We didn't get to Oregon Caves National Monument near Grant's Pass, doable from Treesort. Sounds cool if you are looking for some non-Disney park activities. http://www.goodearthgraphics.com/showcave/or.html A link to cave info. We did visit Ashland & saw "Our Town". Great in outside theater even though a little chilly in Oct. Also thought I read about a train/cable car ??? thing in Humbolt County redwood country that sounded like a wonderful way to experience Redwoods. anyone else have info on that??

Okay, how about this: Go to Florence and stay a night or two and check out the sand dunes. Then, drive down the coast and check out the redwoods. Brookings is an okay town and there is supposedly a Best Western that is right on the beach that everyone loves. I guess they keep the pool super warm. I've never stayed there, so hopefully someone will jump on and comment about the actual name of the hotel. Also, the train/cable car by the redwoods would be fun. Then drive back up Hwy 199 towards Grants Pass and stop off to see the Oregon Caves. They have a beautiful hotel at the caves that I would recommend. It's like the old hotel at Crater Lake. The Oregon Caves isn't quite as popular as Crater Lake, so they'll probably still have rooms available. Then, continue on Hwy 199 to I-5 and then go to either Jacksonville or Ashland and do the river rafting/jet boats, theater or Britt concert or Children's Festival (depending on taste and dates), possibly check out Wildlife Images. These are all very "national park/nature" oriented. Then drive down I-5 to San Francisco (I-5 doesn't take you all the way down. You actually take I-5 to 505s to 80W until Vallejo and then take the 37W to San Rafael and take the 101S, which will bring you across the Golden Gate Bridge and into San Francisco). I agree that the drive from Ashland to Redding on I-5 is very pretty. It's curvy and mountain driving but it gives you gorgeous views of Mt. Shasta (a volcano!).

Current Plan: Portland/Mr. Hood area for 5 days;
Drive to Yachats/Newport/Florence area for 2 nights--do sand dune thing and sea lion caves etc.
Drive south to Gold Beach or Brookings for 2 nights (can do Jet boating from there);
Drive south, staying on coast to Crescent City or other pts South for 2 nights..do the Redwood trees.
Drive south, arive in SF, stay 2 nights/3 days, fly home.

This plan has one more stop than planned, but allows for less then 6 hours drive at any point (hopefully) and sees a maximum number of sites with some (alright, only a little) downtime.

The other alternative, as I see it, is to drive East around Gold Beach to the Ashland area but I think it will involve more driving, force us to skip the drive through Redwoods, Avenue of the Giants.

Another thing to see in the area of Redwoods is the "Trees of Mystery" along US 101. You and the kids will enjoy the trees and the gondola ride up to the top for a great view (depending on the weather).
The current plan looks good provided you are OK with the drop off fee.

The drop off fee stinks, for sure. However, since we are flying out of SF, there is really nothing to do to avoid that, other then the train. If we took the train, that means missing the Redwoods, incurring the cost of the train and not necessarily having a car rental place to drop it off at in either Klamath Falls or Eugene. Plus it actually was not any cheaper to drop it ther then in SF. I guess as long as you are not doing the rtrip thing you are paying extra.

Now, if anyone can guide me through the where to stay with a family of five in SF process, I would be greatful!

mjkre: This thread is getting so long (and has gone around in a few loop-the-loops :) ) . . . your latest questions may get lost in the shuffle.

I'd start a new thread asking specifically about accommodations in San Francisco.

there is more to Oregon than the coast, which gets boring to me. You can see redwoods right around Brookings/ Crescent City. Oh well.

As I mentioned we are spending the first 5 days in Portland/Mt Hood Area (not the coast, on a mt.). If I could figure out the way to leave the coast and still see the Redwoods, I would. But most here counselled me that going East to Crater Lake and such would be too far of a deviation and not much fun for kids.

Re: Cresent City: by the time I see the Redwoods, I am already in California, no? The Redwoods has been the hang up on my trip from the start because if I took the train, I would be skipping them. If we go East in Oregon, I am skipping them (I think but would welcome being corrected).

I promise I will not ask any more questions! I certainly value everyones imput. You all have taken a person who had no knowledge of the area to someone who has some idea and can plan for the familiy accordingly. Thanks so much.

The more questions the better, as far as I'm concerned. Just trying to make your trip more enjoyable You are into California, but only by 7 miles. Jedediah Smith State Park
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=413
http://www.redwoodhikes.com/Jed%20Sm...d%20Smith.html
is better than Redwoods National Park, in my opinion.It is along 199. There's a cutoff
right below the Ca. border that takes you back over to 199 and you don't even go clear to Crescent City.Heck, there's a Big Redwood in Lithia Park for that matter, and Muir Woods in Marin County once you get to SF.

There is only 1 Crater Lake. There are many places to see Coast Redwoods- even south of San Francisco. I visited Muir Woods long before I ever visited Redwood National Park.
Last time we came north on the CA Coast we saw the "Trees of Mystery" in the morning and drove past the north entrance of Crater Lake before 4PM. We were home by 5:30 after a couple of stops.
I predict you'll be back to the west coast some other time and will fly into San Francisco.

I agree with the prediction that we will be back....although to be honest the cost of this trip is making Disney seem like a budget vacation! There is just so much to see and the transportation cost is huge!

Since BBqboy's last post, I have been revisiting the option of going from the Coast Dunes area to Ashland/Grants Pass area to Eureke to serve as a base for seeing the Rewoods and then on to San Fran. I sort of wish I had not decided to fly out of San Fran. It seemed like a good idea (especially since we were focused on taking the train trip at the time).

If I chose this other option of going to the Ashland area instead of Gold Beach, it seems I would be looking at driving about 5 hrs btwn all stops instead of 4hrs, correct? Is it all feasable to drive south from Ashland towards San Fran and see some big old redwoods without going all the way back to the coast?

I just went back and reread some of the earlier posts from krisnmikenkids and she has provided some options..thanks! I just need to check out the hotels and drive times some more to fine tune this trip.

Ok, in lieu of the Coast Route described above, I am considering "plan B" which would involve a trip inland. In a nut shell:
a)-Portland/Mt. Hood to Yachats or Newport, stay 2 nights (Sand Dunes, Tide Pools and Sea Lions)
b)-Yachats to Grants Pass, stay 2-3 nights (Rougue River, children's fest, possible Crater Lake drive)
c)-Grants Pass to Gaberville (stopping along the way at Oregon Caves, passed/through Redwood trees and driving down the Avenue of the Giants), stay 1 night.
d)-Drive to San Francisco.

If I can I might make two sets of reservations for leg B-- one in Grants Pass, the other in Gold Beach. That way, I could at least let the coast weather when I am actually there dictate a change if necessary. BTW: I picked Grants Pass because of its proximity to the Rogue, I-5 and that road that the Oregon Caves are on. I figured it would serve as a good base.

Have I improved things or made it worse?

Thanks bbqboy.