Pacific Northwest trip

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MDfan
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Pacific Northwest trip

Post by MDfan »

Thinking of taking about a 9-day trip to Oregon/Seattle next summer with the family (adult kids). Does 5 days in Portland and 4 days in Seattle seem like enough time to get a good feel for each place? Probably would do day trips from each city but I only want to say in two hotels/AirBnBs. Any suggestions for must-see things in either place? Thanks in advance.
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Nate79
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by Nate79 »

MDfan wrote: Fri Oct 12, 2018 9:41 am Thinking of taking about a 9-day trip to Oregon/Seattle next summer with the family (adult kids). Does 5 days in Portland and 4 days in Seattle seem like enough time to get a good feel for each place? Probably would do day trips from each city but I only want to say in two hotels/AirBnBs. Any suggestions for must-see things in either place? Thanks in advance.
Are you coming to see nature or the cities? As someone who lives in the Portland area I would be hard pressed to find things to do for more than about a day or two in the city. But if you want to get out and see nature in the PNW you could spend as many days as you have and not see it all. There are a ton of threads on visits to the PNW on what to see in the area.
Soon2BXProgrammer
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by Soon2BXProgrammer »

you can spend a long time just driving around the 440 mile cascade loop..
https://www.cascadeloop.com/
and you could spend a day at most of the places on it.

plus you can rent a kayak and spend a huge amount of time paddling and camping:

https://www.wwta.org/wp-content/uploads ... -18_-4.jpg
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Isabelle77
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by Isabelle77 »

I live in the Portland area. I wouldn't spend 5 days in Portland :) There isn't that much to do in the city other than eat good food, and frankly summer is protest season. I know someone's going to jump on me about that but honestly I would spend 5 days exploring the Columbia Gorge, Hood River, up Mt. Hood, down to the Willamette Valley for wine and cheese, and out to the coast.

I'd also spend a day on the way to Seattle at Mt. Ranier, spend maybe a day and a half in Seattle and the rest of the time in Olympic National Park or the San Juans.

The PNW is absolutely one of the best places in the US to visit but not for our cities :)
livesoft
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by livesoft »

I would hike in the Central Cascades. There are so many places that don't get a lot of people very close to Portland.

Then do the entire loop around Mt Rainier.

You would only have to spend a day in Portland and Seattle which are just cities like you've seen everywhere else.
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gretah
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by gretah »

A day trip from Seattle to Victoria on Vancouver Island, British Columbia is nice.

Victoria: Butchart Gardens, Royal British Columbia museum (terrific exhibit of native peoples culture), and afternoon tea at the Empress hotel are the must sees.

https://www.clippervacations.com/seattl ... ria-ferry/

You probably need a passport to enter Canada.
texasdiver
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by texasdiver »

I've spent a great deal of my life living in both the Portland and Seattle areas. We currently live in the Vancouver area, just across the Columbia from Portland. In terms of things to see and do in both states:

1. Oregon has better beaches and coastline access. Washington has higher and more dramatic mountains. So I would plan your beach trips (if you want to do beaches and driving along the coast) in Oregon and your mountain trips in the North Cascades and Mt. Rainier areas of Washington. I would do a coastal road trip from Portland, perhaps over to Canon Beach and then drive down the coast to perhaps Newport, returning through Corvallis and the Willamette Valley.

2. The Columbia River Gorge is uniquely beautiful and has some of North America's most scenic wine country. It is the only place along the entire west coast where a large river carves through the Cascades/Sierra Nevada montain range. Every place else between Mexico and Canada where you want to cross the mountains you have to go over mountain passes except for through the Columbia River Gorge. If you are in Portland, definitely drive out and explore the gorge. Best route is go east on WA Highway 14 on the north (WA) side of the gorge and return on I-84 on the south (OR) side of the gorge. Highway 14 on the WA side is narrow and curvy and all the scenic pull outs are on the east bound side of the road so you want to be going in that direction. If you are into wine you can pull up wine maps of the area and find dozens of wineries to visit on both sides of the river.

