MileHighHC

Looking for feedback on a late May/early June road trip around the PNW. We've got 8 or 9 days max and generally like to pack a lot in, but this trip will include our 3 year old so we'd like to minimize drive time and stay 2-3 nights at each stop.

A little about us: we love the outdoors, but don't plan on anything too strenuous since any hikes we do will have to include our 3 year old in a carrier (2-3 miles max). We've been to Seattle several times in the past so don't plan to include time in the city in this trip. We'd love to see the beaches, wildlife and PNW scenery. We love food, but we're not museum people.

Here's where I'm at with our itinerary and some of the things we'd love to see (but understand it's probably not realistic to see it all!!) Thanks for any input!

Fri flight into Portland. Stay first 2 nights in Portland (this will be Memorial Weekend). Are we ok without a car in Portland - picking up a rental on the way out of town?

Sunday drive from Portland up the coast to the Olympic Peninsula. One idea was to stay at Lake Crescent Lodge. Is this drive manageable? Will traffic be bad around Memorial Weekend/the week following?

3 nights in ONP - a few things we'd love to see (if this helps with guidance on where on the Peninsula to stay...) Haystack, Ruby and Shi Shi Beaches, Sol Duc Falls, Marymere Falls, Neah Bay, Kalaloch, Hurricane Ridge.

Thinking we could drop our rental car at Port Angeles but this is where I could use guidance! From here, take a ferry to Victoria/Vancouver Island and stay 2 nights on the island. Would we be ok without a car? Or would we want it to explore outside of the city? Would love to visit Salt Spring Island if it's manageable as a day trip!

After two days, ferry to Vancouver and spend 2 nights before flying home. Planning to rent bikes to explore Stanley park, and squeeze in Capilano Suspension Bridge if we can.

Any thoughts on getting between spots and the easiest place to ditch the car? Thanks for any input!

marvelousmouse

You don't want a car in Portland. With only 2 nights, you don't need a car on Vancouver Island either. You MIGHT want a car in Vancouver. Traffic is crazy downtown but it makes it easier to do things like Capilano and Stanley Park. Lots of people recommend no car for Vancouver, but I have done it both ways and definitely prefer the car. 101 doesn't really go up the coast in WA- no views, just so you're aware of that. But because of that, I don't think traffic will be that bad on Memorial Day (I5 is always crazy, especially north of Olympia and around Portland).


I'd count on rain, and have back up plans if you don't want to hike in rain. Summer doesn't truly start til early July. You probably know that though if you've been to Seattle before.

I'm drawing a blank on a Haystack in WA. If you by chance mean Haystack Rock in OR, give it a miss because Cannon Beach is always packed on holiday weekends.

Don't miss the Vancouver aquarium! It's fantastic and I think they may have opened their sting ray petting tank by now.

tomfuller

Since you've already seen Seattle, going to Portland makes sense. Rent the car either at PDX or downtown when you want to leave Portland.
If you do go to Canada, use Amtrak to Vancouver. There are 2 trains per day and several buses from Seattle to Vancouver.
Haystack Rock is one of the most photographed spots in Oregon.
While in Oregon, drive out I-84 and the old Columbia Gorge Highway to see Multnomah Falls and several of the other waterfalls. Several of the falls have good hikes of less than 3 miles.
You might want to take a short hike from Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood.
It is not wise to drop your rental car anywhere other than where you rent it (JMHO).
Does your toddler have a passport?

Gardyloo

Honest opinion, the route you're describing wears me out just thinking of it; add in a holiday weekend and a three year old and IMO you've gone right over the edge.

First, a reality check on the weather. Late May is still definitely the wet season, and snow season in the mountains. The road to Hurricane Ridge will be open, but there will still be snow on the ground. So far this winter is a colder and snowier one than average (or so it seems) so spring in the mountains could easily be delayed.

Memorial Day weekend and the week following is the kickoff for the heavy tourist season in places like Olympic NP. If you don't have accommodations already booked you might already be in trouble.

In thinking about places you could cut or substitute, the first one that comes to mind is Vancouver, and with it any of the Gulf Islands. Vancouver needs more time than you could give it and it's very busy by then as the Alaska cruise season is in high gear. The Gulf Islands, like the US San Juans, are splendid but the logistics (and cost) can quickly get out of hand.

I also think there's a glaring omission in your plans, namely the Columbia Gorge and Mount Hood area. Especially with a three year old, this is an ideal area to visit using a "home base" for a couple of days.

