swflgal

Hi my husband and I are planning an 8 day trip to the Northwest coast in early September. We have family in Vancouver Washington so we have to make this part of our itinerary. We are only planning on spending 2 nights there and want to see as much as possible without killing ourselves driving. Originally my husband wanted to fly to San Francisco and spend a few days in Sonoma/Napa and then drive to Vancouver. I think this is going to be to much driving to enjoy our trip. We have never been to the Oregon Coast and love wine so would love some suggestions on where to start and stop along the way. We can reverse the trip and start in Vancouver and go down also. We live in Florida so it's a long flight too so along with the time change. Any suggestions on what to see and where to stay would be great also.

happytrailstoyou

An 8 day trip that spends "a few days in Sonoma/Napa" and 2 nights in Vancouver, WA doesn't leave much time for anything else.

With 8 days, I suggest Vancouver, Portland, the Columbia River Gorge, the Willamette Valley Wine District, and the Oregon Coast from Cannon Beach to Florence.

If you are intent on driving from Vancouver to San Francisco, you could see the beautiful Oregon Coast from Cannon Beach to Brookings and the redwoods of northern California, and then drive to San Francisco on Highway 101. Living in Seattle we have made this drive many times, and we have always enjoyed it.

Gardyloo

So are you saying you don't want to drive the one-way trip? A one-way drive from the Portland/Vancouver WA area to San Francisco (or vice versa) isn't really a killer; you can do it comfortably in 3 or 4 days. However there will be a very big one-way surcharge on the rental car.

If you're limiting yourselves to staying in Oregon/Washington, you have plenty of options to include both the coast and some wine-producing areas in the six days you're outside of Vancouver.

Here's a route to consider: https://goo.gl/maps/h5xRS3ZpjT52

This starts and ends at Portland airport. You'd go to Vancouver for your visit, then drive down the north bank of the Columbia River to Cape Disappointment at the (impressive) mouth of the river, then down the coast to Ecola State Park and farther to Yachats or Newport. You'd then head inland and visit the vineyards in the Willamette Valley around McMinnville, then east to Mount Hood and down through the beautiful Hood River Valley (more vineyards, also orchards along the "fruit loop".) Finally you'd return to the airport via the Columbia Gorge, with its waterfalls, vista points etc. This is a terrific route, full of great variety.

swflgal

I don't have a problem
Doing the one way drive if it gives us time to explore. I guess I'm a little afraid we will get bored driving the coast of Oregon. I'm sure it's beautiful but is there much to do? Also can you recommend places to stay along the coast? From what I can find it doesn't look like there is a lot of accommodations to choose from.

happytrailstoyou

The Oregon coast is beautiful and it is dotted with little towns.

We find good accommodations all along the way. In Seaside, Florence, and Brookings we like the Best Western and in Newport we like the Hallmark. Cannon Beach and Lincoln City also have many lodging options. The smaller towns of Yachts and Bandon are popular with many travelers.

Whenever I want to know what there is to do in a location, I Google, for instance, "things to do in newport oregon trip advisor." (The format that comes up annoys me. Click "See all" in the upper right of the page.) My favorites on the list are Yaquina Head Natural Area, the Oregon Coast Aquarium, and the Historic Bayfront.

HTtY

NorthwestMale

This query appears to be more of a math problem than anything else.

For it, I compared the path from Portland (which is essentially Vancouver (except during rush hour) ) to Cannon Beach to Brookings (392 miles),

TO the path from San Fran to Jenner to Fort Bragg, CA to Brookings, OR to Cannon Beach to Portland, OR (808 miles).


SO, to someone who really wanted to drive nearly all of the Oregon Coast, comparing a one-way from San Fran to a round-trip to Portland, there is almost zero difference until plane/car costs are compared (and if they don't matter, then you don't even bother to compare them).


The difference is that the one-way trip gives you MUCH more coast line to choose from, and in many spots you can (conveniently) leave the coast for an inland route if you get bored. Also, you wouldn't be doubling-back as would be the case if going from Portland to Brookings and staying along the coast.


You could also choose among the redwoods, Crater Lake, Mount Shasta, and perhaps some other spots not easily added to a round-trip from Portland.

Allowing the last two nights in Vancouver, you have 5 nights with which to cover what I'm calling 808 miles (on a long, indirect coastal path).

Depending upon the time of your arrival in SF, you spend the first night somewhere between SF and the redwoods (Orick, CA)... you see the redwoods at some point on the 2nd day, and maybe target a 2nd night in the Crescent City/Brookings,OR area.

Depending upon what you decide you want most, on the Oregon coast, you might then go for two nights at some spot that suits you.

The 5th night would/might be in the area of Cannon Beach/Seaside/Astoria, with easy-ish access to Vancouver the next day.


With a RT to Portland, of course you could drive the length of the OR coast and then cut inland for Crater Lake, Bend, and Mount Hood, but the driving distance would be greater in so doing than would the one-way from SF.

So this really isn't about time/driving-distance...

Bobmrg

"...it doesn't look like there is a lot of accommodations to choose from."

I can't believe that you said that, unless you are looking for four-star hotel or resort-type lodgings. If that is indeed the case, look at Tu Tu Tun Lodge (tututun.com).

Go to www.oregoncoastmagazine.com and read their mile-by-mile description of the towns and amenities.