3. In WA I would do a loop through the North Cascades. Head east on Highway 2 through Leavenworth and Wenatchee and Chelan. You can take a spectacular ferry trip on Lake Chelan up to the little town of Lucerne if you want but that will add a day. Then return to the Seattle area via WA-2 through the North Cascades National Park. This mountain road trip will be more spectacular than anything you can do in Oregon. Mt. Rainier is also spectacular but in your time frame you'll probably have to choose one or the other. For scenic driving I'd pick the North Cascades over Mt. Rainier. There are many more scenic little towns and attractions on a North Cascades driving loop than you will find on Mt. Rainier driving loop.

4. In WA you might also consider a ferry tour over to Victoria. From Seattle drive out to Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula, take the ferry over to Victoria, and then return via other ferries through the San Juan Islands or over to Nanaimo and loop back to Seattle. The ferry rides are spectacular and Victoria is a splendid little city. Make all your ferry reservations online and in advance as they fill up during the summer months.

So short summary for my recommendations of a trip to Portland and Seattle"

Portland: 2 days in Portland plus day trips to Columbia River Gorge and Oregon Coast. Perhaps also a night on the Oregon Coast somewhere
Seattle: 2 days in Seattle plus day trips to the North Cascades and Olympic Peninsula with perhaps a side ferry trip over to Victoria which will add a day or two.

NOTE 1: Traffic in both suburban Portland and Suburban Seattle is pretty bad but the Seattle area is 2x larger and the bad traffic radiates out much further from Seattle than Portland. That is going to make car-based day trips problematic from either city in terms of the traffic you will encounter, but especially so for Seattle and especially on weekdays. If you do day road trips from either city but especially Seattle you'll be spending a lot of time in surburban traffic jams unless you plan to leave super early and return super late.

NOTE 2 : If you are more of a city person than outdoors person then Vancouver BC is probably nicer than either Seattle or Portland as an urban area to visit.
MJW
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by MJW »

Texasdiver covered a lot of ground for you. It's a beautiful area. I moved to PacNW from the Midwest six years ago, and while I do have my reservations about continuing to live here I can say that I remain in awe of its beauty.

Hopefully the area isn't smoke-filled when you come. That's been a thing.
barnaclebob
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by barnaclebob »

As others have said, the best way to do the northwest for outdoor stuff is to road trip. All of the good stuff is about 2-4 hours outside of Portland or Seattle in all directions.

Sticking to your requirement of a single place to stay in Seattle:

You can see Mt. Rainier in a long day and hiking at Stevens or Snoqualmie pass is a good day. There are salmon fishing charters that you can take out of Puget Sound area marinas. Hauling a nice king salmon out of the water will be great memories for everyone but you'll want to check the seasons and it sometimes closes early if the quota is met. Pikes market, ballard locks, underground tour, waterfront, etc are all good toursity things to do. You can take the ferry over to Bremerton but I've never actually done that. It can also be fun to just walk around a few of the neighborhoods, grab a beer at random breweries, and visit the farmers markets.

For restaurants check out the Eater 38 list for Seattle. I haven't been disappointed by anything on that list yet.

Skip the EMP (experience the music project). Its the fun looking building next to the space needle. Skip that too while you're at it, just go to Cary park for good views of the city. That's where all of the stereotypical pictures of Seattle with mt rainier are taken from.

Get an Airbnb with a good view of the sound.
livesoft
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by livesoft »

MJW wrote: Fri Oct 12, 2018 1:22 pm Texasdiver covered a lot of ground for you. ...
I flew to Portland with a bicycle, ditched the box, rode my bike up the Columbia River Gorge to Hood River, then up around Mt Hood, back north to Mt Adams, Mt St Helens, Mt Rainier, then into Seattle and flew home out of Sea-Tac.

