One week in Seattle, WA/Portland, OR in January
Dec 30th, 2015, 01:33 PM
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One week in Seattle, WA/Portland, OR in January
My husband and I (from Ohio) are going to be flying to the West coast for the first time ever in January. We will be landing in Seattle, WA but would love to explore both Washington and Oregon coastal areas. Realizing January isn't ideal weather conditions I was hoping for recommendations on sights in the area. We would like to spend a day in both Seattle, as well as Portland to experience the cities but are generally much more into quiet coastal areas, parks, etc. We will be renting a midsize SUV but won't have 4wd to get through really tough road conditions(but aren't too squeamish about road conditions as we are from Ohio
. I have always wanted to see the San Juan islands, Puget sound, and Oregon coast but am also thinking it would be crazy to not see Mt. St. Helens or Mt. Hood, and would also love to see some falls. SO much to see in both states, and not enough time! Would love to hear any thoughts on how to make the most of the week!! Thanks for your time!
. I have always wanted to see the San Juan islands, Puget sound, and Oregon coast but am also thinking it would be crazy to not see Mt. St. Helens or Mt. Hood, and would also love to see some falls. SO much to see in both states, and not enough time! Would love to hear any thoughts on how to make the most of the week!! Thanks for your time!
Dec 30th, 2015, 02:51 PM
#2
A couple of considerations...
Daylight is short, so plan accordingly. You don't want to be driving on twisty wet roads at night.
Rental car companies don't allow snow chains, so Mt. St. Helens is off the table, maybe Mt. Hood too, although there are bus/van services to Timberline Lodge to help skiers. http://www.mthoodexpress.com/
The coast will likely be wet, maybe stormy, maybe sunny, or more likely all of the above. Presumably you know what you're in for in terms of weather.
With a week I'd probably take the ferry across Puget Sound from Seattle to Bremerton, then work out to the coast with a stop at Cape Disappointment at the (awesome) mouth of the Columbia River. I'd head south on the coast to the little town of Yachats ("ya-hots") and stay at the Fireside or Overleaf motels - oceanfront with fireplaces, etc. http://www.firesidemotel.com/ or http://www.overleaflodge.com/ (sister properties.)
Then back to the Willamette Valley and up to Portland. Drive the historic Columbia Gorge Highway to Multnomah Falls, and if the weather's okay drive up the beautiful Hood River Valley to Government Camp and Timberline, then back up I-5 to Seattle.
Here's a possible route - https://goo.gl/maps/1E8WAkA1v6U2
You might also consider taking the train from Seattle to Portland; it's inexpensive and quite scenic in bits, takes around 4 hours. Then you could get a car and do a loop out to the coast; this would save quite a lot of driving. http://www.amtrakcascades.com/
Daylight is short, so plan accordingly. You don't want to be driving on twisty wet roads at night.
Rental car companies don't allow snow chains, so Mt. St. Helens is off the table, maybe Mt. Hood too, although there are bus/van services to Timberline Lodge to help skiers. http://www.mthoodexpress.com/
The coast will likely be wet, maybe stormy, maybe sunny, or more likely all of the above. Presumably you know what you're in for in terms of weather.
With a week I'd probably take the ferry across Puget Sound from Seattle to Bremerton, then work out to the coast with a stop at Cape Disappointment at the (awesome) mouth of the Columbia River. I'd head south on the coast to the little town of Yachats ("ya-hots") and stay at the Fireside or Overleaf motels - oceanfront with fireplaces, etc. http://www.firesidemotel.com/ or http://www.overleaflodge.com/ (sister properties.)
Then back to the Willamette Valley and up to Portland. Drive the historic Columbia Gorge Highway to Multnomah Falls, and if the weather's okay drive up the beautiful Hood River Valley to Government Camp and Timberline, then back up I-5 to Seattle.
Here's a possible route - https://goo.gl/maps/1E8WAkA1v6U2
You might also consider taking the train from Seattle to Portland; it's inexpensive and quite scenic in bits, takes around 4 hours. Then you could get a car and do a loop out to the coast; this would save quite a lot of driving. http://www.amtrakcascades.com/
Dec 30th, 2015, 04:14 PM
#3
Definitely don't try for Mt St Helens ... you'd have to drive minor roads that might not be plowed ... I enjoy driving through, and am not intimidated by, snow ... but would only go to St Helens in the winter if I had chains on my SUV and were going for reasons other than for touring (like winter mountaineering or backcountry skiing)
Timberline Lodge on Mt Hood is one of my favorite places, so I'd recommend trying to get there, but it will be *totally* weather dependent. But I'd do it as a day trip directly from Portland (or stay overnight at the lodge) via highway US 26.
