aprilflower

I am trying to plan a trip: June20-July5th.We live in the East Bay and could start out on the 19th if necessary. We are renting a van because my inlaws are here visiting from India.They are about 70,my kids are 2 and 4 and we are in our mid 30s.Everyone has different interest but I mainly want to plan it so the kids won't be miserable.

Avenue of the Giants, Oregon Coast (Oregon Scenic Railroad,Tillamook Cheese Factory,Florence-Sea Lion Caves and Dunes,Cannon Beach),Columbia River Gorge,Seattle,Olympic National Park.

I would like to make sure I have some interesting things to see on the road back too.I would like to see Portland but don't HAVE to spend much time there. I'd be interested in including Mt. St Helens and Mt. Rainer as well as Crater Lake(Does anyone know the approximate time when the flies hatch around Crater lake?). Things around Bend sounded interesting too but I want to make sure we have enough time to cover the other items. Avenue of the Giants is also negotiable. I would love any suggestions, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed and can't even figure out if I should just boogie up I-5 or head on over to 101 to get out of CA. I don't have a preference about whether I see the South Oregon Coast, though I hear it is beautiful,it seems like a lot of "kid friendly places" are on the north. Though honestly which kid would be disappointed with a whole vacation of a sandbox?
I am thinking to get City Passes in Seattle so we can see the Seattle Aquarium,Space Needle, and Pacific Science Center.

tomfuller

Head up I-5 as far as Ashland or maybe Medford. Spend the night and then head into Crater Lake in the morning.
I'm sure there are some flies/bugs hatching from now until sometime in September in Crater Lake NP.
The north entrance and the west rim drive will open on Friday May 15 at 8AM.
Leave by way of the north entrance. It is 90 miles from the north entrance to Bend via 138 and US 97.
Leaving Bend, take US 97 to Madras and then US 26 up to near Government Camp and take Rt. 35 down the east side of Mt. Hood to Hood River. Spend a night in Hood River and then see the waterfalls the next day on the way to Portland.

marvelousmouse

City passes Seattle: I did the math a while back, and there wasn't any savings for me, so you might want to double check before buying the passes. You can skip the Seattle aquarium, especially if you go to the aquarium in Newport, OR, which I like more (I generally like aquariums, but Seattle's is not one of my favorites). The kids might like the Seattle great wheel more than the Space Needle- I'm not sure which is more expensive now. I think the view is neater, but you won't be disappointed either way.

The zoos in both Seattle and Portland are worth a visit. Pacific Science Center is worth a visit- the exhibit "grossology" should be a big hit with the kids. If any of you like popular culture or rock music or fantasy, the EMP and the scifi museum (near PSC and space needle) are definitely worth the visit.

I've never taken the duck tour in Seattle, but that might be fun for everyone, especially if you like boats. I usually suggest the underground tour- it's great- but I think your kids might be a little young for it. Pike Place Market is the obvious tourist attraction- you can easily spend all day in just that area. There's a pirate themed shop down below on the pier that is also a big hit with kids. If you like fish and chips and have some extra time, take the water taxi over to west Seattle and eat at Salty's. That's a very child friendly activity and the views are terrific.

In Portland: voodoo donuts and Powell books are probably the two "must dos". I like Portland in general, though, and if you are interested in gardens or bicycling or quirky shops, It's probably worth 2 or three days.

I think anywhere on the Oregon Coast is child friendly. I definitely recommend Cannon Beach and Seaside. Cannon Beach has my favorite beach and tidepools at Haystack Rock. Seaside has another aquarium, and the promenade. The aquarium is not notable except the kids can feed fish to the seals (and get splashed by them).

Newport OR has a lot of cheesy attractions like the wax museum. The aquarium is worth a stop. It's difficult to tell you how long to spend on the coast- the kids could probably spend your whole two weeks playing in the sand. You and the other adults may be bored after less than 24 hours.