So one doesn't need a car to experience the area.
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jjunk
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by jjunk »

MJW wrote: Fri Oct 12, 2018 1:22 pmI moved to PacNW from the Midwest six years ago, and while I do have my reservations about continuing to live here I can say that I remain in awe of its beauty.
OOC, what dont you like about the PNW?
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by MJW »

jjunk wrote: Fri Oct 12, 2018 2:04 pm
MJW wrote: Fri Oct 12, 2018 1:22 pmI moved to PacNW from the Midwest six years ago, and while I do have my reservations about continuing to live here I can say that I remain in awe of its beauty.
OOC, what dont you like about the PNW?
There are a number of things but I’m not sure it is a good idea to go into them here. I only have my own subjective experiences to rely on and I do not want to suggest that it would be a bad idea for a different person to live here. Also don’t want to hijack the OP’s thread.
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jjunk
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by jjunk »

MJW wrote: Fri Oct 12, 2018 2:21 pm
jjunk wrote: Fri Oct 12, 2018 2:04 pm
MJW wrote: Fri Oct 12, 2018 1:22 pmI moved to PacNW from the Midwest six years ago, and while I do have my reservations about continuing to live here I can say that I remain in awe of its beauty.
OOC, what dont you like about the PNW?
There are a number of things but I’m not sure it is a good idea to go into them here. I only have my own subjective experiences to rely on and I do not want to suggest that it would be a bad idea for a different person to live here. Also don’t want to hijack the OP’s thread.
Fair enough, I was just curious. As for the OP, I'd agree with the N. Cascade Loop, it's gorgeous. Also, since you have the time, possibly take a day trip to Vancouver B.C. as well. It has a lot of stuff to do and is beautiful.
FoolMeOnce
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by FoolMeOnce »

MJW wrote: Fri Oct 12, 2018 2:21 pm
jjunk wrote: Fri Oct 12, 2018 2:04 pm
MJW wrote: Fri Oct 12, 2018 1:22 pmI moved to PacNW from the Midwest six years ago, and while I do have my reservations about continuing to live here I can say that I remain in awe of its beauty.
OOC, what dont you like about the PNW?
There are a number of things but I’m not sure it is a good idea to go into them here. I only have my own subjective experiences to rely on and I do not want to suggest that it would be a bad idea for a different person to live here. Also don’t want to hijack the OP’s thread.
This is the most courteous and diplomatic post I've encountered on this site.
:sharebeer

OP, I agree with the rest that getting out of the cities to explore the beauty of PNW nature is a good idea. Seattle itself is beautiful, too (haven't been to Portland for a while and have no strong recollection), and there is plenty to do, though five days is a lot.
mikeyzito22
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by mikeyzito22 »

IF you're coming to Portland, stay with a fellow boglehead at out private Airbnb. Cute and on the eastside, close to everything!

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/16895726
Wilderness Librarian
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by Wilderness Librarian »

Good ideas already presented. I will throw another suggestion out: For the urban portions of your trip consider taking train(s). City center to city center and saves a lot of traffic problems. One problem with this strategy is that it might complicate your out of town portions. A compromise might be to detrain at Bellingham (nice city in its own right) rent car and circle route the Cascades as someone else suggested. Or train south from Portland to another smaller city. Endless possibilities but I would be cautious about over-extending your range. Yes it is tempting to do that & I have problems myself in that regard. One thing you propose which I think counter-productive is a large number of distant day trips from a single urban node. Far too much comings & goings over more or less the same routes through bad traffic.
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by mrgeeze »

MDfan wrote: Fri Oct 12, 2018 9:41 am Thinking of taking about a 9-day trip to Oregon/Seattle next summer with the family (adult kids). Does 5 days in Portland and 4 days in Seattle seem like enough time to get a good feel for each place? Probably would do day trips from each city but I only want to say in two hotels/AirBnBs. Any suggestions for must-see things in either place? Thanks in advance.
Take notice of where the fires are and remain flexible.
The smoke can make a difference in your enjoyment of a locale.

