stoweflake

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After reading a lot of helpful posts on a Portland/Seattle trip, I am looking for some advice on the specifics of my trip, which is shorter than a lot of the previous posters’ itineraries.

Travelers: 30yo daughter and 60yo father,
When: 6 nights in Sept
Flying into Portland on a Wed night and out of Seattle on the following Tue in September. Would have preferred a south-bound trip, as some posters suggested, but we have to go north instead and have already booked flights.

So, general plan is:
Arrive late Wed night in Portland
Thur - Fri: Portland
Early Sat: drive to Columbia River Gorge for 1/2 day hike/packed lunch, then into Seattle for the night (Portland looks pretty close to CRG? — is there more to do in this area or is it just highway, national park and mountains?)
Sat night – Tue day: 3 nights in Seattle (Chilulay museum, Boeing factory, maybe more hiking, Pike place/wheel, maybe ferry to one of the islands nearby)

Questions: where are the best places to stay overnight if we wanted to hike the CRG on the way north or is there not enough to do/see after a half-day hike? Moderately priced.
Any alternative suggestions for hikes on the way north with more to do if we stayed over night. We plan to do minimal driving, but scene if possible. Thanks for your help!

Gardyloo

The problem with the Columbia Gorge is that there's way too much to see for the time you've allocated.

It's not a national park, it's a "national scenic area," and it's so incredibly diverse, with so many cool things, that frankly I'd reallocate your days big time to make for more time in the Gorge and less farther north.

Do some googling - Hood River Valley fruit loop, Timberline Lodge, Multnomah Falls, Maryhill Museum, Bonneville hatchery, Historic Columbia Gorge Highway.

I'd suggest spending Thursday in Portland, then all day Friday and Friday night in the Gorge. Stay in Hood River Friday night.

Saturday morning travel east to the Maryhill Museum and Stonehenge replica, then north on US 97 to I-82 at Yakima, then I-82 to I-90 and into Seattle via I-90 across the Cascades. This is a very scenic day that includes terrific "old west" scenery along US 97, vineyards at Maryhill and in the Yakima Valley, and you can even stop 30 min. east of Seattle on the way in for a visit to Snoqualmie Falls, just off I-90. From Hood River this eastern route doesn't take much longer to Seattle than it would backtracking to Portland and up (rather boring) I-5.

But I'd do more research on the Gorge and Mt. Hood and you might even think about adding a day more - it's a remarkable area.

MmePerdu

A friend & I stayed in this apartment in Portland, 2 bedrooms, easy street parking, walking distance to restaurants, recommended:

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/692606?guests=1&s=qUQWEEsU

We did a day trip to the Gorge and while I have no doubt we didn't exhaust the possibilities, found it a satisfying day.

sunbum1944

The Best Western in Hood River is a good place to stay.

stoweflake

Thank you all for all you great help. My daughter had asked me to post this. I was on my Canadian Rockies trip and just got home. TR to follow.
She is going to look into the suggestions for places to stay i Portland.
Thanks again.

Fodorite018

If they can, do the gorge on a weekday. MUCH better as far as crowds go!

There is also a brand new Hampton Inn in Hood River.

We are big hikers, but I hate to make suggestions without knowing what they want as far as distance and elevation. There are loads of great hikes in the gorge! They may want to take a look at two websites to get an idea of what is available. They can use the filters to help narrow down. These are www.oregonhikers.org and www.wta.org . One is OR and the other WA, but they both include OR and WA for the gorge section since they are so close and basically one in the same.

If they are more interested in the gorge than downtown Portland, I would just stay out there. But if they want to see Portland itself, then split their time.

Oh, and they might really enjoy Mt St Helens which is a great stop between Portland and Seattle.

Kathie

Think about how much city time vs.scenic time you want. You could spend a whole week in Portland or a whole week in Seattle or a whole week in the Columbia Gorge. So consider this an introductory trip to the Pacific NW.