Mt. St. Helens would be an easy stop. Crater Lake less so, but maybe worth it if you're interested in a specific activity like the boat tour. Given your time frame, I'd skip Bend entirely. I'm thinking you have about a week in Oregon and an week in Washington. The Olympic Nat. Park, Hoh Rainforest, Rainier, Seattle Area- heck, Vancouver or Vicoria BC- all deserve time over Bend, and you wouldn't be able to cover all of those in a week anyway! The Oregon Coast is also much more interesting than inland Oregon.

Are you city or wilderness people? If you are wilderness/hiking fans, I'd dedicate the lion share of your time in WA to the national/state parks. If you are city people, I'd pick one National Park, probably Olypmic, and then use a day or two to take the ferry from Port Angeles over to Victoria BC, which gives you both the ferry experience and a good day trip. Victoria is very walkable and has kid stuff. (You need passports, though).

Columbia River Gorge and how many nights you want to spend in each place really depend on how much time you spend everywhere else. I don't really know enough about your interests to suggest anything else. what kind of outdoor activities are you interested in? How far do you want to drive each day? Just those two questions will impact where you spend the night and how long of days you put in.
Hope I helped a little bit, at least. Have great trip!

aprilflower

Thanks for the great suggestions! As for what kind of people we are...I love nature and hiking BUT my husband is less so and my inlaws are definitely not going to hike anywhere. I am hoping to get in at least a couple of hikes by myself,even if very short because it almost seems sacrilegious to go to these places and not go hiking. Victoria,BC will be out of the question because I assume it would require some sort of special permit/visa for my inlaws and honestly I would prefer not to deal with any extra paperwork/bureaucracy.

The boat thing in Crater lake is out because they don't allow 2 year olds, already checked that.I asked about the flies because I hear there are about 2 weeks when they are really bad to the point where you will basically be eating flies and my mother-in-law would flip out (has to do with her religious beliefs,she believes all creatures,even bugs,are basically equal to humans and she would be "murdering" them all. I'd never hear the end of it.)

As for driving, I can drive 12 hours a day if necessary but I don't prefer to put in that many because the kids get crazy being strapped in to their car seats for the necessary amount of time.

aprilflower

I am also tentatively thinking about flying in to Portland or Seattle to save the driving...But of course that would add $1200 to the cost so...

marvelousmouse

LOL! Sounds a little like my family

Well, hiking wise: you could stay at a resort that has hiking near by. I've never stayed near any of the parks other than camping so I can't help there. Or a town like Bellingham: about 1.5 hours from Seattle. If you stay in the Fairhaven area, your inlaws could take kids to waterfront park or go shopping at the little shops and you could drive down 11/chuckanut drive (very scenic) to Larabee State Park which is one of my favorite places to hike. Bellingham also has parks with swimming lakes, lots of walking trails, and Mt Baker is a day trip (very popular with hikers).

I'd skip crater lake. It's beautiful, but not worth the detour given your family's time frame and interests. (The flies do not sound pleasant. But I can't quite sympathize with your MIL- I spend most of my summer trying to find new ways to kill the bloody mosquitoes and spiders. Ugh.)

There's also a lot of hiking along the Oregon coast, but if your inlaws are like my relatives they get super impatient and it's easier to leave them somewhere in "civilization". Check out Newport area, definitely- civilization for the inlaws, and hiking/Devils punch bowl/lighthouses for you. Cannon Beach is also good- lots of things for everyone to do, and hikes not far away for you (the whole coast has stunning beaches and views, but the fewer services, the fewer people. I like Cannon beach the town, but when it gets crowded I had down 101 for deserted trail heads.)

If not Victoria then maybe Leavenworth, WA would be of interest. Outdoor activities for you, plenty of shoppingn and dining to keep the others busy. That would also give you a taste of the cascades/mountain pass area. Leavenworth is basically a fake Bavarian town- in the summer it's crowded but it's always beautiful there. And it's very small and walkable.

It's a pity about the visa thing. From the sound of your inlaws Vancouver would be a perfect fit- "civilized" natural beauty and high end shopping lol.

San Juan Islands are also a possibility, but the ferries get backed up in the summer. Maybe Whidbey Island and Deception Pass bridge? la Conner, WA? Great scenery but enough tourist stuff to keep the others happy.

