Hi We have just 1-day and will be starting in Fortuna and heading to San Francisco. I drove one and I hardly ever got to enjoy it!.why were you hardly ever able to enjoy driving a convertible???? Seaquest State Park is an urban park covering 475 acres of a natural island along a mile of the lakeshore. I was, for the most part, ambivalent about the cities along the PCH. Thank you for sharing. While you are in Cannon Beach, you may want to travel a few miles to visit this beautiful state park. Yes, Id recommend flying one-way to Seattle, and flying one-way home from San Diego. Let me know if you have any other questions while planning or on the road! One day, I would LOVE to make this road trip. Thinking of maybe making this where we would b me somewhere different for 4th of July. Id like to make a 10 day trip with a couple days in San Francisco and San Diego. San Diego is high on my must-visit-longer list, so Im again a bit short on recommendations here. The city also boasts other attractions, including the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, and Ecola State Park. Im not sure there are many good airports to leave a rental car in the region youre suggesting you may end up driving into L.A. to do so and to fly home. Route Option #3: Southern Route on I-80. We live in Colorado, so more interested in Ocean more than hiking, so 101 is ideal. Before launching into a bunch of details for where to stop along the Pacific Coast Highway, I need to define a few things: Now that you know the details, lets dig into the logistics of planning your own Pacific Coast Highway road trip itinerary! This is a great itinerary! Drive time: 2-3.5 hours. Especially watching the sun set over Morro Rock in the distance! We plan a trip to San Jos, California because of its diversity, beautiful scenery, and exceptionally high outputs. Im nervous go excited. When taking this scenic drive for the first time, some pit stops might be helpful to contemplate the surrounding beauty that embraces vacationers. In the morning, we made the 30-minute drive to Mulmonath Falls. I am currently planning a road trip from Phoenix to Vancouver, WA to visit family and weve decided to come back home via the PCH. Not to mention its one of the largest mountains in the US and were lucky to have it right here. Coastal Route. Im planning a trip for end of this year most probably the California part only. Seattle to San Diego Road Trip: Route Options. Thank you. This will be a great tool in planning. Its worth it! I hope this helps. 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. Thanks again for this excellent resource. Driving south on the right-hand side of the road, youll have a great view of the ocean and coastline. Maybe worth checking another site thats more expert in RV travel! You can learn more about our editorial policies. My stop in Fort Bragg was relatively short, but it was worth it! I make all of my must see recommendations in this post, so I recommend checking out the section on California to find the ones that sound interesting to you. Rainier is inaccessible during winter. After all, you might as well enjoy one of the most unique things about Washington, our ferry system. The first leg of the trip was relatively short thanks to us . Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com. Neither of these routes is the most direct one, because the shortest route is straight up Interstate 5, and isn't particularly interesting. Though I have visited a few cities in California over the years, I (we) are looking forward to that California coastal drive. Travelers can stop in Tacoma proper, which is only a little over an hour south of Seattle if they wish to spend a little extra time there. The Kathryn Riverfront Inn is a spectacular beachside hotel with a gorgeous interior, located right at the center of the town of Seaside. If you want to spend part of one day during your Pacific Coast Highway road trip beachcombing or hiking, Big Sur is the place to do it. It is enormous and offers a ton of sights and activities. Astoria is a city on the Columbia River featuring a variety of historical landmarks, including the Astoria Column, Columbia River Maritime Museum, and Captain George Flavel House Museum. Before you get started, making sure you pay the feebefore you arrive and nail down a mountaineering/climbing permit from the Park Service. Thank you so much for passing on your wisdom and experience. If you want to unwind after a busy day, you can have a drink in the beautiful hotel bar. Stargazing along the PCH depends a lot on the weather; since there arent a lot of roads that connect the PCH inland, you kinda have to make do with what happens out on the coast. We sure cant. Great info . The island lies just between the Lewis River and the Willamette River. The park also features dozens of food trucks, serving great stadium eats and fine beer. Explore the history of Tillamook by visiting the Quilt Trail and Textile Center, or take part in any number of events and festivalsthe city hosts each year. Thanks for reading, Sonia. 