We've spent the last two summers framping (free camping) in our van around the PNW. The ability to leave one place quickly as the smoke fills in was crucial to us enjoying 2 months each summer. While it might cost a few $$$ more to wait, you might want to see what the early 2019 fire season brings to commit to location.
We ended up in Port Hardy on Vancouver Island for a week or so. Great spot. Pretty much smoke free at the time

That being said, Portland wasn't much to me. The Chinese & Japanese gardens are nice. That took a morning. After that, ho hum.
Mouth of the Columbia (Cape Disappointment) was great. The Oregon Coast down near Cali is real nice. Olympic Peninsula is also good.
Mount St Helens, Crater Lake, etc are typical stops.

Also keep your eyes on the other Western states. Could be another place (Colorado, Wyoming, Montana) will provide a smoke free vacation.
Conch55
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by Conch55 »

My experience is related to the Seattle area but we spent a week there this past August. We didn't have a lot of free time in the city so we opted for a Citypass which included some of the major attractions. In those two days we visited the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden, aquarium, took a river cruise and took in the Museum of Pop Culture. While I can't say all of the attractions were to my taste, it was an easy way to trip plan with limited time. We also spent time in the Woodinville winery area, made a trip to the San Juan Islands and visited Mount Rainier.
GoldStar
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by GoldStar »

Going to Victoria as described above is a great idea - I'd stay there a night or two (not sure why you want to limit yourself to only two cities - I'd add this one).
Another alternative to the ideas above (although all good) would be to make the drive from Portland to Crater Lake National Park. A few nights in Seattle, a few nights in Portland, a couple of nights at Crater Lake (stay right at their lodge - book early).

I found Crater Lake to be amazing - one of my favorite National Parks - seems almost like a little known gem with everyone focusing on the others.
WardnerMan
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by WardnerMan »

During the summer, the ferry ride from Anacortes to Orcas Island is awsome, especially if the skies are clear. A trip to Friday Harbor is also wonderful.
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Rob5TCP
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by Rob5TCP »

I just returned yesterday from 10 days Seattle and 3 days Vancouver.
Squanomie falls was a great afternoon -- we did a very short hike Mt. Ranier because of the weather.
We spent most days just enjoying Seatlle

Chihilie Museum/Garden
Space Needle
Pike Market -- great eats; go to some of the lower levels; everyone only goes to the street level
Tour of Underground Seattle/ Pioneer Square
(Chinatown was a snooze; much better in Vancouver)
Hiram M. Chittenden Locks - we went to see the Salmon migration, but that wasn't the right time
Museum of Pop Culture- they had a room full of Jimmy Hendrix plus a whole exhibit on Pearl Jam
on the other floor was a Marvel Comics review -- all my favorites (both as a kid and now).

when we went we were told Hoh Valley was closed (Olympic Nat Park) and that was one place I really wanted to go.
Time permits - Fremont is a funky artsy part of town with some rather dramatic sculptures

Vancouver downtown was kind of a letdown - though the Chinatown was great.
The Sea to Sky highway was a beautiful trip -- plus some hiking at a few points.

ENJOY

PS As recomeneded by several Bogleheads we stayed at the Silver Cloud Lake Union
fairly close to downtown (with a shuttle) -- and free parking.
brausch
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by brausch »

texasdiver gave a great summary.

I'll add the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville, OR (the Spruce Goose among other things) and/or the Boeing Air and Space museum in south Seattle. Also, you might like to try the tour Boeing gives at their Everett factory.

Ferry ride on Puget Sound can be fun for a day trip to Bremerton or to the islands or Victoria, BC.

Columbia Gorge is must-see. I like the go east in WA and return west in OR also. Some good scenic stops on both sides of the river as well as some hiking opportunities. Also, Hood River, OR is known as the windsurfing (sailboarding) capital of the world.
HJG0989
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by HJG0989 »

About 1.5 hours South East from Portland is Silver Falls State Park. It offers an easy seven mile hike called trail of ten falls. The waterfalls are amazing, you walk behind at least three of them. If you like to hike or experience waterfalls this place is not to be missed.

