san francisco to seattle in 8 days

You say that you "don't want to do 'drive by' sightseeing" but this is pretty much what you have planned. On day 1, you will only have a few hours in the afternoon to see SF sights (Alcatraz will take up most of that) and then you are on your way to Ukiah.

On day 2 from Ukiah, it's about 7.5 to 8 hours to Ashland if you go through Redwood National Park. If you cut over on 299 from Arcata, you might save some time but will miss the best redwood parks. You won't have much time to explore the redwood groves or enjoy the scenic coastline up there.

Day 3 is fine. The Upper Klamath is a lot of fun but will also be exhausting. It's a long day and the rapids are challenging.

On Day 4, you do a drive by again at Crater Lake and then have a 6 hour drive to Yachats and then another "drive by" on the Oregon Coast the next day before driving to Portland for the night.

And so on for days 6, 7, and 8. Just one day in Seattle?

If I were you, I'd fly into Portland and out of Seattle, leaving California for another trip. Or, if your flights are booked, driving directly to Ashland from SFO on day 1 and again, saving California for another trip. Then, you would have more time to enjoy Oregon and Washington.

I know what you are saying, but since our flights are already booked to SFO, I hate to miss the redwoods. I could skip the oregon coast (but have heard it is not to be missed!), and just go from Crater Lake to Portland, or could go for a shorter float on a different river and skip crater lake, but the Upper Klamath sounded like the best bet for our family, having been on numerous whitewater trips.

Consider skipping Crater Lake and look for whitewater experiences on the Rogue River (at Gold Beach OR) or on the White Salmon river in the Columbia Gorge area. (A little Google goes a long way.)

I think your proposed zig-zag across southern Oregon is not the best use of your time. Use the day you're saving (really 2) to visit Mt. St. Helens between Portland and Seattle.

I have looked at a ton of rivers for rafting and it seems the rivers in the north get low in August. The North Umpqua looks promising around Roseburg--and not so far off the path as Ashland--but would have loved the Shakespeare festival for one night. I think skipping Crater Lake is a good idea.

Then, should we spend 2 nights in Portland and skip the coast? Or do the coast and skip Portland--and just drive through to Mt Hood/Timberline Lodge?

All of the rivers are low in August for the same reason - the snow melt in the Cascades is past and there isn't enough rain to generate the flow needed. I'm surprised that you're seeing something different with the N. fork of the Umpqua near Roseburg. Roseburg, like the Rogue Valley to the south (Grants Pass, Medford etc.) is hot and dry in August (as in HOT - 90-100F is not uncommon) so why the Umpqua would be any different is a mystery to me. I glanced at a couple of websites that describe "warm and relaxing" trips compared to the excitement of spring...

If you want to stick with the Umpqua, though, then you can still include both the southern coast (IMO the most scenic stretch) and the interior. Go up the coast to Reedsport, then cut over to I-5 on SR 38, which follows the very scenic Umpqua canyon for the first few miles from the coast inland. At Elkton take a right (SR 138) toward Sutherlin, from which it's a short backtrack to Roseburg. SR 38 is my (and many others') fave route between the coast and I-5.

Hadn't thought of doing that. I thought the northern coast was what everyone recommended. Glad to hear the southern coast is just as nice.

Do you know anything about the Upper Klamath? Sounds like that is controlled by a dam, so is high anytime--but that messes with my route again! Or what are your thoughts on the jet boats as an alternate?

Thanks for your help, I'll check out SR 38 from Reedsport

Perhaps other whitewater people can chime in; if you're wanting Class IV/V water maybe the Klamath is your best bet. However I know that the road east from Ashland to where most of the rafters put in (SR 66) is really, really slow and winding, and IIRC pretty much without any facilities until you're close to "K-Falls."

You could combine it with part of the coast, but it's a huge double-back: from 101 in California you go north on US 199 from Crescent City to Grants Pass (about 90 min.) then back south on I-5 for 40 miles or so to Ashland, then east for probably an hour or 90 min. to where you cross the Klamath. It's not as far as going to Crater Lake, but when you consider the drive back to Ashland after the rafting, you're talking about more than a full day, probably two days if you want to get back to the coast.

Set against that are river experiences you could substitute elsewhere, and maybe save some time in the process. The jet boats on the lower Rogue have been in business forever; one assumes it's not for lack of appeal. Not the same as rafting, of course; I believe the jet boats have to turn around at the western boundary of the Rogue "Wild and Scenic River" zone, upriver from which is hiking/rafting only, so I doubt if you can get to put-in spots by water from Gold Beach.

