Jo and I have a nephew who is a contract employee for the Air Force overseas. Sometime in the next year to a year and a half, he plans on returning back to the U.S. One of the things he has wanted to do for some time is to take his mother (Jo's middle sister in Colorado Springs) on a long sightseeing trip, and he wants to take about 3 weeks and travel the Pacific coastline in Washington, Oregon and Northern California. They also want Jo and I to accompany them if at all possible.
Anyway, I've been asked to come up with a bunch of places to see along that route. I know of a few places in Northern California and Oregon, but not really that many. I think the general thinking is to go no further south in California than San Francisco, unless there is something really fantastic that is further south by a bit.
So, with so little knowledge of the places myself, I naturally thought of the RV Dreams family for a source of places to see. So, if anyone would like to make any suggestions, please feel free to chime in, and who knows, it might also help a bunch of others in the "family" to find places to see. If you choose to help with suggestions, please name each place and the state in which that place is located. You might also mention what it was about each place that intrigued you or really made it memorable.
Right now, obvious places to me would be Crater Lake in Oregon, Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, a small grove of Redwood trees at a place called Armstrong Redwoods State Park north of San Francisco, and Fort Ross along the California coast.
I'll inform him of this thread with a link, so that not only I, but him as well, will know what is out there so that he can start planning a route.
Thanks in advance for any help you can give us.
Terry
FOSJ said
11:03 PM Dec 26, 2014
Ride the Oregon coast! You won't be disappointed.
Bill and Jodee said
11:04 PM Dec 26, 2014
Pink sand dunes in Newport, OR and glass beach at Bodega Bay, CA. There's so many great places, but these are a little different
Jodee
Terry and Jo said
11:11 PM Dec 26, 2014
FOSJ wrote:
Ride the Oregon coast! You won't be disappointed.
Ahh. In my dreams only. If we all do this, three of us are 60 and older and motorcycles just aren't in my lexicon anymore. We will be in either a Ford Expedition or a Toyota 4-door pickup.
With that in mind, maybe you all should also tell us where good laundromats are as well. There's no way we can pack 3 weeks worth of clothes for four people in one vehicle.
Terry
Jim01 said
07:47 AM Dec 27, 2014
We really like the drive on Howland Hill Road which is in the very Northern part of California at Crescent City. There are pull off's along the road and the views of the Redwoods are great. You can check it out at http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60944-d1452361-Reviews-Howland_Hill_Road-Crescent_City_California.html Also if you're interested, do a search on the road and you'll come up with other websites.
Jim
Just found another web site for Howland Hill Road which tells more about it. http://www.nps.gov/redw/planyourvisit/drives.htm
Jim
-- Edited by Jim01 on Saturday 27th of December 2014 07:51:21 AM
Olywa said
08:38 AM Dec 27, 2014
On our way south this winter we fell in love with Harris Beach State Park in Brookings Oregon. A great place to walk and explore on the beach, awesome sunsets, just a wonderful place, looking forward to going back.
bjoyce said
11:51 AM Dec 27, 2014
Natural attractions, history (really), museums, attractions, hikes, good places to eat, and more are in the PNW and California. You can spend months in each of the states and still not see it all. What is important? Do you need a schedule or can you wing it?
Terry and Jo said
01:18 PM Dec 27, 2014
Bill,
I'm not really the one doing the planning. That is my nephew's job for this trip because he is basically wanting to do this for his mother, and Jo and I are only tagging along because he really would like for us to be able to make the trip with them. He may want a schedule, but we have been known to wing it at times as well.
He was originally wanting to do a road trip through Canada to Alaska up via one route and back via another. He was planning about 6 weeks for all of that, but expenses would have been a killer because Jo and I determined that we wouldn't be able to pay our half. In a phone conversation with his mother (he calls every Sunday morning) he told her that the two of them would probably be bored by themselves, so they wanted us to go along as well. That's why he is figuring 3 weeks for the Pacific Northwest. (One of his great joys in life is to pick on me.....which from me, he gets it back.) We always have a good time when the four of us are together.
