delph17

Hello,
I am planning a trip in the summer/fall to the area and want to see as much as possible.
From Portland, how long is the drive to the coast and which place to stay for an overnight.
I would like to continue down the coast to see the sand dunes and then move inland to Craterlake and back up to the Columbia Gorge area.Am I trying to see too much ? would love any recc for accomodation, on the coast or around the crater lake area.
I already have accomodation at the Columbia Gorge hotel for 4 nights.
I may miss out on Crater lake and just to the coast and Columbia Gorge area.
Many thanks,
Angie

Orcas

Hi Delph17, Reading your post, I'm not clear. Are you spending 4 of our 7 or 8 nights at the Columbia Gorge Hotel? Or do you have 7 or 8 nights extra?
If you have only three extra nights, you could drive to the coast in about 3 or 4 hours, staying at Canon Beach the first night. Then go down the coast to Yachats, Florence, or points south; and cut across to Crater Lake the next day, staying the night near Crater Lake and returning via I-5. This is rushing things as you'd want to spend more time on the coast, I'd imagine. I think with so little time you are better off leaving off Crater Lake.
If you skip Crater Lake, you can take the long way to the Coast, going around Mt. Hood, which is a beautiful drive. (If it's a clear day) You could visit Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood and enjoy the vistas from there. Then it's back through Portland to Canon Beach for the 1st night, and points south for nights 2 and 3.
The Coast is beautiful and you won't feel quite so rushed if you give yourself a couple of days to enjoy it.

beachbum

I've the same question as Orcas; are you planning 4 of 7 (or 8) nights at the Columbia Gorge Hotel? And, if so, why? Gorge scenery is spectacular, but you're short-changing the best scenery in the state. As Orcas wrote, you can do the Portland-coast-Crater Lake-Hood River itinerary as planned, but you'll be spending most of your time in the car.

What kind of accommodations are you looking for?

delph17

Thanks,for your quick replies.
The reason I am staying 4 nights at the Columbia Gorge is that I won them on an auction.
If we just did the coast and miss out the lake what route would be best and where should we stop off ?
I was planning about 7/8 nights total.
Thanks for your help
Angie

JackOneill

I don't think you have enough time to do it all. I'd skip Crater Lake. I did a similar trip but I had 7-8 days, but I only spent 2 nights in the Gorge.

Personally, with your time limitation I'd probably just head over to Seaside/Cannon Beach for a couple of nights than double back to the Gorge

Orcas

While staying at the Gorge Hotel, you might do the Mt. Hood Loop one of the days. That way you get to spend more time at the coast. It would be a wonderful day trip. You could also drive to Mt. Adams and go on a beautiful hike there, but getting to Mt. Adams can be quite the drive. (I haven't done it for years, but when we did, we were on Forest Service Rds, which were time consuming and dusty.) I think you'll find lots of things to do with the Columbia Gorge Hotel as a base.
Here's more detail on what I suggested before. From Portland, it's about 90 miles to Canon Beach, or 1 1/2 hours. Bring warm clothes (sweats), even if it is hot in Portland. I'd start at Canon Beach and go south from there. I'd spend the night there, visiting the town with it's artsy shops, walking the beach, which is so beautiful, and maybe going fun-cycling on a 3 wheeled bike you can rent, and definitely picnic at Ecola State Park at Indian Beach. (on the north side of Canon Beach) Ecola State Park is beautiful and has great forests, rocks sticking out of the water, tide pools, drift wood.
Driving south from Canon Beach, the Three Capes Loop from Tillamook is a lovely drive and takes a better part of a day. You can hike out at the trails at Cape Lookout if you are adventurous (bring boots or shoes that can get muddy as this is rain forest). The vistas of the coast are fabulous. (You could return to Canon Beach or stay in Manzanita after that trip, and return to Portland.)
If you want to go farther south, where the coast is as breathtaking, if not moreso, you can save the hiking and probably get as far as Yachats and Cape Perpetua, which is about a 4 hour drive down the coast from Canon Beach.
If you continue south, return via boring I-5, as it is much faster than the windy coast road.

beachbum

If you omit Crater Lake, but still want to "see as much as possible," head to the coast on highway 26; it's about 2.5 hours to Cannon Beach. Buy a kite in Once Upon a Breeze, and spend an hour or two on the beach having fun with it. Then, go south on 101, stopping where ever something catches your interest.

For me those would be places like Oceanside (three-capes loop near Tillamook), Newport, The Oregon Aquarium, Yachats, Haceta Head light house, and just about any place with fresh oysters on the half shell.

IMO, the best dunes in the state are just south of Florence, near J.M. Honeyman State Park. After your dune buggy ride, head inland from Florence on 126 to Eugene, and catch I-5 back to Portland. Florence to Portland is about 4 hours.

If you don't dawdle too long in any one place, you can do this in a fairly leisurely 3 nights.

delph17

many thanks ORCAS and BEACHBUM for your valuable information.
Angie