Washington/Oregon/California road trip
Apr 13th, 2008, 10:53 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Washington/Oregon/California road trip
My wife and I will be traveling from Seattle to Los Angeles during the last two weeks in June and are interested in points of interest along the way. We are interested in beautiful scenery, walking/short hikes, national parks, and prefer staying at B&Bs or non-chain hotels. All suggestions would be most welcome.
Apr 13th, 2008, 11:48 AM
#2
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,916
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm a fan of the coastal route so that's what I would suggest. The entire Oregon coast and northern CA coast are worth seeing, IMO (I haven't done the coast below SF but that's supposed to be spectcular as well). But that will mean missing places like Crater Lake and Yosemite, so you'd need to make a decision and possibly go back and forth between the coastal route and places like those.
I did a 10 day driving trip from Seattle to SF and back last spring. I'd highly recommend staying in Trinidad and Mendocino on the northern CA portion, and taking Rt 1 from Mendocino to SF if you decide to do the coastal route for that part of the trip.
If you do take the coastal route and you want to splurge a bit for one of the best inns in the country, Tu Tu Tun Lodge in Gold Beach OR on the Rogue River is fantastic. It may already be full for last June but it's worth a try.
Once you have more of a route mapped out, we can make more specific suggestions for lodging.
I did a 10 day driving trip from Seattle to SF and back last spring. I'd highly recommend staying in Trinidad and Mendocino on the northern CA portion, and taking Rt 1 from Mendocino to SF if you decide to do the coastal route for that part of the trip.
If you do take the coastal route and you want to splurge a bit for one of the best inns in the country, Tu Tu Tun Lodge in Gold Beach OR on the Rogue River is fantastic. It may already be full for last June but it's worth a try.
Once you have more of a route mapped out, we can make more specific suggestions for lodging.
Apr 13th, 2008, 03:10 PM
#3
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 10,965
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There is a great deal to choose from. Highlights include:
*Mt. Rainier
*Columbia River Gorge
*Portland
*Oregon Coast (Cannon Beach, Newport, Yachats, Bandon are favorite places to stay)
*The Redwoods
*Sonoma
*Nappa Valley
*San Francisco
*California's Central Coast and Highway 1 (Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur
Cambria, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, etc.)
Apr 13th, 2008, 05:31 PM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,738
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you pass Astoria, Seaside and Cannon Beach Or... you will come to an area called Arch Cape. Stay at the innatarchcape.com or Arch Cape House , a B&B http://www.archcapehouse.com/
All with forests on one side, ocean on the other..fabulous scenery and wonderful parks..
http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_201.php
All with forests on one side, ocean on the other..fabulous scenery and wonderful parks..
http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_201.php
Apr 13th, 2008, 07:25 PM
#7
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would come up the California coast until Napa Valley, then swing through there to I-5. Come up through Shasta and into Oregon. Then, over to Crater Lake NP. The Oregon coast is beautiful, but if you are going to go to Crater Lake, I would recommend going over to Highway 97 and coming up through Bend. Go up to Mt. Bachelor, sunriver, Paulina Lake. Tons of hiking and beautiful country. Bend is a great town to stay in too. Then, go up through Tygh Valley to the Dalles, then take I-84 to Portland. This goes through the Columbia River Gorge. Make sure you get off of I-84 and take the scenic (Old Highway). This takes you to the waterfalls and the lookout points. Once you are in Portland, take Hwy. 26 over to the coast and up Oregon and Washington Coast until you reach Olympic National Park. I have not been there, but heard that it is beautiful and wonderful hiking. Then, swing over to Seattle. That's a lot of driving! I hope you have lots of time! Oops, I just read your post. You are going the other direction. In that case, reverse everything I said!
Cindy.
Cindy.
Apr 16th, 2008, 12:10 AM
#9
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 22,987
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My recollection of the coastal route in Oregon is that there are beautiful views but also long stretches where the ocean is not visible from the road. In that regard the Big Sur portion of Highway 1 is unbeatable. And I would therefore plan some inland traveling to see Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Hood, Crater Lake, etc.
From Crater Lake I would angle toward the coast, reaching it at Crescent City so as to drive through the various redwood parks. I would then take highway 1 to Mendocino, and perhaps all the way down to SF, although that makes it a long drive.
An alternative from Crater Lake is to go through Lava Beds National Monument and then follow the Sierra to Lake Tahoe. From there to Yosemite via Tioga Pass if it's open. From Yosemite I would go to the coast to drive the Big Sur portion of Highway 1.
These pictures give some idea of areas to visit mainly in Oregon and Washington.
http://tinyurl.com/4joj8m
These are between Carmel and the south end of Big Sur.
http://tinyurl.com/6bpd8y
From Crater Lake I would angle toward the coast, reaching it at Crescent City so as to drive through the various redwood parks. I would then take highway 1 to Mendocino, and perhaps all the way down to SF, although that makes it a long drive.
An alternative from Crater Lake is to go through Lava Beds National Monument and then follow the Sierra to Lake Tahoe. From there to Yosemite via Tioga Pass if it's open. From Yosemite I would go to the coast to drive the Big Sur portion of Highway 1.
These pictures give some idea of areas to visit mainly in Oregon and Washington.
http://tinyurl.com/4joj8m
These are between Carmel and the south end of Big Sur.
http://tinyurl.com/6bpd8y