He is a great nephew, so Jo and I really want to be able to please him by going along. He is the one that has loaned me one of his full-frame lenses (worth about $1900) to use while he is overseas. In one sense, he is kind of a "dirty rotten scoundrel" because after using that lens, I now want one of my own.
I'm not so sure he is interested in museums, but your question is prompting me to send him another e-mail asking what kind of attractions it is that he wants to see. I'll post more information here once he gives me some kind of answer. Our e-mail conversations are delayed quite a bit because he is over in the Middle East and our schedules are opposite of each other.
Terry
FOSJ said
04:38 PM Dec 27, 2014
Take a dune buggy ride in Florence Oregon! Best E ride around!
Jim and Barb said
09:47 PM Dec 27, 2014
Crabbing off the piers and clamming during low tide in Charleston Oregon is fun as well! Both are fairly inexpensive and crab pots can be rented right at the pier.
NWescapee said
09:43 AM Dec 28, 2014
Terry,
So many sites to see and so little time! Suggestions for places to visit in WA include Mt. Rainier, Mount St. Helens, the Olympic National Park. You didn't mention what time of year you might make this trip, I'm hoping it's summer or many of the places might be harder to get to due to snow.
Favorites from the time we lived / camped in WA include Kalaloch on the WA Coast, Ruby Beach, etc. All within the Olympic National Park boundaries. Also, the temperate rain forest in the Olympic National Park (Quinalt and Hoh Rain Forests) are wonderful to visit, but something I prefer to visit when it's not raining. Olympic National Park is among our favorite just because of it's very diverse topography, seashore, rain forests and mountains. Crescent Lake is beautiful and a nice place to stop as you're driving around the Peninsula.
One other suggestion, from Port Angeles you can take the ferry over to Victoria on Vancouver Island. We've done that a couple of times and always found plenty of things to do within walking distance of the ferry terminal.
As you are crossing from OR into WA, the Columbia River Gorge is also a fun place to explore. Wineries, breweries, parasailing, etc. If you cross over to the WA side of the Gorge, stop in Maryhill to see the Stone Henge replica. You will enjoy beautiful views of Mount Hood along much of that drive if it's a clear day.
Have fun planning.
Terry and Jo said
08:57 PM Dec 28, 2014
Thanks, Ruth. Knowing that you used to call that area "home," I knew you'd have some good suggestions. Speaking of the Columbia River Gorge, I thought of Multnomah Falls, but after reading more about that site, it appears to get a LOT of visitors, so it might be something we might want to avoid.
I've not heard back from our nephew yet, so I don't really know what it is that he is looking to see on this trip.
Do you happen to know of any train excursions into scenic areas in the Pacific Northwest and Northern California?
Terry
NWescapee said
09:40 AM Dec 29, 2014
Terry - Multonomah Falls can be crowded, but is a lovely stop. If you can visit on a weekday, early in the day you will miss some of the crowds.
Not 100% sure on scenic train rides, there used to be one that went to Mt. Rainier, I heard they had some financial difficulties but another friend mentioned that they were starting up again next summer.
Amtrak does run down the coast, it's been years since I did that ride but I do remember portions of it being very scenic.
There are lots of opportunities for boating in the area if that would also interest you.
bjoyce said
10:38 AM Dec 29, 2014
I agree, Multonomah Falls is a good stop, it only takes a couple hours and early on a weekday it is not too crowded.
Lots of boat trips on the coast, for whale watching or fishing. I do miss flying with my now departed father-in-law in his Cessna. I took many flights along the Washington and Oregon coast and have lots of photos.
Terry and Jo said
10:49 AM Dec 29, 2014
Thanks Ruth and Bill. Those ideas sound like real possibilities, even the falls. I finally did get a reply from my nephew last night, and he is interested in the following things in the order listed. In all cases, he is interested in seeing things that he wouldn't be able to see so much of in the area of Colorado Springs. Thus, most mountains might not interest him except for Crater Lake. Not too many mountains with that kind of majesty within it.
