Thanks. Booking this trip for late Oct. Id like to fly in ( from East Coast) somewhere north of San Fran. Five days to drive down the Pacific Coast is absolutely doable! From Vancouver, drive 35 kilometers south on Highway 99 to the Tsawwassen ferry terminal and board the B.C. I was wondering if you would recommend any wine tasting spots along the way? Day 3 Tillamook, OR and Three Capes Scenic Drive. my best friends and I have talked about driving down from San Francisco to some of the Orange County, CA cities. I didnt want to make all my reservations, but just go with it for one time in my life. Awesome, you can sign up using the forms in this post to get the PDF! Id like to make a 10 day trip with a couple days in San Francisco and San Diego. I will be driving alone and he thought I would be able to enjoy the view better looking to my left than to my right while driving. We are planning a trip in Sept 0f 2022, starting in Portland, ending in San Diego. If it is summer and you enjoy hiking and mountain scenery, then take the mountain route. By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Thank you. However, if youre hoping for a little more adventure, theres a longer and more scenic Portland to Seattle road trip route that takes you through some of the most interesting areas along the coast. This article originally appeared in the October 2018 issue of Seattle Magazine. As we will be married 40 years! My husband and I are both 62 in pretty good shape and planning to do this trip from Portland to San Diego in late September 2019 over 2 weeks. Here, California Highway 1 carves a sinuous path along steep cliffs; the road is beautiful at a price, since mudslides arent uncommon along this stretch of highway, and can close the highway for months. I havent stayed at any L.A. hotels, so I dont feel comfortable recommending any. Be sure to plan your trip on a day the lighthouse is open for tours, so you can climb the steps down to the lighthouse and lookout beneath the clouds across the sea. Maria is a travel passionate who loves to share her knowledge and experience with others to help them enjoy their planned excursion. As you stroll across the island, you get to indulge in the striking views of the Columbia River, Sauvie Island, Lake River, and the Willamette River. So we used really about a day off the coast but well worth it. Well folks we have to say were pretty dang blessed to have multiple beautiful and scenic mountains in our state. Basically, you cant start/end in Crescent City if you want to rent a car. Ive put together some tips on how to choose the right car for the PCH, but in short, I recommend an automatic car with a low center of gravity but skip the convertible! Thanks for such a thorough rundown of what to do. We stayed in Seattle and drove south to Olympia, to pick up the beginning of the 101. You can make a quick stop at Lake Sacajawea while driving from Portland to Seattle. Hood, Crater Lake, the Redwoods in much greater depth than I advise above you could also spend some time at Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, or elsewhere in the Sierra Nevadas! Olympia is the capital of Washington located about 60 miles from Seattle. It is only a short distance from the famous Cannon Beach. Around the lakes, there is a 3.6 miles long loop trail that can be used for running, hiking, and strolling. I appreciated your take on the drive, and now Im sorry we will be going north rather than south, but we are planning on going back the I-5 and stopping in Ashland. Its a very winding cliff-side road and doing it in an RV is going to be laboriously slow and probably make you a bit nervous at times. The coast near Crescent City is dotted with the gigantic rock formations out at sea that characterize most of the northern and central California coastline. Thanks for your comment, Vicky! Hi, and thanks for this terrific resource. Taking my granddaughter on an epic journey. I can think off the top of my head that you could do the Columbia River Gorge, Mt. The first leg of the trip was relatively short thanks to us . Washington Park Arboretum to Seward Park. Karen, great question! From Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument to Seattle with side trips is about 208 miles and will take around four hours when done as a straight shot. It was just gorgeous with a 360 degree view. Whidbey Island is one of the best road trips from Seattle and can easily be covered in a single day. I was a truck driver for 29 years and could not drive that road. Also, we were thinking with the additional days to do a detour over to Yosemite. The Oregon Coast Aquarium lets visitors explore the marine ecosystems around this part of the Pacific Ocean. My favorite place is Mendocino if the skies are clear! And there are plenty of options along the north shore of the Colombia River that offer stunning views and a relaxing stay. It is also the hub of two thriving metropolises. Heres one more spectacular spot to drive in the city. The traditional definition of the Pacific Coast Highway is to drive California Highway 1 from San Diego to Leggett (or vice versa); you can extend by adding on U.S. Highway 101 through Northern California