Donnakr

For our summer vacation this year, my husband and I would like to do a road trip from San Francisco to Portland in July. We have 10-12 days, the last 3 or 4 we'd like in or near Portland, where our daughter just moved last week. Neither of us have been on the west coast before so we are not sure what the "must sees" are.
We do know we'd like to see San Francisco, the Pacific Coast Hwy, wine country and the Redwoods. What other places do you recommend? What route do you recommend?
My husband would like to do this trip without making hotel reservations ahead - just stopping as we like - no set schedule. How feasible is that in July?
If anyone has done this trip and can recommend an itinerary, that would be really helpful!

acprincess

You might have trouble without reservations, especially along the coast on a weekend.

You have plenty of time to drive Highway 1. It's all good, really. If you're making a round trip, consider a side trip to Crater Lake one way.

Shun I5 - it's got some scenic bits, especially near the OR/CA border, but it's really just another interstate.

Maybe schedule a day for hiking in Pt Reyes. Mendocino and Ft Bragg are lovely. My favorite stop is the Shamrock Lodgettes in Yachats. Near Portland, I'm quite fond of the Tillamook Cheese Factory. Just across the bay from that is one of my favorite walks - along the bayocean peninsula - http://www.oregoncoast101.com/articl...om_a_dream.htm

RVtraveler

So much to see. Route 1 along the coast is a MUST - just take it casually so you can get out and savor the beauty.

By all means plan on taking the Skunk Train, from Fort Bragg,CA, which takes you into a redwood forest.

As you approach Florence, OR you might be interested in going to Sandland Adventures to rent an ATV and zoom over the sand dunes - much fun.

If you have time consider going inland to Crater Lake National Park and exploring the volcano cones near Bend, OR.

Check out www.drivecrosscountry/RouteB1

Otis_B_Driftwood

You are trying to see quite a bit in just 7 or 8 days if you are spending the last 3 or 4 in Portland. Since your primary goal is to get to Portland, I'd recommend just a short visit to San Francisco and the Wine Country this trip and then return another time when you have more time.

Concentrate on the Northern California Coast, Redwoods, and the Oregon Coast for this trip. There's a lot to see.

One possible itinerary would be to spend your first two nights in San Francisco without a car and then two nights in Healdsburg for a taste of the Wine Country. And then one night each in Mendocino, Arcata or Trinidad, Brookings or Gold Beach, Oregon, Florence and Cannon Beach. A lot depends on how much time you want to spend along the coast. There are many parks and scenic options along the way. This itinerary would be for 9 nights. If you needed to scale back a day, then you could chop off one of the nights in Healdsburg or one of the last two on the Oregon Coast.

These are popular tourist areas in the summer. I would not want to make this trip without room reservations. Otherwise, you could end up spending a lot of your travel time scrambling for lodging at the end of each day. We, too, like to wing it sometimes when we travel but this is an area where that is not a good idea.

janisj

Otis is right -- if you want to spend a couple of days in SF and four or so days in Portland -- you don't have all that much time for the rest.

Myself-- I'd skip the wine country --for a couple of reasons. 1) You'd really need 2 or 3 days to do any justice to Sonoma/Napa/Healdsburg/etc. And 2) that area generally has very pricey accommodations and you'd definitely have to prebook as far in advance as possible.

W/ only 10 days minus 2 nights in SF (an absolute minimum to see much) and minus 3 nights in Portland leaves 5 nights for the coast (a long/slow/fabulously beautiful drive), the Redwoods and anything else. You really don't have time for Napa/Sonoma too. There are wineries near Ft Bragg and other areas so you wouldn't have to go to "Wine Country".

W/ 12 days -- then maybe squeeze in a day or two in the Sonoma/Healdsburg area. But I personally wouldn't.

happytrailstoyou

My husband would like to do this trip without making hotel reservations ahead - just stopping as we like - no set schedule. How feasible is that in July?

No problem, if you are satisfied to spend your nights in places not frequented by fun-seekers or in whatever rooms remain after the desirable ones have been booked.

HTTY

easytraveler

The drive along the coast is best done from north to south, since that way you will be on the ocean side and will not need to cross the highway to park for scenic views.

It's certainly doable, but, as the others have said, you have to shave down your expectations of how much you will be able to do and see.

I'd suggest that, to save time, you first drive straight up I-5 and detour to Crater Lake. Then go to Portland. After Portland go more leisurely down along the coast, stop in Yachats. Our favorite motel there is the See-Vue which is right on the coast and our favorite room there is the Crow's Nest. It's relatively inexpensive and wonderful to wake up to the entire Pacific Ocean outside one's window.

http://www.seevue.com/

Or you could drive further down the coast and stop off in Bandon.

I would also strongly suggest planning some time in the redwood parks, such as Jedediah Smith. Since we're campers and hikers, I don't have any hotel recommendations in that area, but other Fodorites definitely will have good recommendations for you.

This really doesn't leave you much time for anything else.

You could conceivably keep going down Highway 1 and stop off in Fort Ross and Gualala. But most likely the better choice would be to cut inland on Highway 128 and stop off in some of the wineries in Mendocino or Sonoma Counties on your way back to San Francisco.

You need at least a week to fully enjoy San Francisco and the wine country north of it.

Shar

Great ideas....We did a similar trip several years ago driving from SF to Portland for a college graudation and coming home via the Oregon and California coasts, staying at B & B's. For visiting the wine country, you might enjoy some of the wineries in Oregon - cheaper and far less crowded. We stopped at a few on the way up to Portland, did some side trips to find the covered bridges (Oregon has quite a few), visited a few small towns for antique shopping - Aurora (outside of Portland) is awesome if you are into antiques. The whole town is nothing but antiques stores and a huge warehouse full of stuff.

Portland is a lovely city, clean and green and a very good public transportation system MAX. Downtown has a wonderful district called the Pearl District with many art galleries, interesting restaurants and of course the famous Powells Book Store which takes up blocks!