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My husband and I are planning on driving up the coast with our two children next week. We're leaving from San Diego, but are interested in visiting any of the sights in CA. We're very familiar with CA, and spent our summer vacation last year traveling and camping throughout California. We made it to the Oregon border, but that's as far as we got (we spent a lot of time camping in the Humboldt County). This year we want to explore Porland and Seattle and venture into Canada. Anyone have some tips for things to stop and see along the way? We're going to try to mix it up with camping and staying in hotels. Any suggestions on things to see and do. We're just kind of flying by the seat of our pants on this one and are hoping to see some fun stuff along the way. I think our plan in to hightail it up to Seattle as quickly as possible, and then take our time on our return trip. We'd love to spend a night or two in Vancouver, but we're not sure what to do there. Would love to hear suggestions. Thanks!
Portland, Seattle, Vancouver??
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How old are your children?
In Vancouver, rent bikes and tour Stanley Park.
The Museum of Anthropology at the University of BC in Vancouver has a top notch collection of NW native american arts and artifacts--many unique items. http://www.moa.ubc.ca/
Also this time of year Vancouver sometimes has outdoor concerts with fireworks over the bay--if you have that opportunity, its magical.
Yeah, the kids' ages will matter.
Some suggestions that may or may not apply, assuming you're using I-5 NB and the coast SB. Either participatory or to watch...
[Note however US 97 in Oregon and Washington - on the east slope of the Cascades) is very scenic and relatively "undiscovered" with lots of interesting points of interest. Not for hurrying (but not slow either.) In July it will be hot on both I-5 and US 97 in N. California and S. Oregon.]
Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland - http://orshakes.org/ - you can often get (midweek) walk-up tickets for the outdoor shows - really a fun experience for (older) kids.
Go up to Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood outside Portland, where there will probably still be quite a lot of snow nearby. Most kids from SoCal have limited snow experiences.
Watch the windsurfers near Hood River on the Columbia - "windsurfing capital" of something or other.
Multnomah Falls on the Oregon side of the Columbia Gorge, also the hatchery at Bonneville Dam, where the giant sturgeon have been thrilling kids for 50 years or more.
Mt. St. Helens - if the kids are old enough, it's still very impressive.
Seattle - too many things to mention; do a quick search on the many "what to do in Seattle" threads. Good zoo, ride a ferry, ride the Ducks, Snoqualmie Falls, watch the salmon from underwater viewing windows at the Chittenden Locks, rent a little sailboat and sail past the Lake Union houseboats, visit the Museum of Flight (fab aerospace museum in Seattle) or the Pacific Science Center or the Wyeth exhibit at the art museum, or the Museum of Glass in Tacoma (and adjacent Chihuly Bridge of Glass). Go up to Mt. Rainier or cross over to the Olympic Peninsula for Hurricane Ridge (Olympic National Park) or the lavender festival at Sequim (or God forbid go visit Vampireville - Forks)...
Vancouver - Same story. Stanley Park, one of the best aquariums in N. America, great Chinatown for exploring, Grouse Mountain gondola, rent a putt-putt boat on False Creek, more Shakespeare (this time on the beach opposite downtown) - http://www.bardonthebeach.org/... numerous threads on the Canada board.
Coming back, the Oregon coast is very scenic pretty much from one end to the other (with some blah bits too) but plan ahead for camping and accommodations, especially on weekends as this is prime camping turf.
But wait there's more...