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. Im at work surfing around your blog from my new apple iphone! Were driving south-to-north. Regarding I recommend an automatic car with a low center of gravity but skip the convertible! Hi Valerie, I am doing the PCH drive southbound from Seattle and as far as we can go for 5 days. Where is Crater Lake? How Long is it? Depending on whether you drive a Washington to California road trip or just drive portions in California, you can start/end your road trip at the various cities in this guide. Any suggestions. I am traveling with my husband, brother and our 4 year old. Silver Lake is an exquisite lake that lies in Seaquest State Park in the northwest of Silverlake, an unincorporated community in Washington. The 5-star hotel is very modern, and bedrooms have large windows, affording great views of the city and bay. Other cool attractions include Hurricane Ridge (a popular hiking spot), Elwha River Valley, and Olympic Hot Springs. The best time of year to do this will be in the summer (June/July/August), probably sooner in the year rather than later. From the perspective of California Highway 1, it might seem like just a few buildings alongside the road. Then round out your trip to Astoria by visiting the Astoria-Megler Bridge and the Columbia River Maritime Museum. find more stops. Reading through this your article is going to be a huge help as our family plans our two-week trip. 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. Learn more about our editorial policies here. flickr/ Maciek Lulko. Hello good morning my name is Cherie Carmona, Wealth to California a little over a year ago I love it I live in Dana Point California, my husband will be moving here in a few weeks and Im so excited my daughter lives in Seattle so we were considering a road trip to Seattle realistically how long do you think it would take thank you so much God-bless. Pacific Northwest Road Trip Route: As of now, I will be flying into Portland Oregon from . Sign up for Weekend Wanderer to join thousands of readers getting epic travel and gear ideas every week. There are plenty of things to do in Long Beach for more than an overnight stop! Thank you for any other tips. I appreciate your asking for clarification! Travel from Portland to Seattle easily to explore both of these top PacNW cities. Therefore, its an amazing place to start your Pacific Coast Highway trip! So it adds about 3 hours of driving time, but it also means youll miss out on basically all of the Oregon Coast. The worst that happens is you might end up in a slightly less nice place than you had planned. My blog posts likely contain affiliate links, including for the Amazon Associates program.If you click, book, or buy from one of these links, I may earn a commission. Best PCH road trips from Portland. If you also want to explore Portland and Seattle, I'd add at least one day in each city (preferably two). Also how many days driving for this trip. Again, thanks for great info and advice. The PCH heads inland near Lompoc but is the main road you can take to Santa Barbara. 1. Also, niece is vegan and I am meat eater. RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in Seattle. We are thinking Crescent City to Santa Barbara? If you plan on making this drive over a weekend, you should stop once halfway and then another night in Seattle. Would love to do the northern parts of PCH though I loved Portland and Seattle, but would like to see more of the coastal regions! I appreciate any help you can provide. How can we apply this info in the reverse, Catherine, its pretty easy just plan it out by reading my article from the bottom to the top! By the end, youll be ready to plan your own Pacific Coast Highway road trip itinerary. Valerie-thanks for the great overview. The city is a great stopover for history buffs while traveling from Portland to Seattle. The turn-out for Ruby Beach occurs right as the highway reaches the Pacific coast. Hi V& VDid you make hotel reservations in advance for your overnight stops? Pismo State Beach is another great stop during a day of driving from San Francisco to Santa Barbara (or reverse). Loved your trip adventure and recommendations !! I was reading for the road trip from Seattle to San Diego. I think once we hit Los Angeles we will just take the I10 home to Phoenix. Sounds like a great trip either way drive safe! Located on a beautiful crescent-shaped bay, Crescent City is along part of the PCH where California Highway 1 and U.S. Highway 101 overlap hence this guide refers to both Highway 1 and Highway 101 as the PCH in the different states. Here are 10 of the most scenic drives near Seattle to take this summer, 10 bucket-list camping spots you can find in Washington, 12 of the best hikes to see wildflowers in