Pacific Northwest Roadtrip - Need Help!
 

Hi everyone,

I have used the Fodor forums to help plan many vacations in the past, but have never actually posted a message before.

My wife and I will be heading on a road trip this Summer between Portland, OR and Vancouver, BC (Canada). We are giving ourselves 8 nights/9 days for this trip. I know a trip like this deserves much more time, but at this point in our lives we are interested in getting an overview of larger regions (seeing as much as possible) rather than settling on one place.

We are both foodies in our late 20's and love scenic drives with many photo ops.

Our current itinerary is looking like this:
Sat - Portland (overnight in city)
Sun - Columbia Gorge/Mt. Hood Loop then Coast (Tillamook - Astoria) - (overnight in Astoria)
Mon - Drive to Seattle: Rt. 101 around Olympic Peninsula (overnight in city)
Tues - Seattle (overnight in city)
Wed - Seattle to San Juan Islands via ferry(overnight Orcas, SJI)
Thu - SJI to Victoria, Vancouver Island via ferry (overnight Victoria)
Fri - Victoria to Vancouver BC via ferry (overnight in city)
Sat - Vancouver (overnight in city)
Sun - Vancouver (evening flight home)

Right now I need the most help with the driving route and logistics of taking the ferry. For example, I'm not sure if I should return the car when I get to Seattle and then rely on the ferry system to get between Seattle/San Juan Islands/Vancouver Island/Vancouver, etc.

Thank you so much in advance to everyone who takes the time to help with my trip planning.

Regards,
Brett

I understand you desire to see the entire NW in a week, but it isn't possible. Here are some places I would trim:

Sat- Instead of going to Tillamook, go to the Cannon Beach area and spend the night there.
Sun- If you drive to the Olympic National Park, spend the night there.

If you want to visit Vancouver and/or Victoria, forget about waiting for ferries in the San Juan Islands.

Have you heard the expression, "You've bitten off more than you can chew"? It applies to your "vacation" plans in the NW.

Yup, pretty aggressive plan. Astoria to Seattle via 101 is a great drive, but is around 8 hours without stopping, and there are so many things to see along the way. Lake Quinault, the Coast, Hoh Rain Forest, Hurricane Ridge, Port Townsend, etc.
The ferries to the San Juans depart from Anacortes, not Seattle, it's about a two hour drive.
You'll need a car in the San Juans, as well as when you get to Vancouver.
If I were doing this, I'd skip the Columbia River gorge/Mt. Hood, but that's just my Washington bias.

Sounds like one of our road trips..We like to pack in as much as possible also.However, living in the Portland area myself I cam tell you, your Sunday, while doable, would be a race.
If your set on doing it, I would suggest heading out early,head east on I84 to Troutdale, then get on the old scenic highway that will take you past the Vista house and the waterfalls.
Hook back up with 84 to Hoodriver and circle Mt Hood back to Portland. Around 6 hours I would guess. Timberline lodge is worth the side trip.
Unless there is something you really wanna see in Tillamook, I'd just take 26 to 101 and hit Cannon Beach as mentioned. You say you are foodies, check out Stephanie Inn in Cannon Beach for sure.
Mon... Another marathon, your going to miss ALOT if you try and make it all the way around to Seattle.JMHO

Not to sound discouraging, but the first part of your trip involves a lot of car time: Portland east to the Gorge, then up to Mt. Hood and back, would take at least 4-5 hours, longer with any stops. Add another 2-3 hours to Tillamook, then another hour or so back up the coast to Astoria, and you have a pretty long day in the car. Not knowing all of your interests, but you might consider not going east to the Gorge or mountain, but perhaps spending part of your day exploring the Pearl District in Portland or wine tasting in the Willamette Valley before heading out to try the cheese at Tillamook. (I haven't been there for a while, but last time I checked, I didn't think that Astoria offered much in the way of cuisine, boutique lodging, and/or shopping. You might consider Cannon Beach, about 30 minutes south on the Oregon coast and about an hour or so north of Tillamook.)