First, here's a big difference between Ohio and Washington/Oregon. Weather in Ohio tends to differ between big regions. Here it differs with elevation. Seattle and Portland and the coast are often rainy, but as you go up in the mountains it most often (not always) gets colder and the light (or heavy) rain turns to light (or heavy) snow. And the snow here is a wet, not dry, so it tends to compact on the roads and gets slippery. And roads in the mountains tend to have steeper grades, so traction (e.g. snow tires, or mud + snow tires, or chains) becomes a critical issue.
If you want to get into the mountains at all, check with your rental company if your SUV comes with mud + snow tires - many do come equipped that way. And inquire whether on an SUV they'd permit chains (they won't permit them on a rental auto, but might on an SUV)
I've driven clear to Timberline Lodge mid winter several times in non-4wd vehicles just fine (but I've always carried but not used chains .. though once I did need to put the chains on)... but always with use either winter or M+S tires ... all-season radials will NOT cut it.
As long as you have good winter tires or M+S tires you should be ok *if* ... and it's a big if - you happen to hit a period between snow storms. With any luck you may hit such a period - we've just had a an unusually wet (and in the mountains - *heavy snow*) December, but the long range forecast is for a drier than normal January. So highway US 26 to Mt. Hood could be well plowed and sanded, snow free. From the turnoff from the highway up to Timberline Lodge the road is much curvier and much steeper ... and it's likely to be covered with compact snow or snow compacted into ice. In a non-4WD SUV you could likely make it without chains at such times, but you should carry chains in case you need them to get up the grades
***However*** if you hit a snowy period, you will likely encounter heavy snow on the highway to Mt Hood and would probably need chains on the road from the highway to Timberline. During heavy snowstorms you would be required to use chains or 4WD on the highway 26 on the way from Portland to Mt Hood (the police would be checking).
The Columbia Gorge too would be very weather dependent. The Gorge can have ferocious ice storms (trees and roads coated by an ice of ice). NO ONE, not even fools like me, drives the gorge in those conditions. Or it could be the more usual rainy and cloudy, in which case I wouldn't bother. But if you hit a sunny period it would be a great day trip from Portland ... Multnomah Falls covered in ice can be spectacular.
Re the coast:
the Pacific Coast between Seattle and Portland is a big disappointment ... the Hwy 101 south of the Olympic National Park is through scrubby forests, farmland, and dying towns and alongside muddy bays, never within sight of the ocean. And I wouldn't recommend the Olympic National Park on a quick winter trip like yours.
What I'd do is spend a day in Seattle, then, if you want to see the San Juans and Puget Sound, drive to Anacortes and ferry to the San Juans as a 2 or 3 day trip. Then I'd head to Portland - a fast boring 3-4 hr trip down I-5. I'd spend as much time as you can on the Oregon Coast west and southwest of Portland ... I totally agree with Gardyloos recommendations for that. The coast during a storm can be a tremendous sight. And ***totally depending*** on the weather, would take a day trip to Mt Hood (it will take all day) and/or a day trip to the Gorge (it could be done in less than 4 hours allowing the rest of the day for Portland)
Timberline Lodge on Mt Hood is one of my favorite places, so I'd recommend trying to get there, but it will be *totally* weather dependent. But I'd do it as a day trip directly from Portland (or stay overnight at the lodge) via highway US 26.
First, here's a big difference between Ohio and Washington/Oregon. Weather in Ohio tends to differ between big regions. Here it differs with elevation. Seattle and Portland and the coast are often rainy, but as you go up in the mountains it most often (not always) gets colder and the light (or heavy) rain turns to light (or heavy) snow. And the snow here is a wet, not dry, so it tends to compact on the roads and gets slippery. And roads in the mountains tend to have steeper grades, so traction (e.g. snow tires, or mud + snow tires, or chains) becomes a critical issue.
If you want to get into the mountains at all, check with your rental company if your SUV comes with mud + snow tires - many do come equipped that way. And inquire whether on an SUV they'd permit chains (they won't permit them on a rental auto, but might on an SUV)
I've driven clear to Timberline Lodge mid winter several times in non-4wd vehicles just fine (but I've always carried but not used chains .. though once I did need to put the chains on)... but always with use either winter or M+S tires ... all-season radials will NOT cut it.
