rayebreaux

The family would like to see the giant redwoods. I am thinking of a driving tour that starts (after a long flight and a rental car) with a few days in San Francisco, then heads north with family friendly stops along the way. Perhaps we could make it all the way to Portland, and fly home from there. What sights, stops, and detours do you suggest along the way? I don't know the first thing about CA, so any tidbit of info would be very helpful to me.

agoldie12

Your question is very general. How much time do you have? Are you a member of AAA? Looking at books is a great resource and then, you can ask us all for more specific information.

kleroux

If you fly into San Francisco, you will probably want to spend several days there. Then heading North across the Golden Gate Bridge, you get to the wine country of Calif. There are two major wine growing area's. Napa and Sonoma Counties. Napa is better known, but imo Sonoma is more beautiful. About 1.5 hrs North of SF is the town of Healdsburg. You should be able to Google it. Since you have a family traveling with you, you might like to stay in a vacation rental home rather than a hotel... check out www.sonomacountyvacations.com. But there are many hotels, B&B's and motels in this area. The next day, You can go West from Healdsburg on a day trip and see beautiful redwood trees in Armstrong Woods State Park in Guerneville.(Google it) and continue out to the Pacific ocean where the Russian River meets the sea. Turn South through Bodega Bay and then head back East towards Santa Rosa..and then back to Healdsburg. The next day, You could drive over the hills to Calistoga in Upper Napa Valley and over towards Middletown and join up to Interstate #5 which will take you all the way to Portland. A direct drive from Healdsburg to Ashland Oregon (right over the state line) takes 6 hours. I'd stop in Ashland, and maybe see a play..and then continue to Portland which is about 4 hrs beyond that. I don't know what sort of sight seeing you want, but this might at least give you a basic idea. Welcome to California!!

gplusg

My wife and I did this kind of trip about 5-6 years ago.
After a couple of days in SF we picked up a car and went to Sonoma wine country for 2-3 days then headed to Half Moon Bay on the coast, to connect with the coast highway and headed North. There is an inland route,through beautiful country, but a typical Interstate.
The coast road views were our our preference. We took that as far North as Fort Bragg then headed slightly inland to near the Oregon Border.I cannot remember the town in which we stayed but if you look at map you will spot it. And,---it is in the midst of one of the largest Redwood forests around.

From there we contnued North to the Oregon coast to Gold Beach.At that point is one of the lovliest small inns in the Country--The Tu-Tu-Tun Inn. Fabulous.

From there we headed North, and with one stop ended up in Portland, and flew back home.

I used Hertz because they were the only ones That charged no drop-off fee. It might be someone different now.Shop around a little for the car.

Have a great trip.

kleroux

I too think the TuTuTun Inn is fabulous!!! I'd certainly make it a stop. Then swing over to the Ashland area.

ellen_griswold

Spend some time in Redwood National Park, norht of san francisco and right on the coast, even if you just drive through it. There's no lodging in the park, the closest town is Crescent City, CA
I wouldn't stay there however, but check out Brookings, Oregon instead.

Supercilious

The original poster stated the desire to visit the giant redwoods. Some of the suggestions have them doing everything but seeing the redwoods other than the Armstrong grove.

The giant coastal redwoods are in Humboldt and Del Norte counties in upper Northwestern California. There are a few isolated groves in Marin, Sonoma, and Mendocino counties but they do not compare with the trees further north.

There are also giant redwoods in the Sierra Nevada. These are called Sequoia and are larger in size than the coastal redwoods but are not as tall.

The Redwood Highway is a great drive and you can spend several days visiting the great groves that lie north of Leggett on Hwy 101. Although upscale lodging is limited, rayebreaux seemed more interested in family friendly stops. There are plenty of inexpenive motels along the route.

Redwood National Park has the ultimate trees but the groves along the Avenue of the Giants and especially the Rockefeller Forest are superb too.

After Jedediah Smith State Park along the Smith River, you have a choice of routes that will get you to Portland - coast or inland. The coast is a great trip in itself and there's tons of stuff to see and do. The family would enjoy the jet boat trips out of Gold Beach if you go that way.

But you can also go up to Grant's Pass and take a jet boat trip. Also, on the way to Grant's Pass, is the Oregon Caves National Monument which is a cool respite on a hot summer day. Nearby is some cool treehouse lodging:

http://www.treehouses.com/

Whichever way you go, make sure you take your time and enjoy the sights along the way.