I also agree with the other poster that the Olympic Penninsula loop would take at least 8 hours driving, plus you'd need to either take the ferry from Bremerton to Seattle or add another 2-3 hours to drive around Puget Sound. If I were to skip the Penninsula, I'd head inland from Astoria (on the Oregon side), cross the Columbia at Rainier, OR, through Longview to hit I-5 north and visit Mt. St. Helens (or Mt. Rainier, or both) on the way to Seattle.

The ferries through the San Juans are where you'll have a bigger challenge. First, the ferry does leave from Anacortes, a good 2 hour drive north of Seattle. Second, in the summer that ferry route is very overloaded. On our trips up there, even on a weekday, we parked our car in the ferry line at about 5 am for a 9 am ferry. The lines get so long so quickly that if you arrive much later in the morning, you run the risk of not getting on any ferry at all that day. On the plus side, many people line up early and grab breakfast nearby. Take a look at the Washington State Dept. of Transportation website, which posts ferry schedules for all ferries in the state, for more specific info.

In Eastsound, on Orcas, there are several great places to eat. We had a nice dinner at Christine's. You will need a car to get around Orcas.

The ferry through the San Juans drops you at Sidney, a small town about 20 miles or so north of Victoria. The ferry from Vancouver Island over to Vancouver leaves from several places (such as Nanaimo), all of which require driving both from Victoria and into Vancouver. You will absolutely need to keep your car throughout your trip, so make sure you let the rental company know you'll be taking it into (and it sounds like, leaving it in) Canada.

Another alternative might be to drive inland to Seattle (e.g., as I suggested above), then taking the ferry from Seattle to Bremerton and driving around the north end of the Olympic Penninsula, out the coast, and then backtrack a bit to Port Angeles. (Hurricane Ridge is a worthy drive up from there into the Olympics for terrific views.) Port Angeles has become a pretty little tourist town, with some nice restaurants and decent places to stay. A summer ferry departs Port Angeles to Victoria across the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and it is not as crowded as that through the San Juans. You could then visit Victoria, then take the ferry from Sidney to Orcas (slightly less crowded eastbound), then from Orcas (but get to the ferry early!) to Anancortes and north by car to Vancouver (about an hour or so not counting the frequently slow border crossing).

I know that I've made lots of transportation suggestions, with little advice for a foodie. You may feel that posters have focused on the challenges of your trip. Perhaps a slightly less ambitious itinerary will draw more suggestions for food and activites. It's a beautiful region with many great photo ops. Enjoy your trip.

As everyone has already clarified, that is a LOT of driving time every day. I'm not sure what to suggets to cut, but something needs to go. Perhaps even just fly into Seattle and out of Vancouver, leaving off Oregon? Or into Portland and out of Seattle, leaving off Canada?

I'll pile on! ;-)

You'll regret packing so much into this trip. Yes, you'll see a lot of scenery, but you've scheduled almost no time - at least in Oregon - to enjoy and/or photograph it. You've packed into one day what we locals usually recommend for a minimum of 2 - 3.

I'm not sure where to suggest cuts, either, but I do agree with the suggested pass on Tillamook and overnight in Cannon Beach. Also, IMO, there's little to be seen from 101 in Washington until you get to the Olympic Peninsula. So, I might suggest a visit to Cape Disappointment at the mouth of the Columbia River, then head directly to Seattle.

The real bottlenecks are the Olypmic NP coast and San Juan Islands portions. In summer accommodation is very hard to obtain on the Olympic NP coast section, and trying to get from Astoria to Seattle via the US101 loop in one day means you won't have any time to see the sights that make you want to take that route. The Hoh trail or Ruby Beach take an hour or more each to enjoy, but you won't have it with your schedule. As for the San Juans, between the length of drive from Seattle to the dock, summer wait times for boats, and the complexity of getting from Orcas to Victoria, you're using up a lot of time waiting for things to happen, and you don't have that much time to spare.

Couple of alternatives:

Instead of the San Juans, allocate a day in the Canadian Gulf Islands (Saltspring, Pender, Galiano, Gabriola, Saturna etc.) which are easily accessed from Vancouver Island and connect to the mainland for access to Vancouver (city.) No border/customs delays, etc. and they're very beautiful and much less congested than the San Juans.