As long as you have good winter tires or M+S tires you should be ok *if* ... and it's a big if - you happen to hit a period between snow storms. With any luck you may hit such a period - we've just had a an unusually wet (and in the mountains - *heavy snow*) December, but the long range forecast is for a drier than normal January. So highway US 26 to Mt. Hood could be well plowed and sanded, snow free. From the turnoff from the highway up to Timberline Lodge the road is much curvier and much steeper ... and it's likely to be covered with compact snow or snow compacted into ice. In a non-4WD SUV you could likely make it without chains at such times, but you should carry chains in case you need them to get up the grades
***However*** if you hit a snowy period, you will likely encounter heavy snow on the highway to Mt Hood and would probably need chains on the road from the highway to Timberline. During heavy snowstorms you would be required to use chains or 4WD on the highway 26 on the way from Portland to Mt Hood (the police would be checking).
The Columbia Gorge too would be very weather dependent. The Gorge can have ferocious ice storms (trees and roads coated by an ice of ice). NO ONE, not even fools like me, drives the gorge in those conditions. Or it could be the more usual rainy and cloudy, in which case I wouldn't bother. But if you hit a sunny period it would be a great day trip from Portland ... Multnomah Falls covered in ice can be spectacular.
Re the coast:
the Pacific Coast between Seattle and Portland is a big disappointment ... the Hwy 101 south of the Olympic National Park is through scrubby forests, farmland, and dying towns and alongside muddy bays, never within sight of the ocean. And I wouldn't recommend the Olympic National Park on a quick winter trip like yours.
What I'd do is spend a day in Seattle, then, if you want to see the San Juans and Puget Sound, drive to Anacortes and ferry to the San Juans as a 2 or 3 day trip. Then I'd head to Portland - a fast boring 3-4 hr trip down I-5. I'd spend as much time as you can on the Oregon Coast west and southwest of Portland ... I totally agree with Gardyloos recommendations for that. The coast during a storm can be a tremendous sight. And ***totally depending*** on the weather, would take a day trip to Mt Hood (it will take all day) and/or a day trip to the Gorge (it could be done in less than 4 hours allowing the rest of the day for Portland)
Dec 30th, 2015, 07:14 PM
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Thank you Gardyloo and Elbegewa for your great suggestions! It's hard to know the impact weather has on these areas from the other side of the country-you have helped us narrow down our itinerary!
Crossing off Mt. St. Helens will free up more time for Oregon coast for sure but do you think its worth the extra time to take the ferry to San Juan/Orcas Island for 1-2 nights? I'm certainly intrigued by the area but it definitely takes us farther away from the Oregon coast and will add a lot of additional driving to the trip. Or do you think a shorter ferry day trip to say Whidbey, Bainbridge, or Bremerton makes more sense?
And lastly, (I swear, lol)-while we plan to stay 2 nights in Yachats is there a coastal town you recommend staying a night or 2 closer North?-I'm thinking we should break the driving up instead of hauling all the way down to Yachats right off the bat if that makes sense. Yachats will be our furthest point South before we circle back and stay a night in Portland.
Crossing off Mt. St. Helens will free up more time for Oregon coast for sure but do you think its worth the extra time to take the ferry to San Juan/Orcas Island for 1-2 nights? I'm certainly intrigued by the area but it definitely takes us farther away from the Oregon coast and will add a lot of additional driving to the trip. Or do you think a shorter ferry day trip to say Whidbey, Bainbridge, or Bremerton makes more sense?
And lastly, (I swear, lol)-while we plan to stay 2 nights in Yachats is there a coastal town you recommend staying a night or 2 closer North?-I'm thinking we should break the driving up instead of hauling all the way down to Yachats right off the bat if that makes sense. Yachats will be our furthest point South before we circle back and stay a night in Portland.
Dec 30th, 2015, 08:58 PM
#5
If you are more intrigued by the Oregon Coast than the San Juans, definitely eliminate the San Juans. You won't get the same experience on any of the other islands, but no great loss - the Oregon Coast will more than make up for it.
A nice day drive from Seattle is to Mukilteo where you catch the ferry to Whidbey Island and drive the length of it (especially stop at Deception Pass State Park - it's bridge returns you to the mainland). At Whidbey's north end cut east to LaConner (an old town now an art and craft center) thence I-5 freeway to Seattle. A full day of driving.
Or for less driving, take the ferry from downtown Seattle to Bainbridge Island, thence to Poulsbo (an old now-crafty town) thence to Kingston to catch the ferry back to Edmonds (a nice walkable friendly upscale suburb, thence back to Seattle.
