Visiting Seattle in July - need info on heading down to Oregon
Mar 29th, 2004, 03:58 AM
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Visiting Seattle in July - need info on heading down to Oregon
We will be in the Seattle area in late july for 7-8 days and after 3/4 nights in the city want to drive out to Ranier, Helens and the Oregon coast (spending a couple of nights enroute, and only heading back to Seattle to fly home). We will be traveling with a 15 yr old and decided driving all the way to San Francisco was too much time in the car. How many days do we need for this kind of trip? Do Ranier and Helens each take a full day? How far down the coast do we need to go to see some nice scenery and get a feel for the coast? Can anyone recommend good overnight locations and routes back to Seattle? Lastly, are there any redwoods within a reasonable distance of this kind of trip or do we have to wait for another California trip?
Thanks everybody for any help.
Thanks everybody for any help.
Mar 29th, 2004, 08:27 AM
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I would allow two days for Rainier and St. Helens. I'd recommend approaching Rainier through the Northeast (White River) entrance, on Route 410. From there, you can take the road up to Sunrise, where I think some of the best views of Rainier can be found. From there, you can then take the Stevens Canyon Road up to Paradise. Along the way, check out Box Canyon, a very impressive but obscure stop.
I'd suggest returning back down the Stevens Canyon Road, then turning south toward Packwood and Randle. There are several places to stay around those two small towns, many of them rustic, none of them luxurious. There are a couple of places to stay in Rainier NP, most notably at Paradise - if that interests you, book it right away, it may already be too late.
The most popular tourist route for Mt. St. Helens is to drive from Interstate 5 up Route 506 to the main Coldwater Ridge Visitor Center. This is the best place for crater views, but you are not that close to the mtn itself. I prefer driving down the east side of St. Helens (Route 25), which is definitely the route less taken by tourists. From there, you can drive right up into the blast zone on Route 99, up to Windy Ridge, which has great views. You can then continue down Rte 25 and 90 to Cougar, near the south side of St. Helens. From there, you can visit the Lahar site, where one of the huge mudflows occurred, as well as explore Ape Cave, a very interesting lava tube. You can rent a lantern at the entrance to the cave.
From there, it is a fairly short drive to Portland, where you can head over to the coast. If you drive an additional hour or so down the coast, you will see plenty of scenic cliffs and beaches. No redwoods though - you have to go to Northern CA for that. If it were up to me, I might consider driving to the Washington coast (Olympic beaches), along the Olympic mountains (with a scenic side trip to Hurricane Ridge), then a return to Seattle, via the Hood Canal Bridge, and a ferry.
I'd suggest returning back down the Stevens Canyon Road, then turning south toward Packwood and Randle. There are several places to stay around those two small towns, many of them rustic, none of them luxurious. There are a couple of places to stay in Rainier NP, most notably at Paradise - if that interests you, book it right away, it may already be too late.
The most popular tourist route for Mt. St. Helens is to drive from Interstate 5 up Route 506 to the main Coldwater Ridge Visitor Center. This is the best place for crater views, but you are not that close to the mtn itself. I prefer driving down the east side of St. Helens (Route 25), which is definitely the route less taken by tourists. From there, you can drive right up into the blast zone on Route 99, up to Windy Ridge, which has great views. You can then continue down Rte 25 and 90 to Cougar, near the south side of St. Helens. From there, you can visit the Lahar site, where one of the huge mudflows occurred, as well as explore Ape Cave, a very interesting lava tube. You can rent a lantern at the entrance to the cave.
From there, it is a fairly short drive to Portland, where you can head over to the coast. If you drive an additional hour or so down the coast, you will see plenty of scenic cliffs and beaches. No redwoods though - you have to go to Northern CA for that. If it were up to me, I might consider driving to the Washington coast (Olympic beaches), along the Olympic mountains (with a scenic side trip to Hurricane Ridge), then a return to Seattle, via the Hood Canal Bridge, and a ferry.
Mar 29th, 2004, 08:47 AM
#3
The straight answer is that the most scenic part of the Oregon coast is too far south for you to get to in your time frame. There are, however, plenty of scenic places on the northern coast, generally between Cannon Beach and around Newport. Note that in late July you will be there at the peak of the tourist season, so start making plans now.
