Also, about how many miles a day are you traveling on your 10 day itinerary? Yes, Id recommend flying one-way to Seattle, and flying one-way home from San Diego. It opened in the 1920s as a clam shack but has transformed into a premier . Glad this was helpful! 5 Day Pacific Coast Highway Itinerary. 5. We stayed in Seattle and drove south to Olympia, to pick up the beginning of the 101. Sorry about the delay, Scott. leave the next day around 10:00 am. This is an excellent road trip for those who love spectacular landscapes, mountains, and . What day of the week would you recommend starting from WA? Soak In The Scenic Panorama Of Astoria, Oregon. From camping to hiking Mount St Helens offers all types of outdoor adventures. However I actively lament that I was on the wrong side of the road in the present tense (as in, if you ask me today, I still lament it); I didnt really realize I was on the wrong side until after my trip was over and its not like you can change your route once you start! Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Continue south along U.S. 101 to Crescent City always stick to the coast! Be sure to check out my Ebook: USA Wine Guide For Travelers. You will miss Seaside & Cannon Beach on this route, so your next stop will be Newport (#9). My question is: how to best use our time? I havent been to some of those national parks, but they sound amazing! You probably wont have any snow its usually just rain in the Pacific Northwest (Oregon & Washington). Thank you for the recommendation! Only question I have is how much money would you recommend someone having for a trip like this and staying in a 3 star hotel each night? Best trip ever! I hope you have a great trip! I hate cold! I know a lot of people would probably prefer the one hour flight from San Francisco to Portland as opposed to the ten hour drive but we didn't want to miss all of the beauty that lies between. However, the area around the National Park is also bewitching. Big Sur is defined as the stretch of coastline and adjacent state park between Carmel and San Simeon. Pacific Coast Highway Map, Direction & Start/End Points. Located at the tip of Tacoma, the surrounding Point Defiance Park also has hiking trails and a Japanese Garden. The jagged coastline, infinite blue water, sunny days, gorgeous sunsets these are just a few of the reasons California Highway 1 became a popular route in the first place! Have you seen these two posts? I wouldnt go all the way to Seattle, especially if you dont like big cities. National Park Roads from Paradise to Chinook Pass. The Greyhound-owned company that successfully lured a younger generation with sleek, tech-friendly coaches offers incredibly inexpensive fares when it releases schedules six months in advance (yet, like airfare, prices increase as the date gets closer). AAA /Brett Vanderbrink. 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. When is the Best Time of Year to Visit Seattle? The Kathryn Riverfront Inn also has special king rooms with fireplaces and hot tubs. Im thinking of a four day road trip for easter next year but thinking along the lines of vegas to grand canyon and so. The ideia is to have a West Coast Beer Route drive. The park is a relaxing way to spend an afternoon with beaches, hiking and bike trails, wildlife viewing, and a historic fort. The Point Reyes Lighthouse is only open to visitors from Fridays to Mondays (weekends) from 10am-4:30pm. You may encounter some rain up north near Portland and Seattle, but you shouldnt experience any snow! I love that the Pacific coast has those little hideaways! It depends a lot on how long you plan to make the drive do you know how many days youll be driving? I am doing this trip with the boyfriend end of this month. That includes missing the Devils Punchbowl and Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area in the southern part of the state; you would however get to drive through Oregons Redwoods on your way from Crater Lake to Crescent City. A frequent Cali traveler warned me of smog in the late summer and recommended late Sept. early Oct. What are your thoughts? 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. The 300-mile road trip from Portland to Seattle will take 5 hours to drive. From Ventura. Tourists will enjoy watching the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean in Astoria, a stunning coastal town, along US Route 30. If youre considering a drive down (or up) the western coast of the U.S., look no further. Many thanks, alex, Alex, unfortunately, this might not be the trip for you. Whats your thought on late availability rooms at that time of year? I am planning for this roadtrip this December- starting from Dec 25th. 