lanai

Hey everyone!

My husband and I are planning a trip in late April or early May 2017 from our hometown of San Diego CA to Vancouver Canada and back. We love road trips, hiking and will also be bringing our dog along for the ride. Any advice on best routes, places to stay, eat, stop or do along the way is very appreciated.

So far this is our rough idea:
1. San Diego to Redding on 5
2 Redding to Vancouver on 5
3. Full day Vancouver
4. Full day Vancouver
5. Full day Vancouver
6. Vancouver to Astoria on 101 or 1
7. Full day Astoria
8. Astoria to Eureka on 101 or 1
9. Full day Eureka
10. Eureka to San Francisco on 101 or 1
11. Full day San Francisco
12. Full day San Francisco
13. San Francisco to San Diego on 5
14. Full day rest at home before returning to work

We have been to San Francisco plenty so we can cut some days there. Just wondering what everyone recommends doing or any advice on this potential route. We are not huge fans of big cities like Los Angeles and Las Vegas and don't like anywhere with lines or lots of people. We are mainly looking to see the West Coast of America and take in some natural beauty. Ironically we are not fans of camping though so preferably anywhere we stay will be AirBnB or hotel. We did the drive on the 1 from San Francisco to San Diego and loved it so were thinking the same deal only more.

Basically what I am looking for is help on completing a full itinerary. I notice I get the most out of trips when fully planned so looking for the following. Please keep in mind must be dog friendly:
- Driving Routes/Overnight Stops
- Driving break recommendations for bathroom/gas/food on drive in between overnight stay destinations
- Things to do in full day locations
- Hikes, vistas or national parks on route
- places to eat in full day locations
- hotels/areas of town to stay

Thank you so much everyone for your help!

Kathie

I think you haven't considered how much driving this trip involves. Using Rome2Rio, they estimate 12 hours driving time to Redding and another 13 to Vancouver. I think Rome2Rio underestimates driving times, no allowances for traffic, construction, etc and they do not figure in stops for gas, restrooms, lunch, etc. I think trying to do this drive from San Diego to Vancouver in two days is unwise. Add at least another day (then you'd have three days, back to back, of 8+ hours wheels turning - still a lot).

You return trip - take a look at a map - no option to take 101 or 1 from Vancouver to Astoria. You will likely want to take I-5 from Vancouver to about Olympia, then cut across to the coast.

In general, your return trip looks more sane, but it still involves a lot of driving. If you can't add more time to your trip, at least cut days from somewhere - you mentioned San Francisco - so you have more reasonable driving expectations.

janisj

Hi again (The OP started a thread on the travel tips board and I suggested she re-post here)

Here is what I posted on the other thread:

<blue>welcome to Fodors. You will want to re-post on the United States and Canada boards (this one is for general travel topics, not destination-specific questions)

But just two quick comments before you do re-post . . . having the dog along will complicate things a lot. Many of the state parks and virtually all of the national parks don't allow dogs on trails (except for a very few paved ones) and don't allow them to be left in a car.

San Diego to Redding takes 10-11 hours plus stops and Redding to Vancouver is about a 12 hour drive without a single stop. these two days back to back are virtually impossible . . .</blue>

I honestly think the entire trip needs re-thinking.

michelhuebeli

To each their own - if you like spending all day behind the wheel, so be it. But I can't imagine going up and back down and not doing at least one leg along the coast through Oregon, also along Big Sur (if the road re-opens in time) .

janisj

>>also along Big Sur (if the road re-opens in time)

NorthwestMale

To hint at what a monster trip you are contemplating, it only takes about 3 more hours of driving time and 200 more miles to go from San Diego to Vancouver through Boise, Idaho!!.


Not only that, but conventional wisdom suggests that one should see all of the most-desired sights on the WAY toward the (most distant destination) so as to reduce risk of not being able to reach them (or stop) in the haste to get back home within the allotted time.

