Alright everybody. See how this sounds to all of yall.

July 5-7 Seattle

July 7-9 Portland

July 9-10 Portland to Cannon Beach
(w/ stops in Astoria, Seaside)

July 10-11 CB to Yachats
(Tillamook & 3 Capes)

July 11-12 Yachats to Gold Beach
(boat trip or rafting)

July 12-13 To the Redwoods

July 13-14 To Crater Lake

July 14-15 Crater Lake to the Gorge

July 15-16 Gorge to Portland

To much moving around or should I add a day to a certain place? Let me know. Thanks.

Sounds perfect, I think you are all set for a great trip, enjoy! ***kim*** ((f))

BB, thanks for Bandon route. Will check out the elk reserve as well.

I had a feeling there weren't many gardens down the coast. Figured the weather might not be conducive for such things. But you're right. I think the entire drive might be like driving through a garden!

We'll be spending the first couple days in Portland. Then early Sunday morning, we'll start the drive out to the coast. Will take 26 out to Cannon Beach and start our way down to Yachats (will take the 3-Capes drive, I hear a lot about that one). So that portion of the drive (Portland to Cannon to Yachats) will be done in one day.

We'll be staying in Yachats for a couple nights. Then it's down to Bandon for some golf!!!

May take an afternoon to go from Bandon to Gold's beach then back if we have the time.

Appreciate any sites you have in mind.

Kimamom,

Is that a pretty good pace? We will be hiking, stopping at lighthouses, doing the history stops, and the guys want to maybe do some whitewater rafting instead of the jet boat tour. I just don't want to short change the coast or try and get to much in. I know that with all of your help back in the fall of 2005, our trip to the Ca. coast was perfect. After 12 days, we are usually ready to come home but my husband said that I had it planned out perfectly. The only thing about this trip is that we are in a different hotel a bunch of nights and that will be difficult but if you think it is doable, I am happy. Thanks.

So you're planning 1 night in each of the stops along the coast, ladynole? Hmmm.....

Did we mention minimum stay requirements you're likely to encounter in Cannon Beach? Also, if you're planning a jetboat trip out of Gold Beach, check http://www.roguejets.com/ or http://www.mailboat.com/ for schedules. Lots of sights to see between Yachats and Gold Beach, so you'll be on the road early that day.

One partial fix to these issues would be to cut the night in the redwoods, and drive directly from Gold Beach to Crater Lake. It wouldn't be a long day, and the route takes you through a couple redwood groves, notably http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=413. Another suggestion would be to cut out the night in the Columbia River Gorge. Most visitors "do" the gorge as a day (or half-day) trip from Portland. Any reason you wouldn't want to do that?

I know you can't do everything, but a couple other thoughts..... Not a lot of relaxation time built into this itinerary. If that's your travel style, okay, but I'm wondering when your child will have time to just be a kid at the beach: exploring tidepools, flying kites, building sandcastles, skim-boarding, etc. And I don't see that you've planned a dune buggy ride anywhere. Better than any ride at any amusement park in the country.

Other that that, I agree with kimamom! ;-)

I agree with beachbum. It sounds fine if you are up for that much moving around. Just depends on your taste.

You mention possibly doing some white water rafting. If you stop in Bend on the way to the gorge, that would be perfect. We go every summer on one of these trips and use Suncountry Tours. The Big Eddy is a good beginner trip and lots of fun!

BB,

Thank you so much for the help. About the Redwood thing, if we can see redwoods by not going there and saving a day that would be great. Also, my son wants to do the dune buggy ride. Would water rafting be better than the boat tour? My husband and son have done that before (whitewater) and loved it. If we cut out the Redwoods and one day at the Gorge, where would you add it too? I don't like the idea of being in a different hotel every night but we do want to get in as much scenery as we can. Any thoughts? How bout that sweet tea? *grin*

Just saw your latest post, ladynole, so to add to mine....

My wife and I took our then 13 year old on a SW Oregon roadtrip a couple years ago that had us:

1 night in Yachats;
2 nights in Gold Beach;
2 nights in Ashland; and
1 night at Crater Lake.

If you're asking about pacing, that was to quick for me.

Oh, that's a lot of one night stays! I also agree with beachbum's suggestion to cut out the night in the Redwoods--I'd add that night to the Gold Beach stop so you have time to do the full day jet boat trip up the Rogue.

