Just beginning to plan a trip to the west coast for 7-10 days. We are two active 60 year olds. Will fly from Michigan, rent a car and tour the land. Which airport, Seattle or Portland? We will do a circle..what are must sees? Love fall colors, mild temps...coastal scenery. When would be the best time? Any and all positive suggestions would be appreciated!

Depending on airfare would be which airport for me..Seattle is 3-4 hours from Portland..Fall colors are muted here, Portland, there are more evergreens than maples etc. Expect wet days with foggy/misty conditions, which can make an ordinary landscape, mysterious and more beautiful.
For drier conditions, earlier in the fall..it starts raining by Oct in Portland.
The coast is cooler and wetter very often.
I guess, I would arrive in Portland, explore the city/gardens,etc, then take day trips to the Coast, the Wine country (which can be done with the coast) and the Gorge/Historic Highway/Waterfalls.
Then drive to Seattle..see everything there. Can you fly into one and leave from another?
Hope this helps

When we planned our trip to Seattle/Wash State we were told by friends who lived there then that mid to late September was best time weatherwise to be in that area. We spent 10 days starting on 9/15 and the only rain I can remember was a few sprinkles on one of the days we were in Seattle. Just my experience. And previous poster is right. There are just too many everygreens there to get what we easterners call beautiful fall colors. New England/Upstate NY are tops for that I think.

Fall colors in Leavenworth WA are THE reason people go to Leavenworth. It is also appple picking time and believe me you will not belive how good a fresh picked apple is.

July through late Sept. or early Oct. is the best time for mild temps, although it has been quite hot here this summer. We sometimes have a nice Indian summer and when we do it can be nice through October.

From Oct. through June you can be that you will experience some rain during your trip. Us Oregonians never let the rain stop us from doing what we normally do. Most of us continue to hike, run or walk around without an umbrella when it rains.

The scenery along The Gorge is some of the most spectacular in the world, in my opinion. You can drive along the scenic highway and stop at several of the many waterfalls on the Oregon side. From The Gorge you can loop around Mt. Hood via Hood River and cross over the mountain on the other side, maybe driving up to the beautiful and historic Timberline Lodge toward the top of Mt Hood.

A couple of days along the Oregon coast would be well worth your time. I prefer some of the quieter towns such as Pacific City and Yachats to the more touristy spots like Cannon Beach and Newport.

Seattle is a great city to wander around in for a couple of days. It tends to be cloudier and wetter up there.

Enjoy!

Ah, but the difference is in the variety of landscapes available within a short time.

The Cascade mountains (Mt Rainier, Mt Hood et al) create a dramatic division - wet and evergreen on the west side, dry and more seasonal on the east. In late September or early October you can have it all - fall color, harvest scenery, clear skies...

Plan your routes through/over the Cascades to include the Columbia Gorge on the south, and one of the northern east-west crossings - either US2 through Leavenworth and Wenatchee, WA SR 20 through North Cascades National Park, or (best IMO) BC Route 3 just north of the Canadian border, for the other direction. For example, you can fly into Portland, head out to the coast (Cannon Beach etc.) then north along US 101 past the Olympic National Park coastal strip and the Quinault and Hoh rainforest valleys (spectacular), then across the top of the Olympic Peninsula (seeing Hurricane Ridge near Port Angeles) and over to Whidbey Island in Puget Sound via the cute ferry from Port Townsend.

From Whidbey you travel north to SR 20 and over the North Cascades, or north to the Canadian border then east on TC 1 to Hope, then BC 3 to Osoyoos; then south from either the SR 20 junction or the border at Osoyoos on US 97 all the way back down to the Columbia River, then back through the Gorge to the Portland airport. Or you could do it in reverse, or start in Seattle, head out to the coast, then resume the loop as previously described, ending back in Seattle after the Gorge and Portland (and also seeing Mt St Helens in the process too.)

This loop has it all - big water coast, "America's Alps," red rock and cowboy country, Indian country (several interesting reservations en route), Puget Sound, and the Columbia valley and Gorge. Throw in Mt Hood and the Hood River valley orchards, or orchards around Omak, Wenatchee or along BC 3, hard cider in BC and beer and new wine in Oregon or the Yakima valley, giant cedars with giant elk at their base, inland waters and ferries.... and plenty of fall color. Vermont it's not, but how many active volcanoes or mile-wide rivers do they have in New England?

