Pacific coast road trip
 

I'm from upstate NY. Looking to do a west coast road trip in November for a total of 10 nights flying into Las Vegas for a few nights then off to the coast. Looking to visit Carmel, San Francisco,Napa,Portland,Seattle (flying home from Seattle) I would love to see Vancouver but I don’t think we will have the time. We want to enjoy the drive because that’s part of the journey so we really don't want to drive all day I would like to stop over night in some fun areas the only day I want to drive all day is from Las Vegas to Carmel because I want to get to the coast! Any ideas or help would be appreciated.

I hope you mean ten nights not including the "few nights" in Las Vegas! Even so, ten nights to see Carmel, SF, Napa, Portland and Seattle is pretty ridiculous. Especially since you wish to "enjoy the drives".

I suggest you limit yourself to Northern California this trip, from Carmel north along the coast as far as you can get comfortably, then home from SFO or Oakland, even Sacramento. If you've booked on Southwest, you can change without a penalty. Otherwise, it would still be worthwhile to change your flight home. I don't think you realize you've planned yourself into a less-than-enjoyable number of miles for just a few days. Please do reconsider.

It occurs to me that another possibility is to eliminate LV and fly directly to an airport near the coast, maybe San Jose, depending on your starting point. Even then it'll be a drive and not a leisurely wander along the way. But you will have more scenic time and can always make a dash up I-5 for the flight home if/when you run out of time.

Leaving Las Vegas for another trip, flying in to San Jose, or another airport near Carmel, and out of Portland would be a vast improvement.

have you already booked your flights? if you drove that route non-stop, your looking at about 25 hours. for most people, if they want to enjoy the drive (for example, i'd cut over to the coastal road in oregon), you are looking at about 5 days of driving. think you need to rethink this. what are your priorities. what about saving seattle, portland and vancouver (and vancouver island if you had more then 2 weeks) for another trip. if you focused on las vegas, big sur/carmel/monterey, san fransisco and napa...that would be doable. and to avoid one way drop off fees on a vehicle...assuming vegas is important to you, i might consider flying into vegas, enjoy a few nights there, fly to san fran. pick up your rental car and take off for the coast and napa part of your trip. then return the car and spend your remaining nights in san fransisco. you don't need a vehicle in las vegas or san fransisco unless you want to do daytrips outside of town.

I understand you want to begin your trip on the coast in Carmel; however, it isn't possible to advise you until you state exactly how many days and nights you have to drive from Carmel to Seattle.

HTtY

Ten days to drive between Las Vegas to Carmel to Seattle and staying in SF, Napa, and Portland means you will be on the road more than you may want to be.

Hopefully you are flying from Las Vegas to Carmel.

Carmel, Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Napa ... you could spend a day in each place. There's good food all over the place and Yelp can help you find the local hot spots. Wine should be on the menu obviously in Napa. Honestly, you've got some good spots lined up. I agree with the other poster that you should stick to the Bay Area in California. Even San Francisco has so much to see that you could spend the entire time there and not see the whole city.

As I mentioned briefly on your other thread - ten days is not enough time for what you want. It would barely be enough time for Carmel to Seattle, but even that would be a bit rushed if you wanted time in SF, Napa/Sonoma, the north coast/redwoods, the oregon coast and any place else.

Because of the emphasis in the original post on Las Vegas and Carmel, it might be assumed that your tastes lean toward the glitzy and upscale. If that's not true, another possibility would be to skip everything except the California north coast, Oregon and Washington, and you'd have half a chance of doing that part of the itinerary some justice.

If the thought appeals at all, rather than change already purchased air tickets, buy one more which would be cheap, from Las Vegas immediately on into Oakland or SFO, get a car and head out north on Hwy 101, which goes through Wine Country, and farther north cut over to Hwy 1 and the coast village of your choice. If you start with Las Vegas and Carmel, you'll never make it, unless at the expense of the rest of your trip.

