cebolla

My partner and I are headed to Portland and Seattle for 5 days in July. It'll be his first trip to the PNW and essentially mine too (was far too little when I was last there).

We're mostly 'walk around the city' types (don't like being indoors in museums, etc.) and want to enjoy the sights along the road.

We'll be flying into Portland on a Friday at night and I was thinking about this as an itinerary:

Saturday: Portland walking/dining
Sunday: Cannon Beach day trip, Portland
Monday: Drive from Portland to Seattle
Tuesday: Seattle
Wednesday: Ferry trip/Seattle, flight out of Seattle

There are obviously a lot of holes in the itinerary, but my biggest question was how we can maximize that Monday drive to Seattle. I don't want to do the coast since I hear it's nice but lengthy. Is it too much to start the morning in Columbia River Gorge and head up past Mt. Ranier (maybe a quick vista/hike) to Snoqualmie Falls before ending up in Seattle at night?

Thanks for your help!

happytrailstoyou

Rather than make Cannon Beach a day trip, I suggest you spend the night in Cannon Beach and vicinity. The next day drive to Seattle via Astoria and Mt. Rainier.

Fri-Sat, Portland
Sun, Cannon Beach
Mon-Tue, Seattle

cebolla

Thanks for your response! Is there a way to stop by Mt. Rainier and do a quick hike on the drive?

happytrailstoyou

Check the Mt. Rainier National Park web site. Roads are closed due to wash-outs and I don't know if they'll be reopened at the time of your visit.

bggirl

If you have time Sat morning, I would recommend getting up and driving to Multnomah Falls (45-60 min east of PDX), it's a can't miss on your visit. Lots of trails and hiking to do in the area. Head back to the city for an afternoon of exploring the city.

If you're not up for the drive to the falls, you should make sure to visit the Rose Garden (not the Blazer's venue) there should be tons of blooms in July and Forest Park. Downtown Portland has the Chinese Classical Gardens, it's very pretty.

If you like Thai food, don't miss eating at Typhoon!

Orcas

Mt. St. Helens is an interesting trip between Portland and Seattle. Check out the website. It takes a full day, if you do it right. It is not as spectacular as Mt. Rainier, but interesting in its own right, and educational.

sunbum1944

we enjoyed the epicurian walking tour of the Pearl area- kind of spendy but we thought fun and you will likely go places you wouldnt have on your own.

http://www.portlandwalkingtours.com/tours/epicurean.htm

The gorge is an easy drive from Portland and definatly worth the drive.
Drive up to Hood River- world famous for wind surfing- The Columbia Gorge Hotel would be a beautiful place to stop for lunch or a drink.

nanabee

the Pearl District is nice if you have a few extra hours to walk around.

kimamom

We were in the Portland this past Wed. and enjoyed walking around the Pearl. We had a very nice dinner at a place called Olea there. Yummy risotto, sea scallops, salads and dessert.

We are in Seaside for awhile, about 10 minutes from Cannon Beach, it is a gorgeous area of the coast. I would suggest you spend the night on the coast, also. We spent the afternoon yesterday at Indian Beach in Ecola State Park surfing. Have fun on your travels! ***kim***

beachbum

Ordinarily, I'd also recommend spending a night at the coast, but your problem would be finding a place in Cannon Beach that will take you for only one night. Most have 2-3 night minimum stay requirements during summer.

On Monday, you could spend a couple hours in the Gorge before heading to Seattle. And I like the suggestion of stopping at St. Helens enroute. You don't have to be in either area very long before you know you've gotten your money's worth, so to speak.

Since you're in Portland on a Saturday, check out the Farmer's Market at the south end of the park blocks by PSU. Saturday Market, at the foot of the Burnside Bridge, might be of interest too. Both are fairly reflective of the city's vibe. Also, it seems there's some kind of festival going on almost every weekend during the summer, either along the waterfront or in Pioneer Square, dubbed by some as the city's "livingroom".

Fodorite018

To tag along with Beachbum here, another thing to consider with lodging on the coast is that places fill up fast...as in months ago for this summer. So if you want to do the coast, you should start calling hotels now.

eurotraveller

What are your dates in July? There are two great beer festivals during this month. Here are the links:

http://www.portland-beerfest.com/

http://www.oregonbrewfest.com/

We love our beer here in the Rose City!

cageym

Planning for our Portland trip a month ago, friends in the area strongly advised in favor of Mt. St. Helens. I was not especially interested initially, but I trusted their counsel and boy, were they right! I loved it. We'd intended to do the trip from Portland and back in about 5 hours, but ended up taking all day as we did everything and got far more absorbed in the history and geology than I would have dreamed. We had a lovely picnic lunch at the Coldwater visitor's center and greatly enjoyed the ranger's discussion of the return of life to the blast/eruption zone. Sad that they will close that center later this year. Anyway, the St. Helens visit gets my strong endorsement.

I also can't argue against Cannon Beach. We spent a night and day there and it is a beautiful area. The town doesn't warrant much time, in my view, but walking the beach and visiting the Ecola park just north of town were spectacular experiences.