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. In the summer months the entire 33-mile stretch should be open save a . The Lotte Hotel has the perfect combination of location, price, and luxury to make your stay in Seattle very memorable. Will we be able to enjoy the drive in March? Thanks for reading, Dale. 140 miles / 2.5 hours. The 9 Best Road Trips from Seattle. Starting at San Francisco ending San Diego. The traditional definition of the Pacific Coast Highway is to drive California Highway 1 from San Diego to Leggett (or vice versa); you can extend by adding on U.S. Highway 101 through Northern California and Oregon and Washington coasts. I will be driving alone and he thought I would be able to enjoy the view better looking to my left than to my right while driving. Maria is a travel passionate who loves to share her knowledge and experience with others to help them enjoy their planned excursion. Enjoying the Unexpectedly Cool Pitchwood Ale House, All words and images 2013-2023 The Kolibro Group LLC. What a drive! We always wanted to do an RV trip, but maybe the PCH is not the one to do that on?? Best PCH road trips from Seattle I am currently living in crescent city and plan to make the drive in a couple of weeks. Im going to publish a suggested 7-day PCH guide soon! Im looking forward to have the same experience with my wife and my son. A scenic 1.5-hour drive from Portland will lead you directly to the salty sea. (I used Roadtrippers Plus to create this route;you can get $5 off Plus byclicking this linkand using code BTR5QTP.). Now that Ive moved to this part of California, I know this is true. hi planing to do the PCH however we will be in Las Vegas and driving to San Francisco will be there for 2 or 3 days and dont know witch is better to do San Francisco to L A back to Vegas or go north San Francisco to Seattle and then drive to Vegas i will have a extra 3 to 4 days what is your thoughts, we are nature and wildlife lovers not to big into visiting towns. Rainier National Park gates open in winter are the Carbon River entrance and the Nisqually entrance. We are just wondering if you have an estimate on how much it would be to travel the PCH! To ensure accommodations, I was thinking to book all of the hotels in advance. 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. If it is summer and you enjoy hiking and mountain scenery, then take the mountain route. Thanks, Id take those days and visit the San Juan Islands: https://www.valisemag.com/visit-san-juan-islands/, You could also give yourself more time in the cities: https://www.valisemag.com/3-days-seattle/ https://www.valisemag.com/3-days-san-francisco/ https://www.valisemag.com/portland-city-guide/, Valerie, My husband and I are wanting to fly from Denver to California on December 27th. But its its well worth taking your time and experiencing what each of these stops has to offer. Thanks for your amazing feedback, and Im so glad to help! Thank you again for all of your information. We then headed to San Fran, our ending point. The winter is a quieter season to be traveling on the coast, meaning hotels may be available at discounted prices. Im glad it was helpful. We are only going to be there once though and want to make the most of it. These stops are numbered to match my Roadtrippers map and trip above (click here to open the trip in a separate window). 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. Let me know if you need any extra tips whenever you start planning! Have a great trip! It is also the hub of two thriving metropolises. PRIVACY POLICY TERMS & CONDITION, Top 15 Best Stops on the Portland to Seattle Drive, one of the most scenic stopovers between Portland and Seattle, 100 Brown Farm Rd NE, Olympia, WA 98516, United States. There is plenty to see and do along the way, so try to give yourself at least a weekend to enjoy the trip. Thanks for reading, Dave. Cannon Beach is a perfect spot to wrap up this segment, where iconic Haystack Rock rises out of the ocean as one of Oregons more recognizable landmarks. Now let me break down a few itineraries to choose from, based on how much time you have to do your Pacific Coast Highway road trip. Seattle to San Diego Road Trip: Route Options. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Continue south along CA-1. Leave Cannon Beach on Highway 101 heading north, towards Seaside. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: From Aberdeen, continue south along U.S. Highway 101. Start your visit here at the Astoria Column, a 125-foot-tall tower with a 164-step narrow spiral staircase leading to amazing views of the city and waterfront. Other cool attractions include Hurricane Ridge (a popular hiking spot), Elwha River Valley, and Olympic Hot Springs. One of the requests I get asked for is a Pacific Coast Highway map with all of the stops I suggest, so I used Roadtrippers to put together this one. Take the road all the way to the dramatic bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and keep an eye out for gray whales in the water below. Rainier National Park Southeast Gate. 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