Pacific Northwest from LA
Jun 30th, 2008, 10:56 AM
#2
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I drove from Seattle down the coast to SF and back last spring over a 10 day period (spent only 2 days in SF but I've been there many times before). It was great! I love driving trips and especially loved curvy Hwy 1. Mendocino and Trinidad were two places on the northern CA coast I especially enjoyed, and hiking in the redwoods was fantastic.
How long do you have for your trip? Are you thinking one way or RT?
How long do you have for your trip? Are you thinking one way or RT?
Jun 30th, 2008, 11:01 AM
#3
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Not sure yet how many days it would cover. I'm a freelancer in LA so it depends on work,etc..
But definitely round trip from L.A. and all the way back. Can you tell me a little bit about Mendocino and Trinidad? Hiking we both love, so that sounds great!
But definitely round trip from L.A. and all the way back. Can you tell me a little bit about Mendocino and Trinidad? Hiking we both love, so that sounds great!
Jun 30th, 2008, 11:18 AM
#4
I've driven it (Seattle to LA) but only because I had to & did not particularly enjoy it honestly. It's a LOT of driving unless you have a couple weeks.
I did it once because I had a summer placesment in Los Angeles (from my Seattle office) and wanted to have my car in LA with me for my stay.
I did it once because I had a summer placesment in Los Angeles (from my Seattle office) and wanted to have my car in LA with me for my stay.
Jun 30th, 2008, 11:25 AM
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Both are great towns on the coast. Mendocino is bigger but still very charming with very nice accommodations and restaurants. Trinidad is a little hamlet north of Eureka and makes a great base for the redwoods.
Jun 30th, 2008, 12:22 PM
#6
I drive it (RT) on average once or twice a year, sometimes more. I'm probably pushing 80-100 segments (NB or SB) along with many just between the Pacific NW and San Francisco.
It's doable in a long two days using I-5, but the scenery is blah for most (not all) of the trip. I usually overnight somewhere around Redding.
Substituting US 101 for I-5 adds around 7-10 hours for the one-way drive, so doable in 2 days but much easier in 3. I usually overnight (southbound) in Coos Bay or Bandon, then again somewhere in the Bay Area; NB I usually stay in Ukiah or Willits, then Florence or Newport (if I stop at all.)
Adding Calif. SR 1 either between San Luis Obispo and SF or between SF and Leggett adds 3-4 hours to that particular day, 8 hours total if you do both sections (and both are seriously worth it - different but equally beautiful.)
Note of course these are just butt-in-seat hours, not counting food, sightseeing, nature breaks, sleeping etc. I should mention that it also depends on where in "LA" you're starting. Coming from Laguna is different than coming from Santa Clarita.
So the question "is it too much driving?" is quite dependent on how you do in driving long distance. You can certainly break the trip up in umpteen places - San Simeon, Big Sur, SF itself, Mendocino, anywhere in the Redwoods, the southern/central/northern Oregon coast, the Willamette Valley wineries, Portland, the Columbia River Gorge, Mts. Hood, St. Helens, Rainier...
It's one of the world's premier touring regions, so take as much time as you can.
It's doable in a long two days using I-5, but the scenery is blah for most (not all) of the trip. I usually overnight somewhere around Redding.
Substituting US 101 for I-5 adds around 7-10 hours for the one-way drive, so doable in 2 days but much easier in 3. I usually overnight (southbound) in Coos Bay or Bandon, then again somewhere in the Bay Area; NB I usually stay in Ukiah or Willits, then Florence or Newport (if I stop at all.)
Adding Calif. SR 1 either between San Luis Obispo and SF or between SF and Leggett adds 3-4 hours to that particular day, 8 hours total if you do both sections (and both are seriously worth it - different but equally beautiful.)
Note of course these are just butt-in-seat hours, not counting food, sightseeing, nature breaks, sleeping etc. I should mention that it also depends on where in "LA" you're starting. Coming from Laguna is different than coming from Santa Clarita.
So the question "is it too much driving?" is quite dependent on how you do in driving long distance. You can certainly break the trip up in umpteen places - San Simeon, Big Sur, SF itself, Mendocino, anywhere in the Redwoods, the southern/central/northern Oregon coast, the Willamette Valley wineries, Portland, the Columbia River Gorge, Mts. Hood, St. Helens, Rainier...
It's one of the world's premier touring regions, so take as much time as you can.
Jun 30th, 2008, 01:35 PM
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Thanks for all the advice. Glad to see I'm not crazy for wanting to do it. Stopping at different places along the way is how we want to do it, obviously. We've both never been north of SF. We definitely want to check out the different places along the way with stops for nature, scenery, great restaurants, hikes, etc.. Checking out Portland seems like a must too. Any Portland fans out there? Big Sur, Carmel, The Redwoods, all places we want to see very much. The more information on the drive the better. What's in Coos Bay or Bandon?
Jun 30th, 2008, 02:04 PM
#8
Coos Bay - motels, Indian casino in converted lumber mill, unemployed loggers. Famously (formerly) left-wing (Wobbly/socialist) newspaper.
