Hello,

We are just beginning to plan one of my many dream vacations. Driving up the pacific coast. We're thinking early June, before school vacation and hopefully nice enough weather. We only have a week and do not want to be rushed. So we think we should break the trip into 2 separate vacations. This one in June will be from San Francisco to Seattle (or vice versa, any thoughts on the direction?) Any and all suggestions are welcome! We'll save San Fran to San Diego for another time. I've spent a fair amount of time in southern CA and am dying to see the redwoods. I saw some previous posts and took a screenshot to save the info. But I wasn't sure how much time of year affects recommendations.

Thanks!

Is the "we" just two adults? Are you going to pay a one way rental fee or will you return the car to where you rented it?
My preference is to drive US 101 southbound (Seattle to San Francisco) just for the ease of turning right into the viewpoints instead of crossing the southbound traffic.
There are a lot more things to see on the Oregon coast than on the Washington coast IMO.

One week is not very long for Seattle to SF. Between Seattle itself, the Columbia River, the Oregon Coast, the California Redwoods, the Mendocino/Sonoma coasts and Napa/Sonoma wine country, etc. that is more than a weeks' worth.

What are your interests? June really isn't the best weather on the coast. May would be better if you can do it. By June/July it can get quite foggy on the coast. If you have flexibility -- September would be the best time -- warm on the coast and no fog.

If you only have one week I'd either concentrate on Seattle and the Oregon coast - OR - Northern California, the Redwoods and a little bit of the Oregon coast.

Assuming you'll want to detour off the fastest route, a week isn't a lot and I suggest you may want to cut Seattle and see the territory between Portland/Columbia River/Oregon Coast and San Francisco. I'm not familiar with the Washington coast but have visited the Oregon coast and will take tomfuller's word for it. Consider driving fewer miles and, as you mention, be less rushed.

This is a scenic route, starting in Seattle: Mt. Rainier, the Columbia River Gorge, the Oregon Coast from Cannon Beach to Brookings, and the redwoods of northern California.

If you drive Highway 101 into San Francisco, take a quick look at the Sonoma Valley or the Napa Valley. If, instead, you drive on Highway 1, take a walk on the Mendocino Headlands.

HTtY

Welcome to Fodor's!

I also feel a north-to-south itinerary is better, and while I like the basics of HttY's suggestion (above) I am not as enamored of the northern Oregon coast as some. In June you'll be at risk of cloudy weather along the coast, which is fine in the redwoods of course.

But I'd suggest a route that starts with some non-coast (but terrific) alternative scenery, one that looks like this - https://goo.gl/maps/PxL6H6zM7jn

You start by crossing the Cascades from Seattle and traveling down the (sunny) eastern side of the mountains through the Yakima Valley and south along scenic US 97 through "old west" country to the Columbia River at Maryhill, home of the quirky Maryhill Museum.

Continue west along the Washington side of the River to Hood River, Oregon, where I'd actually spend two nights, with the day between the nights spent exploring the Columbia Gorge, where in early June the many waterfalls will be spectacular with water from melting mountain snows. In addition, you could drive up the beautiful Hood River Valley to Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood, where they'll still be skiing above the wildflowers in the valley and the lower slopes of the mountain.

Then I'd head south through Portland to Interstate 5 and out to the south-central Oregon coast using Oregon Hwy 38, a very scenic route through the Coast Range, including likely sightings of numerous elk on the flatlands just before Reedsport. I'd spend that night (the third) in Bandon, a very nice little town on the south coast.

The next day, the drive south from Bandon to the California line includes the most scenic lengths of the Oregon coast, then right after Crescent City you're in the redwoods. Visit some of the groves along US 101 and spend the night somewhere around Eureka. Many prefer Trinidad, north of Eureka while I like Ferndale, a picturesque Victorian village to the south, but either is fine.

The next day, drive along the Avenue of the Giants byway that parallels US 101, then head to the coast on California Hwy 1 for an overnight in Mendocino, another postcard-perfect Victorian town.

The final day, follow SR 1 all the way to the Golden Gate and SF for your flight out.

This doesn't give you much time in any of the big cities, but it will give you tremendous variety and some of the most amazing sights available in the western US. Highly recommended.

I do think that SF to Seattle is a more interesting drive than SF to San Diego. There's just more interesting scenery along the way. I would definitely check out Portland (great for restaurants and just hanging out), and while you're in that when you hit the Columbia river you may want to see the Oregon coast and/or the Columbia River Gorge, Mt. St. Helens, etc.

Gardyloo's itinerary is very good - IF you plan no time in either Seattle or San Francisco. Just for the drive between the two, it is good.

Also -- it may be that you assume june/summer is the best weather on the coast -- it isn't. If you can postpone til September -- heck, you could even rent a convertible

Whichever route you decide, I believe you would do well to include Mt. Rainier and the stretch of the Oregon Coast from Yachts to Florence. The up-close view of Mt. Rainier in unforgettable, and the part of Highway 101 I mention includes Cape Perpetua, which is one of the scenic highlights of Pacific Coast.

HTtY

I really like Gardyloo's suggestion, with one tweak: I agree with HTTY that Yachats to Florence, including Cape Perpetua and the Heceta Head lighthouse, is one of the great areas on the Oregon Coast. So instead of taking Hwy 38 I'd either take hwy. 99W & 18 from Portland to the Coast (and endure the traffic jams along it and ignore the line of beach town hotels for the first 20 or so miles along the coast) .. or ... I'd take Hwy. 34 and US 20 from I-5 south of Albany to Corvallis and Newport.

The east side of the Cascades, and the Columbia, is so very different from what most people think of Washington and Oregon.

I especially like her suggestion of staying 2 nights in the Columbia Gorge and especially driving up to Timberline Lodge on Mt Hood ... its one of the spectacular old lodges (google it) ... right at timberline between trees and semi-perpetual snowfields ... the road will be clear but in early June there will be snow nearby ... and some great views.(I'd be willing to forgo Rainier for it, but both or either would be great.)

But it all depends on what interests you the most.

If you would like to stop for a few nights somewhere along the coast (or the redwoods) to play on the beach, you may want to speed on I-5 from Seattle directly to Portland and forgo that first bit to the east side of the Cascades and the Columbia Gorge to be able to spend more time on the coast.

And if you're interested in wine, you may want to spend more time in the north Willamette Valley wine country between Portland and the Coast or the Napa wine country north of San Francisco. (and forgo some of the above).

You should play around with some of the mapping programs that give you estimated driving time, your own thoughts, and some of the suggestions on here.