Hi! This is my first time posting, I've been doing research for our vacation and I came upon this very helpful forum.

We are taking a family road trip with two teenagers July 8-21. We are starting in Redmond, WA and in no specific order would like to tour the following areas of Western Oregon: Portland, Multnomah Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Hood River, Cannon Beach, Crater Lake, Brookings,and any pretty coastal drives. My husband has taken many solo motorcycle drives and isn't sure the Columbia River Gorge/Hood River area is a must see. We're thinking about a move to the Rogue River/Medford/Ashland area next year, so we would like to spend some time visiting these areas as well. In Northern California we're thinking about visiting Jedidiah Smith Redwood State Park and the Avenue of the Giants. We're fly by the seat of our pants people, so we don't have any reservations yet. Looking for suggestions on the order of our trip and any specific towns or scenic destinations which maybe nicer than the ones we've mentioned. We like short (2-3 mile) hikes and we're trying to schedule the smartest route so we don't get burned out being in the car for two weeks.

Hmmmmmmmmmm,

How would I approach that?


Well, since there are just a few priorities in the far south, I think that to get down there, and cover those directly, can let you best optimize the rest of your time, in/for Northern Oregon.

I just plugged-in Seattle-Portland-Ashland-Phillipsville-Crescent City-Crater Lake to an online mapping website and it tallied 1047 miles just to cover those, BUT, with 13 days, you could easily cover all of that and have time for more.

But my best instinct is to go south as quickly as possible... and then work your way back.

So night #1 should be Portland, since that is an interest of yours. In order to see some of the coast AND Crater Lake, you'd basically have to cover much of the Oregon coast on the way south... which would go slower than the inland alternative... BUT you just do it... (if for nothing else than the sake of "family time" with your teenagers)


Soooooooooooooo... leave Portland on that 2nd day and cut over to the much slower, coastal path all the way down to the Avenue of the Giants..., THEN target Crater Lake from there as you begin your return. a night or two in Ashland/Medford would fit reasonably, on that trajectory... and then you'd hit Crater Lake, and proooobably stay east of the mountains for your drive north.

The towns of Bend, and Sisters await you, as do some pretty impressive mountain views nearby. I recall having come around a curve nearing Prineville and seeing in one field of vision no less than TEN prominent mountain peaks at the same time. Mount Rainier is clearly larger than all of those, BUT to have that many so near to one another makes for quite the setting.

I can imagine your husband's motorcycling in the area of the Columbia Gorge, with its windy environs, may have left him less than impressed, but I still suspect that to tour it as a family just once, in a car, would be meaningful as you look back on "the good old days" when your kids were mere teens. There are definitely many picturesque settings in the area, with Mount Hood comprising some of the best background scenery.

You'll have to decide whether to drive straight to the Columbia River and up the gorge, perhaps going as far east as Maryhill, WA, to visit the full-sized replica of "Stonehenge" there... OR do a loop around Mount Hood and back into Portland that way.

AT any rate, be sure, as you set off, that you want to get either the mountain or the coastal route through Oregon accomplished on the way down so that you are free to take the other on the way back. (that is what keeps me from just suggesting zooming down I-5 through Portland and Medford, and only then going to the coast for the Avenue of the Giants).

Hope this helps.

All I'll say is you may be "fly by the seat of our pants people" but it is very VERY late to be looking for places to stay in many of your wish list areas for two of the busiest weeks of the year. I'd get on line NOW and try to book and plan your itinerary around where you can get in.

Looks like your first post; welcome to Fodor's!

In order not to overdo the hours-in-the-car parts, I'd suggest that you head south fairly quickly and bypass the northern Oregon coast on the way, following a "figure 8" route something like this: https://goo.gl/maps/8XMbHkosHbx

Now this is just personal opinion, but in my view the central Oregon coast - from Newport down to Florence or Coos Bay - is terrific but the southernmost part - from Bandon to the California State Line - is superb. I would hustle down I-5 all the way to OR 38 and out to the coast on the first day, and spend the first two nights in Bandon, the nicest town on the southern Oregon coast and a good jumping-off point for activities both north and south. I'm saying two nights because you might be in a two-night minimum situation with many lodgings in Bandon. The first day would be pretty long, but in my view highly worth it in order to get the miles behind you quickly. OR 38 is a lovely drive with a pretty little canyon along the lower Umpqua River, then look for elk in the fields just south of the road right before you get to Reedsport.