If you want rocky coast/remote scenery, you can also allocate an additional day to Vancouver Island and spend it driving up to Port Renfrew on BC14, which follows some very scenic big-water coastline north from Victoria and Sooke. There's also Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park near Victoria, which, while not as spectacular as the Hoh rainforest in Olympic National Park, has some competitive trees and walks of its own, and way more accessible and less out-of-the-way than Hoh. This would allow you to pass on the Olympic NP portion.

Here's an amended itinerary for your consideration. I think it keeps the scenic highlights without requiring hours and hours of driving.

Sat, arr PDX
Sun, Columbia Gorge/Mt. Hood loop
Mon, to Seattle via Mt St Helens
Tue, Seattle to Port Angeles via Bainbridge ferry, visit Hurricane Ridge
Wed, to Victoria
Thu, Victoria coast day trip
Fri, Victoria to Saltspring Island
Sat, Saltspring to Vancouver
Sun, Vancouver - home

Of course this is still scratching the surface, but you can't see it all in 9 days or 9 lifetimes.

You have gotten some very good advise and info from other posters. I will go ahead and throw in my 2 cents worth.

First of all, since you mentioned this is a "road" trip and not a "relaxing" trip, it sounds like you are fully prepared for lots of time behind the wheel.

I would absolutely <i>not</i> skip The Gorge/Mt Hood Loop. it is one of the most beautiful places in the area, in my opinion.

Since you will be spending time near the water in both Washington State and in Canada I would skip the Oregon Coast Part of your trip. I say that even though I think the Oregon Coast is spectacular. The Gorge is unique and shouldn't be missed. There are many waterfalls along the scenic highway where you can get some great photo ops.

Spend your first 2 nights in Portland and just head straight up to Seattle from there. Portland has some incredible restaurants and if you want to take some photos there are many parks and gardens within the city limits:

Japanese Garden
Rose Garden (great views over Portland)
Chinese Garden
Forest Park
Washington Park
Waterfront Park

What are your travel dates? There are many festivals in Portland during the summer, my favorite being the Waterfront Blues Fest. for 4-5 days around the 4th of July and the Oregon Brewers Fest at the end of July.

I would also choose either Victoria or Vancouver, not both. My choice would be Victoria.

There are some great day trips from Victoria, one of my favorite being Buchart Gardens. There is also wine tasting near the gardens. You can also don these great big puffy suits and go out on the water to see if you may be able to see some Orca. Even if you don't see Orca this is a great trip.

Let us know if you have more questions!

Driving around the Olympic Peninsula in one day from Oregon is going to be hard (i.e. crazy). Love the idea, but Whew!

Keep in mind that it is 3.5 hours up I-5 from Portland to Seattle, so you are looking at 10 to 12 hours minimum to drive around the Peninsula. May I suggest, that when you leave Astoria, do not go any further north than Long Beach (has a board walk, kites etc) before heading over to I-5 and driving to Seattle (Watch out for cops…speed traps everywhere). Spend the day in Seattle….there is so much to see there - shopping and eating.

Besides the long drive around the Peninsula, another reason for taking I-5 is that, while HWY 101 is lovely along the Oregon coastline, it is boring for most of Central Washington, unless you love fir trees – short fir trees. No old growth here. Drove it on a motorcycle…..boring!

A few other thoughts: the Olympic Pennisula &amp; the Hoh Rainforest are nice (however, the Oregon coast is also a rainforest). Mt Rainer is awesome; Lake Chelan is a real natural lake (no man made dam). Port Angeles is a neat little town, I have caught the ferry there a couple of time. The drive from Olympia to Port Angeles is nice.

You just might be able to lose the car in Seattle. Victoria and Vancouver each need a day and scooters are a great way to get around. Also, you had better know the ferry schedule and arrive early. Hopefully, you will not be spending too much time sitting on a ferry in the middle of the water.

