Day 2 Portland, OR. 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!). Even an email answer is fine!! Also, you can probably get away with booking hotels/vacation rentals in the smaller towns only a few days in advance but if you want to stay in any of the big cities, I would book those 2-3 weeks in advance at the latest! Now I want to take a trip there from San Diego to the Canadian border while sitting on a Honda Goldwing trike. The Point Reyes Lighthouse is only open to visitors from Fridays to Mondays (weekends) from 10am-4:30pm. The Eco Park Resort has several cabins and yurts and is the closest accommodation to the park that isnt exclusively a campground. Tickets cost $35 - $50 and the journey takes 3h 25m. Thank you for sharing your travels and still helping others along their journey! P.S. The Pacific Northwest is probably best known for its coffee, which is followed by its breathtaking natural features, such as Mount Rainier National Park, the Olympic National Rainforest, Mount Saint Helens, and miles of largely untamed coastline from the San Juan Islands to Gold Beach. In this forest, youll find amazing old growth trees and is incredibly verdant. If you want to enjoy the sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, you must spend some time exploring the sandy shores of this beautiful coastal town. Angie, thanks so much for your comment! Would be every much appriciate if you can provide tips and recomendattions where to stop, what to see/do and eat the drive on high 1 from San Diego to Santa Monica. We will start in Portland, Or and drive to Las Angeles, CA. Thanks for asking! The weather should be okay but be prepared for coastal fog and chill (as you would experience pretty much all year long!). If youre planning a PCH trip and want to pass through San Francisco, you can either skim over along the side of the city as you drive down the coast, take a detour inland to visit Yosemite National Park or dive in for one night knowing it will only make you want to come back for more. 4 The Long Way Around Through Idaho and Nevada. Book well in advance, and youll find the best dealsas in $1 ticketswith BoltBus. We already have this email. This sounds like a great trip the PCH + inland Oregon! ), Valerie, My wife and I are planning this very trip you outlined. This is the nearest national park to Portland, Oregon and, on clear days, the mountain is even visible from Portland. If you want a true Seattle experience, opt for a stay on a refurbished and romantic houseboat. The only places you can fly would be Crescent City but itll require changing through San Francisco anyway. To those of us in Washington, this has become a pretty normal part of our everyday existence. My English is very very basic but if you write to me I can understand it. My wife and I are planning an 18 day trip in the coming months to fly into San Diego and then make the drive up to Seattle. Any ideas? AND, I did it in November in a PT Cruiser with the top down.all bundled up with the heat on full..but man, what a view! Pismo State Beach is another great stop during a day of driving from San Francisco to Santa Barbara (or reverse). Follow Interstate 5 through the suburbs and into the center of Seattle. 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! This route is broken into three legs and will take a few days if you choose to drive right through. 2. My overnight stop in Santa Barbara changed my mind. Did you drive it alone and what do you think about being able to see well driving north to south? Address: 100 Brown Farm Rd NE, Olympia, WA 98516, United States. Enjoyed this 14 day article! Thanks again for this excellent resource. Nice ride. Its mostly side trips places where youll have divert from the most direct route until you reach Seattle. If you want to escape Tampas most popular areas, these weekend road trips will definitely expand your travel horizons. After making the trip myself in 2014 and exploring the PCH extensively while living in Washington and California, Ive put together this comprehensive guide to the great stops, breathtaking sights, and sense of unbelievable freedom you can find if you drive the Pacific Coast Highway. We didn't expect much from the road until realized that adding 0.5-2 hours will turn it into a real adventure! Awesome, Im hoping to do the PCH and NorCal next summer. I hope that helps! Now that summer is slowly on the way out, its the perfect time to hit the road. If you want to unwind after a busy day, you can have a drink in the beautiful hotel bar. September and October are definitely best for visiting NorCal, so I recommend that time of year too! Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Follow CA-1 south its a meandering route, but if you follow it all the way until Muir Beach you can make an optional stop at Muir Woods if you want. Ive just started planning our trip for this autumn. We are going to go the middle of September 2022 and take a flight from Phx to somewhere around Crescent city. Also, how many days should we take for the one-way trip back. Theres a link to that at the end of the post. Rainier, as it is typically quieter, and the weather is cooler. Popular activities: Whidbey Island is a popular Seattle day trip for people who love food, drink, shops, and hikes. