I was a truck driver for 29 years and could not drive that road. Suggested Overnights: Port Angeles, Neah Bay, Ocean Shores. Its the best time for good weather on the whole coast! Related Read: The 10 Best Scenic Drives in Washington. LazyTrips is a trading name of Uncle Bob Media Ltd. This is great information and very helpful! This article appears in print in the October 2018 issue, as part of the . I also downloaded the Roadtrippers app but I cant find it. And there are plenty of options along the north shore of the Colombia River that offer stunning views and a relaxing stay. When I drove the PCH, I rented a car and drove it as a one-way rental (meaning I dropped it off in a different city than I picked it up). I recommend researching/contacting each one individual to confirm theyll be open. If your PCH road trip includes the Olympic Peninsula, follow U.S. 101 west and then north along the eastern side of the Olympic Peninsula toward Port Angeles. Hope to rent a car there? Sounds like it will be well worth it. I appreciate you taking the time to answer everyones questions. I didnt want to make all my reservations, but just go with it for one time in my life. Its really up to you to decide where you want to end and figure out the closest rental car/airport option from there, but there are airports of all sizes throughout the region. We booked a flight to San Jose to explore the citys economic hub and cultural traditions. Most of these attractions are in downtown Olympia. What do you think about making this drive in November? Further along the coast, you can book a stay at any of the campgrounds in the numerous state parks. This sounds like a great trip the PCH + inland Oregon! Cross the river and merge with Highway 12 and then Route 8, which will take you past Capitol State Forest. Day 5. 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. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Continue along CA-1 to San Diego, your final stop on this PCH road trip. Tickets cost $14 - $55 and the journey takes 3h 35m. So nice to hear from you, Silvia! Hello, Thanks for sharing your trips and valuable tips. Are you planning to stay in bigger cities (Portland, SF, Santa Barbara), or smaller ones? Your email address will not be published. Thanks for sharing. From the perspective of California Highway 1, it might seem like just a few buildings alongside the road. The Lotte Hotel has the perfect combination of location, price, and luxury to make your stay in Seattle very memorable. Where:Washington Park Arboretum to Seward Park. Just one small thing, its not the PCH, its just PCH. 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. Im going to publish a suggested 7-day PCH guide soon! Fort Bragg is home to a beautiful glass beach, pictured above, where the entire beach is made of sea glass from past trash dumps. Point Defiance State Park is one of the most scenic stopovers between Portland and Seattle. Sorry about the delay, Scott. Paradise is a lookout that lies at the height of 5,400 feet and offers mesmerizing views of nearby mountains and meadows. 3 days trip to Joshua Tree/stay at Twentynine Palms, then swing to San Diego. Glad to help, Dan! 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. 270 miles. Any thoughts would be appreciated. After the town of Longview, take Route 504 towards the infamous Mount St. Helens. 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. Bob's Java Jive is a terrific spot to stop to have a beer with the locals, too. Thanks for your comment, Rex! We just booked Patrees room! Still figuring it out. Your article was just what I needed!! I recently discovered Mendocino on a weekend trip and fell in love with the small town. Related Read:The 10 Best Scenic Drives in Washington. Best stops along Portland to Seattle drive. The shoulder seasons can be a great time to visit Mt. My husband are I are planning 20 days to do the PCH(starting in Seattle and ending in San Diego) We are using your the ultimate pacific coast road trip itinerary as a guide. I enjoyed it so much that I wrote a whole article about the experiences I recommend in Santa Barbara! This was a 6 day trip. If you want to make a stop midway through your journey, Seaside may be the perfect place. Your number one stop is Garden of the Gods. Thanks for your comment . Its also a great place to play volleyball, although youll have to bring the volleyball net yourself. It was also formed by wave erosion, and now the huge hole is a beautiful vista or hiking spot. The garden also has a tea shop where light snacks are available for purchase. You can get a printable version by signing up on the forms in this post. 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). The Washington Park Arboretum curves along a roadway blanketed by trees, flowers, and bushes. We are planning to stay overnight at the Madonna Inn. Always exploring, wherever she ends up, you can be sure she will be out hiking, biking, skiing, and paragliding. 