RLTravel_USA

Looking to plan an 8-ish day trip to Oregon in July 2017.

We don't mind driving around to see different sites/ enjoy nature, but would like to spend less on lodging; under 150/nt would be ideal, so willing to stay slightly out of the center of all the action for all stops...

Appreciate any commentary on the below itinerary of things we'd like to do:

Welcome suggested routes/that may be the most efficient or scenic, and places to stay

Day 1: Arrive in Portland ~ 9am. Pick up rental car (either from airport or Downtown to save on airport taxes/fees) and drive to Multonomah Falls/Gorge Scenic area, do an easy hike. Drive to Tigard for check-in (Best Western Plus Northwind Inn & Suites). Tigard for cost savings, unless you suggest a home base near airport and take Max into town.

Day 2: Mount Rainier - Hike - and back to Tigard for the night.

Day 3: Crossfit or other exercise in the morning. Uber to Downtown to explore Portland, enjoy some good food and beer without worrying about driving. Tigard for the night.

Day 4: Drive to Bend, explore, short hike. Backtrack to Sisters for overnight at Best Western Ponderosa Lodge since lodging in Bend seems to be well above our 150 max. Seems Bend is worth experiencing the views, and need a place to stay "near" Crater Lake, so thought this would be a good stop... Via I-5 S, 22E to 20E

OR pay a little extra and stay in Bend and cut out Sisters ?

Day 5: Explore Crater Lake. Drive/hike. Begin journey towards coast. Stay somewhere along coast to break up the drive back to Portland. Suggestions where to stay that is more affordable? Overnight somewhere along coast?

OR Drive from CL to Roseburg, overnight in Roseburg?

Day 6: Finish drive back to Tigard. Overnight in Tigard.

OR overnight in Florence? Finish drive to Tigard the next day?

Day 7: Explore East Portland. Drive vs Uber? Overnight in Tigard. OR Explore East Portland and Fly home on 9pm flight.

Or Day 8: Explore/relax... Fly home on 9pm flight

Gardyloo

Looks like your first post; welcome to Fodor's!

I'd suggest rearrange your plans a little in order to eliminate a lot of zigzags and doubling-back.

Do you mean Mt. Rainier or Mt. Hood on Day 2? Or maybe Mt. St. Helens? A day trip from Portland to Mt. Rainier is really long, and inasmuch as this has been an unusually snowy winter, in July your chances of hikes at altitude on Rainier (Paradise or Sunrise) are going to be limited; many of the trails will still be covered in snow in early-mid July, maybe longer. But bear with me.

Here's what I'd recommend: Save Portland to the end. Do a big clockwise loop roughly following this map - https://goo.gl/maps/FGtRgpkH1ex

Start at PDX and travel through the Gorge to Hood River for the first night. Visit some waterfalls, vista points, the Bonneville hatchery, and maybe do a side trip up to Trout Lake for views of Mt. Adams while you're at it. Hood River is a big craft brewing and farm-to-table foodie center, and there are accommodations that will fit your budget.

Spend the next day exploring the Hood River Valley and eastern Gorge. Maybe visit Lost Lake, or the Maryhill Museum and Stonehenge, and conclude with a visit to Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood, where there will still be snow around but otherwise open. There are many short hikes available on the mountain or in the national forest surrounding it. Continue south to Sisters for the evening.

Early start the next day and head to Crater Lake. Visit the lake and look around the rim (hopefully it will be fully open by then, see the comment about snow above.) Continue to Roseburg for the night.

Head to the coast the next day. OR 38 to Reedsport is the quickest and most scenic route; look for Roosevelt elk on a roadside wildlife refuge just before the junction with US 101. Head north from Reedsport through Coos Bay and spend the night anywhere between Florence and Newport. Note many lodgings in the more popular towns like Yachats or Depoe Bay have 2-night minimums in the summer, so plan accordingly.

Continue north along the coast to Ecola State Park and Cannon Beach. Spend the night in Astoria or Ilwaco, WA - less expensive and twee than Cannon Beach. The next day visit Cape Disappointment at the (awesome) mouth of the Columbia (see lighthouses, the Lewis and Clark interpretive center, and Waikiki Beach.) Then follow the (scenic, interesting) north bank of the Columbia back to I-5 at Longview.

If time permits or you're willing to sacrifice half a day somewhere else in the trip, you could continue up to Johnston Ridge on Mt. St. Helens before returning to Portland. Otherwise, just head south from Longview.

Spend your last day or two in Portland.

