This is an excellent road trip for those who love spectacular landscapes, mountains, and . We are just wondering if you have an estimate on how much it would be to travel the PCH! Related Read: 12 Romantic Getaways in Washington to Take Your Sweetheart. If youre a fan, make sure to stop in Aberdeen to see the house where he grew up. We are thinking of late September of 2022 doing a two week drive from north to south. Were making a shortlist of 3 or 4 likely hotels for each expected stopover. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Follow CA-1 south out of L.A. to avoid the citys notorious traffic as you make your way along the coast. They also have a fitness center, a business center, and a sauna. I am going to drive PCH 1 this summer and was going to drive from North to South but my son has driven it and suggested going South to North. 1. There are, however, a few options further west along Silver Lake and in Castle Rock that are still close enough to the monument for a quick hike or sunrise photo safari. Depending on the region of the town, the drive often takes three hours on a good day. I wouldnt advise doing this one in an RV, to be honest. Point Reyes is arguably my favorite part of the Pacific Coast Highway and that is saying something as its really hard to choose favorites from over 650 miles of California coastline! Were on day 2 of our 8-day PCH Tour.and its great to have your help! 5 hours 0 minutes. This first segment is about 114 miles and has two-and-a-half hours of driving if you do it all at once. Return to Route 123 after visiting the park and follow it north. Its mostly side trips places where youll have divert from the most direct route until you reach Seattle. Best PCH road trips from Portland. A scenic 1.5-hour drive from Portland will lead you directly to the salty sea. This will be a great resource for the trip that we are planning. Suggestions? Still figuring it out. Im looking forward to have the same experience with my wife and my son. The speed limit ranges from 55mph to 25mph theres really no helpful way to give an average! Are people moving about freely or are things locked down with the covid? 1 Most Scenic Ocean Drive: Pacific Coast Highway. But, we need to go the opposite way; starting in San Diego and heading north. 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. Valerie, I am so glad I found your guide to the PCH! San Diego was the starting point of my Pacific Coast Highway road trip; for you, it may be the end. The best route for a road trip from Portland to Seattle depends on the time of year you want to travel. A short, paved walk from the parking lot takes you right to the falls. If you want an even more detailed guide to west coast road trips, I recommend this Moon Pacific . How long is the Pacific Coast Highway? As most of these sites are located in the suburbs of Tillamook, you wont have to spend an hour reaching downtown to explore the major landmarks of the city. We might consider staying a total of 12-15 days. Then flying back to Michigan. Choose between six, daily routes that are quicker than Greyhound with just one stop in Tacoma, WA. If you want to make the most of the popular and beautiful journey, here are the best stops on the Portland to Seattle drive. The coast near Crescent City is dotted with the gigantic rock formations out at sea that characterize most of the northern and central California coastline. Have a great drive! Youre very welcome, Wilbert! Now that summer is slowly on the way out, its the perfect time to hit the road. If you want a quick stopover, you can visit state parks in the suburbs of Olympia. I was wondering if you could suggest a place for stargazing. Big Sur is defined as the stretch of coastline and adjacent state park between Carmel and San Simeon. Am interested in your upcoming 7 day itinerary of PCH. I would love to do a Pacific Coast Highway drive at some point in my life. 330 miles. We were planning on 10 days total for driving, site seeing and ending it with 2 days in Disneyland. From Paradise, Stevens Canyon Road heads east to meet State Route 123 north of Ohanapecosh; the Grove of the Patriarchs trail there makes for a stomach-settling short hike between windy stretches of road. They all offer budget rentals, run regular deals and specials, and have one-way rental options. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is a protected estuary spanning 762 acres of natural land. Literally. Any recommendations will be appreciated! Extremely informative. 5 attractions along Arizona's stretch of historic Route 66 that are sure to inspire wonder and nostalgia. Where would you start and end if it is reasonable to go in December, and what might we expect weather wise? T-Mobile Park is a baseball park located 2 miles from downtown Seattle. Im thinking I might end my trip at Santa Barbara. Do you think we could do it in 7 days?? Im nervous go excited. 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. Sounds like a great trip either way drive safe! After all, a little time on the road never hurts. Again, thank you so much!! The park also features dozens of food trucks, serving great stadium eats and fine beer. After Crater lake we headed back to 238 towards HWY 101, we took an off road to hit the coast right at Brookings. For campsites, Im not super sure as Im not a big camper, but this might help: https://www.theoutbound.com/theoutbound/camping-along-the-pacific-10-seaside-campsites-for-your-west-coast-road-trip. Two States Bridge Tour. Thank you for your great ideas and itineraries! Can you share with me how long this should take us?? I had lots of recommendations from a friend, specific to Big Sur, but your article was so encompassing and complete. 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. The road trip between the two cities, on the . Thanks, CJ! 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. Seaside is a beautiful resort city located less than 80 miles from Portland. This scenic roadway overlooks Samish Bay and provides views that never disappoint. Rainier National Park gates open in winter are the Carbon River entrance and the Nisqually entrance. Here are some different starting/ending points for a PCH road trip: As you can see, you have options! The Astoria Column is a towering monument with murals representing the rich history and culture of the city. 7. 