Lastly look at resorts for outdoor activities along the gorge. It sounds like everyone would enjoy hood River. Be sure to stop at Multonomah Falls- its very beautiful and has the services the rest of your family could appreciate while you hike to the top of the falls. It's crowded, but most people give up on hiking by the time they hit the bridge (halfway up) because it's a bit grueling. The path is all pavement though, so you and your husband might take the kids, and the inlaws can enjoy food or the views down at the lodge.

There are probably a lot of places you'd enjoy, but you may be limited by budget. You may want to post how much you can spend on hotels per night- you may get some great suggestions that are tailored to your budget. I'm more of a camping and hostel sort. I can suggest places in Seattle and Portland that would be on the higher end, but everything in between it's been chain motels or campgrounds for me

marvelousmouse

Oh, and it sounds like everyone would enjoy the sea lion caves as well- you have to at a minimum be able to go down stairs I think. But after that, you can hike around as much as you like.

aprilflower

marvelousmouse, you really are marvelous. Thanks for helping me decide against Crater lake. I'm with you, kill all the mosquitoes!!! When I was in India my sister-in-law would catch cockroaches and release them outside. The windows and doors are all open so everything just wanders inside.

We are definitely "cheap". I was originally thinking to camp but my mother-in-law basically needs something off the floor so not sure how it would work out. I'd be all over yurts or anything basic and cheap. Our idea of big spending is generally econolodge . My feeling is I just need a place to sleep, I don't care what the room looks like, though with kids, a heated/indoor pool could go a long way. Furthermore,if I'm going to pay for a hotel I kind of expect some king of breakfast. The fancy full service hotels that only have restaurants don't interest me at all.

aprilflower

oops..that was suppose to be kind of breakfast....is there an edit button around here?

tomfuller

Here's the map of the Oregon State parks that have yurts or cabins. http://oregonstateparks.org/index.cf...sp_cabinsyurts
Are you also skipping Bend?
There are beds for 5 people in a yurt but up to 8 people can stay on the site.

Gardyloo

Here's one (of umpteen) possible itineraries...

20-Jun E Bay - Ashland
21-Jun Ashland
22-Jun Ashland - Portland
23-Jun Portland/Gorge
24-Jun Portland/Gorge
25-Jun Portland - Mt St Helens - Seattle
26-Jun Seattle area
27-Jun Seattle area
28-Jun Seattle area
29-Jun Seattle - Astoria
30-Jun Astoria
1-Jul Yachats
2-Jul Yachats
3-Jul Redwoods
4-Jul Redwoods
5-Jul Redwoods - E Bay

The idea is to get the boring part out of the way by zooming up I-5 to southern Oregon. Consider Ashland (but staying in nearby Medford is cheaper) and maybe a visit to one of the plays at the annual (huge) Shakespeare festival in that picturesque town. Nearby is the historic town of Jacksonville, a nice "old west" pioneer settlement.

Then up to Portland and a couple of days around the Columbia Gorge. Visit the waterfalls, let the kids see Herman the Sturgeon at the Bonneville hatchery, drive up to Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood.

Then up to Seattle with a side trip to Mt. St. Helens if the weather's good. (If it's cloudy, skip it as the mountain will probably be socked in.)

Spend a couple of days in the Seattle area. Note that during summer/cruise season Seattle accommodations are very expensive, so consider staying someplace out of the downtown core, and even consider just a brief visit in the city, with a base somewhere more accessible to nice scenery and interesting things. Whidbey Island comes to mind - lots of interesting day trips possible (Deception Pass, Victorian Port Townsend, beaches, Fort Casey State Park with lighthouses and coastal gun batteries, etc.)

You might look for short term vacation rentals through AirBnB and the like; it might be cheaper and would allow you to self-cater if your in-laws' dietary restrictions are a concern. While there's no shortage of vegetarian places in the bigger towns, not so much in the smaller ones.

Then head south, visiting Cape Disappointment across the mouth of the Columbia River from Astoria, then down the coast. Again, be ready for a bit of accommodation sticker shock; I've put Yachats ("Ya-hots") for two nights but there might be cheaper accommodations in some of the other, maybe less in-your-face scenic towns like Newport or Florence.