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington. Your email address will not be published. The lake features aquamarine water that is pumped from the Cowlitz River and passes to the south end into the Columbia River. Im nervous go excited. Am interested in your upcoming 7 day itinerary of PCH. Related Read:12 Spots to See Gorgeous Fall Colors in Oregon. Have a great trip! The winter is a quieter season to be traveling on the coast, meaning hotels may be available at discounted prices. I love to do a Pacific Coast Highway drive at some point in my life. Thanks for your comment, Rex! In this Road Trip Planner for Highway 101 we'll cover the first leg from Tacoma, WA to Grants Pass, OR. I didnt spend a ton of time on the Central Coast, but be sure to stop at Pismo Beach and drive through Carmel. Check out the wonderful pieces they make and even place an order for your own piece on the Northeastern Rustic website. Travel from Portland to Seattle easily to explore both of these top PacNW cities. Were driving south-to-north. Well folks we have to say were pretty dang blessed to have multiple beautiful and scenic mountains in our state. Ime hoping the trip will run about $10k. Which Direction to Drive the Pacific Coast Highway? 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 hope you have a great trip! I appreciate this guide. The food is divine with unique twists on all your favorite classics. Cherie, thanks for your comment. Crescent City is the first city youll enter when driving southbound into California along the Pacific Coast Highway (or last if youre headed northbound). https://www.valisemag.com/pacific-coast-highway-guide/ https://www.valisemag.com/california-coast-road-trip/ Both include info on the area between San Diego and Santa Monica. Taking your advice, flying into Seattle (from KC), and heading south. Such a thorough guide! A road trip from Seattle, Washington, to Portland, Oregon is full of amazing sights and worthwhile stops. It is home to many motels, lodges, campgrounds, art galleries, golf courses, water recreation areas, and eateries, making it a perfect stopover on your road trip from Portland to Seattle. Thanks for your comment, Archimedes. It's also one of the best Colorado staycations for families. Hi Valerie, we are planning a trip from Crescent city back home to Phoenix traveling along PCH. These seem to be the hardest parts to figure out for this type of trip! Thanks Teena. Kim. Let me know how it goes! For accommodation, try a small hotel like the. Is Pacific Coast Highway the same as Highway 1 or Highway 101? We would be flying from GA, so I guess I go fling to Seattle, and the book one home for San Diego? Youll get glimpses of beautiful greenery as well as views of Lake Washington. Youve got so much time, thats awesome! Thank you for the recommendation! Youll have a great time! When is the Best Time of Year to Visit Seattle? Thanks so much for reading, Teresa! Once you've got your Original Starbucks coffee, your first Seattle to Portland stop should be the Point Defiance State Park. In Northern California, the best weather of the year happens between September and October. 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. In addition, it serves as a haven for a variety of seabirds and other intertidal creatures like starfish and crabs. The Cascades train has four daily departures, while the Coast Starlight offers one daily roundtrip. Silver Lake, Seaquest State Park - a beautiful hidden gem on the way to Seattle from Portland. I love that the Pacific coast has those little hideaways! After all, I liked it so much when I first visited in 2012 that I moved there in 2013! You can see the famous Great Northern Hotel in all its glory although sorry to burst your bubble, the interior shots were not filmed here. We just booked Patrees room! Thanks for your comment, Jorge! If youve just stayed overnight in Santa Barbara or started your road trip in San Diego, that may not make as much sense. Alternatively, Flixbus USA operates a bus from Portland Bus Stop to Seattle 4 times a day. There and back that is? Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news, events, offers and partner promotions. 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. Go hiking in Ecola State Park or drive the Three Capes Scenic Loop. Great read! Have a great trip! Got to save some $$$$$. What are the reasons you really never got to enjoy using a convertible car? For bigger cities, there are probably enough options that you can wait until you arrive to book, even during that time of year. Waterfall Alley, Columbia River Gorge. Hey Valerie great name yourself! Have a safe trip!! Thanks for your amazing feedback, and Im so glad to help! I am doing this trip with the boyfriend end of this month. However, there are a few options if youre looking for something indoors. From Seaside, it takes 13 minutes to go to Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock. Hi V& VDid you make hotel reservations in advance for your overnight stops? The top stops along the way from Portland to Seattle (with short detours) are Chihuly Garden and Glass, Pike Place Fish Market, and Space Needle. I would love to do a Pacific Coast Highway drive at some point in my life. As this post is over 6,000 words long, I typically dont provide extra additional itinerary services for free. Im driving with our 5 kids (ages 1 -13) and my wife. haha. There are some fantastic day trips from Boston within easy reach no matter what you're idea of fun is. There are plenty of things to do in Long Beach for more than an overnight stop! do you have a printable version of this? Thanks for your comment, Patty! Thanks for reading, Jan. Where would you start and end if it is reasonable to go in December, and what might we expect weather wise? The best route for a road trip from Portland to Seattle depends on the time of year you want to travel. Great article. Yes, we intend to stay a couple of nights in Portland and 2 or 3 in San Francisco but well probably look for hotels on the outskirts and travel in to the cities by car or public transport each day. My wife, you can fly would be Crescent city but itll require changing through San Francisco.! Santa Monica yurts and is the nearest national Park to Portland, Oregon is full of amazing sights and stops! 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