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. Please drop the the. Located a mile southwest of downtown Edmonds, Marina Beach Park is a beachfront park featuring a playground and picnicking area. Maria is a travel passionate who loves to share her knowledge and experience with others to help them enjoy their planned excursion. If you want to make a stop midway through your journey, Seaside may be the perfect place. Silver Lake is an exquisite lake that lies in Seaquest State Park in the northwest of Silverlake, an unincorporated community in Washington. Los Angeles is the last major city on my list of Pacific Coast Highway stops, and though I have a guide to spending one day in L.A., you can and should spend as much time as you like. 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. If you are going in winter, follow the coastal route, which will cover 270 miles and take you about 5 hours to drive. The worst that happens is you might end up in a slightly less nice place than you had planned. However, the mountain route is not as suitable for winter use. 2:48 pm Minneapolis. Additionally, there are various hiking routes and lovely, fragrant wildflower meadows in Paradise Overlook, which is 1,000 feet (304.8 meters) lower. Thanks for all of this great information! So if youre feeling really hyped about Mount Rainier you might as well check out Mount Baker too. Im sure someone else has asked this but..When is the best time to travel PCH (traveling Southbound through California to San Diego in hopes of warm days and cool(ish) nights)? Youll get access to five major attractions at a discounted price, so you can experience more of what Seattle has to offer for less. 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. Thanks for subscribing! Also, about how many miles a day are you traveling on your 10 day itinerary? 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 did a quick search and heres how it breaks down: Newport > Crescent City (what I originally suggest) = about 5 hours of driving Newport > Crater Lake > Crescent City = about 8 hours of driving (and none of it is on the coast), If you chose to go from Portland > Crater Lake > Crescent City instead = 7.5 hours of driving. Just one small thing, its not the PCH, its just PCH. 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. Its a small detail, but totally uncalifornian to say the PCH. And thanks for confirming what I thought (hoped) that southbound is the best way to go. My question is: how to best use our time? I live near one of the ferries going here, so I am lucky to be able to visit the area often. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: If you are on a quick PCH road trip, turn inland along the Columbia River and then south on I-5 to Portland.If your Pacific Coast Highway road trip includes the Oregon Coast, skip Portland below and drive south along U.S. 101 to Seaside & Cannon Beach (#8). 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. Now Im going to lay out step-by-step directions for a Pacific Coast Highway road trip based on all my tips so far. Stretching from Washington to California, the Pacific Coast is picturesque, with cliffs, sea stacks, gorgeous urban spaces, and the raging ocean. Rainier. 111 helpful votes. I am not fond of the cold and a bit fearful of icy driving in the mountains. I agree, go north to south. This is the best section of the route for hiking, rock climbing, and water sports (not to mention breweries). Thanks for reading, Jan. Here's the best things to see on an epic road trip from Music City to the Gatlinburg, the Gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains. Will it be Portland, with its famous food trucks and doughnuts? 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. On your stop here, be sure to walk out along the pier and keep an eye out for surfers working the breaks along the beach. This 20-mile (one way) detour will take you out on Point Reyes, and has a stark and beautiful landscape because its so far out at sea. Additionally, youll get a sense of the magnitude of the San Andreas fault line, which comes inland along the northern part of Point Reyes. Wonderful trip sharing you made. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: If you are doing a quick Pacific Coast Highway road trip, head south from Olympia along I-5 to Portland. Im not sure how to prioritize the rest of our time. Try the vegan oatmeal chai blueberry pancakes or the the corned beef hash (a local favorite). We planned to start in Seattle and drive to San Diego. Great content here, thank you! I want to fly out to the NW and drive to Crescent city, then go inland to see the redwoods, Bend, and Mt. Cross the Columbia River and enter Washington. 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. The driving distance between Seattle and Portland is about 2 hours and 40 minutes. I have tendency to suffer from analysis paralysis therefore navigating all the ins and outs what to do where to stay etc would be overwhelming to say the least. Southern California has great weather year-round. The Cascades train has four daily departures, while the Coast Starlight offers one daily roundtrip. Related read: 10 Serene Cabin Rentals Near Seattle, Washington, 12 Romantic Getaways in Washington to Take Your Sweetheart, 10 Marvelously Unique Places to Stay in Washington, The 9 Best Beaches in Oregon to Enjoy the Pacific Vibes. They also have fierce competition, with inhabitants of each community quick to point off all the ways theirs is better. The Kathryn Riverfront Inn also has special king rooms with fireplaces and hot tubs. 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. Thank you again for all of your information. We sure cant. Basically, you cant start/end in Crescent City if you want to rent a car. Thank you for the article. Thanks for your help in advance!!!! Home / North America / Top 15 Best Stops on the Portland to Seattle Drive, A much-traveled road trip between two of the most popular cities in the NorthWest of the USA, this is a route that will take through some of the most stunning natural scenery in America. I do have the same recommendations youll see A LOT of fellow bikers/trikers out on the PCH; its a great ride on 2-3 wheels as well as 4 wheels . I love that the Pacific coast has those little hideaways! I am starting from seattle 8/26 down to los angeles taking PCH. Seattle > Whidbey Island. 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