Road Trip from Bay area to Olympic National Park in End of December
 

Hi
we are planing on taking a cross country road trip from Bay area to Olympic National Park in the last 10 days of the year. We are traveling with our 2 year old Toddlers. Please give us some suggestions on itineraries and must do places to go. Also on the weather conditions expected.

Thanks a lot

Were you planning on traveling on US 101 up the Oregon Coast or up I-5 to Olympia WA and then 101?
Most of Olympic NP is considered a rain forest. It is quite likely that you will have light rain and/or snow flurries.
Check the maps to see which parts of the Park you want to see since there is not a road that goes all the way through.
I won't try to tell you want to see in Washington, but there are lots of things to see in Coastal Oregon either on the way north or south.
Another option would be to ride the Amtrak Coast Starlight to Olympia or Seattle and rent a car.
I hope you enjoy your trip and stay dry and warm enough.

Don't expect pleasant weather.
The Northwest can be wet and gloomy in the middle of summer, and will almost certainly be wet and gloomy and COLD -- not to mention dark by 4 pm -- at the end of the year.

I myself would have no problem with cold and wet weather, other than the darkness and cloudiness making it harder to get good photos. But toddlers are (most likely) not going to enjoy the constant cold and moisture with very little snow to compensate.

On the other hand, you'll have no problem finding places to stay, as late December is not exactly the height of the tourist season in that area.

> must do places to go

As always, a place *I* would consider may well be a complete bore to you -- and vice versa. Unless and until I have the vaguest idea what type of things you are interesting in experiencing, neither I nor anybody else can give a answer more meaningful than, "This is what I enjoyed -- whether or not YOU will do the same is irrelevant to my response."

Others may well give you answer like that, I prefer not to do so.

Since you are headed for Olympic NP, permit to give you a links:

http://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisi...-in-winter.htm

The weather will be wet and cool or cold. It may be windy in places. If you stick to the coast you won't have to worry about snow, ice, and chains.

In California we like to stay in Garberville (the Best Western) or Crescent City (Hampton Inn), and in Oregon we like Brookings (Best Western Beachfront Inn), Bandon (but haven't found a place we like to stay there), Yachats (Fireside Motel), Newport (Hallmark or Elizabeth Street Inn), and Cannon Beach (Schooner's Cove).

On the Olympic Peninsula we like to stay at Quinault Lodge, Crescent Lake Lodge (which is closed in December), and Port Angeles (Olympic Lodge).

HTTY

The other thing you need to be aware of if how short the days are. The sun sets at 4:15pm here currently! (suze in seattle)

If you are still around and reading this . . . Is there a reason you want to travel there in late December?

The weather could be dreadful, the days are short. It is a looooong drive at the best of times, but w/ 2 toddlers and winter conditions it could be truly awful. Isn't there somewhere closer to home you could visit now and leave ONP for a better time of year??

DW and I enjoy wet weather more than most, so we tend to travel in that region during the winter. So my response may not be typical.
If driving 101 we like Crescent City, Brookings, Tillamook or Astoria for overnights before getting the the Peninsula.
You should expect, as other have said wet, gloomy days in and around ONP. But you can head for Squim, WA near Port Angeles for a base in the rain shadow of the Olympic Range. Better chance of sunshine there.
In OR, the kids might enjoy watching the cheese making at Tillamook and the chance for spotting seals and other wildlife along the coast. Also a nice aviation museum in Tillamook.
The Long Beach Peninsula is a nice place to see ocean. Also like Ho Rain Forest, Forks, Crescent Lake and Hurricane Ridge (if the road is open a good place for snow play).
If you drive I-5 expect snow over the mountains between Yreka, CA and Ashland, OR. Also along 5 you have good views (weather permitting) of Mt. Shasta, Mt. Hood and Mt. Ranier you can visit Mt. St. Helens along the way.

"<i>DW and I enjoy wet weather more than most, so we tend to travel in that region during the winter. So my response may not be typical.</i>"

Ah, but boom_boom - are you doing it w/ two 2-year olds stuck in the car?? Doesn't that put a different spin on things . . .