If you do the gorge as a day trip from Portland, and have another night to play with, then I'd probably add it to Cannon Beach.

Okay, I'm falling behind, here! ;-)

<i>...we do want to get in as much scenery as we can.</i>

My honest opinion is that you would enjoy four nights at any one coastal destination (I'd pick either Cannon Beach or Yachats) more than the hectic schedule you've planned. And you wouldn't miss much in the way of sightseeing or scenery.

Now, back to tandg! ;-)

Ok. How about this. Cutting out the Redwoods and adding a couple of nights to the coast. I just can't quite figure out where to take the most time. The 3 capes look great and then the dune buggy ride and the boat. Oh boy, I'm getting confused. HELP! I know that Seattle &amp; Portland are set and there are a few thing that I want to see on the coast and we have to see Crater Lake and the gorge. Will somebody plan this for me before I pull my hair out? *grin*

travelinandgolfin,

Besides Three Capes Scenic Loop, consider:

1. Ecola State Park (just north of Cannon Beach), including Indian Beach;
2. Oswald West State Park (10? miles south of Cannon Beach), where your wife will love the walk through the rainforest to Short Sands Beach; and
3. Cascade Head (six miles north of Lincoln City); the view south from there is one of my favorite on the coast.

Realizing you won't have time, I might even be tempted to scratch Three Capes. Mms, help me out here! ;-)

Haceta Head Lighthouse, Cape Perpetua, the Oregon Dunes, and Newport are all close to Yachats, so you'll have no trouble filling your time there. But, I'd throw in Oregon Coast Aquarium if that sort of thing is of interest.

The best reason to take the drive from Bandon to Gold Beach would be the stretch of scenery between Port Orford and Gold Beach. Countless roadside pullouts, each promising views more scenic than the last. And the view coming down into Port Orford might just be the best on the entire coast.

A couple of extra nights on the coast sounds great to me, try to make your reservations asap for July! ***kim*** ((f))

I'm losing track too, ladynole. ;-) Could you swing 3 nights in Yachats and 2 in Gold Beach? At a minimum, that gets you lighthouses, a dune buggy ride, jetboat trip... and sets you up for the redwoods and Crater Lake. Not sure yet how to work a white-water trip in there, though.

Cutting out the night in the redwoods just gives you one extra night so where will you get your &quot;couple nights&quot; to add to the coast?

And just so you know, once you're down as far as Gold Beach, you pretty much need to take Rt 199 through the redwoods to get to Crater Lake.

Beachbum is giving excellent suggestions, IMO. The Three Capes Loop is fantastic, so if you can squeeze time in for that I don't think you would be sorry at all. Plus there are places to stop and go hiking, short trails as well as longer. If you add days to any one area, I would say maybe add a day to the coast but also add a day into central OR, on your way from Crater Lake to the Gorge. The rafting could be done with that, as well as checking out some other great places in the area around Bend.

We could cut out the Redwoods and BB said to do the Gorge in a day, so that would be an extra day there. Also, wouldn't we cut across at Gold beach thru Siskiyou Natl Forest and that runs into Grants Pass?

Ok, I didn't realize you'd decided you were going to cut out the night at the Gorge as well.

I personally would go with 2 nights CB, 1 night Yachats and 2 nights Gold Beach but I could totally see doing Beachbum's suggestion of 3 nigths Yachats and 2 nights Gold Beach. It really depends on whether you want to see the north coast as well.

I wouldn't recommend the forest service road over the mountains from Gold Beach--199 is safer, not much longer (if at all) since you can go faster, *and* you get to see the redwoods.

Nope, that drive is through the mountains, on a narrow, windy (curves) road. Any Gold Beach local will tell you to take 101 south to Crescent City, then 199 NE to Grants Pass. The road through the mountains would save less than a half hour anyway.

Thank you for all of the help. I know yall want me to decide and stop asking so many questions. I think that cutting out the Redwoods and one night at the Gorge will give us another 2 days at CB and 2 at Gold Beach unless we should add a day around Crater Lake. That WILL BE my last decision on what nights where. I will drive myself crazy with the decisions on where to stop. I want to move on to the fun stuff, like the food.