Natural wonders
Museums
Historical sites.
I'm also doing research online and have sent him some links. He did say that with the way we do things, we may very well start out with a list of sites and then change our minds as we go.
Thanks to all of you that have made suggestions. Now that we know his priorities, keep the ideas coming.
Terry
NWescapee said
03:55 PM Dec 29, 2014
So, with the additional information, if he wants to see natural wonders, I still think Mount St. Helens would be of interest. To me it's been amazing to see how the forest has re-grown since the eruption. Not too many places where you can see the impact of a recent volcanic eruption.
Museums - The WA State History museum in Tacoma is right next to the Tacoma Glass Museum, both are wonderful attractions. If you're into music, the EMP in downtown Seattle is interesting.
Lots of history in the PNW, following the Lewis and Clark trail and some of their encampments, etc.
Jo and I have a nephew who is a contract employee for the Air Force overseas. Sometime in the next year to a year and a half, he plans on returning back to the U.S. One of the things he has wanted to do for some time is to take his mother (Jo's middle sister in Colorado Springs) on a long sightseeing trip, and he wants to take about 3 weeks and travel the Pacific coastline in Washington, Oregon and Northern California. They also want Jo and I to accompany them if at all possible.
Anyway, I've been asked to come up with a bunch of places to see along that route. I know of a few places in Northern California and Oregon, but not really that many. I think the general thinking is to go no further south in California than San Francisco, unless there is something really fantastic that is further south by a bit.
So, with so little knowledge of the places myself, I naturally thought of the RV Dreams family for a source of places to see. So, if anyone would like to make any suggestions, please feel free to chime in, and who knows, it might also help a bunch of others in the "family" to find places to see. If you choose to help with suggestions, please name each place and the state in which that place is located. You might also mention what it was about each place that intrigued you or really made it memorable.
Right now, obvious places to me would be Crater Lake in Oregon, Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, a small grove of Redwood trees at a place called Armstrong Redwoods State Park north of San Francisco, and Fort Ross along the California coast.
I'll inform him of this thread with a link, so that not only I, but him as well, will know what is out there so that he can start planning a route.
Thanks in advance for any help you can give us.
Terry
Jodee
Ahh. In my dreams only. If we all do this, three of us are 60 and older and motorcycles just aren't in my lexicon anymore. We will be in either a Ford Expedition or a Toyota 4-door pickup.
With that in mind, maybe you all should also tell us where good laundromats are as well. There's no way we can pack 3 weeks worth of clothes for four people in one vehicle.
Terry
We really like the drive on Howland Hill Road which is in the very Northern part of California at Crescent City. There are pull off's along the road and the views of the Redwoods are great. You can check it out at http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60944-d1452361-Reviews-Howland_Hill_Road-Crescent_City_California.html Also if you're interested, do a search on the road and you'll come up with other websites.
Jim
Just found another web site for Howland Hill Road which tells more about it. http://www.nps.gov/redw/planyourvisit/drives.htm
Jim
-- Edited by Jim01 on Saturday 27th of December 2014 07:51:21 AM
Bill,
I'm not really the one doing the planning. That is my nephew's job for this trip because he is basically wanting to do this for his mother, and Jo and I are only tagging along because he really would like for us to be able to make the trip with them. He may want a schedule, but we have been known to wing it at times as well.
He was originally wanting to do a road trip through Canada to Alaska up via one route and back via another. He was planning about 6 weeks for all of that, but expenses would have been a killer because Jo and I determined that we wouldn't be able to pay our half. In a phone conversation with his mother (he calls every Sunday morning) he told her that the two of them would probably be bored by themselves, so they wanted us to go along as well. That's why he is figuring 3 weeks for the Pacific Northwest. (One of his great joys in life is to pick on me.....which from me, he gets it back.) We always have a good time when the four of us are together.
