Washington State Trip Planning
 

My husband and I will be flying into Seattle in June. We have 7 full days to experience WA before heading back to NC. Some of the things we would like to see would be, Mt. Rainer, Mt. St. Helens, Cannon Beach, Olympic National Park, San Juan Islands and possibly Victoria Canada if time permits. I need to know how much time I should allow for each place, the best route itinerary, any "must sees" along the way. Best place to get to Victoria from WA and any other ideas/advice would be most helpful. Thank you so much.

You can spend a full week in western WA and NW Oregon without going into Canada.
There are several roads into Olympic NP but there are no through roads. You must choose which part of the park you want to visit.
You may decide after Mt. Rainier to skip Mt. St. Helens.
Find the time to see the waterfalls on the Oregon side of the Columbia River especially Multnomah Falls.
For the next trip plan on flying to Portland and seeing more of Oregon. Enjoy your trip.
Remember your passports in case you do decide to visit Canada.

This is a big rush, but if it's what you want to do, from SeaTac head straight for Port Angeles, get a room at the Red Lion Inn from where you can visit Hurricane Ridge and (via ferry) visit Victoria BC as a day trip.

Drive to Cannon Beach via Highway 101 stopping at as many ONP highlights as your time permits--Crescent Lake, Marymere Watherfall, Ruby Beach, Hoh Rain Forrest, Lake Quinault, etc.

While in Cannon Beach visit nearby Ecola State Park and as far south as time permits.

From Cannon Beach, drive to Hood River, exploring the Columbia River Gorge on your way.

From Hood River, drive WA 14 to Vancouver and then to Mt Saint Helens and Mt Rainier. If you have time for only one mountain, make it Mt Rainier.

I can't figure out how to squeeze a San Juan Island into your short stay.

HTTY

Thank you both so much for the advice. From the pictures I had seen I had wondered if Mt. St. Helens would be worth it after seeing Mt. Rainer. I have found a great place to stay in Grapevine, but didn't know if I should have a "home base" and explore or if I need to get a room at each place. Also, as far as Canada, would it be better just to skip this trip and come back or is it a must? I would have to buy passports just to come anyway.

sorry, make that Grapeview instead of Grapevine

From Pt. Angeles and nearby Hurricane Ridge - you could drive over to see some of the Olympic National Park - and it's a beautiful fern filled Temperate Rain forest. From Port Angeles - it's not far to the Northern Olympic Park's Lake Crescent - where you might see some tropical rain forest ferns, etc - but further around and down the western shore of the Olympic Peninsula - by Lake Quinault Lodge (can't remember - 3 hours?) - you will definitely see some lush temperate rain forest vegetation. see this map for a quick reference:

http://www.olympicnationalparks.com/peninsula-maps.aspx

Also - if you get out to the Columbia Gorge east of Portland -(30? minutes?) - to view Multnoma Falls, etc - you could continue on to Hood River and then head south to Mt. Hood - and stay a night at the classic/beautiful Timberline Lodge, where they filmed parts of the scary movie - The Shining - with Jack Nicholson. From there - via hiway 26 - it's a little over an hour or so back to Portland. see these pages for more info:

http://www.multnomahfallslodge.com/

http://timberlinelodge8-px.trvlclick.com/visit/

<i>I have found a great place to stay in Grapevine...</i>

Grapeview would be an inconvenient place to stay for the purpose of visiting any of the places you say you want to visit.

<i>Also, as far as Canada, would it be better just to skip this trip and come back or is it a must?</i>

In the context of your trip Mt. Rainier and the Oregon coast are "musts," but Victoria and Vancouver are not.

If you resist trying to squeeze Canada into your short trip, you may have time for a day trip to San Juan Island.

Mt. Rainier and San Juan Island can be visited as day trips from Seattle.

HTTY

Just a cautionary note on timing. Like much of the Pacific coast, from San Diego north, one can encounter long periods of "June gloom" - overcast days along the coast, including the Puget Sound country. That's not to say that the coast is unpleasant then; just that if you're expecting sun and surf you might be half right.

Also, many years (don't know about 2012 yet) there's enough snow on the ground at places like Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood, or Paradise on Mount Rainier, that in June you're limited to the lodges themselves and adjacent parking areas. Again, not bad in of itself, but if you expected alpine meadows and wildflowers at altitude, well, um...

On the other hand, in June the aforementioned snows will be melting like crazy, leading to spectacular shows at the waterfalls in the Columbia Gorge, and even Snoqualmie Falls near Seattle.

Out on the Olympic Peninsula, the Hoh Rainforest on the Pacific coastal strip of Olympic National Park will be quite wonderful, with surprising vistas under the mist and tree canopy, owing to the Roosevelt elk having eaten all of the undergrowth during the winter. It can be drippy, but it's eerily beautiful then, well worth the drive out through vampire country to the coast. Back on the northeast side of the Olympic Peninsula (around Dungeness and Port Angeles) the weather will be pretty nice (in the rain shadow of the mountains) and the lavender might be blooming then. Provence it's not, but it's still pretty cool.

Thank you so much everyone. You have really helped me decide where I really need to explore. I have decided that Canada will be for another time as well as Mt. St. Helens. I am wondering if this time of year (June 12-20) will I need to make room reservations or will it be wise to "wing it"? I figured that reservations would be necessary at Mt. Rainer, but not sure about the other places.

What you need to know about the lodging in Packwood Washington.
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguid...wa_vacations-i
Glad you decided not to rush your vacation with too many places in too few days.
If you wanted to see the eastern side of Mt. St. Helens, there is a good paved Forest Service road from Randle to Carson.
From Carson head east to the bridge over to Hood River, Oregon.

I would make reservations...it may already be too late to stay inside the park on Mt. Rainier because national park lodging may be booked as much as a year in advance, but give it a try anyway. Although July, August and September are probably busier, some people do come to the PNW in late June. And since several of your destinations are not urban, there is a limited selection of places to stay, especially in Olympic National Park, the San Juan Islands and at Mt. Rainier. And Cannon Beach is very popular because of proximity to Portland and beauty of the area...definitely don't wing it there.