West Coast Vacation Trip

[John A. Campbell]

My lady friend Barbara and I are contemplating a trip this year starting at San Francisco and driving the coastal route all the way up to Seattle. We have not yet decided on the date to make this trip but would like to avoid driving in the rain all the way up so it would seem that the summer months would be best. I would like to hear from anyone who has made this trip and anything they would like to share about it. We would like to see as much of Vancouver's flower gardens as possible at the end of the trip and possibly include the Woodenboat Show in Port Townsend, Washington in early September. Your comments & suggestions would be appreciated.

[KimApel]

John: I've done part of that route, from San Francisco to Oregon. I can report that it's scenic and well worth the trip. We had good weather in May. There were few other travellers around; it was before the prime vacation season. I would caution you to slow down and enjoy the trip; the roads are not built for speed. I thought that 200 miles per day would be easy; instead it was too much. Adjust your expectations accordingly.

[pcford]

Don't let anyone know that I told you since we don't need any more/prospective residents here, but the first half of Sept. is usually glorious weather! And those darned kids are back in school...much less crowded.

Of course, take rte. 1 north....101 in Oregon. Spectacular! You could follow 101 around the Olympic Peninsula and take the ferry to Victoria from Port Angeles. It'll be a wonderful trip...lots of neat stuff...old forts and lighthouses at the mouth of the Columbia. The Long Beach peninsula is a 30 mile long beach you can drive on. Full of old resort towns. The town of Long Beach is becoming tackified but Ocean Park is still nice. We stay at the Sunset View in Ocean Park. Write if you need more info.

[Bob Triggs]

Seattle...Port Townsend... it rains every day, even in the summertime; cloudy and cold and dark... very depressing.

[Thorne]

Don't worry about the rain as much during the summer on the lower part of the coast, as the heat can be more of an issue. Temps in June and August can be 110 along parts of 101 in California...not nice. Best to travel during the shoulder season -- either April-May or Sept-Oct.

It all depends on how long you have to do the trip. I've driven it a number of times and hitched part of it twice.

If pressed for time, go up 101 to Cloverdale and take 128 up to Mendocino, then as below. Otherwise do the coast Hwy 1 from SF/Marin up to Mendocino, Ft. Bragg and Rockport where it cuts over to 101 at Legett and see the Redwoods.

If you really like the small roads, take Hwy 211 from near Weott on 101 over to Petrolia and up to Ferndale. Otherwise go on up 101 to Crescent City and the Oregon border.

At that point you can decide to drive all of the Oregon coast and cut over to Portland, just the southern part and then go east to I-5, or leave Crescent City and cut up over Grant's Pass to I-5.

You can hit the Washington coast by driving over from Centralia to Forks and Port Angeles, cut over from Tacoma up Hwy 16, or take ferries over from Seattle to the Olympic Penninsula for the don't-miss part of this trip == rain will now begin to be an issue.

Get into the Olympic Park -- either by driving in from Queets or down to Lake Mills on the loop road, or by hiking in. Spectacular!!

Take the ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria, then drive up to Sidney on the way back for the ferry through the San Juans to Anacortes. Or continue on up the Sunshine Coast to Nainamo -- lovely!

[Steve Lansdowne]

Before you even get going very far be sure to stop at Muir Woods, just north of SF. I've done this trip twice and really enjoyed it each time. Don't be in a rush.

[Ed Armstrong]

I lived in inland Oregon for about 5 years (in Eugene) and it rained off-and-on up through July. As pcford said, I'd go in September if I wanted to avoid the rain. Oregon is spectacular in August and September (and maybe even into October, if the rains hold off).

[John A. Campbell]

Before you even get going very far be sure to stop at Muir Woods, just north of SF. I've done this trip twice and really enjoyed it each time. Don't be in a rush.

We've been north of San Francisco a couple of times to Mendocino (one of my favorite places) and Fort Bragg but for some dumb reason we neglected the Muir Woods.....we'll catch them this time.....thanks, Steve

[DGentry]

We did that exact route early last summer, except in reverse. Very fricken scenic. September/late August would be better, weatherwise, than early July was.
Just follow the coast roads and you can't go wrong. Awesome. Bring a camera.
Don't buy gas in Mendocino, CA, though. That was our summer high point at $5.55/gal.
Be sure to stop at the Evergreen air museum if you're into planes at all, just SW of Portland. http://www.sprucegoose.org/ Tillamook, OR has a decent one, too, in an old blimp hangar.