I hope this helps....have a good time1

Skip the Olympic Loop-there's no point in doing that in a day, since the good scenery isn't along Hwy 101, but requires long detours off the highway to various areas of the park (the Hoh rainforest, Hurricane Ridge). But you won't have time for these detours. If you drive around 101 you'll see mostly old logged land. It's definitely not a &quot;scenic drive with many photo ops&quot; like you want. Also you will get into Seattle so late, and have to leave so early to catch a San Juan ferry, there wouldn't be any point in even coming to Seattle.

Your Sunday is insane-skip the Oregon Coast and when you are done with the Gorge, head up north to Rainier.

I agree, if you want mt. scenery, a better bet is to drive from Portland to Seattle and detour to Mt. Rainier along the way. If you do this you could also skip Mt. Hood, which isn't nearly as spectacular as Rainier. There are many photo ops on the way to the Paradise visitor's center at Rainier. The only caveat here is that a storm wiped out the road up to Paradise last month, so you should make sure things are back to normal before heading up there next summer (they won't be able to make many repairs in the winter).

Since scenery, photo ops and food are important to you, I wouldn't skip the San Juan Islands. You do definie

Oops, meant to say you do want to get to the ferry a couple hours early at least. Going mid-week like you've planned is very smart.

Well, you've got lots of time in your schedule to get there, but no time to 'be' there..If you do get to the Olympic Penn., stay at the Lake Quinalt Lodge for a great experience, or Kalalok (right on the ocean) or Iron Springs Resort. ps. this is a big logging area so factor in time, if you go into the mountains to be stuck behind one, unable to pass on a curve.

Wow! I really appreciate everyone's thoughtful responses. I certainly have some rethinking to do. I am going to read through and post a revised itinerary. In the meantime, if anyone has any other ideas on what to cut out or what not to miss please share! Thanks again!

You have the benefit of good advice and differing opinions from many people. I live in Olympia, mid way from Portland and Seattle. I think you should refine a bit on what you want to see. I don't think The Gorge is that wonderful unless you windsurf. Mt Rainier is worth a side trip, and the loop around the peninsula should not be done in 1 day. All you will remember are RVs and logging trucks. If you fish, lots of rivers for salmon and steelhead,depending on the dates. On the loop, Lake Quinault lodge is an interesting historical and comfortable place to stay, cheaper bungalows are farther in the park. Lots of camping grounds to save money. The Hoh River trail is serious rainforest and neat. I have seen bear 2 times on that trail. Ruby Beach and La Push or Neah Bay are worth a side trip, especially the latter 2 if you are interested in Native American culture. They give you a good look at small native towns on the coast. Their beach stuff is just as good if not better than the Oregon coast.Do not use Sea as a jump off to the loop. I would take the loop clockwise, taking 101 west at Olympia and at Port Angeles take the Coho ferry to Victoria, 2 ferries a day 1.5 hours to cross the straits. You can ferry from Vic to Vancouver and drive down to Seattle or ferry back to the US through the San Juans (lovely trip) to Anacortes and drive to Sea. Mt St Helens is about 1 hour off I-5 and looks like a big mountain with the top blown off. There is an amazingly good Italian restaurent on main street in Port Angles, don't recall the name, but they had Vino Nobile and Brunello! I go to Italy 2 times a year and like to eat, so I know good Italian food.

Too much info for you from the board members? Many of us in the NW just frequent the peninsula for close and quick 2-3 day vacations.

Wow, beaker!. I would guess you haven't spent much time in The Gorge if you can make the statement that it is not &quot;that wonderful&quot;.

I probably head out that way from Portland at least twice a month in the summer to explore, hike and drink in the beautify that I never tire of. Maybe you haven't gotten off the road and hiked to some of the amazing vistas or seen any of the waterfalls except from the road? :-? Have you ever hiked to the top of Angels Rest and had a picnic while gazing over The Gorge? Have you ever been to the top of Crown Point on a clear blue day? Hiked up Eagle Creek and taken a swim in the stunning pool below Tunnel Falls in Eagle Creek? Stopped by the fish hatchery to watch the salmon fight their way up river or seen the 70 year old sturgeon at the Bonneville Fish Hatchery?

bgg110, The Gorge was <i>the first</i> area in the country to be declared a National Scenic Area. Here are some good links of the area, which include some photos:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/columbia/forest/

http://www.crgva.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_River_Gorge

I have travelled to many places in the world and I think that The Gorge rivals some of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, inside or outside of the USA.

