Seattle to Oakland, CA in three days?
 

My husband and I are driving from Seattle to Oakland, CA in August. We only have three days for the trip and want to drive along the Oregon coast. We don't want to spend three long days in the car. Will we have time to stop and enjoy some of the coastline? Can anyone recommend where we might stop to spend our 3 nights? Thanks!

My personal preference is to get to the southern Oregon coast asap, then take your time along the coast and through the redwoods. So I usually push it to Bandon via I-5 and (scenic, quick) SR 38 from I-5 out to Reedsport. Then the second night I'd spend in Ferndale CA, off the freeway south of Eureka. Drive through the Avenue of the Giants the next morning, and you'll be in the Bay Area by mid-afternoon. The day between Bandon and Ferndale is probably five or six of the most scenic hours you can spend driving in the USA.

I agree -- that is one looooooong haul so get the first half out of the way as quick as possible. Bypass everything til you get to the southern OR coast and then take a couple of days from Bandon to Oakland. It will still be a slog but doable.

I drive from Seattle to San Jose, which is just south of Oakland, four times a year.

When driving to the Bay Area via the Oregon Coast, I like to spend the first night in Yachts so I can enjoy the breathtaking drive through Cape Perpetua to Florence in the morning. We stay at the Fireside Motel because we prefer the ocean views from there to the ones at the Fireside's more upscale sister property, the Overleaf. Book a room with balcony on the water.

We usually spend the second night in Garberville, but I suggest Eureka would be a good base for you to explore the redwoods. Lodging in Eureka has been a problem, but a Holiday Inn Express opened there recently, and that is where I would book a room. In Eureka we like Pho Thien Long Vietnamese Restaurant.

Ferndale would be a good choice if you prefer a B&B to the predictability of a chain motel.

I would spend the third night at some place special in the Sonoma Valley.

HTtY

Something I agree with Gardyloo and janisj on - Take Rt. 38 over through Drain (speed trap) to Reedsport.
About 5 miles east of Reedsport, stop to see the Roosevelt elk at the Dean's Creek Viewing area.
If you didn't want to push all the way to Bandon, there are a couple nice hotels in the North Bend/Coos Bay area.
If you don't have a lot of time to wander around the Redwood NP areas, you can stop at the "Trees of Mystery" to see some nice trees and ride a gondola to the top for a good view if the weather is good.