Washington this summer, You can enjoy free State Park Days in Washington this March & here's when, An exquisite 1910 Tudor Revival home just hit the market in Capitol Hill, Here's a look at the cheapest places to live in Seattle right now, Seattle's historic Arctic Club Hotel has reopened and here's a look inside. If I were going to recommend a route, Id do something like the National Parks in California or the Utah/Arizona/SoCal loop. From camping to hiking Mount St Helens offers all types of outdoor adventures. You can choose the spots you want to stop at that way . I hope you have a great trip! 111 helpful votes. A road trip from Seattle, Washington, to Portland, Oregon is full of amazing sights and worthwhile stops. If youve ever seen The Goonies, you know exactly what I mean. I was born on the East Coast and currently live in the Midwest but my heart will always be out West. distance from Seattle: ~1 hr and 15 mins | driving directions (with ferry) | driving directions (without ferry, which is ~2.5 hrs) | best for: excellent seafood and wineries. There are 18 golf courses in the area and an . Both routes take place mostly on highways and smaller roads, making the driving interesting. Great question So Crater Lake is pretty far inland. Suggested Days: 4 minimum. From there we are planning on 4 days drive/stop on high 1 (PCH) up to Santa Monica/Malibu then flight out LAX. Hi, My wife and I are planning a 7-day drive from San Fran to Portland in late June of this year. Congrats on the trip, Michael! However, if one wants to enjoy most of the attractions along the San . riverine, estuarine, or the Nisqually Reach nearshore. I am planning 14 days to take in the sights. I was wondering if you would recommend any wine tasting spots along the way? We are going to go the middle of September 2022 and take a flight from Phx to somewhere around Crescent city. I will be driving from Dallas to Seattle. Oregon's nearly 400-mile coastline is famous national-wide for good reason. You will have to turn off Highway 12 onto Route 123, leading to the Mt. At this point you should take the exit to CA-1; this is now the Pacific Coast Highway. Thanks for all of this great information! This guide is great, do you have a Google map itinerary to download with the stops? The entrance road takes you through lush Sitka spruce forests that are home to deer and elk. Cherie, thanks for your comment. Hop on Washington State Road 4 to Naselle, WA and then head south on Highway 101 to Cannon Beach. Drive time: 3 hours / 155 miles. Rainier, as it is typically quieter, and the weather is cooler. If you want to head over to the peninsula and have some serious Twilight vibes then you need to check out Highway 12. This is such a great article. I didnt want to make all my reservations, but just go with it for one time in my life. Can you believe theres a rainforest in Washington? Located a mile southwest of downtown Edmonds, Marina Beach Park is a beachfront park featuring a playground and picnicking area. We have lived, collectively, in exactly three cities. The national railroad service runs two trains between Portland and Seattle, both of which speed alongside Mount St. Helens and across the Columbia River Gorge. Day 6 Crescent City and Redwoods National Park, OR. Great article. Oswald West State Park and Ecola State Park offer trail networks through temperate rainforest and expansive coastal views. The most easily accessible and breathtakingly stark part of the PCH is a short drive (about 3 hours) sound of San Francisco, so many people in the Bay Area do it as an overnight or weekend trip. Would it be worth it to continue to San Diego then back to LA? Further along the coast, you can book a stay at any of the campgrounds in the numerous state parks. And other than his military time at Ft Lewis many years ago, we have never lived nor toured the west coast at all. We stayed in Seattle and drove south to Olympia, to pick up the beginning of the 101. To obtain the greatest perspective of Mount Adams and other Cascade Range summits, including Rainier, tourists can climb 6,400 feet (1950.72 meters) to Sunrise, the highest point reachable by vehicle. Im definitely going to try to do it sometime! Vancouver to Victoria: 70 miles/3 hours. Day 1 Mount Rainier National Park, WA. By joining our email list, you give LazyTrips permission to use your email for sending you newsletters, emails and updates including for marketing purposes. 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 dont feel we missed a lot of Oregon coast the views we seen before & after Crater lake were absolutely stunning. Some of the best stops on the Oregon Coast are close to Portland. 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. . What a drive! Youd need to fly into. Thanks again. They all offer budget rentals, run regular deals and specials, and have one-way rental options. Related Read:When is the Best Time of Year to Visit Seattle?