I'll mention again the White Salmon in southern Washington. You might have a look here: http://www.blueskyoutfitters.com/whitesalmon-rafting.php which seems to suggest they have Class IV/V trips available throughout August. The beauty of the White Salmon (unlike, say, the Upper Klamath) is that the countryside around it is drop-dead gorgeous, and you can combine the wilderness/wild river experience with, for instance, tours of Mt. Hood, the Klickitat Gorge (adjacent to the Columbia Gorge) and if water-based thrills are in your sights, how about the wind-surfing capital of the world at Hood River? http://www.byways.org/explore/byways/2141/stories/74472. Portland is very close; Hood River is very cute and user-friendly.

The Upper Klamath is probably the best one-day whitewater trip in Oregon and Northern California during August. The river is dam controlled and there is guaranteed sufficient flow several hours per day. This is a serious river and some of the rapids are class 4+. It's not for youngsters.

Don't worry about the road. The outfitters will pick you up in Ashland and bring you back in the afternoon through California. This is an exhausting day and some outfitters offer a two day version. The jet boats on the Rogue are fun too but they can't compare with whitewater rafting.

By the way, the Rogue River is also dam controlled and 3 day whitewater trips are offered in August. This is an amazing river and you might consider doing this trip sometime in the future. We've done it twice and can't wait to do it again.

If you are going to Ashland, you should not cut out visiting Crater Lake. This is one of the most beautiful spots in Oregon (and the West). Spend the night here. Cut out Mt Hood and stay at Crater Lake.

There's also a lot of nice places to see around Bend. I would cut out the Oregon Coast and spend it on the east side of the Cascades, driving up to Hood River and then down the gorge to Portland. The Gorge needs at least a full day to see all the falls and other sights. Touring the dam and fish hatchery is very interesting.

Again, I think you are trying to cover too much territory in 8 days. I would encourage you to narrow your focus.

Thanks for the info on the rafting....our boys are 16 to 23 so no problem with the class 4+ rapids. Glad to hear they flow okay in August. Just can't figure what will work best. Will look into the Salmon too!

I am trying to narrow my focus but having real trouble deciding what to cut out and the boys (and my husband) are no help when I ask them! There are just too many wonderful things to see and do--and we just didn't have the time with 5 different schedules to take a longer trip. I appreciate all of your advice.

Can't stay at the Lodge at Crater Lake because it is booked and it seems a long detour ( even from Ashland) if all we are doing is looking at the lake and maybe taking a hike and then heading on our way. I have a reservation at Timberline Lodge on Mt Hood and just hate to give that up, it looks so cool. But is it not really worth a night's stay? (We are getting the cheap bunk rooms). Is there much to do there without skiing? I really do want to see the Columbia River Gorge though, and thought we could do that on the way to Seattle.

Gardyloo--Just checked out the White Salmon website in Washington-it is so close to Columbia River Gorge and looks fantastic! Thanks so much. That may be the answer to my rafting problem!

Okay, now that I know we can do a rafting trip on the white salmon river, I think we will just go up the coast....

day 1--San francisco
day 2--Arcata
day 3--Yachats?
day 4--cannon beach or just on to Portland
day 5--portland
day 6--rafting and Timberline Lodge
day 7 & 8-- seattle

Day 4 will be a Friday and I heard that a lot of beach places require 2 nights stay, so I'm not sure where to stay in Cannon Beach. Is there a better place to stop than Arcata--that's 5 hours from SF.

Thanks for all of your help!

Sounds good. Not as helter skelter as the first proposal and less driving per day.

Other than Mt Hood and the Columbia Gorge, this will be primarily a coastal trip. Maybe someday you will be able to return and drive through the Cascades. Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens, the Bend area, Ashland, Mt. Shasta, and Mt. Lassen are all well worth visiting.

Arcata is a college town and has many of the chain motels just off the freeway north of town. If you are looking for something more special, look at Trinidad which is a few miles north of Arcata. Even if you stay in Arcata, you might want to take the short detour and check out Trinidad. It's a scenic little village and has a several good restaurants for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

If you do go to Trinidad, you must check out our favorite Humboldt Co. restaurant: Larupin - http://www.larrupin.com/
Or for a more scenic dinner try the Seascape Restaurant down by the cove (we once saw a sea otter swimming happily while we dined).

Or take the kids to the Samoa Cookhouse in... Samoa, just across the bay from Eureka (or down the road from Arcata.) Lumberjack food served family style by your granny. Great fun. http://www.samoacookhouse.net/

I do hate to miss those mountains, but it seems easier for this short trip to go up the coast. And the boys have only been to southern beaches, never the seen the beauty of the northern coastline (and we've only been a ways north of SF).

Thanks for the tips on places to eat, I'll check out the websites!

Any advice on the best things to do along the coast--for adventurous young men?