So this is something of a major reworking of your plans, and it might involve more road miles than you were planning, but there will be fewer road miles/hours spent zigzagging or going to and fro in the Portland area.

tomfuller

Instead of Sisters try the Best Western Newberry in La Pine.
It gives you a head start on going to Crater Lake.
I agree that Hood River is a better place to stay than Tigard.
I see no reason to use Uber or taxi in the Portland area. The TriMet red line is right outside baggage claim at PDX.
As Gardyloo suggests, stop at the Dean's Creek Elk viewing area about MP 5 on Rt. 38 (5 miles east of Reedsport).
You will see some snow in Crater Lake NP but the roads and the north entrance should be fully open by July 4.
You will probably find cheaper lodging in Seaside than in Cannon Beach but do stop to see Haystack Rock and Ecola.
If you do go to Astoria, come back south to US 26 to go back to Portland. US 30 has too much traffic, is dangerous and is not scenic IMO.

Sara

I think Gardyloo's plan is a good one, if you're flexible. When you drive on the Historic Columbia River Highway, which is where all of the waterfalls are located, make your first stop the Portland Women's Forum Scenic Overlook, which is just east of Corbett. That's the view of the Columbia River Gorge that will knock your socks off! You'll see Vista House a little way in the distance, and you should plan to stop there too, but that first scenic view is the best. Since you want to do an easy hike in the Gorge, I highly recommend driving up Larch Mountain and taking the short hike from the parking area to the scenic viewpoint at the top - the view of Mount Hood and some of the other Cascades from there is outstanding, especially if it's a clear day. To get there, take a right onto East Larch Mountain Road, shortly after where the PWF Scenic Overlook is, and before you get to Vista House. After you've spent time soaking in that incredible view, drive back down the mountain and continue on the Historic Highway, stopping to see all of the waterfalls. By the time you reach Multnomah Falls, you'll probably be ready for lunch. They have a nice restaurant there at the Lodge, but you will probably have a bit of a wait. Parking at the Falls may be a challenge, too - the last time we were there, a couple of years ago, we had to circle the parking lot for quite awhile before we were able to nab a spot. It was worth the wait, though.

I also recommend taking OR 38 from Crater Lake to the coast, it's a beautiful drive, and as tomfuller said, be sure to stop at the elk viewing area. When driving north on 101 on the coast, there's a lot to see in the Cape Perpetua area south of Yachats. The Sea Lion Caves are interesting, and the Cape Perpetua Lighthouse is quite nice if you like lighthouses. There's a path up to the lighthouse from the parking lot, and you can take a tour, though when we were there a couple of years ago we couldn't go up to the top, but they were doing some restoration work on the stairs, so maybe you can now. If you happen to hit that area at low tide, Thor's Well is really cool, but the best effect is at low tide.

Enjoy Oregon, it really is a scenic wonderland!

tomfuller

In case anyone is wondering, Yachats is pronounced ya-HOTS.
The visitor center at the Tillamook cheese factory is being rebuilt so expect to find a temporary location for some good cheese and ice cream just north of Tillamook.

sunbum1944

Hwy 138 between Crater Lake and Roseburg is very scenic. There are some great waterfall hikes along this route. Some are just short walks from parking lot, others longer.
Watson Falls and Susan Falls are favorites.

There are some small motels along the way where you might stay instead of going all the way to Roseburg.

sunbum1944

http://www.dogwoodmotel.com/

This is where I stayed when did the waterfall hikes along 138.

Very basic but clean, small kitchen, picnic grounds if you bring your own food but there are some restaurants close by.

RLTravel_USA

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions!

I'll be following the route suggested by Gardyloo and incorporating a lot of the other recommendations to fill in our details/things to do.

Any thoughts on staying at Best Western Plus Hood River Inn (170$) vs. Best Western Hood Inn (120$) ? The second one is lesser cost and closer to Mt Hood so am leaning towards Best Western Hood Inn.

Am wondering if we would sufficiently explore Hood River Valley/Gorge on Day 1 upon arriving, or would we want to loop back the next day to see more before heading up Mt Hood then down to either La Pine or Sisters? Just seems like that would be an inefficient use of time.

Also which is more accessible to some craft brewery places, farm-to-table eats? Based on the map it seems both locations have options.

If you have a third option, open to that too!
Thanks again!

tomfuller

You could wait for the trip to see the waterfalls until your last day in Oregon. Go east on the Old Columbia Gorge Highway and see the waterfalls and then take I-84 back to 205 to PDX or downtown if that is where you rented.
Downtown to PDX is easy on the TriMet red line.

sludick

Well, the Best Western Plus Hood River Inn is very popular, being right on the river and all. But, on every vacation we like to find one historic hotel - and in Hood River, we stayed at the Hood River Hotel. You might take a look, since the cost is pretty reasonable. https://hoodriverhotel.com/

Mt. Hood isn't far away from any of your choices, actually.

Patty

For hiking near Bend, look at Smith Rock State Park and Newberry National Volcanic Monument. There were a couple of scenic drives that looked interesting but we didn't have time for https://www.myscenicdrives.com/drive...m-scenic-byway and https://www.myscenicdrives.com/drive...s-scenic-byway We did stop briefly in Sisters and it's a cute town.