I'd then follow the coast south into the redwoods. If the Avenue of the Giants is a don't-miss, then spend two nights in the Eureka area and make a day trip to the Avenue, and possibly include a drive on the "Lost Coast Loop" if time allows. Follow US 199 from Crescent City (past the Jedediah Smith redwoods) to the Rogue Valley. Stop at the Oregon Caves if interested.

You're probably aware of all the theater action in Ashland during the summer; if something at the Shakespeare Festival appeals (and if you can get tickets) then great. Otherwise I'd be sure to visit Jacksonville, a very historic and attractive town (and home to its own music festival) while you're in the area. I'd then head east to Crater Lake, but this is probably the most problematic part of your whole trip, as accommodation around Crater Lake is very sparse and likely to be fully booked, with few alternatives nearby. You might need to make a rather long day of it, traveling from, say, Grants Pass up to Crater Lake, then continue on to Bend or Sisters for the night. Again, having hotel room booked on this day will be important. I will say that you might also just do Crater Lake as a day trip from Grants Pass, so that you can hustle back up to the Portland area without traveling up the east side of the mountains.

I am a big fan of the Columbia Gorge and especially the Hood River Valley area, and I'd actually allocate two nights to the area so that you could visit Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood (maybe ride the "Magic Mile" chairlift up to where they'll still be skiing on the permanent icefields on the mountain. You can watch (or your teens can participate) in all the kiteboarding, windsurfing or other activities on the Columbia, and I'd also include a morning or afternoon heading east out to Maryhill for a visit to the Stonehenge replica and/or the funky Maryhill Museum on the cliffs overlooking the river.

The final leg consists of traveling west through the Gorge back to Portland, then out to the coast. Cannon Beach is very likely to be one of the "two night minimum" towns on the coast, but you might consider spending the night in Astoria instead. It's a funky and historic town with plenty of tourist facilities. I'd then return to Redmond by crossing the (awesome) mouth of the Columbia and stopping at Cape Disappointment, with its lighthouses, waves-on-rocks scenery, Lewis and Clark interpretive center, and its own Waikiki Beach.

This is a very high speed plan; I'd allocate time something like this -

Bandon, 2 nights
Eureka area, 2 nights
Rogue Valley area, 2 or 3 nights (depending on Crater Lake plan)
Bend 1 night (if that route is chosen)
Hood River, 2 nights
Astoria, 2 nights
Unallocated - 2 or 3 nights. (Portland? Another night in the Rogue Valley?)

I know you expressed an interest in Cannon Beach, but I'd have to agree with Gardyloo. The North Coast--and especially Cannon--is the hardest place to get lodgings.

I love the Gorge but if you're thinking of moving to Southern Oregon, you don't want to shortchange your time there. A daytrip or a day-loop trip would probably get you a good taste. It really is incredibly beautiful.

In southern Oregon, I wouldn't do just hikes.

I would be sure to spend a day in Grants Pass and take a guided white water rafting or jet boat trip.

If you're thinking of living in Ashland, you should definitely see a play. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is among the most famous in the United States. It is also a lot of what defines Ashland. You can see Shakespeare on an Elizabethan play, but if that's not your thing, there are many other playwrights including excellent modern works. There are also two other stages, including the interesting Thomas Theater, where even the audience configuration changes depending on the play being performed. Some great plays this season....
https://www.osfashland.org/en/on-stage.aspx

Thank you all very much! I really appreciate your ideas.

We've been to Cannon Beach before and my daughters really enjoyed it then and want to return, I picked up a book from the library about the Oregon coast, so hopefully I can convince them to skip it in order to see other parts of the coast. I think we will stop to see the Columbia River Gorge. The pics of Multnomah Falls are incredible and I understand there are several other waterfall hikes nearby. Hood River appears to be full of fun activities for my girls. Seeing a play sounds like a great idea as well.