My advice: Instead of trying to do the Gorge/Mt. Hood loop and heading straight to the coast (you'll be in the car all day), spend a few nights in Portland. Use it as a base for day trips to Mt. Hood and the coast. You're a foodie, Portland has great restaurants, and this will give you a few nights to eat out there. Also, it's worth spending a full day in the city.
Then, head up Interstate 5, with a detour to Mt. St. Helens on the way to Seattle. Spend a couple days there (maybe take a trip to Mt. Rainier) and then go on to Vancouver.

Good advice from Andrew! :-)

Euro...I can't say I have had a pic nic at some of the specific spots you mention. Beauty is quite a subjective topic of course. I have seen the mountains of Yunnan, the alps, Greek islands, the inlets for BC Canada and Alaska etc. I simply do not agree with your opinion that the Gorge rivals the most beautiful vistas around the world.

The poster asked for opinions and he/she got some good ones. I did not intend to offend your sensitivities about an area you obviously value so much. The absence of much tourist infrastructure specific to the Gorge seems to suggest the market place shares my opinion, especially when it is compared to the most scenic spots in the world as you contend.

Here's my suggestions:

Sat - Portland (overnight in city)

Sun - Travel south on 99w through the Willamette Valley to McMinnville. Lots of vineyards along the way. Head west to Lincoln City, then north along 101. Check out the Pelican Brewery in Pacific city for good beer and food. See Tillamook, Cannon Beach, Astoria, then head east to Hood River to eat and drink at Full Sail Brewery.

Mon - Continue east along the Gorge and hang a left outside of the Dalles towards Yakima. You're going to have great views of Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens and esspecially Mt. Adams (assuming weather is clear). Through Yakima you will take hwy 12, then hwy 410 (Chinook Pass) into the mountains. On 410, you will get up-close and personal with Mt. Rainier and will have some tremendous photo ops. Drive to Seattle.

Tues - Seattle - The Met is most famous for steaks and seafood. Blue Water Bistro on Lake Union is good outdoor eating in summer. Try to catch a Mariner's game if you can.

Wed - Ferry from Seattle to Bremerton, drive south to Belfair and travel along the hood canal on hwy 106 for some great views of Olympic Mountains. Stop by the Alderbrook Resort for food along the way. Take a right on 101 and head towards Port Angeles. Hurricane Ridge is a nice spot in the Mts. From Port Angeles, you can catch a ferry to Victoria. You're on your own once you get there.

Good luck.

Beaker, not offended at all, just surprised. As I said, I would guess you haven't actually explored the area of The Gorge as many of us who live in Portland do.

Hi there. Congrats on your road trip!

I've lived - among other places - in Victoria on and off for 8 years and am now in Vancouver. I'm also in my late 20's.

Lots of great advice so far. If I were you, I'd also go Portland to Seattle and skip one night in the islands. Or skip both and go back for an island-hopping trip all on its own in the late summer, early fall. These little communities are so beautiful and wonderful to explore, it's easy to spend a week meandering about, riding bicycles, and just enjoying life.

If you do want to leave your car in the US, and you do want to see Victoria, the Victoria Clipper brings you right into the Inner Harbour. And from downtown Victoria, there are PCL buses that are really reasonable that take you right into the heritage bus station downtown Vancouver.

That said, Vancouver's mass-transit leaves much to be desired and I think that to really see Victoria you need a car. If you do decide to visit Victoria, and you do skip the San Juan Islands - I still maintain that these and the Gulf Islands should be a separate trip - you can take the Coho from Port Angeles which also brings you right into Victoria's Inner Harbour.