You really can't do both Mts. Rainier and St. Helens comfortably in one day, but they don't need full days each. Rainier can be done reasonably well as a day trip from Seattle; the drive from Seattle to the main visitor center at Mt. St. Helens is the better part of 4 hours each way, which makes for a really long day, on a freeway that ranges from so-so to boring.
The Redwoods pretty well stop before the California-Oregon state line. But I have a plan... see below.
So and however, a suggestion that probably will elicit howls from Oregonians, adding to today's insult that major league baseball would rather consider expanding into Mexico than the Rose City
- get a map for reference:
First, visit Mt. Rainier as a day trip from Seattle. Leave early in the morning, plan on lunch at the Paradise lodge, back in time to miss afternoon traffic. Easy.
Now the insult. Skip the Oregon coast, and substitute it with the Olympic National Park's Pacific coastal strip instead. With your three or four "away" days, do this: cross Puget Sound on the ferry and drive north to Port Angeles. Visit the Hurricane Ridge visitors center, just on the city's southern outskirts. Then drive west on US 101 around the top of the Olympic Peninsula to the Pacific coastal area.
Along this stretch are beaches, cliffs, rocks, and other coastal scenery fully the equal (I think superior but that's just me) to the best parts of the northern Oregon coast (i.e. the part you'd be able to see.) Stop at Ruby Beach or Rialto Beach, La Push...great rocky surf, beachcombing, all that.
Then explore the rainforest valleys at Hoh and Quinault. Note that right near the turnoff to the Quinault Lodge (good overnight possibility) is located the world's largest Red Cedar tree, which, along with other old growth monsters of its ilk nearby, is fully as large as the biggest Redwoods you could see in California. Not as tall, and not as thick on the ground as in Redwood National Park, but a helluva lot closer to where you're going to be, and if you're not familiar with big trees, it will knock your socks off just as the Redwoods would.
The additional advantage of visiting the rainforest valleys is that you'll probably encounter major critters, especially the giant Roosevelt elk that inhabit Olympic National Park. Wildlife in the Redwoods is only a sometime thing.
Continue south on US 101 to the Columbia River, cross the river, and if you want to spend a night on the N. Oregon coast, you can reach Cannon Beach easily. Otherwise, I'd recommend heading east along the north bank of the river to Portland, then spend a night or morning exploring the Columbia Gorge just east of the city, before heading north back to Seattle. Stop at Mt. St. Helens on the way north from Portland.
This itinerary can be done easily with 3 overnights from Seattle - Port Angeles, somewhere around Quinault, then in the Portland area. Fair amount of driving, but tons of variety and a real exposure to some of the region's best features. Give it a thought.
You really can't do both Mts. Rainier and St. Helens comfortably in one day, but they don't need full days each. Rainier can be done reasonably well as a day trip from Seattle; the drive from Seattle to the main visitor center at Mt. St. Helens is the better part of 4 hours each way, which makes for a really long day, on a freeway that ranges from so-so to boring.
The Redwoods pretty well stop before the California-Oregon state line. But I have a plan... see below.
So and however, a suggestion that probably will elicit howls from Oregonians, adding to today's insult that major league baseball would rather consider expanding into Mexico than the Rose City
- get a map for reference:First, visit Mt. Rainier as a day trip from Seattle. Leave early in the morning, plan on lunch at the Paradise lodge, back in time to miss afternoon traffic. Easy.
Now the insult. Skip the Oregon coast, and substitute it with the Olympic National Park's Pacific coastal strip instead. With your three or four "away" days, do this: cross Puget Sound on the ferry and drive north to Port Angeles. Visit the Hurricane Ridge visitors center, just on the city's southern outskirts. Then drive west on US 101 around the top of the Olympic Peninsula to the Pacific coastal area.
Along this stretch are beaches, cliffs, rocks, and other coastal scenery fully the equal (I think superior but that's just me) to the best parts of the northern Oregon coast (i.e. the part you'd be able to see.) Stop at Ruby Beach or Rialto Beach, La Push...great rocky surf, beachcombing, all that.
Then explore the rainforest valleys at Hoh and Quinault. Note that right near the turnoff to the Quinault Lodge (good overnight possibility) is located the world's largest Red Cedar tree, which, along with other old growth monsters of its ilk nearby, is fully as large as the biggest Redwoods you could see in California. Not as tall, and not as thick on the ground as in Redwood National Park, but a helluva lot closer to where you're going to be, and if you're not familiar with big trees, it will knock your socks off just as the Redwoods would.
