Pacific coast road trip
Sep 1st, 2015, 12:45 PM
#21
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Wow you guys are tough!
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
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
Sep 1st, 2015, 01:15 PM
#22
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.
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.
Sep 1st, 2015, 02:11 PM
#23
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.
Sep 1st, 2015, 02:19 PM
#24
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.
Sep 1st, 2015, 04:21 PM
#25
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It simply doesn't make sense to drive to Portland and Seattle without leaving any time to see or do anything in either place.
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
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
Sep 1st, 2015, 04:31 PM
#26
"...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.
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.
Sep 1st, 2015, 07:08 PM
#27
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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.
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.
Sep 1st, 2015, 07:58 PM
#28
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.
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.
Sep 1st, 2015, 11:10 PM
#30
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
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
Sep 2nd, 2015, 12:20 PM
#31
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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
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
Sep 2nd, 2015, 01:12 PM
#33
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
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
Sep 2nd, 2015, 03:49 PM
#34
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..
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..
Sep 20th, 2015, 11:18 PM
#35
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
...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
Sep 21st, 2015, 06:18 AM
#36
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.
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.
Sep 21st, 2015, 09:54 AM
#38
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
.
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
.
Oct 21st, 2015, 12:25 PM
#39
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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....
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....
Dec 30th, 2015, 04:50 PM
#40
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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.
I have a map and photos (http://raywatson.ca/2015/08/washington-state-road-trip/) that can give you some ideas about the area.
