From Oregon To California
 

We are planning a trip from Eugene Oregon to the Redwoods. Would be leaving here Friday at 5:00. About where would you recommend we make our motel room reservation, if we plan to drive until around 10:00P.M? I was thinking Crescent City, but have only been this way once. Any motel recommendations, would be appreciated.

Stay in Brookings. Cresent City is Dogtown.

I would drive less, stay in Grants Pass so you could eat, then enjoy breakfast the next morning and

...and see the drive through CJ to the Redwood Forest. US 199 is hazardous to your health at night.

So would be doing the hazardous part at night if we went as far as Brookings? Like the idea of staying there better than Grants Pass?

Frogdahl, I made assumptions last night about your route and I had just finished driving back from Portland, so that Eugene to GP stretch was fresh in my mind.
Let's start over.
A: Are you coming down I-5 to US199 at GP? Or are you heading OR126 to 101?
Brookings is nicer than Crescent City. I realized I was only thinking of the far northern reaches of the Redwoods, and assumed you were going to Jed Smith State Park, which is above Crescent City. On 101 headed S., you turn beforeCS, on 199 you are in the forest before it also.
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=413
I was mainly wary of those towns being closed up by 10:00PM, and trudging to motel lobbies
after searching for late food.
The drive down 199 is pretty and worth seeing in the morning, in my opinion, but is doable at night.
It's about another 1 1/2 hours from GP to The coast on 199, so you could also stop in Cave Junction, which would time out about right
for stopping and getting up the next morning for about a 30-45 minute drive to the park.
Hope this was a clearer explaination.

Is this during the summer, and how do you plan to go? If you go down I-5 to Grants Pass then US 199 to Crescent City, you won't need 5 hours, more like 3 1/2 to 4, so arriving in the area around 9 pm, still twilight. I agree Crescent City is no great shakes, but if that's your route you can find a motel for one night, then set about exploring the redwoods in earnest the next morning.

If you want to go via the coast, then I'd go down I-5 to Drain and take SR 38 over to Reedsport (through the beautiful Umpqua canyon) then aim for Bandon for the night. Bandon is only 3 hours or so from Eugene, but IMO the towns between there and the state line are no great shakes, while Bandon has some decent restaurants and places to stay. Then in the morning you're close enough to the redwoods to get there in an hour or two of driving. Or, if you want to push another hour past Bandon then Brookings is okay. Gold Beach used to be my stopover of choice from Eugene heading south, but in recent years I think Gold Beach has gotten overly developed and lost much of its appeal. For me, Brookings never had much in the first place, but for a motel stop it's okay.

If you go I-199, there's Oregon Caves off the hi-way (not sure how far off maybe 1/2 hr). It was great and they do have a lodge. Crescent City is okay but I've never stayed in a motel there.

I agree w/ Gardyloo. Bandon or possibly Gold Beach would be good stop overs. Bandon makes the most sense. And there are some really good restaurants there.

Sorry, I guess I seem to leave out lots of info, as I think I know what I'm doing, all should.Ha! I am thinking we will do the coast thing on our way back. After we have done the Redwoods. So my first part of planning the trip is to get us somewhere, sort of nice the first night. Really just to lay our heads though.Then on to the Redwoods. Then thought once I have that planned, my husband can help with the trip up the coast, with all of your suggestions, of coarse. This is for our 28th Wedding Anniversary. Thanks so much for your ideas, I think I am well on my way. Any other thoughts let me know.
Teri

Callahan's would be perfect for that. You would enjoy it, especially if this is a special trip.
Wonderful views, great food, and you are ready to hit Ca. the next Morning. I'm now assuming you're going I-5 to 299 and west. If so, the Sundial Bridge in Redding is really neat and worth a visit.
I would only tell you that the Redwoods as we've described them(around the Ca. Or. border) are
quite spectacular, and
a lot closer than motoring clear to Eureka and
back up. You could easily spend all your time there. You can only get to the coast on OR199
or CA299, so your 2 queries here don't really match up.