Or just stay in the city and enjoy the Sound there ... if the weather isn't too bad, just do some walks in seaside parks: Go to Seattle's Discovery Park for some long walks with view over Puget Sound. (On the way back to the city center make sure to drive along Magnolia Blvd. for views over the sound and city) Or go to Seattle's Lincoln Park in West Seattle for walk amongst the old fir trees with views over the sound, and a big long stretch of beach. And on the same excursion go to Seattle's Alki Beach in West Seattle with its beach and views over the sound and Seattle. Or walk along the paved trails along the ship canal and Lake Union just north of downtown.
To spend more time on the Oregon Coast I'd drive west from Portland on US 26 to Cannon Beach and stay somewhere around there, then drive to Yachats.
Or for less driving and drive from Portland SW on Hwy 18 to Yachats and spend 3 nights there with some short drives back to nearby towns like Deport Bay and Newport.
To return from Yachats I'd drive south, stopping at Carl Washburn State Park (and its viewpoint on a hill east of the highway) at Cape Perpetua and at Heceta Head State Park and lighthouse (a nice cove with lighthouse) and stop at Sea Lion Caves (it's sort of a tourist trap, but is quite interesting to take the elevator down into the caves to see the hundreds of sea lions overwintering there.) A couple of miles to the south, at Florence, you'd use highway 126 inland to Eugene, thence I-5 to Portland. (Highway 126 just east of Florence goes along the Siuslaw River where Ken Kesey's novel "Sometimes a Great Notion" was set.)
Be sure to use one of the mapping direction finders like Google Maps or Mapquest to get a feel for distances and driving times - that sort of info is invaluable.
A nice day drive from Seattle is to Mukilteo where you catch the ferry to Whidbey Island and drive the length of it (especially stop at Deception Pass State Park - it's bridge returns you to the mainland). At Whidbey's north end cut east to LaConner (an old town now an art and craft center) thence I-5 freeway to Seattle. A full day of driving.
Or for less driving, take the ferry from downtown Seattle to Bainbridge Island, thence to Poulsbo (an old now-crafty town) thence to Kingston to catch the ferry back to Edmonds (a nice walkable friendly upscale suburb, thence back to Seattle.
Or just stay in the city and enjoy the Sound there ... if the weather isn't too bad, just do some walks in seaside parks: Go to Seattle's Discovery Park for some long walks with view over Puget Sound. (On the way back to the city center make sure to drive along Magnolia Blvd. for views over the sound and city) Or go to Seattle's Lincoln Park in West Seattle for walk amongst the old fir trees with views over the sound, and a big long stretch of beach. And on the same excursion go to Seattle's Alki Beach in West Seattle with its beach and views over the sound and Seattle. Or walk along the paved trails along the ship canal and Lake Union just north of downtown.
To spend more time on the Oregon Coast I'd drive west from Portland on US 26 to Cannon Beach and stay somewhere around there, then drive to Yachats.
Or for less driving and drive from Portland SW on Hwy 18 to Yachats and spend 3 nights there with some short drives back to nearby towns like Deport Bay and Newport.
To return from Yachats I'd drive south, stopping at Carl Washburn State Park (and its viewpoint on a hill east of the highway) at Cape Perpetua and at Heceta Head State Park and lighthouse (a nice cove with lighthouse) and stop at Sea Lion Caves (it's sort of a tourist trap, but is quite interesting to take the elevator down into the caves to see the hundreds of sea lions overwintering there.) A couple of miles to the south, at Florence, you'd use highway 126 inland to Eugene, thence I-5 to Portland. (Highway 126 just east of Florence goes along the Siuslaw River where Ken Kesey's novel "Sometimes a Great Notion" was set.)
Be sure to use one of the mapping direction finders like Google Maps or Mapquest to get a feel for distances and driving times - that sort of info is invaluable.
Dec 31st, 2015, 05:46 PM
#7
Just so you know, Yachats is pronounced ya-HOTS.
Be sure to stop at the Tillamook cheese factory (north of town) on 101 for some great cheese and ice cream. You can try some free cheese samples to help decide.
Cannon Beach is world famous for Haystack Rock. Stop to see it.
The skiers are having a great time at Mt. Hood Meadows and at Timberline. They each have over 90" of base as of today.
Be sure to stop at the Tillamook cheese factory (north of town) on 101 for some great cheese and ice cream. You can try some free cheese samples to help decide.
Cannon Beach is world famous for Haystack Rock. Stop to see it.
The skiers are having a great time at Mt. Hood Meadows and at Timberline. They each have over 90" of base as of today.
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