He is a great nephew, so Jo and I really want to be able to please him by going along. He is the one that has loaned me one of his full-frame lenses (worth about $1900) to use while he is overseas. In one sense, he is kind of a "dirty rotten scoundrel" because after using that lens, I now want one of my own.
I'm not so sure he is interested in museums, but your question is prompting me to send him another e-mail asking what kind of attractions it is that he wants to see. I'll post more information here once he gives me some kind of answer. Our e-mail conversations are delayed quite a bit because he is over in the Middle East and our schedules are opposite of each other.
Terry
So many sites to see and so little time! Suggestions for places to visit in WA include Mt. Rainier, Mount St. Helens, the Olympic National Park. You didn't mention what time of year you might make this trip, I'm hoping it's summer or many of the places might be harder to get to due to snow.
Favorites from the time we lived / camped in WA include Kalaloch on the WA Coast, Ruby Beach, etc. All within the Olympic National Park boundaries. Also, the temperate rain forest in the Olympic National Park (Quinalt and Hoh Rain Forests) are wonderful to visit, but something I prefer to visit when it's not raining. Olympic National Park is among our favorite just because of it's very diverse topography, seashore, rain forests and mountains. Crescent Lake is beautiful and a nice place to stop as you're driving around the Peninsula.
One other suggestion, from Port Angeles you can take the ferry over to Victoria on Vancouver Island. We've done that a couple of times and always found plenty of things to do within walking distance of the ferry terminal.
As you are crossing from OR into WA, the Columbia River Gorge is also a fun place to explore. Wineries, breweries, parasailing, etc. If you cross over to the WA side of the Gorge, stop in Maryhill to see the Stone Henge replica. You will enjoy beautiful views of Mount Hood along much of that drive if it's a clear day.
Have fun planning.
Thanks, Ruth. Knowing that you used to call that area "home," I knew you'd have some good suggestions. Speaking of the Columbia River Gorge, I thought of Multnomah Falls, but after reading more about that site, it appears to get a LOT of visitors, so it might be something we might want to avoid.
I've not heard back from our nephew yet, so I don't really know what it is that he is looking to see on this trip.
Do you happen to know of any train excursions into scenic areas in the Pacific Northwest and Northern California?
Terry
Not 100% sure on scenic train rides, there used to be one that went to Mt. Rainier, I heard they had some financial difficulties but another friend mentioned that they were starting up again next summer.
Amtrak does run down the coast, it's been years since I did that ride but I do remember portions of it being very scenic.
There are lots of opportunities for boating in the area if that would also interest you.
I agree, Multonomah Falls is a good stop, it only takes a couple hours and early on a weekday it is not too crowded.
If Fort Bragg, CA is on the route you can do the Skunk Train, http://www.skunktrain.com/. Here is a list of train rides in Washington - http://nwescapes.king5.com/best/train-ride/family-fun/northwest-washington, though some are special events.
Lots of boat trips on the coast, for whale watching or fishing. I do miss flying with my now departed father-in-law in his Cessna. I took many flights along the Washington and Oregon coast and have lots of photos.
Thanks Ruth and Bill. Those ideas sound like real possibilities, even the falls. I finally did get a reply from my nephew last night, and he is interested in the following things in the order listed. In all cases, he is interested in seeing things that he wouldn't be able to see so much of in the area of Colorado Springs. Thus, most mountains might not interest him except for Crater Lake. Not too many mountains with that kind of majesty within it.
Natural wonders
Museums
Historical sites.
I'm also doing research online and have sent him some links. He did say that with the way we do things, we may very well start out with a list of sites and then change our minds as we go.
Thanks to all of you that have made suggestions. Now that we know his priorities, keep the ideas coming.
Terry
Museums - The WA State History museum in Tacoma is right next to the Tacoma Glass Museum, both are wonderful attractions. If you're into music, the EMP in downtown Seattle is interesting.
Lots of history in the PNW, following the Lewis and Clark trail and some of their encampments, etc.