Juldie

tomsd; the reason I ask about hot springs instead of reading the info on them on line is that in the past when I travelled in BC some listed I found to be run down, over crowded and just not so appealing. The ones I went to that someone actually had been to and referred me were great. I have been spoiled by springs in the Santa Fe, NM area and in BC. It just may be this trip i am planning won't be about hot springs which is no problem.

I just got off the phone from my sister and I told her the trip I am planning, she highly recommended that I give real consideration to Mt. Shasta. That seems to throw a monkey wrench into the rest of what we have in mind for OR time wise.

bbqboy

Why Mt. Shasta? It is within range of
Ashland-folks from there shop here in the Rogue Valley, but 8-9 days there?
Hmmm. Here is my feeling-there are several unique towns in Oregon, Klamath Falls, Tillamook, and Lincoln City aren't among them. Eugene is too big and flat.
Yes, the route I described is within reason. Several friends and relatives have done just that route over the years,but you could break it up into parts too. September is the best month of the year round these parts.

Juldie

bbqboy; thanks again. Been on the computer mapping it all out. Is there a reason to consider your route in reverse, inland first and then to the coast? I am thinking of adding a stop in Detroit at Breitenbush Hot Springs. Also a stop in Sisters. Next, I will look at where we want to spend overnight(s) and where we will just drive, stop, visit, etc. Everyone has really jump started the trip for us!

janisj

From Fodors guidelines: . . .>><blue>#6 Don't monopolize the boards. Fodor's is a place for conversations and dialog . . . The forums are not to be used as a personal blog . . . monopolizing a forum or thread will not be tolerated.</blue>Juldie: Mt Shasta is a fine place but I wouldn't try to squeeze it into your itinerary. Unless maybe you wanted to to visit McArthur Burney Falls or something like that. Lots to see in the area but it would be spreading things too thin IMO.

sunbum1944

Belknap Hot Springs is a great place on the McKenzie HY between Eugene and Sisters. It is a resort, camp grounds as well but has a nice clean pool right beside the river. You can use the pool for a fee even though you are not staying there, They have beautiful grounds and walking paths- we often stop there for a soak after a day of skiing or snow shoeing

Tomsd

What is that hall monitor Janis doing out on the loose again? Geesh.

Mt Shasta is great for renting a houseboat and floating around for a few days - and things like that - but other than that - I don't know of any special reason to go there.

bbqboy

Mt. Shasta is quite a bit away from Shasta Lake .

bbqboy

Whoops, hit post too soon. Of course you can do the route in reverse,Juldie.It's your vacation.

Juldie

bbqboy; sure I know, just wondered if there are advantages going north up the coast vs. going south in terms of the views.

janisj

"Mt Shasta is great for renting a houseboat and floating around for a few days - and things like that - but other than that - I don't know of any special reason to go there."

Guess you haven't spent much time there. No Houseboats in Mt Shasta -- pontoon patio boats for an afternoon on Lake Siskiyou are about all.

Juldie: No real advantage northward or southward. Places down south like Big Sur it can make a bit of a difference but where you are going not much in it. Some prefer going south so they are on the ocean side . . . but IMO not that much difference. 6 of 1/half dozen of the other.

Tomsd

Janis: You continued non-distinctions are really weak. Please try to contribute something on your own other than just attempts at proof-reading.

And as far as houseboats on Lake Shasta - you are FLAT OUT wrong, which happens too frequently:

http://www.sevencrown.com/houseboats..._sierra_ex.htm

I know people who have rented houseboats there for a week at a time.

Tomsd

Here's another one if you don't like that the previous page:

http://www.houseboating.org/shasta/overview.cfm

Tomsd

Here's another one: http://www.shastalake.com/boatrentals/

http://www.shastalake.com/resorts/index.html

Tomsd

And if your sister really meant Mt. Shasta - as opposed to Shasta Lake - which most locals think of when they hear Shasta - then I would agree - there is not much in Mt. Shasta - unless you really like trout fishing in the nearby McLoud River, etc.

Well - there is a small ski area there in the winter - and people do climb Mt. Shasta - but you have to really know what you are doing if you attempt that. People have died trying that.

janisj

"And as far as houseboats on Lake Shasta - you are FLAT OUT wrong, which happens too frequently:"

idjit. It is Mount Shasta juldie asked about. Lake Shasta is 50 miles from Mt. Shasta. Which is what bbqboy was trying to tell you . . .

Tomsd

And for Juldie: IMO - it's cutting fine hairs if someone says there is a big advantage driving north to south - or south or north on the Oregon Coast. Have done it both ways a number of times, and I don't think it really matters.

Now in Big Sur - I think going North to South offers you some advantages (easier to pull off - can look down the steeper cliffs easier, etc - but again, for the Oregon Coast - it's not as steep and the road is easier to drive.

What might matter is if you want to start out going down the middle of the state to say Crater Lake and then over to the Coast - or vice versa. One advantage of starting out on the north coast is that you can get there in a couple of hours from Portland - v. taking longer to get down to Crater Lake.

Another advantage is that if you need to get back to Portland on your last day - going up I-5 or even 97 is quicker than going up the Coast hiway.

Tomsd

There goes Janis again.

bbqboy

I think you'd love Breitenbush. I have never been, but friends who go rave about it. We also have Jackson Hot Springs in Ashland, which is a pool with spring water,and
I suspect you'd like the vibe.

Tomsd

Quick Q for BBQboy: You said your friends have driven the Coast hiway many times - and I assume that mean you have too?

Tomsd

Just to quickly review - if your sister did indeed mean driving to Mt. Shasta - a beautiful mountain - you could still easily visit that from Southern Oregon. It's only about 70 miles from miles Ashland - a straight shot down Freeway I-5 - and about the same distance on Route 97 south from Klamath Falls - which is also a good hiway. http://www.distancebetweencities.net...hland_or/route

Mt. Shasta is actually closer to the Oregon border than Shasta Lake - which is another hour or so south.

Here again though is a page for the other beautiful cinder coned peaks in the Cascades, and if you didn't see Mt. Shasta up close and personal this trip - you can still see some of these other beautiful works of nature. http://tinyurl.com/7a734hq

Now - if you are having second thoughts about starting in Oregon - and are again considering starting in California - (or perhaps flying back out of SF) - you can also drive between Mt. Shasta (via freeway I-5) from the San Francisco airport in about 5 hours - if you are planning around rush hour traffic. http://www.travelmath.com/driving-ti...+Francisco,+CA

If you wanted to do this via the California Coast roads - it would of course, take longer.