Buchart Gardens, in Victoria BC, is the place to see if you want to look at flowers. http://www.butchartgardens.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1 Expensive, though.
If you're in Vancouver, BC, you may as well go up to Squamish, which isn't far and is pretty worthwhile.

Not much rain in Port Townsend, relative to anywhere else on the coast up there, and much less in Aug or Sept. The WBS is great.

How are you getting home? I recommend going inland through Crater Lake NP, Lake Tahoe and Yosemite . . . assuming the inevitable summer smoke will have cleared by then.

Have fun!
Dave

[nautiguy]

This past August we made the trip that you're planning. Three weeks, no rain. We did find some fog on the Oregon coast on the way south, though.
The trip took us up US 101 to Coos Bay then inland to Eugene and Portland, then to Seattle. From Reedsport, Or. we followed the course of the Umpqua River, which is really scenic.
After a couple of days in Portland and a couple more in Seattle we got back on the 101 in Olympia and made the circuit of the Olympic peninsula. It was a great trip.
In Newport, Or the aquarium is a nice place to visit, especially since it is right across the road from the Rogue Brewery.
Make sure you leave time to explore the Redwoods National/State Park in California. If you're jaded you might think of trees in a "Tree Museum" (thank you Joanie Mitchell), but the trees are spectacular.

[John A. Campbell]

Thanks loads for all the feedback......we plan to fly Austin to San Francisco, rent a Hertz car for the trip up the coast and fly back to Austin from Seattle.

[elf]

I did that in '94. It was 3 weeks. End April/early May. Marin/Sonoma/Mendocino was green, lush. Sure, Muir woods, but make sure you go all the way to Point Reyes Light and if you've got time, hike out to Tomales Point on Point Reyes.

http://www.californiacoastline.org

Crazy to try to cover that much space in 3 weeks.

in 2003 I spent a week on the Lost Coast, between the top and bottom of Humboldt County. That was marginally sufficient for that much area, especially considering that the most interesting things to do in that area involve extensive walking - Humboldt Redwoods State Park and the Sinkyone Wilderness. If you really want to see redwoods and dark forest, get off Rt. 101.

Oregon is another problem. Around every damn curve it's a new wonder, except Tillamook, which is too urban for my taste. Even Cannon Beach has it wonders.

Then more trouble in Washington on the coast. Deep forest, vine maples, hot springs, long distances between civilization point around Olympic Park and the temptation to go into the forest as far as the road will permit and then hike. And at the topmost corner the long drive to Neah Bay and hike to where you can see Tatoosh Island, right up there against the mouth of the river and the great expanse of the ocean.

And then you still have all the pleasures of heading towards Seattle after.

If I ever do another part of it again, I'll fly into Portland, rent a car and not go out of Oregon for at least 2 weeks.

[wharf rat]

John, three weeks is enough to whet your appetite ;). September is probably the best time to make the trip as well. Consistently the best weather and after the 2nd week, the tourist population significantly thins out--as does the traffic--in both stores and on the road.

The southern Oregon coast is wild and scenic, the northern coast is "coastal touristy"--more businesses catering to the trade--and larger cities. But almost every town has something unique: shopping, working docks, boats--something. If you have time and the season is open, a salmon trip is good way to spend a half a day.

Other highlights (I'd say) besides those mentioned are: Bandon, shopping, good fish and chips on the waterfront; Sunset Bay/Cape Arago at Coos Bay; Umpqua Lighthouse at Winchester Bay; downtown Florence, downtown Newport, Depoe Bay, Three Capes scenic drive outside Tillimook; then Fort Stevens and the Astoria Column in Astoria. On the Washington side of the river, make sure you visit Ft. Canby, then Long Beach.

Those are just the biggies of the mid part of your trip--there's something neat to explore just about every mile or two. You'll understand when you get here.

If your trip is slanted towards the gastronomic, I got some suggestions there, too.

cheers

[Mrleft8]

Handy woods is nice too, and not nearly as touristed as Muir woods

[Thad]

Only been out that way once, but I recommend finding yourself at Newport Beach, Oregon, going to the beach and picking the agates that roll in with the surf. Keep you busy for hours. My understanding is that there is a "ramp" in play there with no steep drop off so the seas action keeps bringing these pebbles to the shore from the depths off shore. A similar effect occurs at Naples Florida where fossilized shark teeth wash up from the Gulf of Mexico depths. I said this to friends some years ago and upon return they said that was the highlight of their drive from Seattle to LA. There are some wild features on that coast as well as some boaty places. Also you should look up Manuel and Judy Lopez who are rebuilding the Albert Strange ketch BETTY at Brookings, Oregon. Say Hello from the forum!