Best Time to Travel the West Coast (USA)

Old Aug 15th, 2014, 03:05 AM
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Best Time to Travel the West Coast (USA)

Hello. My partner and I want to plan a trip form Austin, Texas up to Seattle via the West Coast next year, in 2015. We would like to travel when it is warm to hot, but not during the August holidays. We were thinking June/July but have been told this is a bad time because of the mist/fog in areas such as San Francisco etc. Would September be a better time? Or is it starting to get a bit colder already? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank You!
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Old Aug 15th, 2014, 05:29 AM
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Syndi - where on the "west coast" - I can only speak for Southern California but the weather here is much better in September than in June /July - I will let the Northern California folks chime in on that area - but if you are starting down south - September is fabulous.
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Old Aug 15th, 2014, 07:01 AM
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Late August, early September is ideal. "Colder" is subjective...in the Seattle area, 50 is "cold" during the summer months...70 is more common.
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Old Aug 15th, 2014, 07:32 AM
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Along the CA and Oregon coast -- avoid the summer if you want to avoid fog. September and early October is the best weather of the entire year. Spring (late April/May) can be very nice too.

Right along the coast - heat is almost never an issue.

Are you driving or flying to your starting point on the West coast? And how long are you allowing for the drive?

If flying and renting a car - I'd do it in reverse. I'd start in Seattle in late August/early Sept. and head down the coast through mid September. But if you are driving your own car across from TX, you won't have that flexibility - so plan to be in LA in early Sept and head north after that.
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Old Aug 15th, 2014, 10:15 AM
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September or May would be my picks. But June and July would be OK too.
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Old Aug 15th, 2014, 10:20 AM
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I would start in Seattle in September and work south. You should have good to great weather all the way. Note the inland valleys in Oregon and California (e.g. Rogue River Valley in southern Oregon, the entire Central Valley but also the Sonoma Valley in California) can be blazing hot (by our standards at least) well into September. Sticking to the coast will be more scenic and cooler, and by heading south you'll be on the water side of the road along the coast.
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Old Aug 15th, 2014, 11:32 AM
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Last two weeks of September
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Old Aug 15th, 2014, 05:16 PM
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Right after Labor Day.
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Old Aug 18th, 2014, 07:31 AM
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How is Oregon coast in December?? Christmas time - very wet? Cold?
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Old Aug 18th, 2014, 08:24 AM
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Yes. Wet and cold.
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Old Aug 18th, 2014, 08:58 AM
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Start with Seattle right after Labor Day and then head south. You will probably get good but not hot weather in Seattle: jacket required in the evenings and early mornings. Then either fly into Seattle and road trip through California and over to Austin, or, if you have to come and go from Austin, fly from Austin to Seattle after you arrive This is a very long drive, no matter what, so leave plenty of time depending on your pace of travel and desire for sightseeing along the way.

Have a great trip.
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Old Aug 18th, 2014, 06:45 PM
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Thanks bbqboy! Will save it for another time!
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Old Aug 18th, 2014, 07:18 PM
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How is Oregon coast in December?? Christmas time - very wet? Cold?

Can be, can also be lovely - day by day. Photos from last January -

http://gardyloo.us/20130116_27a.JPG
http://gardyloo.us/20130116_38HD1a.jpg
http://gardyloo.us/20130116_84HD1a.jpg

You can also get some very dramatic storms - curl up in front of a beachfront motel fireplace and let the wind blow.

Farther south, it's butterfly time around Monterey - http://gardyloo.us/20130124_187a.JPG - and elephant seal breeding time at San Simeon - http://gardyloo.us/20130119_90a.JPG

Daylight is short, of course.
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Old May 26th, 2017, 08:00 AM
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Hi all !
We also plan a roadtrip to the west coast, starting from Portland, Oregon down to California ( Yosemite, San Francisco, Big Sur, Los Angeles ) then couple of Utah NP and back to Portland.
Can anyone give an advice regarding the weather between
18th Sept and 6th October ?
We already have visited this part of Usa but in aug - sept.
Then the weather was excelent.
Thanks for help !
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Old May 26th, 2017, 10:44 AM
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tgabor, best to start a new thread, this one is almost two years old
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Old May 26th, 2017, 11:32 AM
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Yes, definitely start a new thread. . .
But sept-oct is the best weather of the year on the coast. Also do note you won't be able to drive through Big Sur though you will be able to visit the very northern bits
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Old May 26th, 2017, 01:34 PM
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tgabor: www.weatherspark.com. Search for cities and then months.
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Old May 26th, 2017, 09:39 PM
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Thanks a lot for suggestions !
I'll start a new topic but please let one more question here janisj,
Why will I not be able todrive trough Big Sur ? Is there any restrictions
there ?
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Old May 27th, 2017, 06:44 AM
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>>Why will I not be able todrive trough Big Sur ?
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Old May 28th, 2017, 07:00 PM
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Sept and October in Los Angeles (and San Diego) can be our hottest time of the year. It is when the hot desert winds (called Santa Ana Winds) change direction and blow westward toward the ocean.
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