Try this out - land in Portland and spend the night near the airport. The next morning head east along the Columbia Gorge Highway (the scenic, twisty one, not the I-84 freeway) toward Hood River. As this is Memorial Day weekend, you'll encounter lots of people at Multnomah Falls, but you can visit other waterfalls like Latourell Falls, or skip them now but visit them some other time.

I'd book two nights in Hood River (and you will need to get on this asap) and spend the days exploring the Gorge and Hood River Valley. You can drive (an hour or so) east to the Maryhill Museum and Stonehenge replica in the sagebrush, or take your child to the marvelous hatchery at Bonneville Dam, where he/she can feed the baby salmon and visit Herman the Sturgeon (an ancient and enormous fish) through underwater viewing windows. You can tour the Hood River Valley "fruit loop" and go up to Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood for a day in the snow. In my view this area is tops in the region for families with kids - it's compact, stunningly beautiful, and has lots of cool activities and sights all within minutes of each other.

Then I'd head north and plan a big loop of the Olympic Peninsula. Visit Port Townsend, Hurricane Ridge, etc. I'd take one day (not two, but your call) for a visit to Victoria, going as foot passengers on the ferry from Port Angeles. Go on an early boat, walk around the Inner Harbour, take one of the many tour buses to go to Butchart Garden if you want, but then return to PA on an evening boat. Just my opinion, but Victoria is too crowded by then, and it's compact enough that you can see quite a lot in one day. Staying in PA and making a day trip (no car) would also save a lot of money and you wouldn't have to break camp twice.

Then I'd continue the loop of the peninsula - La Push beaches (some of those you listed are very lengthy walks) and especially the Hall of Mosses trail in the Hoh Valley. Visit Ruby Beach and Lake Quinault, then continue south to Cape Disappointment at the mouth of the Columbia. Visit the Lewis and Clark interpretive center, see the lighthouses and walk along the sand at Waikiki Beach... great stuff.

I am not a big fan of Cannon Beach but of course it's very popular. I like historic Astoria, but I also like little Ilwaco on the Washington side of the river.

Continue south to Yachats (if you can get accommodation) before returning to Portland for your departure. Returning the vehicle to where you rented it will save you big bucks - the one-way drop fees in the Pacific NW are killer.

Map of the route - https://goo.gl/maps/h5H42FD5BH22

So this is an abbreviated list of destinations but IMO will more than fill your days quite enjoyably. I'd save Vancouver and the islands for a different time; there's still plenty to see and experience even with this shortened plan. Just my view of course, others can and will disagree.

marvelousmouse

Actually, gardyloo's idea would be tempting. I'll add silver falls state park would be great with a kid.

Part of the problem with your original plan is that I think you may be underestimating the time you'll spending transit. You really need more like 3 nights Victoria, and four nights Vancouver. I would cut either Oregon or BC

MileHighHC

Thanks for all the helpful feedback! @gardyloo, your first line made me chuckle. The 3yo has definitely pushed us over the edge

Haystack beach was a mistake on our part - I think we'll cut out the Oregon coast in order to spend more time exploring the beaches of the Olympic Peninsula. Here's the slightly simplified itinerary I'm leaning towards but I still welcome any and all feedback! We really want to hit these 4 locations, even if we have to greatly pair down what we're able to see in each...

Fly into Portland, stay 2 nights w/o a car. Would love to see the Gorge if we can manage it or add a day to the trip, but we're open to playing this by ear.

Pickup a rental car on the way out of town and head for the Olympic Peninsula (still looking at Lake Crescent Lodge, which came highly recommended and has availability - unless anyone has any other family-friendly recos on the peninsula?). Google Maps has this drive at 4 1/2 hours but we'll give it a day assuming lots of stops to stretch our legs.

Use LCL for a home base for 3 days of exploring the Peninsula. On the 3rd day, return the car at Port Angeles (reasonable price on Expedia for only 4 days, one way) and ferry to Victoria.

2 nights in Victoria - consider renting a car for a day to get outside the city if we're feeling extra ambitious and my son is on his best behavior, otherwise, stick to exploring the parks of Victoria.

Ferry to Vancouver, 2 nights in Vancouver w/o car. If we can find a great AirBnB in a central spot, it sounds like we can manage without a car/using Uber and it also looks like parking will be tough if we do have a car. Understanding we can only scratch the surface, this does give us some time to explore Stanley Park for the day.

marvelousmouse

You can take a bus to Butchart gardens of you need more green space in Victoria