Week trip to Oregon coast

Old Apr 29th, 2019, 10:30 AM
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Week trip to Oregon coast

i am planning a week in Oregon in late June. Flying into and out of Portland. We are planning to hit cannon beach, drive along the coast hit bend, and crater lake. Any suggestions as to timing and a itinerary would be greatly appreciated
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Old Apr 29th, 2019, 11:56 AM
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Were you planning on spending a night (or two) at Cannon Beach or elsewhere on the coast? Some places insist on a two night stay along our beautiful coast.
Head south from Cannon Beach and make a stop at the Tillamook cheese factory. They have some free samples at the newly remodeled visitor center. They also have great ice cream.
Continue south through Newport and just south of the big bridge, stop to see the Oregon Coast Aquarium.
Continue south to see the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. Turn east on Rt.38 in Reedsport. About 4-5 miles east of Reedsport stop at the Dean's Creek Elk Viewing area. You may see as many as 30 Roosevelt Elk at a distance.
At the east end of Elkton, turn south on Rt. 138 to get to I-5 at Sutherlin. Go south on I-5 to Roseburg and then take Rt. 138 east up the Umpqua River. I am hoping that the north entrance of Crater Lake NP will be open by the time you get there. If it is not open you might want to spend a night at the Diamond Lake Lodge.
If the north entrance is still closed, you will have to drive south on 230 to get to Rt. 62 and come in through the south entrance which is open nearly all year.
From the north entrance/exit of Crater Lake NP it is 90 miles to Bend (Rt 138 & US 97).
While in Bend, be sure to see Lavalands and the High Desert Museum.
Leaving Bend, head north on US 97 to Madras (get gas and groceries at the north end of Madras-Safeway) Take US 26 out of Madras toward Mt. Hood. Turn off US 26 at Government Camp and head down the east side of Mt. Hood on Rt. 35 into Hood River. Be sure to see at least Multnomah Falls between Hood River and PDX.
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Old Apr 29th, 2019, 12:57 PM
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Yachats is very beautiful. Add that to the Oregon coast part.

Willamette Valley has some interesting wineries. Could be done between Portland and on your way to the coast.
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Old Apr 29th, 2019, 05:03 PM
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Thank you so much for that extensive and detailed itinerary. It tells me exactly what I was looking for. I have scheduled our first 2 nights in Portland, then 2 nights in Cannon Beach. I am open after that.
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Old Apr 30th, 2019, 05:49 AM
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My own opinion is that while Cannon Beach is very pretty, there are also lots of other places on the Oregon coast that offer equal beauty and which would lend themselves better to a route that includes Crater Lake. (Note that Crater Lake is a very long way from Cannon Beach and the north coast.)

I'd google the places on this itinerary instead. Map - https://goo.gl/maps/QgoYtbeiiELWZCgm6 . This would include a rapid drive down the Willamette Valley to OR 38, the fastest and prettiest route through the coast mountains to the coast. Spend a couple of nights around Bandon, the nicest town on the south coast (google "Bandon Beach sunset") then continue south to the California state line. In my view the road between Bandon and the California border is the most scenic part of the whole Oregon coast, but of course others may disagree.

Cross into California and visit the Stout Grove in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, for some of the best examples of the big trees going. Then continue north on US 199 to Grants Pass, then east to Crater Lake. Then head north to Bend and amazing Smith Rock State Park, then up to Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood, down the Hood River Valley to the Columbia, and finally back into Portland via the Columbia River Gorge.

Now obviously the long drives are being made necessary by the inclusion of Crater Lake. If you were willing to swap Mount St. Helens for Crater Lake, then you could shorten the hours on the road pretty significantly. Look at this alternative plan - https://goo.gl/maps/AeJbiSMKtH1Cw8Y38 - which includes Ecola State Park and Cannon Beach, marvelous Cape Disappointment, then the Johnston Ridge overlook at the Mt. St. Helens caldera. It also includes Mount Hood and the Columbia Gorge, including the eclectic Maryhill Museum and nearby weird copy of Stonehenge. Highly recommended.
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Old Apr 30th, 2019, 06:09 AM
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So just 3 more nights somewhere?