Any thoughts on the Oregon caves or sea lion caves? Any hotel recommendations?

Thanks again!

You don't have to skip Cannon Beach, just move it to the end. But the Oregon coast has lots of tremendous scenery and beaches, e.g. Bandon Beach -



Or a little farther south, near Gold Beach -



And on the way back, at Cape Disappointment on the Washington side of the Astoria Bridge, visit Waikiki Beach -



Oregon Caves - okay. Sea Lion Caves - pass. Your nose and wallet will thank you.

Almost all of the waterfall here led near Multnomah are closed due to the massive fire last summer. Bridal Veil and Latourel are open but that’s it. You will need to go much further for waterfall hikes for the time being.

I am looking at Gardyloo’s route and it comes to 1,553 miles…. Wow, that would be too much car time for my kids. I tried to trim some miles off Gardyloo’s route and while it can be done—I can see where he ended up where he did.

So a couple of questions first:
1. Do you live in Redmond area, and is it possible you could do some of these destinations on another trip? As a reader, I see your priority as Southern Oregon since you might live there someday. And the beach because—well, it’s summer. If you do think you’ll move, it would be easy to do the redwoods then. Or, leave out the Gorge, and come back, doing the Gorge and add in Bend (an amazing area that you shouldn’t just drive by, but stop and stay a few days).

2. Do you like staying in a place more than one night? How many moves do you want to make? I find getting a family to pack up every morning to be really tiring. Perhaps you could stay in Portland and make a daytrip to the Columbia Gorge but then come back and sleep in the same hotel. Or you could do that for Cannon Beach.

Regarding your must-do’s:
Consider skipping the Avenue of the Giants. You could still do both the Jedidiah Smith and the Redwoods National parks, with lots of hike options. That would save you a few hours driving and more time hiking.

Cannon Beach, getting there—you could do this several ways. If your itinerary causes you to drive there to/from Redmond, I’d encourage I-5 to Hwy 30. I’ve driven the southwest Washington highways and they are slower than Google thinks. Even if you take I-5 to 30, you still could stop in Astoria, and go over the bridge, see Cape Disappointment.

Cannon Beach—whether you go or not, two other towns we really like are Newport and Florence. Both have a historic downtown with shops. Are functioning ports with fishing. Newport also has sea lions on the pier, murals, a great lighthouse and the aquarium where sharks appear to be swimming all around you. Florence also has the dune buggy trips nearby the city and a gorgeous bridge.

Sea Lion Caves--wrong time of year for sea lions to be in caves. Go to Newport instead. Worth seeing once (but only if there's sea lions).

Oregon Caves--Totally on your way to/from Medford to the Redwoods. My kids loved the caves. I liked the short hike afterward.. Staying at the Chateau one night would be fun. It's not as ridiculously expensive as most national lodges. Nice decor, love the little stream running through the common room. 50s era soda fountain is fun for lunch whether you stay the night or not.

Regarding hotels....
Gorge
Skamania Lodge if it's available. Lovely dining room and views. Golf if that's your thing. Amazing hot tub out under the stars. If not, there are many places in Hood River and The Dalles. Confirm that there is A/C. Skamania and others sometimes be bought for less on Travelocity etc. Hood River is generally considered more desirable and can fill up faster.

Near Crater Lake--if you want to hike down to the water and take the boat trip.... you might want to stay closer the night before and get an early start. Otherwise, it's a 2-hour drive from Medford. Remember it's a very slow road that goes around the rim of the lake. The options are Crater Lake Lodge (I'd splurge and do it if you get lucky and there's a room). Or Prospect Hill Hotel or Diamond Lake Resort. I think that's about it.


Oregon Caves
The Oregon Caves Chateau -Rooms & Rates


Redwoods
I've been researching this for me so you're in luck. Years ago we stayed in a kinda yuck hotel. There is a Holiday Inn Express and a casino hotel near Klamath that are the best options if you don't want to go as far south. Also cabins are out there, just do a Google Maps search for hotel near Redwood National Park and then click on the blue dots Elk Meadows is one example.