The additional advantage of visiting the rainforest valleys is that you'll probably encounter major critters, especially the giant Roosevelt elk that inhabit Olympic National Park. Wildlife in the Redwoods is only a sometime thing.
Continue south on US 101 to the Columbia River, cross the river, and if you want to spend a night on the N. Oregon coast, you can reach Cannon Beach easily. Otherwise, I'd recommend heading east along the north bank of the river to Portland, then spend a night or morning exploring the Columbia Gorge just east of the city, before heading north back to Seattle. Stop at Mt. St. Helens on the way north from Portland.
This itinerary can be done easily with 3 overnights from Seattle - Port Angeles, somewhere around Quinault, then in the Portland area. Fair amount of driving, but tons of variety and a real exposure to some of the region's best features. Give it a thought.
Mar 30th, 2004, 06:16 AM
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This is all great information and gives us great options. Gardyloo - about how many hours driving each day is your itinerary? Does your advice change much if we have an extra day or two? (Right now I actually think we're going to change our plans to include 9 nites but with a late day arrival the 1st day and an early morning departure the last day with 4 nites in downtown seattle and the last nite somewhere around the airport).
Mar 30th, 2004, 06:48 AM
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Seattle to Port Angeles takes around 2 1/2 hours including the 40 min. ferry ride from downtown Seattle to Bainbridge Island. The drive from PA up to Hurricane Ridge takes around half an hour to 40 min., but it's scenic national park driving so go as slow as you want, it's worth it.
Drive time from PA to Forks (for the LaPush cutoff) is around 1 1/2 hours, another hour or so to the Hoh valley visitor center. From Hoh to Quinault is another 1 1/2 hours, but you're traveling along some enormously scenic coastline, so frequent stops are likely. Thus total drive time from PA to Quinault, not counting pulloffs and sightseeing is around 4 hours, so if you allocate a day, counting stops you ought to be in good shape.
Quinault to Cannon Beach is probably 200 miles, but for the most part on pretty fast road, so call it four hours max. I'd recommend stopping in Long Beach (WA) if you can - great beach, visit the lighthouse in nearby Ilwaco, fun area.
Cannon Beach to Mt. St. Helens direct via Longview is probably an hour and a half; if instead you head into Portland and do a loop through the Columbia Gorge, that will add several more hours to that day. If you try to make both the Gorge and Mt. St. Helens in the same day as you head back to Seattle, that's a pretty rough day. Doable maybe, but you'd be "rump sprung" as my grannie called it.
If you have an extra day for the road, that's the ticket. One night on the coast OR one night near the Gorge (try McMenanamin's Edgefield in Troutdale - www.mcmenamins.com) for a funky overnight place.
Happy planning.
Drive time from PA to Forks (for the LaPush cutoff) is around 1 1/2 hours, another hour or so to the Hoh valley visitor center. From Hoh to Quinault is another 1 1/2 hours, but you're traveling along some enormously scenic coastline, so frequent stops are likely. Thus total drive time from PA to Quinault, not counting pulloffs and sightseeing is around 4 hours, so if you allocate a day, counting stops you ought to be in good shape.
Quinault to Cannon Beach is probably 200 miles, but for the most part on pretty fast road, so call it four hours max. I'd recommend stopping in Long Beach (WA) if you can - great beach, visit the lighthouse in nearby Ilwaco, fun area.
Cannon Beach to Mt. St. Helens direct via Longview is probably an hour and a half; if instead you head into Portland and do a loop through the Columbia Gorge, that will add several more hours to that day. If you try to make both the Gorge and Mt. St. Helens in the same day as you head back to Seattle, that's a pretty rough day. Doable maybe, but you'd be "rump sprung" as my grannie called it.
If you have an extra day for the road, that's the ticket. One night on the coast OR one night near the Gorge (try McMenanamin's Edgefield in Troutdale - www.mcmenamins.com) for a funky overnight place.
Happy planning.
Mar 30th, 2004, 12:01 PM
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If you do the Northern Oregon Coast, you will definitely see some of the best scenery on the whole coast. A lot more lush, green, etc.than the Southern coast. When we do the entire coast, from Brookings to Astoria, we can't wait to get past Newport for "the good stuff."
I hope you can make it to Astoria, www.oldoregon.com to check out this quaint, beautiful city on the move. It was recently featured in the NYT. Full of culture and history and great places to eat and shop.