If you like wine, the wineries suggestion SW of Portland is excellent. There are other wine regions in the state, but this is he one that put Oregon wines on the map, known world wide for Pinot Noir. If this is of interest to you, let me know and I can make some suggestions. There are also many excellent restaurants in this area. You have two nights in Portland and you can easily do this as a day trip from there without rushing.

Glad you found your lodging for Cannon Beach. That has been our favorite coastal town since I was a little kid, even though Lincoln City was much closer to where I grew up. Then as an adult, we still love CB and return often. It has a lot going for it

I like Tom's suggestions, but if you only have 3 more days I would cut out a few things. Tillamook would be the first. You can find the cheese and ice cream in most any store in the PNW.

If the north entrance for Crater Lake is open, that would save you a lot of time. CL is a must see, IMO. The boat tour is excellent if you are up for the hike down and back. The park service lists it as difficult, but honestly they are just being careful with that. We have done it many times, including with young kids and grandparents, and there are benches along the way if you need to rest. It is only a mile. Anyway, that gives a whole different perspective of the lake and I highly recommend it.

For Mt Hood, definitely go to Timberline Lodge.

The gorge has a lot to offer. Are you interested in hiking? If so, know that many of the trails on the OR side are still closed due to a massive fire a couple years ago. Again, if this is of interest, let me know and I can make personal suggestions.
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Old Apr 30th, 2019, 06:41 AM
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What are the plans for Portland? Could you put them at the end of the trip? Or, one at the beginning and one at the end if you need to? The other posters have done a good job with alternatives.
If one of the days that you are near Portland is rainy, be sure to visit Powell's World of Books (on Burnside). Portland also has the International Rose test gardens and a great zoo.
The stop at the Tillamook cheese factory does not have to be much more than an hour. They usually have cheese curds that are rarely available in stores. There are very few places where you can get hand dipped Tillamook ice cream.
The boat tour on Crater Lake will probably not be operating by late June. There may still be some snow along the Cleetwood Trail at that time.
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Old Apr 30th, 2019, 06:56 AM
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Tom--Yes, the boat tour is hard to know if it will be up and running. They usually aim for July, but a few times have managed late June. The Surfsand in Cannon Beach does Tillamook ice cream cones on Sundays That is always a hit with our family.
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Old Apr 30th, 2019, 11:19 AM
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Tom gives a great overall route.

I do love Cannon Beach and if you have lodgings there, I'd keep them. Besides Cannon Beach itself, I really love Oswald West, Hug Point and Ecola, all state parks or day use areas very near Cannon Beach.

I wouldn't do Mt. St. Helens instead of Crater Lake though. I'd either make the trek to Crater Lake or I would spend more time in the Columbia Gorge. I've also had hit or miss with Mt. St. Helens, where we went and it was supposed to be clear but ended up being cloudy. So it's not a sure bet either. I'm also a big fan of the Crater Lake boat ride and if it is running, I'd try to do it. A highlight of my kids' childhood.

I like wine but am not the true wine-lover. For me the Yamhill area is definitely too stressful to drive on weekends in the summer and I would avoid on those days, if that was in your thoughts. A weekday is certainly possible. Also note that some other areas of the state have good wines, there are some in Southern Oregon and also in the Gorge. They are not the world-famous pinot noir of the Yamhill/Willamette Valley. But they are still very good and a lovely outing. So depending on your itinerary you could work in a winery elsewhere.
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Old Apr 30th, 2019, 05:15 PM
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We did a similar trip in late September, with two days in Portland to start but the drive from Portland to Bend in the middle through Williamette country and wineries. It takes longer to get from the coast to the interior than the map might suggest. We day-tripped from Bend to Crater Lake, and finished the trip with two nights in Cannon Beach before driving back from Cannon Beach to Portland airport. We had planned to drive from Bend up the coast to Cannon Beach, but we changed plans when we realized how much driving that was going to be.

However, if you decide to stay near Portland, I would also recommend Hood River, Columbia River Gorge, and Mt. Hood, which we did on a previous trip. Gardyloo has posted good routes for that region on this forum and we have benefited from his advice.
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