Unfortunately a 15 year old boy started a fire in our beautiful Columbia gorge last year. Most of the trails and the historic highway are closed. I would skip this area since you are limited in time. It's a huge loss and I am still in mourning. :x
texasdiver
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by texasdiver »

HJG0989 wrote: Sat Oct 13, 2018 12:11 am About 1.5 hours South East from Portland is Silver Falls State Park. It offers an easy seven mile hike called trail of ten falls. The waterfalls are amazing, you walk behind at least three of them. If you like to hike or experience waterfalls this place is not to be missed.

Unfortunately a 15 year old boy started a fire in our beautiful Columbia gorge last year. Most of the trails and the historic highway are closed. I would skip this area since you are limited in time. It's a huge loss and I am still in mourning. :x
Silver falls is nice but don't skip the gorge. Yes there are trails on the Oregon side that are still closed until they rebuild the bridges and such. And there is a section of the old highway that is closed. But you can still get to all the attractions, and the WA side was completely untouched by the fires. We hosted some friends from TX in Aug and made the loop visiting wineries and the "fruit loop" through Hood River Valley as well as the main tourist spots like Multnomah Falls and Vista Point. It was the high point of their visit.
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by mickeyd »

Steer clear of Portland as the crazies seem to have taken over downtown.
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texasdiver
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by texasdiver »

mickeyd wrote: Sat Oct 13, 2018 12:33 pm Steer clear of Portland as the crazies seem to have taken over downtown.
I'm not sure what you are talking about. My youngest daughter who is 11 likes doing long urban walks for exercise as opposed to hiking or biking which my other daughter and wife prefer. So about once a week I drive in with her to somewhere in central Portland and we do a good 5-6 mile walk through the urban parts of the city. We've explored about every urban neighborhood on any walking tour in the city. Yes we occasionally run into homeless riff raff but really suprisingly few of them outside of specific known streets like Old Town/Chinatown. There are many areas that are absolutely fabulous for walking like the Pearl and NW Portland and other outlying business districts like N. Mississippi and SE Hawthorne. All the new rental scooters are super cool too.

Yes there are plenty of homeless and homeless camps scattered about. But that is the same for every single other city on the west coast. And has pretty much always been the case.
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dumbbunny
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by dumbbunny »

Portland > Dundee area (Wineries) > Gleneden Beach (Salishan Golf Resort) > Pacific City (Haystack Rock) > Tillamook (Cheese Factory) > Portland

Portland > Columbia River Gorge (Multnomah Falls) > Bonneville Dam (Salmon Ladder) > Hood River (Wind surfing) > Timberline Lodge > Portland
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letsgobobby
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by letsgobobby »

Has OP said if they want an urban trip or more nature?
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MDfan
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by MDfan »

letsgobobby wrote: Sat Oct 13, 2018 5:05 pm Has OP said if they want an urban trip or more nature?
Good question. We'd obviously like to experience the city, but definitely want to do other things (whitewater rafting, boat trip, maybe fishing charter). Now I'm thinking that we might just spend the whole time in Oregon using Portland as a base, but staying a few other places as well (somewhere along the coast, and maybe Bend to do a trip to Crater Lake). I'd hate to feel rushed if we stayed in each place only 4 days and tried to just do day trips. That might be too much driving. Seems like there's more than enough to do in Oregon for 8-9 days. Maybe even take an overnight trip to Seattle just to get a taste of the city.
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by chuckb84 »

It's been decades, almost 4 decades, since I lived in Seattle, but:

Go to Deception Pass. Just stunning.

In Seattle, you can't beat Ray's Boathouse at sunset. You're right on Puget Sound and the sun sets behind the Olympic Mountains (Olys!). Have a Full Sail IPA or any of the MANY Pacific NW brews. Aahhh.