Driving around Victoria's perimetre has got to be one of the best things about Victoria. If you love scenic drives, mini-style, the Breakwater and Cattle Point are stunning both in the day and at sunset; there are literally miles and miles of oceanfront drive replete with natural and man-made beauty. On a windy day at Cattle Point there are multitudes of multi-coloured kites in the air. Some of the most beautiful older homes are in this area, and there are many pullouts for photo opps. Stop at

If you spend but a night there, I recommend driving from Cook St - stop at Beacon Hill Drive Inn and geta soft-serve ice cream cone first and eat it up at the lookout in Beacon Hill Park - round Dallas Rd and Beach Dr as far as you can go, then heading out to Butchart Gardens (time this with a Saturday night) for the fireworks. Be advised that you will need to get there early to get in.

Since you are going with your wife, I suggest somewhere quaint and romantic in Victoria. Try the English Inn &amp; Resort (you can get good rates on Hotels.com - choose or upgrade to a Crown Suite) or any of the old B&amp;Bs in Fairfield or along Dallas Rd - try these sites: http://www.bestinnsofvictoria.com/ or http://www.bestbnbvictoria.com/.

Not sure what your budget is, but in Victoria, I recommend eating at:

Cafe Brio - Italian &amp; French - Fantastic tagliatelle - www.cafe-brio.com

Daidoco - Japanese - greet owner Naotatsu Ito who loves to show off his specialties. Local and very fresh (mostly organic) ingredients. I don't think they are open on weekends, though, so if you see th eButchart fireworks this might not work for you.

Zambri's - Italian - Nice romantic venue with rich and unapologetic Italian food.

John's Place - American - A sentimental favourite - good souvlaki and yummy multiple mushroom pasta with feta, remembered well for its jukebox and candles and low-key atmosphere. Great bread with herb butter made from their on-site bakery. (I ended a fundraiser 30-hour famine here).

If you go Victoria to Vancouver on the ferry, MAKE RESERVATIONS. I canot stress enough how awful it is to wait in line at the ferry terminal. Reservations are approx. $20 and as long as you show up at the terminal 20 mins before sailing, you're home free. DEFINITELY worth the cash. You can spend upwards of 5 hours if you miss your target sailing, in a ferry queue, with nothing to do but look at the asphalt.

Once in Vancouver, recommended restaurants:

Bacchus - Modern Italian - YOU WILL CERTAINLY NEED A CAR AND A RESERVATION FOR THIS PLACE (Book a month in advance). Tour the winery, buy a bottle of wine to take back with you (if you like white the Bacchus is lovely and light) and have a fantastic lunch. They are famous for their lobster rolls but anything on the menu is excellent.

Imperial Chinese - Asian - great selection, but prepare for lines for dim sum. Try the salmon in black bean sauce.

Nu - French/American - great food, great views, try the tempura and the aperatifs.

ViJ's - Indian - everyone likes this place. Great atmosphere, curry that you can feel in your toes, really innovative food.

Tacos Mexico Rio - Mexican - one owner/manager (fiesty!) - best mole in the Lower Mainland. Authentic and zesty Mexican cuisine.

Bishop's - West Coast - a 'culinary experience' but an expensive one. Check out www.bishopsonline.com

West - West Coast - this is one of THE restaurants du jour. A dish for all seasons, summer's is the most redolent of haute cuisine and the chef's genius. If you have the $$$$, go here.

So many restaurants in Van...

From a NW resident:

Columbia Gorge has spectacular scenery out to Hood River only. Waterfalls are easily accessed from road.

The Olympic Peninsula was as described below. Lots of logging and RVs. Takes a LONG time to drive (at least a couple of days). I'd cut this out.
We were underwhelmed with the rainforest (sorry)for the effort it took to get there. It really just looks like a damp woods (which describes a lot of Washington :))

Mount Rainer is absolutely stunning on Sunrise side (east side). Highest accessible point by car in the park. There is a trail at the top that loops you through scenery reminiscent of &quot;Sound of Music&quot; and past a glacier. Takes about 2 hours to hike.

Drive between Portland and Seattle is fairly monotonous. Likewise between Seattle and Vancouver.

The ferry between Anacortes and the San Juan Islands is beautiful. However, the ferry lines are murder if you take a car. The ferry ride is also fairly slow, so leave a whole day for this option.