Cannon Beach is fun to stroll the town and stop at Mo's for some pretty good seafood and a view of Haystack Rock.
I also have a fifteen year old, but she is used to loooooong car trips. Last December we went from Central, CA to Astoria, OR in one long shot, but it's more fun to stop half way and explore. ( It's a fourteen hour drive for us.)
Your daughter would love Seaside, truly a teenager's heaven with the prom, aquarium, carny rides, etc. There is also an enlosed mall with a carousel that has some cool surf shops she should enjoy.
Long Beach is also very fun. Take her to the Marsh's Free Museum where there are tons of sea shells and beach souvenirs. Also some carny stuff there. It's just a short jaunt over the Astoria-Megler bridge, which is a fun ride in itself. ***kim***
Beachy towns would be a lot more fun for a teenager than a National Park, IMO, if you had to choose between the two.
I hope you can make it to Astoria, www.oldoregon.com to check out this quaint, beautiful city on the move. It was recently featured in the NYT. Full of culture and history and great places to eat and shop.
Cannon Beach is fun to stroll the town and stop at Mo's for some pretty good seafood and a view of Haystack Rock.
I also have a fifteen year old, but she is used to loooooong car trips. Last December we went from Central, CA to Astoria, OR in one long shot, but it's more fun to stop half way and explore. ( It's a fourteen hour drive for us.)
Your daughter would love Seaside, truly a teenager's heaven with the prom, aquarium, carny rides, etc. There is also an enlosed mall with a carousel that has some cool surf shops she should enjoy.
Long Beach is also very fun. Take her to the Marsh's Free Museum where there are tons of sea shells and beach souvenirs. Also some carny stuff there. It's just a short jaunt over the Astoria-Megler bridge, which is a fun ride in itself. ***kim***
Beachy towns would be a lot more fun for a teenager than a National Park, IMO, if you had to choose between the two.
Mar 30th, 2004, 12:26 PM
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Gardyloo gives great advice!
Our kids are 10 and 13 and much prefer
Cannon Beach over Seaside. It is just their taste though. Seaside is like one big carnival and our kids were asking to leave.
We live in the PNW and our kids have really enjoyed the Olympic Peninsula, Mt. St Helens and Mt. Rainier. If you like to do any hiking these areas are incredible! Great scenery!
Our kids are 10 and 13 and much prefer
Cannon Beach over Seaside. It is just their taste though. Seaside is like one big carnival and our kids were asking to leave.
We live in the PNW and our kids have really enjoyed the Olympic Peninsula, Mt. St Helens and Mt. Rainier. If you like to do any hiking these areas are incredible! Great scenery!
Mar 30th, 2004, 02:22 PM
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LOL! When my kids were 10 & 13, we could not pull them away from this area! They loved feeding the seals at the aquarium, flying kites on the beach, eating salt water taffy and fudge, corn dogs and riding the tilt-a-whirl and the bumper cars were just great fun.
There's also that wonderful prom that runs all through the beach for biking, roller blading and walking.
Also great places to rent the surrey bikes and ride through town. Great fun! It all depends what your kids like. BTW, Seaside is THE hottest spot in the area for teens on Spring Break.
My hubby and two sons just returned from a working vacation in the area and had a blast!
There's also a cool outlet in Seaside with lots of shops your teenage daughter would love. We used to do all of our back-to-school shopping there (tax-free!) It's a great area for teens and parents alike!!! Don[t miss out!
Although, touring the National Park may be easier on your pocketbook! LOL ***kim***
There's also that wonderful prom that runs all through the beach for biking, roller blading and walking.
Also great places to rent the surrey bikes and ride through town. Great fun! It all depends what your kids like. BTW, Seaside is THE hottest spot in the area for teens on Spring Break.
My hubby and two sons just returned from a working vacation in the area and had a blast!
There's also a cool outlet in Seaside with lots of shops your teenage daughter would love. We used to do all of our back-to-school shopping there (tax-free!) It's a great area for teens and parents alike!!! Don[t miss out!
Although, touring the National Park may be easier on your pocketbook! LOL ***kim***
Mar 31st, 2004, 08:03 AM
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Yes, that would get pricey, you don't already have your own gear? We love all the cool shopping in Oregon, especially with the new Ter Har's in Seaside.