Beach--it really depends which towns you want to stay in. Also--remember if you can't get a spot in Cannon Beach, you could either go to a town south of Cannon and stay. Or.... drive back to Portland and stay. Lots of decent hotels just west of Portland in Hillsboro, right off the freeway as well.

Thank you all for your ideas, I really appreciate your help!

I think we’ll skip the Avenue of the Giants and sea lions so we can spend some more time traveling the coastline and Columbia River Gorge. I’m off to make my reservations

I agree on skipping the Avenue of the Giants; I would, however, go as far south as the Trees of Mystery near Klamath. This is an old (at least 60 or 70 years) funky "attraction" that still has legs. I don't know that I'd spend the night there, however; you'll have more choice in Crescent City or Brookings, and the day drive south to the Trees of Mystery is very easy from either. One thing I tried to suggest in my (admittedly long) itinerary above was to stay at least two nights in each of the stopping points so as to save time and annoyance by having to break camp every morning.

Re MMS' point above. Multnomah Falls is open for viewing, but many of the hiking trails to/around the waterfalls east of Latourell and Bridal Veil (i.e. toward Hood River) are closed. Here's a guide to hiking in the post-fire Gorge: https://gorgefriends.org/hike-the-go...rtunities.html

One must-see (to me, anyway) for kids in the Gorge area is the Bonneville fish hatchery, close to the Bonneville Dam. One can visit Herman the Sturgeon, a giant and ancient (60+ yo) fish that's been thrilling kids forever (seen from an underwater viewing area) and kids can buy a bag of fish food (25c last time I checked) to feed the baby trout in the trout pools. It's a very fun and historic place, with lovely (garden-like) grounds. https://myodfw.com/bonneville-hatchery-visitors-guide

Here's a revised route map that's a little shorter and maybe more straightforward than the previous one. https://goo.gl/maps/PDpUHaSEnVL2

This would involve heading out to the northern Oregon coast right off the bat, then working south to the redwoods and then back north through the Rogue Valley to Hood River and the Columbia Gorge, then home. I would look at two-night (or more) stays in the following areas:

- Somewhere around Cannon Beach on the north coast. This could be in Ilwaco, WA, Astoria, Seaside, Cannon Beach, Manzanita.. wherever you can find suitable accommodation. The distances between these places are not great.
- Bandon - Again, an easy jumping-off place for the central and southern Oregon coast.
- Brookings or Crescent City. Use this base for more exploring of the southern Oregon coast, or for excursions into the redwoods.
- Grants Pass - Use one day for a Crater Lake excursion (roughly 2 hours each way.) If time becomes an issue I'd be very tempted to drop Crater Lake altogether on this trip. If you DO relocate to southern Oregon it will be in your back yard.
- Hood River - Use this as a base to explore both the eastern and central Gorge. Maybe take the "Fruit Loop" - wineries, fruit stands, "U-pick" farms and orchards - or ride the chairlift up to the snow on Mount Hood.

I agree with 5alive. Also, look at Groupon as Skamania is often discounted on there. As for Cannon Beach many of the places require a 2-3 night minimum in the summer and they book up far in advance. That said, we have often gotten around that by calling places directly and squeezing in-between other reservations. Regardless, call as you will get more up to date information on availability.

Gardyloo, at this point in my life, all of my travel pictures are taken with my phone - but I'm always so impressed with your gorgeous photos that I have to ask what kind of camera you use? Beautiful

(and to the OP, I haven't done it in many years, but wherever you go on the Oregon coast, you are sure to be impressed - I sure was the first time we drove all the way from the Olympic Peninsula to San Francisco - that was in 1976)

sf7307, only the middle picture above is mine, and it was taken with a Nikon DSLR a few years ago. The last time I was at Cape Disappointment I didn't have a camera with me (duh, go figure) and every time in the past few years I've been in Bandon it was raining horizontally and/or dark. (I like driving the coast in the winter and will do most anything to avoid I-5 between the PNW and the Bay Area.)

Here are a couple more photos of the southern Oregon coast taken on a January morning -

Love that visual! (and been in a few of those myself - Milwaukee, WI and Saratoga, NY)