To me the last 70 miles of the Oregon coast are the most scenic, followed immediately by the start of the redwoods. There is ample accommodation in Eureka, also in Crescent City (which I find a bit depressing.) I definitely wouldn't miss the Avenue of the Giants, but it doesn't take a lot of extra time and can be visited en route between Eureka and the Bay Area.

aprilflower

Not sure about Bend...one thing kind of mucking up the works is accommodations in Seattle. My friend had suggested a place they normally stay at for around $120. It was priced at $249/night. I checked airbnb too.Kind of bleak....I started to feel like I was in San Francisco! I didn't realize the thing about the cruises but that totally makes sense,everyone shoving off for Alaska.Honestly, I seriously considered going to Utah to see Bryce Canyon etc after looking at the hotel prices :/.

Gardyloo....I like that plan a lot.

Should I leave Washington and just stick to Oregon this trip? Opinions?

marvelousmouse

"You really are marvelous"
Aw, thanks! Cockroaches...shudder...I can deal with anything but cockroaches and snakes.

Given your budget:
As said by Gardyloo, Seattle is expensive. The cheapest way that I've found to do it is to stay at an airport hotel, have the hotel shuttle drop you off at the light rail stop, and then ride the light rail downtown. The ride is about one hour, so once you are downtown, hopefully no one needs a nap or forgot their coat I like the light rail because it delivers you to west lake center, which is the area where all the expensive hotels are (6 or 7 blocks up from pike place market). Parking in Seattle is expensive and inconvenient- I prefer to walk. The light rail is also very clean- plus, I like getting off briefly at the international district to go to the museum and chow down on Chinese food.


That said- If your inlaws are the mid afternoon napping kind or the kids are too young for that commute (I've only done it with older kids) your next best bet is Seattle center area. You'll spend more- I think Travelodge and La Quinta are 130-170 in the summer- but that's still a pretty good price for Seattle. (It might be more; Seattle hotel prices fluctuate based in availibility.) I think Laquinta has free but crappy parking and Travelodge has cheap parking. I believe both have breakfast, Travelodge has a pool, but laquinnta is def. the nicer property if your inlaws are picky.

Anyway: Seattle center is definitely my preference if you can swing it. Walk out the door and you are only a few blocks from restaurants and Seattle Center itself (space needle, PSC, etc.) Seattle center is a great green spot for the kids to play and I think there's at least one fountain they can play in.

BTW- if you like the outdoors, you will probably love the REI flagship store in Seattle

Portland is more of the same, just with slightly better transportation, and much easier to drive and park in. It's worth it if you can afford to stay downtown. Portland is very walkable. Failing that, stay somewhere that has easy access to the Max line (airport is one of those places). Failing that, stay in Vancouver Wa- it's a twenty minute drive, I think, and not the best option but sometimes the cheapest option and you will get more bang for your buck in terms of hotel amenities. (I have stayed in Vancouver for the same reason I have stayed at Seatac- swimming pool!!)

My best advice is to read and read reviews. There are a lot of budget hotels in Portland and Seattle I would not stay in- if the price seems to be to good to be true, it often is. Make sure the hotel offers a breakfast if that's a priority. Always call and double check on the parking situation and parking costs. The la Quinta in Seattle only has free parking because it doesn't have ENOUGH parking, and I had to park on the street. Not a huge deal- I had reward points to stay there- but I don't think I'd pay full price to stay there again with a car.

Oregon is slightly more problematic. Summer is expensive. For instance: I stay at Eugene/Springfield motel 6 often as a an overnight stop. Off season: 55. July: 79 weekdays, 89 weekends. That motel 6 is NOT worth the summer prices. But still a bargain compared to many of the other hotels in the area.

Fireside Motel in Yachats has breakfast, good reviews, and is showing up at 75/night in July, so that might be a great stop for you!