Thank you everyone! I never thought of getting a flight from Las Vegas to CA! I looked at Southwest and there are direct flights to San Jose/Oakland/SFO so I WILL be booking a fight. I do know and would love to add more days on…but it’s not happening, work and we have to be home for Thanksgiving I left a day in between just in case our flights are canceled it’s really the worst time to travel. Nov. 22 is a special birthday for my boyfriend this is a trip he requested and I’ve always wanted to drive the coast Napa to Seattle so it’s perfect. I’ve been to Vegas, Carmel, San Francisco and Napa about 8 years ago. He’s never been. We have 8 nights to work with. I’m thinking of flying into San Jose get there by 10:00am and go to Carmel do the 17 mile drive scenic drive. We just want to get a taste of these areas I’m not sure how many nights to stay in each area. I need help with this part! Also what should we be sure to see and where to stay overnight between Napa and Portland. MmePerdu this is not a glitzy and upscale trip…lol. Although I love all the little shops in Carmel he is not a shopper and this trip is ‘’All About Him”

If this trip is all about him, have you asked him if he wants to do all this driving? IMO, you really just need to leave out Vegas. Then you could have two days in Carmel/Big Sur, two days in San Francisco, one day in Napa area, one day between there and Portland, two days in Portland, and two days in Seattle.

I don't know where you should stay between Napa and Portland as you will only have time to take I-5. I have only driven the coast as that is the most scenic route. You don't have time for that.

Seriously, can you reconsider and just concentrate on Northern California. You will have a much better trip and I'm sure he will appreciate it.

What exactly do you want to see/do? Now you say you only have 8 nights which is not the 10 nights you originally mentioned.

8 nights is not enough time even w/o Las Vegas. 8 nights gives you about 7.5 days. That is enough time (barely) for Carmel, SF, Napa and the redwoods in northern CA. Leaving no time for Oregon or Seattle.

So . . . What dou you want out of the trip?

By the reactions to your small adjustment, you may realize that your miscalculation is far from fixed. When I suggested flying from LV to the Bay Area, I meant continue on directly, skipping LV altogether except to change planes. If LV is still included, even as 1 overnight, you've missed the point completely, unless I'm wrong and you aren't stopping.

And by back-tracking to Carmel you've lost another opportunity for a nice, rather than forced, drive to Seattle. Even without Carmel it won't be a particularly enjoyable drive, with most of the coast route too long to include.

It doesn't matter whose trip this is, some attention must be given to the sheer amount of time it will take to get from Carmel to Seattle. Close to 1000 miles and 15 hours driving straight up the center on the interstate, no stops for anything, no sea views on any coast road, plus stops for gas and food only, 3 days are gone. Add scenic routes that take 3 or 4 times as long (or more), well, you see where this is going.

I suggest you sit down with your husband and decide what will have to go. If it's his trip, as you say, let him decide. But something's got to give here.

Also, keep in mind that rental car rates will be higher if your drop off/pick up location is different.

At this point, you probably think we're picking on you or something. Honestly, all I can say is that we are trying to keep you from doing nothing but driving.

You really need to consider dropping Las Vegas altogether, flying into and out of SFO, and limiting your visit to Northern California. You can always do Vegas another time, even just a long weekend. Seattle and Portland and points in between would be a great "next time" trip.

Who wouldn't want a couple of nice cold and rainy 8 hour drives for their birthday?

Wow you guys are tough! First let me assure you this is not my trip this is what HE picked. I am a big traveler he is not! It was hard getting him to go for 10 nights! He would rather drive than sit on a plane his first choice was Hawaii till he saw how long a flight it would be, the same with Europe. I went to Africa he thought I was nuts! He wants to go to Vegas. I’m thinking the only long ride will be from Napa to Portland. This is an area I’m not familiar with. Where I’m looking to this group for ideas. We can do five hour drives for this part of the trip. I’m thinking of not staying overnight in Napa just going to a winery or two he’s not a wine drinker. I am and have been to Napa before. I know he would enjoy going on a wine tour.