Discovery Park in Seattle is also really neat. Right on the Sound and great views.

Ivar's Salmon House on Lake Union. A Seattle institution. As a starving grad student, I would eat on the barge outside. If that's still there and you have a nice warm day, it'll be great. The indoor restaurant is great too.
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MP123
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by MP123 »

MDfan wrote: Sat Oct 13, 2018 9:04 pm
letsgobobby wrote: Sat Oct 13, 2018 5:05 pm Has OP said if they want an urban trip or more nature?
Good question. We'd obviously like to experience the city, but definitely want to do other things (whitewater rafting, boat trip, maybe fishing charter). Now I'm thinking that we might just spend the whole time in Oregon using Portland as a base, but staying a few other places as well (somewhere along the coast, and maybe Bend to do a trip to Crater Lake). I'd hate to feel rushed if we stayed in each place only 4 days and tried to just do day trips. That might be too much driving. Seems like there's more than enough to do in Oregon for 8-9 days. Maybe even take an overnight trip to Seattle just to get a taste of the city.
The best parts of the PacNW aren't the big cities.

Traffic is terrible around SEA and PDX, don't try to commute out of the city center to see things. Good idea upthread about a road or train trip. The Columbia gorge and Cascade Loop are both spectacular especially in the summer. So is the OR coast if it's not foggy.

I'd plan a night or two in different places and move around. There's a huge variety of scenery from the Hoh rainforest to the high deserts.

Plenty of fun in the cities too but save that for a winter trip.
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by letsgobobby »

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Starfish
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by Starfish »

MDfan wrote: Fri Oct 12, 2018 9:41 am Thinking of taking about a 9-day trip to Oregon/Seattle next summer with the family (adult kids). Does 5 days in Portland and 4 days in Seattle seem like enough time to get a good feel for each place? Probably would do day trips from each city but I only want to say in two hotels/AirBnBs. Any suggestions for must-see things in either place? Thanks in advance.
To go in "pacific northwest" and spend your tine in 2 mediocre cities it's a waste.
The only cities I know in US where I would spend 5 days (without vising friends) are SF and maybe NY.
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by Scrapr »

texasdiver wrote: Sat Oct 13, 2018 12:52 pm
mickeyd wrote: Sat Oct 13, 2018 12:33 pm Steer clear of Portland as the crazies seem to have taken over downtown.
I'm not sure what you are talking about. My youngest daughter who is 11 likes doing long urban walks for exercise as opposed to hiking or biking which my other daughter and wife prefer. So about once a week I drive in with her to somewhere in central Portland and we do a good 5-6 mile walk through the urban parts of the city. We've explored about every urban neighborhood on any walking tour in the city. Yes we occasionally run into homeless riff raff but really suprisingly few of them outside of specific known streets like Old Town/Chinatown. There are many areas that are absolutely fabulous for walking like the Pearl and NW Portland and other outlying business districts like N. Mississippi and SE Hawthorne. All the new rental scooters are super cool too.

Yes there are plenty of homeless and homeless camps scattered about. But that is the same for every single other city on the west coast. And has pretty much always been the case.
There are protests downtown tonight. Riot police on the scene.
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by Scrapr »

dumbbunny wrote: Sat Oct 13, 2018 5:03 pm Portland > Dundee area (Wineries) > Gleneden Beach (Salishan Golf Resort) > Pacific City (Haystack Rock) > Tillamook (Cheese Factory) > Portland

Portland > Columbia River Gorge (Multnomah Falls) > Bonneville Dam (Salmon Ladder) > Hood River (Wind surfing) > Timberline Lodge > Portland
you had me at ->>>Dundee Wineries. All day.
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MDfan
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by MDfan »

