Message: How does this itinerary sound for a trip this coming July ? I put it together from some of the posts I had read on fodors. Hope I'm not spreading ourselves too thin.
Day1 fly into Seattle early and head for Mt. Rainier. Overnight
Day2 Mt.R hike some overnight again
Day3 head to Mt. St. Helens for part of the day and then on to the Columbia River Gorge. Overnight there.
Day4 head to Crater Lake via Portland. Overnight at Crater Lake
Day5 Crater Lake hiking. Overnight
Day6 Head to ore. coast. Spend night
Day7 Ore Coast heading north. overnight
Day8 Olympic NP night
Day9 ONP night
Day 10 ONP night on other side
Day11- San Juan Islands
Day12- Islands and drive back to Seattle
Day13 Seattle and fly out late.
Any thoughts??? Thanks

Sounds do-able to me.

It's more fun driving southward along the coast. There's usually nothing between you and the ocean and the view.

Would, therefore, suggest that you go along the coast first and then head inland.

Lots of excellent hiking along the beaches also.

Don't miss Cape Perpetua!

This sounds very hectic to me. I would at least cut out the San Juan Islands or Crater Lake. By the way it is more time consuming than you might imagine to get to and from these destination.

Of Crater Lake and San Juan Islands, the former is more unusual.

As Syv wrote, it's do-able, but I think you'll feel you've short-changed many time-worthy places along the way.

It appears that Mt. Rainier, Crater Lake, and ONP are your key stops. They're all great, but Crater Lake is way the heck out of the way. I think you'd have a better, and more relaxing trip, if you limit yourselves to Rainier, ONP, and the San Juans.

Or, cut out both Crater Lake and the San Juan Islands and really DO the fabulous Columbia River Gorge (which you seem to be skipping) and Oregon Coast.

Thanks for the insight. I was worried especially about Crater Lake. If I do omit htat part and spend more time at Columbia River Gorge, how do you think we should do the coast. Maybe head east from Portland and then on up to Oylympic NP or am I missing too much of the ore. coast. Maybe we should drive south down route 5 a little and then cut across. to the coast somewhere. What do you think? So far I have really appreciated your ideas.

I agree that this is too rushed. One thing to keep in mind is Mt. St. Helens...you may need to skip it entirely if it is still acting up. It all depends if any visitors centers are open at that time due to the rumblings. It is a great place if its open though! Just don't want you to drive all the way and then have to turn around. I would skip Crater Lake, and possibly the San Juans...only because I would add more time in any of the other areas. The hard part is that everything you have listed is wonderful...just never enough time for it all.

This is a huge geographic area, and I agree you need to skip the north or south end of this trip. You could either drop the San Juans or Crater Lake. If you decide to go to Crater Lake, count on an extra day to get down there. Don't return to Portland after the Gorge, but head down the east side of the Cascades, seeing the high desert and lava caves, buttes, etc. I'd stay a night around Bend or in Sun River. Then drive to Crater Lake, see it and spend the night in Ashland, and see a play. Then head to the Coast. You need to give the Oregon coast 2 or 3 nights, at least, then high tail it to the Hoh Rain Forest and the OP.

Personally, I'd skip Crater Lake, though, and do the San Juans. You have to get there from Anacortes, though, which is north of Seattle. Be aware that ferry service to the San Juans is limited. You can't get there from the OP, unless you go through Victoria, which is a nice trip, but adds more time.

After the San Juans, Rainier, Mt. St. Helens, one night in Portland, see the Gorge but make it back to Canon Beach for the night, and head south. Spend the rest of the time at the coast and head back to Seattle via I-5, being careful to avoid rush hour in Portland.
Hope this isn't confusing, but I've got to go.

The only part that I can address is===Portland east along the Columbia River Gorge to the Dalles..Then south on 197 which goes near the East side of Mt. Hood. (good hiking area) then again south on 97 through Bend and eventuially to Crater Lake . Then go out the west side of Lake to Medford. Then the great decision--go up on 5 to Roseburg and cross over to the coast OR from Medford through Jacksonville (very historic) to 199 to Crescent City., which is near the most beautiful California Redwoods you will ever see !!! Then up the coast...
We have done both--and did the Redwoods first.
IMO trying to include the San Juans is spreading yourself really thin. The only way you can get to the SJI is by ferry and they are VERY crowded from mid June thru August
Victoria & SJI could a whole trip in itself...
You have a lot to figure out--good luck...

So, assume you cut out Crater Lake; that leaves Mt. Rainier, St. Helens (maybe), Columbia Gorge, Oregon coast, ONP, and the San Juans. If drive-by viewing works for you, okay, but you're still short on time to "experience" each of these wonderful areas. I'd suggest either a Mt. Rainier-ONP-Victoria-San Juans-Seattle, or a Mt. Rainier-St.Helens-Columbia Gorge-Oregon coast-ONP-Seattle loop. I'd want to know more of what you want to do/see before recommending one itinerary over the other.

