may never tire of watching the pounding surf, regardless of the weather. Lots of great sightseeing, hiking, and other activities nearby too.

I'm not sure why Astoria was suggested, unless you indicated an interest in Lewis & Clark history. But whoever recommended Black Walnut knows what they're talking about; beautiful place in a lovely setting. A bit isolated though. Allison Inn & Spa has more going on, though it's a bit too Napa Valley-ish for my tastes.

The reason for two nights in Portland would be if you wanted to do the Columbia River Gorge as a day-trip from the city. Otherwise, I think you'd only need one. It's a nice city, but again, best when the sun's shining.

Putting that all into an itinerary could look something like:
- Drive to Cannon Beach (via Astoria would still make sense) and spend 1 night;
- Continue down the coast to Yachats. Spend 2 nights;
- Leave Yachats such that you're in north Willamette Valley wine country when wineries open, typically 11:00am. Spend the night, or continue on to Portland (less than an hour away);
- 1 or 2 nights in Portland, including a trip out the Gorge to Hood River.

Once you've settled on an itinerary, we can help fill in the holes. And, in case it makes a difference, Willamette Valley wineries are best known for pinot noir. Wineries around Hood River and the Yakima Valley are better known for warmer weather varietals - e.g. cab, merlot, zin.

Thank you for your ideas. I keep finding places I would love to visit but I have to be realistic with the time we have. I did hear about Yachats from several other people. I think my husband have regrouped and have decided to do kind of what you suggested then head back up to Seattle and explore things around that area. I ordered the Washington state guide book and have called several inns to get feedback. I didn't know that about the wine areas. I know I am all over the place with my thoughts but soon I will narrow down a more sensible itinerary. I would love to treat my husband (and myself) to a little fishing excursion. He would love it. I'll be back soon with a more focused and realistic agenda. Can't thank you all enough for the great input.

When your in Oregon you should check out Youngberg Hill Vineyards & Inn out of McMinnville. We have stayed there dozens of times. You wont be dissapointed in view, inn, wines, or friendly staff.

The Tu-Tu-Tun is the right stop going south on 101. If your going north on 101 stop at the Stephanie Inn in Cannon Beach.

Enjoy!

I've only been to Victoria once (which kind of tells you what I thought of it). I know some people love it but it didn't do a thing for me

I think a trip south including Portland and the Oregon coast would be much more interesting use of the time. Just my opinion.