33 votes, 34 comments. This post was so helpful! The lake, however, spans 3,000 acres in area. Thanks for reading, Kay. If youre not sure (or not loyal to any particular car rental company), consider using a tool like Kayak or TripAdvisor to compare a bunch of options (yes, TripAdvisor does rental cars!). is booking hotels on the day or maybe the day before likely to be OK, or should we book well in advance? While the glass is technically part of MacKerricher State Park and you cant take it home you can still spend time out of the car searching for different colors and shapes of beautiful sea glass that wash up from the Pacific Ocean. So heading east eventually to round out the trip. There are loads of cool things to explore in/around this small PNW town, including Olympic National Park! Glad to help, Nancy, and thanks for reading! Here, a huge boulder towers above the shore and offers beach lovers several up-close photo opportunities. The Kathryn Riverfront Inn is a spectacular beachside hotel with a gorgeous interior, located right at the center of the town of Seaside. However, the area around the National Park is also bewitching. I was far more interested in the hundreds of miles of coastal roadways. Best trip ever! Washington State eventually bought the bridge and renamed the Lewis and Clark Bridge in 1965 in honor of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. I had the chance to spend a weekend in Huntington Beach a few years ago and loved the vibe in this surf town. Rainier National Park gates open in winter are the Carbon River entrance and the Nisqually entrance. 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. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: When youre ready to continue on your PCH road trip, make your way back to California Highway 1 and head south. The trip from Portland, Oregon to Seattle, Washington is simple: hop on I-5 north, and youll be there in under four hours, even with a little traffic. After driving across the famous Columbia River bridge, stop and give yourself a self-guided tour of popular Goonies spots in Oregons northwest-most town. For accommodation, try a small hotel like the. We then headed to San Fran, our ending point. In the Santa Barbara area of the article you mentioned that you had an article about Santa Barbara and what to do, I am not able to locate this article. Driving Time. All you have to do is take a cruise down Magnolia Boulevard. Hi, My wife and I are planning a 7-day drive from San Fran to Portland in late June of this year. 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. Head west out of Oregon along Highway 26. If you're driving directly from Portland to Seattle by car the journey is around 173 miles or 278 km will take around 2 hours 40 mins via I-5 N. Although, for many of us, there is nothing to beat taking a car and driving a route, stopping where you please, and going off the beaten track. I see we can head to Mendocino and then over to a larger highway to San Francisco or.drive all the way down the PCH to Point Reyes Station & then head over San Francisco but that would be a lot of driving. I am planning 14 days to take in the sights. The Point Reyes Lighthouse is only open to visitors from Fridays to Mondays (weekends) from 10am-4:30pm. San Diego was the starting point of my Pacific Coast Highway road trip; for you, it may be the end. This information is great!!! Follow Interstate 5 through the suburbs and into the center of Seattle. Thanks for such a thorough rundown of what to do. Your website is very helpful. Between the Pacific Coast route and the scenic mountain route, notable stops include Mount St. Helens, Mount Rainier, Seaside, and Lewis and Clark Historic State Park. Ronald, I dont know for sure as I dont recommend people drive in an RV. Portland! Pacific Coast Highway Directions: If you are doing a quick Pacific Coast Highway road trip, head south from Olympia along I-5 to Portland. How Long is it? I would hate to plan a trip only to find out that things are shut down or there are big restrictions placed on free movement. ?? Have a safe trip!! If the coast is calling you, make sure you take a route that is enjoyable such as this scenic journey. Ive been to Napa, Sonoma and Russian River Valley but curious if there are any great places you are aware of. Hi We have just 1-day and will be starting in Fortuna and heading to San Francisco. If you take I-5 South, it's the most direct route, and it will take you about 10 hours to get there. You can hike on an extensive 275-mile trail network or explore by bike on the park roads. I do not plan to do any shopping at stores, so our money would be spent on a rental vehicle, hotels, gas, and food. Rainier, as it is typically quieter, and the weather is cooler. Just wondering about restrictions? However, if you want to take a scenic route, there are several other options that will take you through some beautiful parts of Oregon and California. I am currently living in crescent city and plan to make the drive in a couple of weeks. The entrance road takes you through lush Sitka spruce forests that are home to deer and elk. Did you drive it alone and what do you think about being able to see well driving north to south? Sounds like a great trip, Rudy! I was wondering if you could suggest a place for stargazing. Thinking of maybe making this where we would b me somewhere different for 4th of July. What time of year would be best to do this. 