Day1 fly into Seattle early and head for Mt. Rainier. Overnight

- No problem

Day2 Mt.R hike some overnight again

- Okay.

Day3 head to Mt. St. Helens for part of the day and then on to the Columbia River Gorge. Overnight there.

- Okay again. How much you can see at MSH will depend on what parts are open to visitors, plus weather (mt. clouds or fog = not much to see.)

Day4 head to Crater Lake via Portland. Overnight at Crater Lake

- I too would counsel against adding Crater Lake to your full itinerary. It's a very long drive from the Gorge, likely very hot en route in July, and with all due respect to Crater Lakaholics, I find it a two-hour-wow-cool-now-what sort of destination. Great if it's on your way, not really justifying a huge detour.

Day5 Crater Lake hiking. Overnight

- If not, then Gorge -> Coast is doable easily; if you want to see the central coast, head down I-5 to Drain, cut over to Reedsport on SR38 paralleling the Umpqua R., one of the NW's more scenic routes, then spend the two additional nights moseying up the coast. Sand Dunes at Florence, various State parks, or splurge for a night at the Heceta Head Lighthouse B&B, Newport, Depoe Bay, Yachats, all that.

Day6 Head to ore. coast. Spend night

- See above

Day7 Ore Coast heading north. overnight

- Ditto

Day8 Olympic NP night

- Okay, you'll need to book accommodation way ahead.

Day9 ONP night

- Okay.

Day 10 ONP night on other side

- Meaning the north shore? Okay - I might suggest another night if possible; visit the lavender fields near Sequim, lots to see, or a daytrip to Victoria from PA.

Day11- San Juan Islands

- Allow a min. of 6-7 hours from Port Angeles or Port Townsend to Friday Harbor, maybe more. Connections from the peninsula to the San Juans are lousy, and in summer the ferries are often very full, sometimes involving multi-boat waits.

Day12- Islands and drive back to Seattle

- Okay, otherwise you can explore Whidbey Island, or visit Lummi Island near Bellingham, both more convenient than the San Juans.

Day13 Seattle and fly out late.

- Or spend one of the "saved" nights in Seattle.

Any thoughts??? Thanks

If you want the hot weather and more diversity of scenery (i.e. some old west/red rocks stuff as well as trees and seas) you could skip St Helens and head on US 12 over the Cascades from Mt. Rainier to Yakima, then south on US 97 to the Columbia Gorge, and approach the core of the Gorge Scenic area from the east. Very dramatic desert/old west scenery, Mt. Adams and Mt. Hood visible (and more spectacular than MSH) and a great museum at Maryhill to boot. Just a thought.

I'm not sure what to include or delete from your outline, but for a 2 week trip that is a LARGE geographic area to be attempting to cover, and much of it is not fast travel (back roads, coast roads, ferries required, etc.).

For instance it could easily take much of the day to get up to the San Juans in the summer time. Ferries can be very crowded so you may have to wait in line and not get on the boat you had planned on but a later one.

I live in Seattle. I love the Oregon coast and the San Juans and am less a fan of the Olympic peninsula. Mt. Rainier is beautiful, only seen Mt. St. Helens from a plane. Hopefully from all the posts put together you can get some good ideas to refine the itinerary.

And most importantly... welcome to the beautiful pacific northwest!

TI was worried about doing the Crater Lake trek. I had read posts where people were seeing ONP and MT. R and Seattle in one week which with flying in and out of Seattle is really only 5 days, so I guess I though we could see lots more in 2 weeks. So I have a lot to consider. I truely appreciate the advice. Anyone with any additional suggestions, please write. I'll keep checking this post. I did get the impression that it could be really hot and crowded in July. I could plan the trip a few weeks sooner or in late August. I just don';t want to hit the reiny season which I thought was in Sept. Thanks again.

Some good news for you...very few places are really hot in July and August. Seattle/Portland normally do not get all that hot. Over on the eastern side of the mountains it gets hotter...but its a dry heat (yes, really, lol!) so not a problem. September is usually one of our best months...the rain doesn't begin typically until Oct/Nov or so.

Ditto weather advice above. Seattle maybe has one heatwave per season that lasts a few days to a week when it might hit 90 degrees... that could happen anywhere between May thru August & some years never happens at all. East of the mountains is a different story (hot). I guess it could rain anytime but I'd agree the entire summer & *usually* including September is glorious here.

Live from Seattle...

I"m on the Oregon Coast right now, just steps from the ocean. It's beautiful, as always. I hope you get to spend some time in the Cannon Beach/Seaside/Astoria area.

Portland is also worth spending some time in, a beautiful city. We had an excellent lunch at clarklewis and a very nice dinner at Hurley's, as recommended on the chowhound board. And what a great place to Christmas shop!!! I being back in this area. ***kim***