If he's not a traveler, perhaps he doesn't understand these distances. Can't you just explain to him that this trip won't work? Or better yet, let him read the advice you asked for and received.

"Tough" is what people come here for, and how we try to save the less experienced from themselves. It isn't coming across that either of you quite get yet how much beautiful stuff you'll miss by spending so much time driving to where you think you want to go. But I also know that kids and travelers sometimes need to learn from their mistakes.

That fastest (inland) drive from Napa to Portland is about 10 hours under the best of circumstances. If you wanted to drive the coast all the way from Napa to Portland, it would take at least 16 hours.

If you didn't plan to spend the night in Napa but just drive through the valley, make a stop or two, and then head back to the coast, the farthest you'd probably want to drive that day is Gualala or Sea Ranch. (I wouldn't take the time to do a wine tour unless you spent the night in Napa.) If 5 hours of driving a day is your goal, your next night would probably be Eureka or Arcata. The third night would probably be Coos Bay. Portland by the fourth night, and then you fly home.

So, assuming 2 nights Vegas, 2 nights Carmel, 2 nights SF, and 4 nights to do Napa and the coastal drive... there's your 10 nights. Not much wiggle room. Consider how much more of Carmel and SF you could see if you dropped Vegas.

You should definitely investigate the one-way car rental cost.

<i>Wow you guys are tough!</i>

Really? On August 29 I asked you how many days and nights you have to drive from Carmel to Seattle, but I can't find the answer in your replies. When you tell us, I will give you some ideas about how to do what you want within the time you have.

HTtY

The ONLY long drive is Napa to Portland ???

You can't actually mean stopping at a couple of wineries and then driving to Portland.

That is a two day drive the fast, partly UGLY way up I-5. Up the scenic coastal route it is a 4 day drive and even that is rushed.

You and the boyfriend definitely have to do some re-thinking/re-planning.

I don't think I've ever seen a thread on Fodor's as unanimous as this one regarding the contrast between a proposed itinerary and the possibility of it being a good idea. If only an intervention were a possible.

It simply doesn't make sense to drive to Portland and Seattle without leaving any time to see or do anything in either place. You might as well just drive around the freeways of New York for 10 hours then find a nice hotel for the night.

<i>It simply doesn't make sense to drive to Portland and Seattle without leaving any time to see or do anything in either place.</i>

It need not be a total loss. If they drove up 101, they would see some redwood trees along the way and they would have some great views of the Pacific Ocean.

I say they should go for it. If they don't take this trip, they will never know whether they were given good advice here.

HTtY

"...they will never know whether they were given good advice here."

They won't know if the advice is good unless they take it. I don't always agree with advice given here but often it's a question of doing one enjoyable thing or another enjoyable thing, just differing inclinations. But this time, with so many in agreement, the advice can't be so wrong. But I think it's a moot point, a case of a question being asked with little to no intent to take advice, if it differs from the original plan. It happens.

My flights were booked before I looked on this site. I used google maps I thought I was doing ok I knew there there would be two locations with 10 hour travel times between Vegas/Carmel and Napa/Portland I solved the Vegas/Carmel we will fly.

happytrailstoyou Total of 10 nights 2 in Vegas and 8 nights for Carmel to Seattle,

According to Google Maps:

Total Time – Carmel to Seattle 15 hr 30min
Carmel to SF – 2 Hours
SF to Napa – 1hr 20min
Napa to Portland – 10hr 35min
Portland to Seattle – 3 hours

He wants the Nickel tour I want to see everything that's why I said it's all about him! This is his trip and he wants to keep Vegas. His way of thinking is let's see where we want to go back to.

All of those travel times are optimistic. It's a Google Map flaw IMO. Also, you're likely to stop occasionally for food, gas, photos, whatever, so you won't be able to stick to those times.

The Napa to Portland route can't be along the coast and only take 10.5 hours. If you really wanted to follow the coast the entire way, it's 16+ hours. And Portland to Seattle at only 3 hours would be entirely inland and not particularly scenic, as I recall. Just a freeway with lots of trucks.