Instinct still says that IF one were going to (get all the way to Vancouver, BC), he/she should haul-ass on the way there, and then meander down the coast on the way back.

(there is already a *clash* in effect there)



The FIRST move of common sense is to not even think about wasting time with the Washington coast (unless you're a Twihard or something - and even then, it might be more fruitful to find St. Helens, OR than to waste time with Forks

Vancouver IS worth the effort (but man what a sacrifice it will be to get all the way there)


As has been stated, driving all the way to Vancouver, Canada from San Diego in two days of driving borders insanity.


I can barely even tinker with that basic premise and add the reasonable idea that is a circuit of Mount Rainier and make a comfortable 3-day trip to Bellingham, WA


SD - Redding = 665 miles, 10 1/2 hours

Redding - Portland = 420 miles, 7 hours

Portland-Morton, WA-Greenwater, WA-Bellingham, WA = 325 mi. 7 hrs.


THEN you're in Bellingham, 50 miles and a border crossing from Vancouver, where you can arrive fresh off of a decent night's sleep.


But even that is way too rushed....


BUT lets SAY you do it...


Then you have 3 days and nights IN Vancouver...


You wake up on that last day, and make an early-ish run for the border (to beat most of the terrible traffic entering the USA).

You've already used-up 6 days of your trip... so again you high-tail it right down I-5 back toward Oregon... most of which is doubling-back on a road you've already covered.


IF there was time, you could go east from Portland and explore the Columbia Gorge... (but there really isn't...)


SO you instead head for the coast... and you have Astoria in your thoughts... SO you go there...


(this is still a crazy pace )


Vancouver-Longview-Astoria is 322 miles, 6 hours...


SO you spend a full day in Astoria, and another night there... (lol - you'd probably sleep ALL day)


Astoria to Eureka, along the coast, is 10 1/2 hours of driving time, and 450 miles.


(Keep in mind, the dog hasn't even been allowed to go pee during any of these listed trip segments... er, wait, the dog can go... but YOU can't! - he can go anywhere...)


SO... 2 consecutive nights in Eureka...


(and by then you are bagging San Francisco just to get this tiresome vacation over with ASAP


Lets take stock of all of this:


Night #

1 - Redding
2 - Portland
3 - Bellingham
4 - Vancouver
5 - Vancouver
6 - Vancouver
7 - Astoria
8 - Astoria
9 - Eureka
10 - Eureka
11 - somewhereyou'llneverrememberSouthofSacramento


Hey, wait... there is time to add in there


First move is to add a night on the central Oregon coast.


And MAYbe you can rearrange (my) Mount Rainier trip for the return path, both reducing TIME on the grueling way up, AND letting you plot another night somewhere between, say, Mount Rainier and Longview/Kelso, WA (before Astoria) on the return.


So, doing that, the 3rd leg of the trip north becomes:


Portland to Vancouver 315 miles, 6 hours (plus border time)

(you do not even THINK of driving anywhere near Seattle anywhere NEAR to rush hour (better off pulling over for 4 hours and letting the dog pee and pee to make-up for his not having been able to pee for days prior)

Then, on the return, you leave Vancouver early... drive to Auburn, WA, and then to Greenwater, WA... then to Morton, WA... then to Kelso, WA


Makes 350 miles - 7 hours



So rearrange my nights as follows:


Redding
Portland
Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver (I afford you the luxury of one MORE there!)

Morton,WA - Longview, WA area

Astoria
Astoria
Central Oregon Coast
Eureka
Eureka
somewhereyou'llneverrememberSouthofSacramento


So there, that's 13 nights...


(and I'm sure you'll be far more worn-out than I am, merely for having written all of that in response)


Now of course nothing can go wrong with the dog during all of this... and he can only pee every other time he has to go...


Your very first move in preparation for such a journey is to dot every "I" and cross every "T" with regard to getting your dog, and you, into and out of Canada.