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. My wife and I were planning to fly to San Diego to start the trip, but your point about southbound visibility makes total sense. Next, youll pass through Point Reyes, which again seems underwhelming. Have you heard any issues with the Covid and being able to rent places on the way down? Thank you for all this information. Its impossible to reduce all of the amazing things to do in San Francisco down to a small paragraph or overnight stop on a Pacific Coast Highway road trip. You can choose the spots you want to stop at that way . 1. Seeing some nice beaches is also of interest. Im planning on doing the PCH from Seattle to SF next Sept. (We did SF to SD in 2019). Galley Kitchen. Thank you. I already have the vista points where we will stop for photos and eating. Ending at a beach front hotel in Diego for 2-3 days to visit that college, unwind and settle a little bit before leaving. I hope you have an amazing time! The park is open to the public daily from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Mount Rainier National Park is a national park located about 60 miles from Seattle. Liz is a freelance writer and editor who lives on the road. Stop and admire the views in Big Sur, too! Follow Highway 17 for 32 kilometers south to Victoria. September and October are definitely best for visiting NorCal, so I recommend that time of year too! Hoping to do this mid Sept 2020. Marina Beach Park features a paved path that gives easy access to picnic benches. Hi Valerie, I am doing the PCH drive southbound from Seattle and as far as we can go for 5 days. Alternatively, Flixbus USA operates a bus from Portland Bus Stop to Seattle 4 times a day. Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Itinerary Options, How to Choose a Car for the Pacific Coast Highway, Step-by-Step Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Directions, this gorgeous 3-bedroom oceanfront property, plenty of experiences to choose from in San Diego, https://www.valisemag.com/california-coast-road-trip/, Wandering the Olympic Peninsula - Valerie & Valise, https://www.theoutbound.com/theoutbound/camping-along-the-pacific-10-seaside-campsites-for-your-west-coast-road-trip, https://www.valisemag.com/visit-san-juan-islands/, https://www.valisemag.com/3-days-seattle/, https://www.valisemag.com/3-days-san-francisco/, https://www.valisemag.com/portland-city-guide/, https://www.valisemag.com/pacific-coast-highway-guide/. I love all the details that you are recommended here. stay overnight at Radisson Hotel Bloomington By Mall of America. When you hit the California coast, its like driving in a postcard. When driving the PCH south from Portland, how much of a detour would it be to see Crater Lake on the way? Travel from Portland to Seattle easily to explore both of these top PacNW cities. 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! Especially watching the sun set over Morro Rock in the distance! Tourists will enjoy watching the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean in Astoria, a stunning coastal town, along US Route 30. I am traveling with my husband, brother and our 4 year old. Briefly, here are some of the other must-see attractions in Seattle: If you want to spend a few days in Seattle, consider purchasing the Seattle CityPass. Amy, take a look at the Santa Maria Valley I stopped in Lompoc on a trip recently and they have some fun and interesting wineries there. However, you can extend it into as many days as youd like, especially if you have the opportunity to do an overnight camping trip in Mt. From Astoria, take the sea-hugging U.S. Route 101 south 40 minutes to Ecola State Park. How long is the Pacific Coast Highway? Am interested in your upcoming 7 day itinerary of PCH. Crater Lake National Park is located in southern Oregon, about 8 hours south of Seattle and a little more than 4 hours south of Portland. The park has about 10 miles of trails, including an ADA accessible trail, two 5-mile drive loops, and a ferry dock and playground. Great question, Judy. I would love to do a Pacific Coast Highway drive at some point in my life. The drive takes you through a stunning and varied landscape of farms, mountains and sagebrush. 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