Vancouver BC is probably the most beautiful west coast city (maybe along SF, but we like BC better). Granville Island is fun. Best restaurant in Vancouver is a little local joint way at the end of Robson called TapasTree

Victoria is cute, if a bit touristy.

Best of luck and enjoy...

bgg110,

As a NW native, I think your itnerary is a bit ambitious. Here is your major dilemma as I see it: you could go to the Oregon coast, stay in Cannon Beach, and go up the Olympic peninsula the next day or you could go the the gorge and then head up the Olympic Peninusula. However, you can't do all three in your time frame. I would prefer the Gorge if you're already going to see plenty of coastal areas. It's quicker and more interesting than the coast (although the Oregon Coast does deserve all the beauty praise it gets, especially its beaches, but it can be a total nightmare in the summertime with traffic on US 101).

Start your gorge trip via the Historic Highway at Exit 22 off I-84 (Corbett)...starting in Troutdale (Exit 17) is a waste of time. Latourell, Bridal Veil and Multnomah Falls are all right off the road. Hiking around any or all of the falls is divine. One caveat: the waterfalls tend to be their fullest and most fullsome in winter and fall.

At Hood River, Hwy 35 goes around the mountain through the Hood River Valley (HRV). This is an absolutely spectacular drive to be sure, but if you're looking for glaciers and a more &quot;massive&quot; experience, try Rainier.

I would stay in Portland 2 nights and drive up to Seattle via I-5, stopping at Rainier or St. Helens, unless you absolutely have to see the Olympics.

I would skip the Olympics and do some similar sight-seeing later on Vancouver Island without the stress.

I love Mt. St. Helens (I was six when it erupted and remember it well), but check to see what the schedule is like and there will be crowds in the summertime...Still, it's a one-of-a-kind view and I would never come here without trying to see it.

In PDX (the local moniker for Portland), there are many different places to get good wine and food without going down the valley. Be prepared for culture. PDX, Seattle and Vancouver are all great cities with fabulous restaurants and shows.

I might try to stay at the Inn at Northrup Station in PDX (NW 21st and Northrup). You're right on the streetcar for trips to the Pearl and downtown, and you're smack dab in the middle of the most of the talked about restaurants (like &quot;Wildwood&quot;) on 21st. The rooms are suites and you can pick up food from City Market on 21st if you want to make something at the hotel. Also, if you wanna shop, two blocks north, on NW 23rd, there's block after block of chic-looking local stores.

The SJI's are beautiful but can be a total pain get to. When I go, I park my car at Anacortes and walk onto the ferry. If you have evertying along with you though, you'll probably have to take the car. It can sometimes take a whole day just to get there if you haul your car along. Probably better to plan a whole trip around them then to just try to see them.

I would defintely skip the Astoria to Seattle section on 101 and stay in PDX. It's just too long and dull. I think your time is much better spent in Seattle, at Rainier or St. Helens.
I could go on and on. I am just scratching the surface and I haven't even written about Seattle yet! Wow! I love it here.

Okay, my two cents, I left Vancouver BC in my teens, lived in Portland and now am in Seattle so I've seen all this stuff. Oregon Coast is beautiful but so are the San Juan Islands. I'd pick between the two. Cannon Beach is cute and even has a spa but you're not really missing anything if you want to pick Mt. Hood/Gorge over the beach to save time. Or skip Hood/Gorge/Timberline and head to Rainier. They may offer dinners (if this visit is summer) using the chair lift up to the top of the mountain. The view is incredible and the food is pretty good. &quot;Pretty&quot; good not spectacular by any stretch. I like Hood and Ranier so it's tough to say. Portland is a bustling city with excellent food...rivals Seattle any day in my opinion. The Olympic drive while pretty is painfully long like others suggest. I like Victoria but someone mentioned Pender and I grew up going there on weekends...any of the Gulf Islands are nice. Victoria is touristy but in a fun way and it's nice to walk around The Empress and govt. bldgs at night. All time favorite, spectacular, not to be missed city is Vancouver. You'd be NUTS to miss it. So much to do, lots of food, party, mountains, beaches, it has it all! No matter what you do, you'll enjoy it here during the summer. The ferry lineup warnings are absolutely true. Head out early.