But Jean, he loves trucks!

Believe google maps and ignore more those of us who actually LIVE in the places you are driving through.

Sorry, but your plan isn't reasonable and you are bypassing most of the scenic bits. Vegas to Carmel is a loooooong mostly butt ugly trek. Napa to Portland is doable in 2 days . . . If you do not spend one mile along the coast.

So stick to your guns - after being stuck together in the car all that time you'll find out if your relationship has a future ;)

Jean…. I guess I didn’t get the email about the flaw from Google. Google maps was my starting point then I found this website.

clarkgriswold - yes he loves his Truck… how did you know he had one! But he prefers to drive his Mercedes much better ride..

janisj So stick to your guns - after being stuck together in the car all that time you'll find out if your relationship has a future

It’s been almost 7 years and pretty much perfect….this is not our first road trip.


I came to this website for ideas with the timeframes I had to work with and then I would make my list of places I wanted to see along the way on this trip. I know you can’t see everything in 8 days and I’m ok with that. There will be more vacations in my future. If everyone waited till they had enough “days” to travel….they may never get out there. I’ve taken trips all around the world with the days/time I could take, did I see everything NO but the memories I have of things I was able to see will be with me forever. Safe travels to all

I suspect we can all agree on one thing - we've completely lost interest in each other.

I know this is HIS trip but since you really want to see Vancouver, you should squeeze it in.

So now we have
2 nights Las Vegas
1 night Carmel
1 night San Francisco
1 night Napa
1 night stop between Napa and Portland
1 night Portland
1 night Seattle
1 night Vancouver
Day 10 return to New York

You came to this website for advice . . .

Choose to ignore it - it IS your trip as nutty as it is.

Sorry, but that is just the case. So be offended if you want, no skin off anyone else's nose. Everyone here is actually trying to HELP you. No one wants you to have a bad trip.

We didn't make google maps wildly optimistic. We didn't make the California coast nearly 1000 miles long. We didn't make the drive from Napa to Portland 11+ hours of just plain tedious freeway driving..

hmmm ... I like road trips and am a fast driver used to long distances. I've driven between Seattle & various places in CA (Napa, SF, Yosemite, etc.) more times than I can remember in 2 days easy.
...but...
Those were flat-out diving trips meant to get from place A to place B, not to see anything in between.

In my experience, many from the east coast have no idea of the tremendous distances involved. A trip from Las Vegas to Carmel to Seattle is over 1,400 miles, about the same as a trip from Boston to Miami Florida. You'll see (or miss) the same amount of things

Having said that, if you just wast a fast driving road trip, it's doable. Those times you quote above from google maps are about right - for *driving* times. Since I’m a fast driver they tend to also include times for gas. ... but... Study the map ... they are via freeways, mostly inland, not hitting major tourist sites. Don't forget to add in the time to stop for restaurants and incidental stops. But most importantly, add in times stuck in traffic ... I can get through Portland in about 30 minutes on I-5 *if lucky* - if near rush hour, or there's been a wreck, add as much as 2 hours. Roads into and out of both Seattle and San Francisco are *very often* as bad.

Below is what I'd do if I attempted an itinerary like yours. I'm not recommending the following (if coming all the way from the east coast I'd want to see more in less places, or take longer), but here goes if you’re yearning for a quick long road trip:

ALTERNATE A if you'd prefer *quick* passing view of cities, close to your itinerary:
Day 1: arrive Las Vegas
Night 1, Day 2, Night 2: Las Vegas
Day 3: fly to SF bay area, drive to Monterey/Carmel area
Night 3, Day 4, Night 4: tour around Carmel/Monterey
Day 5: Drive to San Francisco vie hwy. 1 through Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay (nice coast views – a long drive on twisting road)
Night 5, Day 6, Night 6: San Francisco (just a quick taste)
Day 7: drive to Napa via Golden Gate Bridge & Hwys. US 101 & CA 37 & 121, see through car windows suburbia, north bay flats, and eventually winery grape fields - stop quickly in 1 winery on way
Night 7: Napa
Day 8: Drive I-5 freeway to apx. Roseburg, OR (mostly boring - see through car windows oak tree foothills, vast flat farming area of Sacramento Valley, Mt. Shasta, Siskiyou Mtns.)
Day 9: Drive I-5 freeway through various hills and flat Willamette Valley farm area, Portland, and heavy traffic on I-5 to Seattle. Try to avoid Portland at rush hour … take I-205 ring freeway around downtown Portland to avoid traffic delays
Night 10, Day 10, Night 11 Seattle
Day 12: fly from Seattle

ALTERNATE B: via Redwoods and Oregon Coast.
Days & Nights 1 – 7 same as Alternate A
Day 8: drive on US 101 to Eureka (leisurely) or Crescent City (with less stops) through the redwoods – stop at least once to walk through a redwood grove
Night 8: Eureka or Crescent City – make a few quick stops at sights, but mostly see coast through car windows
Day 9: drive on US 101 along Oregon Coast to somewhere between Newport and Lincoln City
Night 9: stay on Oregon Coast – try to get as far as Depot Bay or Lincoln City
Day 10: long drive, lots of traffic through Portland to Seattle
Night 10: Seattle
Day 11: fly from Seattle

ALTERNATE C: via inland mountains (omit Napa).
Days & Nights 1 – 6 same as Alternate A
Day 7, Night 7: drive I-5 then US 97 to Klamath Falls
Day 8: Drive to Crater Lake** thence Bend thence Mt. Hood**
Night 8: Try to get reservations ahead of time to stay at Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood** – a rustic old classic lodge
Day 9: drive into Portland, thence to Seattle
Night 9, Day 10, Night 10: Seattle
Day 11: fly from Seattle
** Note – at locations noted ** you could run into snow – maybe in early Nov., most likely in late Nov.

One word of warning: November tends to be the rainiest month in the pacific northwest. Prepare for driving in rain. It’s also possible to run into fog in November along the coast and in the interior valleys

Are you sure there is not a big drop off fee renting in L and leaving the rental car in another state far away?
My suggestion would be to fly to Seattle (or Portland) and rent a car. See what you want in WA, OR and northern CA.
Return the car where you rented it and fly to Las Vegas and rent another car there to see whatever you want to see outside LV.
My other option involves an Amtrak bus out of LV to Bakersfield or Los Angeles and then a train north to the San Francisco area.
I am hoping that we get lots of snow this winter because of the years of drought we have had.
There was a large wildfire in the Napa area late this summer so expect to see some burned over hillsides.

It has already snowed at Crater Lake this year.

The snow at Crater Lake this summer isn't unusual - it was minimal and disappeared quickly. I've been snowed on every month of the year, incl. July, Aug. & Sept in the Cascades ... it can happen, but is only sporadic and short-lived.

The long-range forecast for this fall and winter appears to be a typical El Nino year - more rain than average, warmer temperatures than average, about 20% less snowfall in the mountains than average :( .

elbegewa I just saw your posting Thank You!! I did not yet look at what you are suggesting thought I would just give you an updated on what I have planned so far.

We fly into San Francisco airport on Nov. 16 staying 2 nights pick up car Nov. 18 on Ellis Street so we have 6 nights to drive to Seattle where we return the car (fyi car rental was under $500 for a full size car) I’m not that concerned with going to Carmel or staying over in Napa that can be another trip. I want to enjoy the ride from San Francisco to Seattle taking our time and staying over in cool places.

I will take a closer look at what you wrote Thanks again for taking the time to post all the info....

If you do get to Seattle and have a bit of time there is lots to visit. I did a mini 30 hour road trip this summer looping around from Seattle and back. I did the mountains, the interior farmlands, the coulees and the Mount Rainier.

I have a map and photos (http://raywatson.ca/2015/08/washington-state-road-trip/) that can give you some ideas about the area.