Bandon - motels, decent restaurants in cute "old town," B to B+ rocks/beach/scenery. PGA golf course.
Bandon - motels, decent restaurants in cute "old town," B to B+ rocks/beach/scenery. PGA golf course.
Jun 30th, 2008, 02:05 PM
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We've done this a couple of times now, and just got back! We rent a cabin in the San Juans for a week, so we like to take a week or so driving to and from the islands. This has been our experience so far:
Last year - We live in Orange County, so we started early, took the I-5, and drove up to the Redding area. We decided to take the less traveled road through Oregon, and traveled through Bend, spending the night there. Along the way we also stopped at the Shasta area and Crater Lake. After spending time along the Columbia Gorge and getting lost on the backroads of Washington, we ended up staying in a place called Morton - close to Mt St Helens. The fourth day we drove up the ferry that took us to the San Juans.
On the return trip, we spent a couple of days visiting the Olympic pennisula and Olympic National Park, staying in Forks, WA, and Astoria, OR. We then spent the next day meandering down the coast of Oregon before settling into Crescent City, CA. After spending time in the Redwoods and along the California coast, we made our way into the wine country, staying in Santa Rosa. The next day, we hopped on the I-5 and drove home.
This year - we got a little headstart, leaving in the afternoon, and took the 99 to Fresno. We picked up the I-5 in Sacramento and overnighted in Medford, OR, and Olympia, WA, before getting to the ferry. Our goal was to simply drive straight through with minimal stops.
On the way home, we again drove straight through until San Jose (we overnighted in Eugene). We then took our time exploring the area south of San Francisco, Monterey, and the coast - up until the fire at Big Sur would allow us!
Neither of us are "city people" so we have a tendency to avoid places such as San Francisco, Seattle, Portland. (Plus, been there, done that, don't need to do it again) We prefer natural settings and enjoying the beauty that is out there. Both years we did these trips within 2 weeks, and that included one week at a cabin. The drive can be long for some, I guess. It depends. The only part I really have a hard time with is the I-5 between LA and Sacramento - that drives me crazy! Other than that, we are good to go!
I would suggest good planning. Have an idea of where you want to stop/what you want to explore, but stay flexible. It might be way easier if you push to make the drive between LA and Seattle, spend a few days in that area, and then work your way south.
Last year - We live in Orange County, so we started early, took the I-5, and drove up to the Redding area. We decided to take the less traveled road through Oregon, and traveled through Bend, spending the night there. Along the way we also stopped at the Shasta area and Crater Lake. After spending time along the Columbia Gorge and getting lost on the backroads of Washington, we ended up staying in a place called Morton - close to Mt St Helens. The fourth day we drove up the ferry that took us to the San Juans.
On the return trip, we spent a couple of days visiting the Olympic pennisula and Olympic National Park, staying in Forks, WA, and Astoria, OR. We then spent the next day meandering down the coast of Oregon before settling into Crescent City, CA. After spending time in the Redwoods and along the California coast, we made our way into the wine country, staying in Santa Rosa. The next day, we hopped on the I-5 and drove home.
This year - we got a little headstart, leaving in the afternoon, and took the 99 to Fresno. We picked up the I-5 in Sacramento and overnighted in Medford, OR, and Olympia, WA, before getting to the ferry. Our goal was to simply drive straight through with minimal stops.
On the way home, we again drove straight through until San Jose (we overnighted in Eugene). We then took our time exploring the area south of San Francisco, Monterey, and the coast - up until the fire at Big Sur would allow us!
Neither of us are "city people" so we have a tendency to avoid places such as San Francisco, Seattle, Portland. (Plus, been there, done that, don't need to do it again) We prefer natural settings and enjoying the beauty that is out there. Both years we did these trips within 2 weeks, and that included one week at a cabin. The drive can be long for some, I guess. It depends. The only part I really have a hard time with is the I-5 between LA and Sacramento - that drives me crazy! Other than that, we are good to go!
I would suggest good planning. Have an idea of where you want to stop/what you want to explore, but stay flexible. It might be way easier if you push to make the drive between LA and Seattle, spend a few days in that area, and then work your way south.
Jun 30th, 2008, 03:51 PM
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Yes, we did this trip when we moved here (to Seattle) from LA 17 years ago and I for one would not want to do it again, but I'm not a big fan of car travel. Also, we had 2 cars, one daughter (then 7) and 4 cats in tow, so that didn't make things any easier.
We stopped the first night in Berkeley ('cause DH went to Cal), the next night in Eugene ('cause I went to U. of Oregon), next here. With 4 cats, believe me, we wanted to get here as quickly as possible.
For me it was too much driving, but obviously worth the trip 'cause we love it here.
We stopped the first night in Berkeley ('cause DH went to Cal), the next night in Eugene ('cause I went to U. of Oregon), next here. With 4 cats, believe me, we wanted to get here as quickly as possible.
For me it was too much driving, but obviously worth the trip 'cause we love it here.
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