Don't miss the Maryhill Museum near Goldendale (east end of the Gorge) for Rodin in the sagebrush, or McMenamins Edgefield for funky accommodation near the Portland airport... way too many things. 7-10 days will be full full, but it's a doable itinerary.

Happy planning!

If you do make it to Maryhill- and you like to golf, Goldendale has a nice golf course...

Definitely don't miss the Gorge (Hood River). If you make it this far east- Pendleton is interesting, and Walla Walla/ Dayton are great during the fall (fall colors, not much rain, not too cold). Spokane's a great city- check out Riverfront Park, Davenport Hotel, Catacombs Pub....just to name a few.

Cannon Beach is also gorgeous at this time of year.

Pack for any weather- CB/Seattle could be sunny or pouring rain. Eastern WA will be very pleasant, probably, but cool in the evenings.

I'd go in mid- late October! Still possibly decent weather, and you can catch fall festivals/corn mazes.

But if you like warmer weather or less rain in Oregon, go before end of September....

If you go in September- check out the WA state fair- doooo the Puyallup- It's a great and fun overview of WA state- ride the old wooden roller coaster. And check out WA's (or OR's) tourism sites for other local events!

Hmmm...nothing else- everyone's beaten me to most of it....you'll be driving through some unbelievably beautiful areas- stop and explore the nooks and crannies, or just stop and smell the fall air (well, roses does not fit)

Have a great time!

You must see Columbia River Gorge and Mt Hood. Cannon Beach was also extremely beautiful. But the Columbia River Gorge must be one of the most beautiful places on earth. (sigh!)

Here would be my itinerary for mid-September. Fly into Bellingham, WA and fly out of Portland, OR(only $50+ more and allows you to see San Juan Islands). Bellingham airport(early as possible) -Take Chuckanut Drive, suggest quaint Rhododendron Cafe for panfried Samish Bay oysters, on to La Conner - stay at Ship Harbor Inn (not pretty but convenient) at Anacortes ferry. Early ferry with car to Orcas Is. then to San Juan Is. - incl. Lime Kiln State Pk for Orca viewing at sunset. San Juan Is. or Anacortes to Whidbey Is. - Langley - Mukiteo Ferry -continue to Seattle for 2-3 days. Recommend Silver Cloud Inn-Lake Union (high floor on Lake Union Side)beautiful views, pkg, includes breakfast. Be sure to eat at Ray's Boathouse Restaurant at sunset for great water views. Seattle to Mt. Rainier (optional)- continue HWY 5 exit at Kelso - over to Astoria to Cannon Beach (sea stacks at sunset - wow!) Recommend Cannon Beach Hotel (at beach near sea stacks). Next day - first go to Ecola State Park for sweeping coastal vistas - continue down to Three Capes Loop near Tillamook - Willamette Valley wineries (optional)- on to Portland. Portland 2-3 days. Recommend Four Pts Sheraton Portland- Downtown for location and parking. Portland Fodor picks, especially Japanese Garden. Have fun!

Where is sumreknot? The question was asked in Aug..I look forward to hearing how the trip went.

Ahhh,,,we just got back..a full report to follow..yes..it was great...now to catch up with the time difference...thanks for checking up on us!

Several years ago we wanted to visit our daughter in Corvallis, OR when I noticed that tickets from BWI to Seattle rather than Portland were $100 cheaper per person. Well, we thought, it'd be nice to see Seattle, so I bought two tickets. Before we left Maryland I remembered that I'd always wanted to go to Buchart Gardens. So we had to rent a car (wouldn't have had to do so if we had just flown into Portland), spent two nights in Seattle (didn't see a lot--we need to go back), two nights in Port Angeles, crossed into B.C. on the people-only ferry and saw the spectular gardens, drove up to Hurricane Ridge and then on around the Olympic Peninsula, finally across the river into Oregon and on to Corvallis. We spent over $1000 in order to save $200, but it was a great trip!