Oregon: Portland, Redwood NP, Crater Lake
 

I'm planning a family trip (hubby, me, 18 year old boy, 14 year old girl) to the Oregon coast for mid June this summer for a week. My basic itinerary is drive from Portland down the coast to northern California then up to Crater Lake through Bend and back to Portland. We've seen Cannon Beach and Tillamook so I thought we'd start our coastal drive in Newport. Here is my idea:

Friday arrive in Portland. Saturday, drive to Yachats, stopping to ride the dunes in Florence. I'm thinking of staying at the Fireside Motel. The rest of the week we want to see the Redwood NP allowing some time to hike in the park, hubby wants to go fly fishing, I'd like to see the Wildlife Images Rehab center, we all want to see Crater Lake, (I'm hoping to get a reservation at the Lodge, but would love another lodging suggestion if that doesn't pan out). I figured we'd go through Bend on our way back to Portland, with the idea that we would fly out either Saturday (hubby's preference) or Sunday, mine.

I want to allow enough time to get out of the car and check out short hikes, lighthouses, tidal pools, etc. so I'm having trouble figuring out how much time to allow. I originally thought of one night in Yachats, one night in Brookings/Crescent City, one night in Medford, one night at Crater Lake, one night in Bend, starting and ending with a night in Portland.

Does that seem doable? Any suggestions for lodging? Fun side trips/stops? Yummy food?

Thanks!

Depending on when you get in on Friday, head straight out of PDX for the coast or McMinnville. Near McMinnville is the Evergreen Aviation Museum which has the "Spruce Goose" and many other things that the kids will like.
Florence is well south of Yachats (pronounced ya-HOTS).
There is a small museum/gift shop at the Umpqua Lighthouse.
About 5 miles east of Reedsport on Rt. 38 you can see a herd of Roosevelt elk at Dean's Creek viewing area.
Along US 101 in northern California you and the kids will like the "Trees of Mystery". They have a gondola ride up to a platform at the top of the hill. There are quite a few nice Coast Redwoods to see up close.
After leaving the Redwoods area, take US 199 toward Grants Pass and I-5. Skip Medford and go over Rt. 234 out of Gold Hill. If you can't get lodging at Crater Lake Lodge, try for a room at the Prospect Hotel. Another possibility in the Crater lake area is the Diamond Lake Resort off 230 or 138.
Leaving Crater Lake north entrance, Bend is 90 miles.
In the Bend area, try to see the High Desert Museum and the Lavalands Visitor Center.
Leaving Bend, head north on US 97 to Madras and then US 26 up to Government Camp on Mt. Hood. Go north on Rt. 35 down to the town of Hood River. Watch the kite boarders on the Columbia River. Between Hood River and PDX, be sure to see some of the waterfalls along the old Columbia River Highway.

Thanks for the Aviation Museum suggestion - my son is a huge aviation buff! And, thanks for straightening out my geography with regards to Yachats and Florence!

Haven't stayed at the Fireside in years so no opinion. Location is good.
My latest stay at the coast was the Elizabeth Inn in Newport which I found enjoyable.
All rooms are ocean front, at 5PM they serve a good chowder in the lobby and fresh baked cookies later.
It's walking distance to Nye Beach and several shops and restaurants.

My favorite beach in the area is Heceta Head. Nice trail up to the lighthouse for a short hike. Located south of Yachats.

In Florence there is also a sandboard park the kids might like, but the dune buggy rides are very fun.

I also recommend Prospect Inn if you can't get into Crater Lake Lodge.
Or Steamboat Springs Resort- which is quite spendy. But lovely location along the river. And they have a restaurant.

Thoughts: you are rushing through and there are long drives.

South of Newport the coast gets wilder, and by that I mean there are some disconcertingly run down towns.

Florence is south of Yachats, so are you planning to go down then double back?

The Fireside is fine. They might have a 2-night minimum stay; it's worth checking.

The coast is quite scenic from Depoe Bay down to Florence, less so from Florence south through Reedsport and Coos Bay, then the best stretch (IMO) is the last 60 or 70 miles before the California line, roughly Port Orford to Brookings. Are you planning to go from Yachats to the redwoods in one day or taking more time?

Not trying to hijack your plans, but I'll suggest skipping the central coast and use those hours farther south. Take I-90 south to OR 38 (a short distance past Cottage Grove) and out to the coast at Reedsport. Hwy 38 is the most scenic and fastest route to the coast; it passes through a pretty canyon on the lower Umpqua, then just before Reedsport it passes a wildlife refuge where you'll likely see numerous Roosevelt elk browsing in the fields south of the highway. Bandon would be my overnight destination, which will set you up for a scenic day along the coast before hitting the redwoods near Crescent City.

Where are you staying in the redwoods?

This has been a very snowy winter and it's not certain at all that the rim road at Crater Lake will be fully open by mid-June. The average snow depth at the rim in February is 104 inches; it's presently 135 inches deep and a blizzard is on the way. In addition, June can be a cloudy and rainy month; I've been at the lake in early July and literally couldn't see the water from the lodge.

Which is not to say "don't go," but with just a week I wonder if it's the best use of your time. What I <i>would</i> do is find time to include the Columbia Gorge in your itinerary. Maybe you've visited the Gorge previously, but if you haven't, then I'd think about stopping at Crater Lake on your way north, have a look, but then continuing on to Bend or Sisters for the night, then head right up to Hood River and spend the "Crater Lake" days in the Gorge instead. Conditions will be better, the waterfalls will be full from melting mountain snows, and you'll have a much wider choice of activities.

Map - https://goo.gl/maps/QRCKLmegQ722

I personally would not plan a visit to Crater Lake in June (especially this year) It <i>could</i> be lovely but more likely most of it won't be accessible and it is a long trek to get there and back. There are other places that would IMO be a better use of your very limited time.

I agree with tom_mn that you're compromising quality of experience for quantity of sightseeing. We did a very similar itinerary with our daughter, who was then about the age of yours, and found it difficult to keep her engaged in the experience, what with all the time in the car, and picking up and moving every day. In hindsight, I wished I'd consulted her on the itinerary, but am sure she'd have been much happier spending 3 nights at a single coastal location, and another 3 in the Bend/Sisters area, with maybe a drive-by visit of Crater Lake between them. In that regard, as Gardyloo noted, it's unlikely the entire rim road will be open by mid-June. But the west rim may/should(?) be cleared, which would allow you to at least enter and exit from the north.