When I drove the PCH in 2014, I drove a northbound San Diego to Seattle road trip, and lament that I wasnt on the outer side of the road. I have been reading your blog posts about the PCH and think I read where you mentioned a couple of crossover vehicles that would be good rental cars. Prior to retiring I have done the San Francisco to LA 3 times but always by myself. Cross the river and merge with Highway 12 and then Route 8, which will take you past Capitol State Forest. We live in Colorado, so more interested in Ocean more than hiking, so 101 is ideal. I havent stayed at any L.A. hotels, so I dont feel comfortable recommending any. A visit to Tillamook is not just about the cheese; however, a stop by the Tillamook Creamery is still a must-do. Drive time: 2-3.5 hours. I appreciate any help you can provide. I can think off the top of my head that you could do the Columbia River Gorge, Mt. Hi Valerie, Great job! I hope you can see it for yourself someday too. However, be vigilant for early snowfall that could affect the roads. Thanks for reading, Brian. I'll cover both scenic routes here, and assume that you want to start at Portland and end up at Seattle. There are several ways to go from Seattle to Portland. Want to stop over a few nights, and hit some of the destinations you listed. This Portland to Seattle road trip itinerary is a whole vacation on its own though you could use it to connect separate vacation in both cities for a seriously awesome PNW getaway! 1. Its only 180 miles of interstate between the two cities and even on the interstate, the scenery is beautiful. Pismo is a popular camping destination, so the most common amenities youll find if you decide to stay longer than a few hours are camping-oriented. 3. We are just wondering if you have an estimate on how much it would be to travel the PCH! If you plan on making this drive over a weekend, you should stop once halfway and then another night in Seattle. With an RV, Id just give yourself a lot more time each day (probably 25% more driving time) since youll need to go a bit slower. Day 2: Coos Bay OR, to Redwood National Park, CA. Ive never been to CA and I know the prices are high. With that in mind, you cant go wrong with a drive from Washington Park Arboretum to Seward Park. Getting excited. Portland! We already have this email. Thanks for reading, Lauren! 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! Below are some recommendations or places to stop overnight along the route. Save. You may encounter some rain up north near Portland and Seattle, but you shouldnt experience any snow! Pacific Coast Highway Directions: None! Make memories exploring the diverse, natural beauty of our public lands. However, if one wants to enjoy most of the attractions along the San . If you're pressed for time, make Cannon Beach your top priority. Its approximately around 180 miles in length and will take around three hours to get there. First thank you for all the work you put into this! 5 hours 0 minutes. runs several daily buses with five stops, and tempts passengers with free WiFi, power outlets, and no dreaded middle seats. Thanks for your comment, Terri! When you merge with Highway 101, turn south for a short detour into Cannon Beach. Galley Kitchen. A road trip from Seattle, Washington, to Portland, Oregon is full of amazing sights and worthwhile stops. If I can make a recommendation? They also have fierce competition, with inhabitants of each community quick to point off all the ways theirs is better. Rainier, which will take about 7 hours and cover 330 miles. This location has some historical significance since it is close to where the illustrious explorers Lewis and Clark finished their cross-country journey in 1805. Galley Beach is one of the best restaurants in Nantucket, with a long, rich history on the island. Just give yourself more time and end n LA. So I am very, very thankful to have found THIS resource!! Is there any river rafting or boating along the way? If you know which car you want, I recommend renting from Fox Rent-A-Car or Sixt. Thank you again for all of your information. Head out to explore tide pools, view the puffins that roost on the rock from early-spring to mid-summer, or see the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Hello, Thanks for sharing your trips and valuable tips. If not, spend your day exploring the Seattle waterfront to see all of the city from above. To be honest, Id opt for the long route you only have one day, and Point Reyes is one of my favorite parts of California. Both have unique vibes, great restaurants, and access to the outdoors. Be sure to check out my Ebook: USA Wine Guide For Travelers. of the PCH? Love it. Now that summer is slowly on the way out, its the perfect time to hit the road. Have a great trip!! Oregon Coast Road Trip from Portland: Astoria to Cannon Beach. Here are my suggestions: Therefore, the best month to drive the Pacific Coast Highway is September, when youre most likely to have great weather along the entire length of the road trip. Lan Su Chinese Garden is open to the public daily between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. As the highest peak in Oregon, Mount Hood stands tall as the states geographic symbol of outdoor adventure. Ranked as a top Travel Authority in the UK by Agility PR Solutions, Nominated as the best female travel blogger in the Teletext Holiday Awards 2019, British Annual Canada Travel Awards Finalist 2018, Nominated for the Best UK Travel Blog 2018, Cheapflights Travel Blog Awards Nominee 2017, GLOBAL GRASSHOPPER. I am planning a road-trip with my husband along the Pacific coast. Travelers may stroll around and visit the town's many shops, cafs, and art galleries whenever they have free time or want to get some exercise. Enjoy all of the scenic drives near Seattle! Silvia, not to minimize risks but I think the issue is not being represented realistically by the media. Whether you stop to take a few Instagram-worthy spots or ogle the animals, theres plenty of experiences to choose from in San Diego. Tickets cost $14 - $55 and the journey takes 3h 35m. 145 mi (233 km) Im driving with our 5 kids (ages 1 -13) and my wife. Hi, we are flying into Seattle 7/27 and out from San Diego 8/7, we are visiting colleges in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and San Diego for my daughter. Some of the most prominent attractions of Tillamook include Cape Lookout State Park, Cape Meares Light, Munson Creek Falls State Natural Site, Tillamook Forest Center, and Tillamook Air Museum. 