and Oregon and Washington coasts. One of the most famous sea stacks on the U.S. Pacific Coast, Haystack Rock is picture perfect while you stretch your legs. Return to Route 123 after visiting the park and follow it north. Dont be in a hurry and be cautious so you can enjoy everything. We plan on doing the 7 day trip June/July. Have you heard any issues with the Covid and being able to rent places on the way down? Foodies will appreciate the local food and beverage program, including a notable clam chowder, on the Cascades route. My wife doesnt particularly like high bridges or steep drops (one reason we are driving north), so any advice on where we might avoid such things is appreciated. St. Helens RV Resort. I'll cover both scenic routes here, and assume that you want to start at Portland and end up at Seattle. Hug Point's caverns and waterfalls are accessible by taking a short trek along the coast. You could easily spend a weekend here, so give it an extra day if you like playing outside. Well be camping out at most stops except for SF. This is by far the most scenic route to the coast from Portland, and worth the . This route seems less popular than the other because it's a bit longer. This day marked our last bit of time spent in Portland. Columbia Gorge Highway: Highway 14. If youve just stayed overnight in Santa Barbara or started your road trip in San Diego, that may not make as much sense. We help you get the most out of your city and focus on the easy-to-miss details so that youre always in the know. Crescent City is a great spot for an overnight stop (or longer) depending on your itinerary. If youre planning a full 10-day west coast road trip, make sure you follow my guide and do at least one overnight on the Olympic Peninsula. I know a lot of people would probably prefer the one hour flight from San Francisco to Portland as opposed to the ten hour drive but we didn't want to miss all of the beauty that lies between. Long Beach is and always will be one of my favorite destinations in Washington. Youre very welcome, Wilbert! For accommodation, try a small hotel like the. Thank so much for putting together a wonderful and comprehensive itinerary of the PC scenic drive. Would you have any other suggestions since I am using 4 more days and not going south to Sa Diego and strarting in Vancouver? They all offer budget rentals, run regular deals and specials, and have one-way rental options. Thoughts? The Inn has a great set of amenities like an indoor pool, a hot tub, a sauna, and a gym. Thanks, CJ! Kim. Note: Due to heavy rainfall in California in January 2023, California Highway 1 is closed around Ragged Point; this means you will not be able to do a complete route down the Pacific Coast and will instead divert inland from Monterey to San Simeon (southbound). For the most scenic (and slow) route, drivers can veer to the coastline and hop the cities there. November should be a good time, but you may experience some days where the Marine Layer rolls in be sure to pack layers in case its cooler/less sunny than expected! Our plan (2 people) would be to fly into Seattle, where family is. I have one question where is the best place to fly into? The last stop on todays Portland to Seattle road trip is Mount Saint Helens, the most infamous volcano on the West Coast due to the historic eruption on May 18, 1980. Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look forward to all your posts! Re: Scenic drive from Seattle to Portland, Oregon. Making the drive in 2 days. I used to use Google Maps to do this, but I find that the numbered stops and waypoints are much easier to understand, and this Roadtrippers map also has other points of interest (Extraordinary Places) you might want to stop at too. However, given all there is to do along this leg, its worth taking at least an overnight along this segment to see it all. Cross the Columbia River and enter Washington. Both are very much worth a visit, and at less than 200 miles between them, getting from Portland to Seattle and back is easy. Also wondering if you can tell me where I could get a printable version of your article. It's located a 45-minute drive from Seattle and just outside Washington's third-most populous city, Tacoma. Choose between six, daily routes that are quicker than Greyhound with just one stop in Tacoma, WA. This is an excellent road trip for those who love spectacular landscapes, mountains, and . Lan Su Chinese Garden is open to the public daily between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Phone +1 253-404-3800. The road trip from Seattle to Portland is around 180 miles and the drive will take you approximately 3 hours. This means traffic shouldn't be a problem anywhere along the route. Kim, December should be a pretty good time, but plan for classic marine layer weather (chilly and cloudy this is whats normal on the Pacific coast!). Hi there, I am desperate to do the road trip next year however, I am not keen on driving over bridges (I am fine on coastal roads/cliff edges), so are there any places that i definitely need to avoid or that you cant get through/past without crossing a bridge? 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