Does anyone know the name of that huge high-rise hotel that was built a couple of years ago right on the prom? It's gorgeous! They relocated the old Ter Har's and it's beautiful now!
No tax is also an added bonus in OR! Well, have have fun Abby whatever you decide! I'm a beach lover so I had to get my plugs in for the awesome NORTHERN OR coast!! ***kim***
Does anyone know the name of that huge high-rise hotel that was built a couple of years ago right on the prom? It's gorgeous! They relocated the old Ter Har's and it's beautiful now!
No tax is also an added bonus in OR! Well, have have fun Abby whatever you decide! I'm a beach lover so I had to get my plugs in for the awesome NORTHERN OR coast!! ***kim***
Mar 31st, 2004, 08:14 AM
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Kim, yes we have all the gear...but like any hobby you get addicted and always want more, lol! We halfway joke that REI is our second home and you know its bad when they all know you by name
The no tax thing is great...we just moved back down to OR from WA and it seems so wierd to not have sales tax. Course you pay one way or another.
The no tax thing is great...we just moved back down to OR from WA and it seems so wierd to not have sales tax. Course you pay one way or another.
Mar 31st, 2004, 09:35 AM
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I guess you have a National Park Pass! We used to own a home outside of the Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park in CA. We sold that and purchased a condo at the Huntington Lake area here in CA. It's great, being only five minutes from the snowboard/ski resort. Sequoia/Kings Canyon is beautiful but our teens begged us to be near more action!
In ths summer, it's a great lake for fishing, sailing, etc. Have you ever hiked/camped in Yosemite National Park?
I have never camped, nor do I want to. Just like the comforts of home too much and like to be pampered on vacation, staying in luxury resorts. You understand! LOL
For Abby: since you are traveling with your teen, I'm assuming you are taking her interests into account when planning what to do. Your daughter will love Seattle, Abby. Take her on the ferry ride to the Bainbridge Island, it's really a fun trip.
Also, the Space Needle and Pike Place Market were huge hits with my teen daughter! Maker memories, have fun! ***kim**
In ths summer, it's a great lake for fishing, sailing, etc. Have you ever hiked/camped in Yosemite National Park?
I have never camped, nor do I want to. Just like the comforts of home too much and like to be pampered on vacation, staying in luxury resorts. You understand! LOL
For Abby: since you are traveling with your teen, I'm assuming you are taking her interests into account when planning what to do. Your daughter will love Seattle, Abby. Take her on the ferry ride to the Bainbridge Island, it's really a fun trip.
Also, the Space Needle and Pike Place Market were huge hits with my teen daughter! Maker memories, have fun! ***kim**
Mar 31st, 2004, 12:57 PM
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Kim, we mainly stick to the cascades, but also have done quite a bit up in Canada. My dh recently retired from the military so we ahve lived all over and finally got back to the PNW a few years ago so are enjoying what we missed for so long. We love to camp...mostly backpacking away from other people...but when we do stay in hotels in the states it is usually like you where we go for pampering. Overseas we have done both...very basic to very plush...its just so fun to see everything and experience new things!
Abby--sorry we have hijacked your thread Kim said it well, hoping you tailor your trip to your needs/wants. I just thought of a nice place in Cannon Beach...the Surfsand Resort. We loved it there and it looks right out onto Haystack Rock.
Melissa
Abby--sorry we have hijacked your thread
Kim said it well, hoping you tailor your trip to your needs/wants. I just thought of a nice place in Cannon Beach...the Surfsand Resort. We loved it there and it looks right out onto Haystack Rock.Melissa
Mar 31st, 2004, 01:49 PM
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Abby, another wonderful place in Cannon Beach is The Stephanie Inn where you will be truly pampered. Cannon Beach would be a great place to venture out in either direction to Astoria/Seaside or even down to Tillamook where they have a really cool cheese factory your daughter would get a kick out of.
There is cheese tasting, a great gift shop and viewing windows to watch the cheesemakers. Try the brown cow ice cream! Yummy!
If you do make it to Newport, your daugther will love this place. There is a great aquarium, wax museum and fun waterfront for her. ***kim***
There is cheese tasting, a great gift shop and viewing windows to watch the cheesemakers. Try the brown cow ice cream! Yummy!
If you do make it to Newport, your daugther will love this place. There is a great aquarium, wax museum and fun waterfront for her. ***kim***
