Bend, Portland and the coast
 

Sis and I are planning on visiting Oregon in August for about 12 to 14 days. Preliminary plans are to fly into Redmond and visit cousins who live near Bend, for about four nights. From there we would like to see the Columbia River Gorge area, waterfalls, etc., Portland and the coastal towns. I've read how beautiful the drive is from Bend to Portland - however, neither of us are great mountain drivers! How windy are the roads? We're both in our 60's and like to see beautiful scenery, take pictures and some easy walks. We both love beaches, lighthouses, etc. Would we be better off flying or taking a bus up to Portland and then taking a day tour in a van from there to the Gorge? There are lots of them online. I think three days in Portland would be enough, which would include our tour day.
We then would drive ourselves and spend some time on the coast. Maybe a couple of nights in Seaside or Cannon Beach and then a few nights in Newport before heading back up to Portland to fly home to Kansas City.
There are a lot of good suggestions on this forum already. It's a matter of coming up with a route we're comfortable with! Thanks for any help you can give us.

From Bend, I would drive to Hood River and spend at least one night in the Best Western--the only hotel with rooms on the river.

Hood River is a delightful little town, and ou can visit the waterfalls on your way into Portland.

We don't have a favorite place to stay in Cannon Beach or Seaside, but in Newport we like to stay at the Hallmark Inn and have dinner at Local Oceans Seafood.

The stretch of Highway 101 between Newport and Florence is especially scenic in the vicinity of Cape Perpetua.

HTtY

You are hitting some of our great areas:) Don't worry at all, the drive from Bend to the gorge or even Portland is super easy in the summer. Our mountain roads are not very windy and of course will be clear of snow etc. There are several routes, and they are all very scenic. The quickest way to get from Bend to the gorge is to take 97 up to 26, then head towards Hood River. You could then have your car and not need to take a tour. You definitely want to go at your own pace in this area and not rely on someone else, IMO.

We really enjoy Cannon Beach and Newport, and both have a lot of options for lodging. Most places in CB require a 2-3 night stay in the summer, and places book up fast, so I would secure that lodging asap. Seaside is getting to be similar, so don't be surprised.

If you want suggestions for where to stay, let us know your budget and style preference etc and you will get more suggestions.

Enjoy!

There is a bus service from Bend and the Redmond airport that goes to the Portland airport and the Portland Amtrak station. It is called the Central Oregon Breeze.
I don't know if the rental cars from the RDM airport can be returned in Portland without a drop fee so the bus might be your best option.
The other more complicated way to get from Bend to Portland is to take the small bus from the airport or someplace in Bend down to the Amtrak station in Chemult and take the northbound Coast Starlight via Eugene and Salem to Portland.
Once you get to Portland, rent another car to see the waterfalls east of Portland and then drive over to the coast on US 26. Lodging in Seaside is a bit cheaper than in Cannon Beach.
See the Oregon Coast Aquarium just south of the big bridge in Newport.

Thanks so much for the great suggestions. You've all been very helpful. So glad to to know the curves are manageable! Our first choice is to drive to Portland, stopping in Hood River on the way. I've already checked out the Best Western - it's very nice and you can't beat the location and river views. If returning the car to Portland isn't feasible, second choice will be bus from Redmond and then taking a day trip east from Portland.
MMS, we would appreciate your lodging suggestions. Is two nights in Seaside enough to see the northern part of the coast? And then three or four in either Cannon Beach or Newport? As far as budget, we're flexible. Truthfully, I haven't checked rates yet but I'm thinking around $200 a night. We would love to be close to the beach, smaller place. Breakfast included is always nice.
Thanks again for taking the time to respond!

Lots of people that live in the Bend area use the Breeze to get to the airport and to the Amtrak station in Portland.
http://cobreeze.com/
If your cousin could pick you up from the Redmond airport you could rent a car in Bend for a little less than from the airport.

