Driving down from Seattle

[genericeric]

Was thinking it might be fun to go down the PCH from the Oregon/Washington border to Disney. Would take 2-3 days driving, 3-4 days in DL and anoth 2-3 days back.

What sights would you check out on the way? Has anyone done this? How long would you estimate the trip would take? Better to just Drive the % straight through and spend as much time at Disney as Possible?

[Wobble]

Was thinking it might be fun to go down the PCH from the Oregon/Washington border to Disney. Would take 2-3 days driving, 3-4 days in DL and anoth 2-3 days back.

What sights would you check out on the way? Has anyone done this? How long would you estimate the trip would take? Better to just Drive the % straight through and spend as much time at Disney as Possible?

I live about 2 hours from the Oregon/California border and my family has taken the I5 down to Anaheim and then on the way back taken PCH/101. It was nice to get to Disneyland quick (it only took us 1 and a half days - we got to Sacramento by 5PM and to Disneyland the next day by noon, but we left around 5/6AM in the morning) and then to take a scenic drive home.

On the way back to Oregon, we stopped at the Redwoods (it was where I went on my first vacation when I was 2 years old and I had just turned 18 when my family went, so it was an emotional thing for my parents) and we stopped at Monterey Bay for the aquarium (it's a good one!) I'm sure there are other places to stop, but after Monterey and the Redwoods, my family was exhausted. We made it home after a day in Monterey and a day in the Redwoods. So all together, our driving time was probably about 18-20 hours. Not too bad, but since you live farther north than we do, just tack on the amount of time it takes to get to Eugene, OR and you'll be close! Have fun - it's a beautiful drive.

(For places to stop in Oregon along the PCH, I recommend Depoe Bay near Florence! It's my favorite place on the Oregon coast!)

I also found this website for the PCH/US101 if you're interested! http://www.us-101.com/

[genericeric]

Awesome, thanks. We did that drive when I was a kid, went down the 5 from Portland, stopped at Great America, then Disney and Knotts. Hit San Fransisco and the redwoods on the way back. That was 33 years ago and I want my kids to have memories like I do from that trip.

[Gilesmt]

I went from Tacoma to DL 3 times but not since 2004. I went from TriCities to DL in 2006. For our family we wanted to spend every minute we could in DL so for us we drove straight down. But on a the way back we did take up a few sights some times, but never down the PCH. We stopped in San Francisco once and went over the Golden Gate Bridge and to the Zoo, that was great. We went to Marine World 6 Flags once and that was great. We went to a water park that I think is now cloesed once and that was great also, I think it was in Medeso (?), my kids say it was the one that all the high school kids died at when they all tried to go down a slide at once. We also stopped at Magic Mountain. We did a wine tour in Napa once. But for us we want to spend as many days as we can in DL and would rather than than anything else.

I drove I-5 most of the trips. I would stop in either Bakerfield or Redman (is that the right name, it is something red maybe redwood), depending on the coming and going hours and the time of year. I found it a rather easy friendly ride. Personally I like to do it early fall or in the spring, lots of daylight hours. I like to be on the rode real early and drive until it becomes dark again, so I would leave at 5 or 6 and go for 12 hours and stop somewhere, never having reservations but always getting a good room in Bakerfield or Redman. The trick is to drive right thru Oregon without stopping, getting thru Portland off rush hour, then getting to the other side of Oregon and thru the mountain in California before you stop again. Then eat dinner, sleep in a good bed and be ready to go again the next day, hopefully missing rush hour in Sacramento, and getting thru LA before rush hour. It is possible. Do everything you can to miss rush hour in LA, if you have to hit one of the other rush hours to avoid LA than that is a better choice.

If you want more info just ask.

[Malcon10t]

I think it was in Medeso (?), my kids say it was the one that all the high school kids died at when they all tried to go down a slide at once. The water park where the death occurred was in Concord, and was a 6 Flags Park. There were 2 water parks near Modesto. One was Big Bear Water Park (closed and now a housing track) and Manteca Water Slides (great place, now also a housing track.)

[oregontraveler]

I would head down 5 all the way down just to 'hit the parks' But coming back has it's options. Drive up to San Fran then head up 101 and cut back over to 5 at Crescent City. The northern Cal coastline is great. If you do have more time, obviously the Oregon coast is pretty neat too. There is a
waterpark in Redding as well right off the 5. I also like going to Lake Tahoe but that might be to big of a diversion.

[Bytebear]

What about a stop at Hearst Castle, or the Winchester Mystery House? I would stop in San Francisco and do Lumbard Street maybe, or if you want to take some time, go to Alcatraz. You also might want to stop in Santa Barbara for a meal and see the town. I guess it depends on how much sightseeing you want to do.

[Gilesmt]

Yes, Redding that is the name of the stop I made most trips. It was also Manteca, that was a great water park.

[curtsinore]

What time of the year are you traveling? Daylight driving is going to be a factor for traveling on Hwy 101. Oregon/Washington border has the city of Astoria which would be a 2-6 hour stop depending on your pop culture and history desires. Seaside has a must see ocean boardwalk, only one like it till Southern California . One high mountain view of the ocean scenic views. Wheeler is must stop for pop culture and small town buildings. Cheese Factory. After the Cheese factory your next stop is in Depoe bay for the only view in the Pacific Northwest of a seawall harbor. Light houses beyond that point. Sea lion caves. Newport has a great bay front experience for a short visit and the Oregon Aquarium. Southern Oregon coast has more of industrial charm and would be a quick drive with few stops. Bandon is a great place to stop and eat. My guess, for fall travel would be 2.5 days from Oregon/Washington border to California, winter travel would be 3 days. If you go this way down to calif, you will be exhausted by the time you arrive at Disneyland. If you return this way, starting at the Golden Gate Bridge, you will be more then exhausted and probably ditch the Oregon trip and head back to the valley I-5. And though 101 has had some improvements, it is not a freeway and average travel time is 45mph, once again depending on time of year.

[genericeric]

Yeah, im pretty sure when we went it was the 5 from Portland to the San Fran cut off and then south from there. Would probably do that run.

Really want the kids to see all the cool stuff i saw when I was a kid, and in February i will have two weeks vacation but the weather will suck for most of the drive.

Might just bag it, get some Jet Blue tickets and play in the park for a couple of weeks LOL

[ralfrick]

I can tell you that it is slow going on 101 through Oregon. When you do see a 55 MPH sign, it's just a set-up for disappointment. Once I decided to see how high I could count before the next town, curve, etc. that would make me slow down again; I made it to ONE!

This is a really scenic drive, and you've gotten some good ideas for stops. But be aware that if you want to drive the coast all the way from DL, 2-3 days will not allow any time for significant stops.

There's a cool hotel in Dunsmuir, a bit north of Redding, where all the rooms are converted Railroad cabooses. For what it's worth, it took us 12 hours in July to get from the SF Bay to Castle Rock, WA this summer. That was driving 80 when possible and having 2 leisurely meals along the way.

A bientot.

[oregontraveler]

Aside from places to stop, weather is an issue come winter. The Siskiyou Pass at the OR/CAL border is the highest elevation of I-5 (4000 feet), driving thru Mt. Shasta is about 3000 feet. We drove down last January and just barely got up to Medford coming back home before a stormfront blew thru.
They will shut down 5 between Ashland & Yreka in bad weather. Given your location of Ortling, WA, 3 days gives you time to drive down to DLR but again
not much to stop and smell the roses. I would allow 2 days to drive the 5.
Hwy 101 in Oregon may be more scenic (more coastline) but Cal 101 is much faster.