I love yurts but I think you are way too late to book any. You may get lucky with Beverly Beach State Park- it has the most yurts. Similar to yurts: KOA campgrounds. You have to pack your own sleeping bags for the cabins, but the more deluxe cabins have private bathrooms and kitchenettes. Not necessarily cheaper than motel 6's but usually more affordable in high season than most hotels on the coast and more fun. My favorite KOA is the one near Astoria. It's the one closest to Cannon Beach so I often stay there in the summer, but it's my favorite because it has the best/cleanest showers I've seen at a KOA. Koas also often have activities for the kids, pancake feeds, playgrounds/pools. If everyone sees it as an adventure, they're great- but if you compare it to a hotel constantly, you probably won't enjoy it. (I think you'd like it, but your inlaws not so much) still, when you all see the hotel prices along the Oregon coast, KOAs may become MUCH more attractive. Different kabin models have different maximum numbers of residents. Not all KOAs have Kabins- the ones in WA that I would normally stay at don't.

Here's the link:

http://koa.com/states-provinces/oregon/

Basically, if you can't find lodging you like in a small town, move to the nearest larger town or camp. Sometimes the choices are pretty limited; if you find a rate on the coast you can live with, snap it up because it may be gone tomorrow. Start making your reservations NOW- budget accommodations sell out fast and early in tourist towns.

And...when you said your MIL needs something off the floor, I don't know if that's because of snobbery or a physical handicap (with my father it's the first, with my mother its the second). If it's a physical need, you may want to look at one of the big family style tents and then buy her a cot or air mattress. Not necessarily cheap, but given the size of your party it probably will pay off. (I'm not sure about hotel occupancy in your area but in Oregon, you can only put 4 people in one hotel room, and that's enforced pretty strictly on the northern coast at least. You may want to see if the kids' age makes a difference, but I think it may be only babies that don't count. That would be why we started camping there in the first place). Outside of Seattle- some of the NP areas become much more accessible in terms of price and convenience if you can camp!

marvelousmouse

Oh, and just saw your more recent post. No! Don't leave Washington out if you are driving all this way.

Although- good grief, I looked at that Travelodge and it's over 200 in July. I thought 130 was high for that!

Seatac is probably your best/most convenient option inn. Days Inn is showing at 93 for my randomly selected date of July 15. They were ok- breakfast and free shuttle included. I'd avoid econolodge- it has some really disturbing reviews.

Check out Ace Hotel, possibly, or private rooms at the hostels. I've stayed at city hostel and really liked it. Unfortunately, with those places, parking becomes the issue.

Also...I would not recommend it because of traffic...but 15 miles north of Seattle is Lynnwood. Lynnwood also has cheap lodging, I stay there if I'm desperate. But then you are facing rush hour traffic- doable and no doubt better than SF, but really not fun.

Gardyloo's suggestion of a day trip is possible, but I'm not sure where you could stay that is affordable and fun. If camping is at all an option, that's what I would do. Another option is to camp everywhere else if possible and the splurge on Seattle! Seattle is the one place worth splurging- you definitely get what you pay for in terms of hotel location and amenities. And sometimes splurging is necessary- Seattle is probably not as expensive as SF but definitely headed that direction.

marvelousmouse

Also- sorry for yet another post- but I would definitely avoid being in Seattle or anywhere touristy July 3-5. Lodging is going to expensive 4th of July weekend. That would be a great time to head down I5 and stay in an inland oregon town, or be back in the redwoods.

tomfuller

Its been a few years but DW and I stayed in a fairly nice motel in Belleview WA. We were going to a fairly large event in Sammamish.
Last weekend I stayed at a cheap motel in North Bend OR ($55) after an event in Coos Bay.
I considered a yurt at William Tugman SP for $43 but having a shower in the room swayed me.
If you are doing the inland route northbound and the coastal southbound, see if this makes sense: First night Ashland (or Medford), drive through Crater Lake stop on the south side near the lodge and then take the West Rim road with a couple stops. Take the road across the Pumice Desert to the north entrance. If you don't want to go as far as Bend, there is a nice Best Western in the north end of La Pine. They have an indoor swimming pool.
The other option is a cabin and a tent at La Pine SP. Check the State Park website I gave you for site availability. Check out the High Desert Museum south of Bend.