carolj--Seaside and Cannon Beach are only 10 minutes apart, so just stay in one of those locations. I much prefer Cannon Beach, FWIW. Seaside is more of a carnival atmosphere and CB is more shops and restaurants but also had the advantage of Ecola State Park and Haystack Rock. The beach at Seaside is nothing special, IMO. The last couple years Seaside has gotten to be like CB where the hotels often require 2-3 night minimum stays during the high season. All that said, the two places that we have stayed in CB that do fall within your budget are the Blue Gull Inn and the Cannon Beach Hotel. Both are great! BGI is an old motel that has been redone and the rooms are quite nice (not luxury, but very nice). It is a block from the ocean so no views, but a very short walk. CBH is a very small hotel with beautiful rooms. Only one or two have a view of the ocean, but again, it is located a block from the water, so about 30 seconds to get there. If you go a bit higher on budget, Schooner Cove is nice and it is on the north end so right where all the shops and restaurants are. The other two are south of there, but still a very easy walk to the heart of downtown. The last one, which is our personal favorite and we have been staying there for many years, is the Surfsand Resort. It is down by the BGI and CBH. It is a wonderful hotel with excellent service! Not snooty at all, just very good. They are also the only resort on the entire OR coast that has cabana service, so you can use the adirondack chairs/umbrellas, volleyball net, beach toys, kites, etc. Newport is a great town as well and would make a nice location for another overnight or two. Oceanfront, we like Elizabeth Street Inn where every room is oceanfront and each has their own balcony. They also have a sitting area in the room with a couch and fireplace (yes, even in August you may need it). It sits up on a bluff though so to get to the beach you either access it via stairs next door or walk a block to a parking lot and walk down. If you do not go for oceanfront, the Holiday Inn Express in South Beach (south end of town, near Rogue Brewery, Hatfield Science Center and the aquarium) is very nice. We have stayed at both numerous times. The best breakfast in the area is right across the street from HIE too as Fishtails.

Thanks to all of you who took the time to respond with such great tips!
Plans are finalized, reservations are made. We'll fly into Redmond and rent a car there, spending two nights with our relatives in Prineville. From there, we'll all go on to Bend and spend three nights in a cottage in town that I rented in Bend thru VRBO. They'll return home and we'll drive up to the Columbia River area and spend a night at the Best Western in Hood River.
It's a little more costly to return the car in Portland, but worth it for the convenience. The Central Oregon Breeze (bus) leaves at 7:30 am and we'd have to get back to Redmond to return our car first.
We'll have two nights in Portland (really just one full day), and I'm not sure yet how we'll spend it. I still need to read up. We'll be staying near the airport at the Hyatt Place, on points.
From there, I was able to book three nights at the Cannon Beach Hotel. I'm super excited about that! Our last night on the coast will be for one night in Newport at the Holiday Inn Express. That last day, we'll drive down to Florence and on to Eugene, then up I-5 and back to Portland. We'll stay the last night at the Hyatt Place again and fly out early the next morning.
Thanks again for all the help. Any other comments/suggestions on restaurants, etc are most welcome!

The Epicurian walking tour of Portland is a fun way to spend part of the day. You will taste some local foods, see some of the city on food and learn a little history of the city.

We've enjoyed several stays at Cannon Beach Hotel, my favorite in town of off-the-beach lodgings. Wayfarer Restaurant, next door, has the best seafood menu in town, and is always solid quality-wise. Their clam chowder is as good as any on the coast, IMO.

If you're not locked in to HIE in Newport, consider driving another 30 minutes to Yachats and the Fireside Motel, which has one of the best settings on the coast. Or, since it's your last night, you might want to splurge on its sister property Overleaf Lodge next door. Ona is the best restaurant in town.

I like sunbum's suggestion of the Epicurian walking tour. Portland's food scene is so broad and diverse you can't hope to get a sense of it on your own with just one day. So if it's offered on the day you're there, take the morning tour, and ask your guide where to go for dinner.

In Newport, as I mentioned earlier, Fishtails Cafe has the best breakfast around! Our two favorite dishes there are the salmon hash and the marionberry french toast, mmmmm!!! For super casual or take away, also at South Beach, just at the end of the bridge, is South Beach Fish Market. Fish n chips there are great, and there is some outside seating. For a nice meal in town, definitely head to Local Ocean. There is usually a wait, but well worth it.

Agree on the Wayfarer for CB. We also like Bill's Tavern there.

Actually, the Fireside Motel is very appealing since we're not staying right on the beach in Cannon Beach. I hate to miss out on breakfast at Fishtails Cafe, but the Fireside is actually the same price as the HIE and also has rooms oceanside with two queen beds. Many of the place I've looked at have only one bed.

Next door to the Fireside is the Adobe. Also ocean views, has a restaurant, bar and some of the rooms have kitchens.

Might check that out too.

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