Oregon Honeymoon
 

Hello,
My fiance and I will be traveling to Oregon in July for our honeymoon. We will be renting a car. Out of 7 nights, we intend to spend 2 nights in Cannon Beach and 3 nights in Portland. He preferes 4 nights total on the coast--I just don't want to spend the entire time at Cannon Beach, as I'm sure there are other great locations. We plan to do day trips to Willamette Valley from Cannon Beach / wherever else we stay on the coast. My concern is that by limiting our trip to the coast and Portland we are cutting out some "must do" places. Our goals for the drip: eat well, drink well, some r and r, beautiful scenery. Any ideas are very much appreciated.

If you can stretch your time and driving try to visit Crater Lake NP. You will never forget nor regret it.
Cannon Beach is fine for a night or maybe 2 but there is so much of Oregon to see other than Haystack Rock.
Stop at the Tillamook cheese factory (north end of town) for some great ice cream and cheese.

(nervous reaction) Once you introduce the phrase <I>"Honeymoon"</i>, I start wanting to reduce my <I>high cruising speed</i> for typical vacations, to a tempo which is far more <I>considerate...</i>.

In all fairness, <I><b>Oregon</b></i> really can be great, for a Honeymoon.

<B>The Columbia Gorge</b> seems like a suitable addition to your honeymoon. (read briefly at glaciallakemissoula.org for clear understanding of how it came to be...)

Perhaps there is time for <I>some sort</i> of a loop, entailing Portland-The Dalles-Bend-(<I><b>maybe</b></i> as far as Crater Lake???)-Eugene-Florence??-Astoria??-Portland.

LOL - it's so difficult to fast-forward 25 years, and try to <b>create from here</b> the <i>memories (and significance)</i> you will want to feel in 2039. (laughing - I don't like the pressure...)

I just went to MSN Maps and created a 'loop' using Portland, The Dalles, Bend, Florence, Astoria, and Portland... and it was a very reasonable (for a 7 night trip) 680 miles, and 13 hours of driving time. SO presumably you might be able to add Crater Lake to that.

(crazily guessing here:)

night
#

1 - Portland
2 - Bend area (via Columbia Gorge, The Dalles, etc )
3 - Bend area
4 - Central Oregon coast area
5 - Central Oregon coast area
6 - Cannon Beach (just because)
7 - Portland again

Maybe Crater Lake could then be a <I>day trip</i> between two nights in/near Bend, Oregon?? (110 miles-ish one-way)

Anyway, because of the <I>Honeymoon</i>, I did my best to use <b>two nights</b> in most spots, instead of a more break-neck pace.

At some point this is going to entail you... becoming more familiar with the possibilities out there, and then conceiving your <b>own</b> special itinerary, <b>which will go a long way toward <I>causing</i> the sentiment which will be so important in 25 years</b>.

All we can do is <I>point</i> at what's out there...

Above all, <I>don't</i> take a wrong turn in <b>Timber, OR</b>... and watch out for troopers in <I>The Dalles</i>.

(you're not supposed to take <I>any</i> turns in Timber, OR... <b>or else you run the risk of figuring out on your own just <I>whyyyyyyyyyyy</i> they call it <I>Timber</i></b>)

Day trips to the Willamette Valley from Cannon Beach would require a lot of driving-
I suggest you spend a night or two in the Willamette Valley

The Allison Spa is in the heart of wine country- and I think would make a nice honeymoon destination

http://www.theallison.com

Central Oregon, Bend and Sisters area has much to offer. A couple of nights at Suttle Lake Lodge or Black Butte Ranch would be nice.

A place that I have not stayed but comes highly recommended is Brasada Ranch - I think sounds like a great honeymoon spot

http://www.brasada.com/photos.php