barefootbeach

Hi, Could you local experts help me decide the most pleasurable use of 2 weeks in early Oregon?

My initial plan is:
Oct 4th Day 1: Arrive PDX at 2pm and head out along Columbia River gorge. Hike Eagle Creek Trail. Overnight in Hood River at Sakura Lodge

Day 2: Drive up to Mt. Hood for lunch at Timberline and hike. Overnight again in Hood River.

Day 3 & 4: Drive to North Willamette Valley & 2 nts at Chehalem Ridge B&B near Newberg

Day 5: Astoria overnight at Cannery Pier Hotel

Day 6 &7: Cannon Beach at Surfsand Resort

Day 7 & 8: Yachats at Overleaf Resort

Day 9-11: Rogue River area (visit family...stay at Weasku Lodge or Best Western at the Rogue)

Day 13: Crater Lake Lodge

Day 14& 15: Drive back to Portland ...stay???

Day 16: Fly Home

Please let me know if I'm trying to do too much and what you think of the places I plan to stay. Do you think I should cut out the one night in Astoria and add it to somewhere else? Like stay somewhere on the drive from Crater Lake to Portland?
The coast is a priority, but I'm also thinking the weather could be treacherous by then so want a small town available for other activities, if necessary. We've never been to Oregon before and want to see & explore it's natural beauty, stay at charming inns, eat delicious meals, & drink your wine. i've already booked the flights
Thanks for your help!

LittleA

I thought that sounds like a great 2 week trip. You don't need to go all the way to Timberline from Hood River to do some great hikes on Mt Hood. Look in the Cooper Spur area instead.

Hood River to Newberg is about 3 hours with traffic. I might skip it and instead stay at McMenamins Edgefield or a B&B in Portland on my way to Astoria, which is itself 100 miles from Portland - a long way.

Coast part looks good. Yachats is pretty far from Cannon. You could truncate at Pacific City or Newport.

Crater Lake is the wildcard - it is way off your route and the weather could be messy. I would skip this trip, it is further than you think (no freeway access!

Focus on the coast, its awesome - especially when it rains!

Check out the White House B&B in Portland (there is another one nearby that is also good)

Enjoy you trip to our great state!

barefootbeach

Would it be better to skip staying at Astoria and drive to Cannon Beach instead...visiting Astoria as a day trip?

Crater Lake is a must see for me, and it's on the way home from Rogue River...but maybe we should schedule a stop between it and Portland?

EnricoIV

I would go from Hood River to Astoria. Highway 30, along the Columbia, is a pretty drive all the way. Newberg to Astoria isn't the most direct route. Perhaps schedule the Newberg stop in between Crater Lake & back to Portland.

I'd leave the Astoria night in. It's a nice town, with some nice things to see and do.

passerbye

Looks like a nice, well thought-out itinerary. Except for day 1, where I doubt you'll have enough daylight hours to hike Eagle Creek Trail. I've not been to Sakura Lodge (looks like a great place on the website, though). Did you consider Timberline Lodge for your 2nd night?

Not the usual one, but good choice with Chehalem Ridge B&B.

I've stayed at and like both Cannery Pier Hotel and Surfsand Resort. It's logical that Astoria (and Cape Disappointment State Park northwest of there) be your first stop on the coast, so it would make sense that you stick with the Cannery Pier for that night. Because of your routing to Astoria, you'll probably find yourselves backtracking the next day, so Surfsand Resort works fine too, though it would make for a longer day.

Overleaf Lodge in Yachats.... Aahhhh..... I'll be there this weekend.

What are your plans for the Rogue River area? Just asking because weather in October can be iffy. To the point where you may not even see Crater Lake during the short time you have planned there. So if you have great weather on any of days 9-11 (BTW, what happened to day 12?) and don't otherwise have plans, consider driving up to the lake.

For Portland, pick anything in the downtown core (which generally means a "SW" street address below 1500 give or take). Usual favorites are Hotel Monaco, The Nines, Vintage Plaza, Hotel Lucia... For something a little more Portland-funky, consider Inn at Northrup Station, which doesn't meet my definition of downtown core, but is on the streetcar line in/between two of the city's popular shopping and dining districts.

spirobulldog

we did a very similar trip last year and it was a great trip. I wouldn't miss Crater Lake. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate. I am a sucker for the lodges, so do see Timberline. We ate at Government camp(bottom of mt. hood) and thought it was good as well. If for some reason, you happen to have extra time the last day of your trip, see Mt. St. Helens(not sure about the weather for that time of year).

LittleA

You could do the trip in reverse, i.e.:

Hood River and Timberline
Crater Lake (it's a beautiful, straight shot down Hwy 97, stop in Bend for lunch)
Over to the Coast and up to Astoria
Portland

Seems more manageable, less back tracking, generally going against the flow of trafifc and not cutting back through Portland, seeing Crater Lake earlier than later with weather in mind.

Don't get me wrong, I love Crater Lake.