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. Seattle skyline over South Lake Union, Washington, Seattle To Portland: How To Make The Most Of This Scenic Road Trip, Where To Stop To Taken In The Most Scenic Views, experience all that the Pacific Northwest area has to offer, 9 Sights To See On The Way From Portland To Seattle, where the illustrious explorers Lewis and Clark finished their cross-country journey in 1805, Astoria: Why Its Any Traveler's Perfect First Oregon Trip. I also agree that Point Reyes (and the lighthouse) is spectacular and my top place to go when in North Ca. Thanks so much, Lois and glad to help! Is this possible?? 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. If you have some more time, head to the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. It's located a 45-minute drive from Seattle and just outside Washington's third-most populous city, Tacoma. Im pretty confident theyll be wowed by these sights. Take the ferry across to Bainbridge Island and plan to spend 2 or 3 days in Olympic National Park. Great question, Sharon! Whether you just want to see the top highlights and sightseeing hotspots or want to dive into L.A.s booming food scene, you can find it all in Los Angeles. After all, you might as well enjoy one of the most unique things about Washington, our ferry system. Crescent City! The little set of communities on the Long Beach peninsula is at the lower-left corner of the state and is home to cozy accommodations and surprisingly delicious restaurants. I love road trips & he tolerates them so I am looking forward to all these sights to see! The location is perfect to see the sights of downtown Seattle giving you access to everything on offer in this amazing city. Suggested Overnights: Port Angeles, Neah Bay, Ocean Shores. Thanks for reading though , Thanks so much for an in depth post. Be sure to check the California DOT website for more information. My stop in Fort Bragg was relatively short, but it was worth it! Youll still be at the mercy of traffic, but if you want to leave the driving to someone else, hop aboard one of numerous buses shuttling between Portland and Seattle. 12 of the best hikes to see wildflowers in Washington this summer, A post shared by capturing the bliss of life (@capturing_bliss_of_life). If you happen to do your PCH road trip in the winter, Pismo State Beach is also home to the largest colony of migrating monarch butterflies during the winter months. It was actually quite a lot colder than I expected so I usually ended up too cold with the top down. Loren Kerns / Flickr. The rest of time will hopefully be in small towns all along the coast. I hope you have an amazing time! Basically, you cant start/end in Crescent City if you want to rent a car. You should make your first stop at Bachelor Island while traveling from Portland to Seattle via road. And thanks for confirming what I thought (hoped) that southbound is the best way to go. Im planning on doing the PCH from Seattle to SF next Sept. (We did SF to SD in 2019). If you want to make the most of the popular and beautiful journey, here are the best stops on the Portland to Seattle drive. Very nicely done thanks ever so much !! Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Its a short drive south and a little east along U.S. 101 from Long Beach to cross the Astoria into Oregon. Also, for a map, I use the app Roadtrippers, which is linked in the post. Two States Bridge Tour. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: From Seattle, head south along US Highway 101 to Olympia. I am thinking 5 days from Portland to LA. Alternatively, Flixbus USA operates a bus from Portland Bus Stop to Seattle 4 times a day. Thanks for your feedback, Alice, but I lived in California for several years and never heard anyone say Im going to drive PCH Ill be keeping the the if only because its proper English if Californians want to abandon that elsewhere, thats up to them . Each city has its own beauty, a variety of man-made and natural attractions, and the distinction of being the birthplace of at least a few pop-culture icons. Take the coastal route for a longer, more scenic drive, and you can hit up Canon Beach or even Tillamook, where you can tour the Tillamook Creamery. The big complex has two aquariums, a zoo, and several botanical gardens. This will be tricky as there are no rental cars in Crescent City or anywhere near it. If the coast is calling you, make sure you take a route that is enjoyable such as this scenic journey. If youve ever seen The Goonies, you know exactly what I mean. This first segment is about 114 miles and has two-and-a-half hours of driving if you do it all at once. It depends a lot on how long you plan to make the drive do you know how many days youll be driving? 3 Cool National Parks Road Trip Through Crater Lake. Follow Interstate 5 north out of Portland alongside the Columbia River. A post shared by Kym Janisch (@chi_girl_go). . If you are taking a longer PCH drive, turn west out of Portland along Oregon Highways 99W and 18 to connect with U.S. 101 near Lincoln City. Would you have any other suggestions since I am using 4 more days and not going south to Sa Diego and strarting in Vancouver? Its especially impressive at night, so consider spending most of your day in Astoria to time it right. Day 1 Mount Rainier National Park, WA. We were thinking October, but after reading all the comments, I think we will make it September. I am planning to start my road trip in Vancouver BC and ending in San Francisco. Long Beach is and always will be one of my favorite destinations in Washington. Heather, you saw the rest of the post, right? The flight time is usually a quick 45 minutes, but when you factor in transfers between the two airports, its probably just as long as other options listed above. However, I have decided to take a detour east through Columbia River Gorge and Washington State wine country. Portland is approximately 634.9 miles away from San Francisco. Note: mountain route may be unavailable during winter due to road closures. For each spot, I share whether I consider it an Overnight stop (where you should spend a night) or a Waypoint stop (where you should stop to stretch your legs and/or see the sights). I especially appreciate your links to stays and dine. I have 22 foot van camper are their any length height(9.5 ft) restrictions I am hoping their are amp sites along the way? Thoughts? Day 2 Portland, OR. Maybe worth checking another site thats more expert in RV travel! This article originally appeared in the October 2018 issue of Seattle Magazine. 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