Starfish wrote: Sat Oct 13, 2018 11:29 pm
MDfan wrote: Fri Oct 12, 2018 9:41 am Thinking of taking about a 9-day trip to Oregon/Seattle next summer with the family (adult kids). Does 5 days in Portland and 4 days in Seattle seem like enough time to get a good feel for each place? Probably would do day trips from each city but I only want to say in two hotels/AirBnBs. Any suggestions for must-see things in either place? Thanks in advance.
To go in "pacific northwest" and spend your tine in 2 mediocre cities it's a waste.
The only cities I know in US where I would spend 5 days (without vising friends) are SF and maybe NY.
That is not the plan at all. The plan is to use those two cities as kind of a home base so we're not staying in a different place every night. But now, as I said above, the plan might be to spend the whole time exploring Oregon and saving Seattle/Vancouver, etc. for a separate tripe
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by Munir »

FoolMeOnce wrote: Fri Oct 12, 2018 2:58 pm
MJW wrote: Fri Oct 12, 2018 2:21 pm
jjunk wrote: Fri Oct 12, 2018 2:04 pm
MJW wrote: Fri Oct 12, 2018 1:22 pmI moved to PacNW from the Midwest six years ago, and while I do have my reservations about continuing to live here I can say that I remain in awe of its beauty.
OOC, what dont you like about the PNW?
There are a number of things but I’m not sure it is a good idea to go into them here. I only have my own subjective experiences to rely on and I do not want to suggest that it would be a bad idea for a different person to live here. Also don’t want to hijack the OP’s thread.
This is the most courteous and diplomatic post I've encountered on this site.
:sharebeer

OP, I agree with the rest that getting out of the cities to explore the beauty of PNW nature is a good idea. Seattle itself is beautiful, too (haven't been to Portland for a while and have no strong recollection), and there is plenty to do, though five days is a lot.
I respectfully disagree that MJW's comments were "courteous and diplomatic". I think that if an individual has a negative comment about an issue or place it's only fair to state what the subject is that the poster does not like. Otherwise, it remains hanging in the air as an unsubstantiated comment or rumor bordering on a smear, and which cannot be responded to. If one has such negative feelings, the nature of the comment should be described or no comment made at all.
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dumbbunny
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Location: Oregon coast

Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by dumbbunny »

MDfan wrote: Sat Oct 13, 2018 9:04 pm
letsgobobby wrote: Sat Oct 13, 2018 5:05 pm Has OP said if they want an urban trip or more nature?
Good question. We'd obviously like to experience the city, but definitely want to do other things (whitewater rafting, boat trip, maybe fishing charter). Now I'm thinking that we might just spend the whole time in Oregon using Portland as a base, but staying a few other places as well (somewhere along the coast, and maybe Bend to do a trip to Crater Lake). I'd hate to feel rushed if we stayed in each place only 4 days and tried to just do day trips. That might be too much driving. Seems like there's more than enough to do in Oregon for 8-9 days. Maybe even take an overnight trip to Seattle just to get a taste of the city.
PDX > Bend > Crater Lake Rim Village = 5 hours drive time (267 miles and doesn't include a lap around the lake).

Fishing charter can be done out of Depoe Bay 5 miles south of Gleneden Beach, OR. Kayak rentals available in Lincoln City 3 miles north of Gleneden Beach.
“It’s the curse of old men to realize that in the end we control nothing." "Homeland" episode, "Gerontion"
MJW
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Location: Pacific Northwest

Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by MJW »

Munir wrote: Sun Oct 14, 2018 11:47 am I respectfully disagree that MJW's comments were "courteous and diplomatic". I think that if an individual has a negative comment about an issue or place it's only fair to state what the subject is that the poster does not like. Otherwise, it remains hanging in the air as an unsubstantiated comment or rumor bordering on a smear, and which cannot be responded to. If one has such negative feelings, the nature of the comment should be described or no comment made at all.
You're right; it would have been better for me to not say anything at all. I was agreeing with the posters that remarked on the beauty of the area, stating that even though there are other aspects I find less impressive/enjoyable on a personal level, there is no argument that it's a beautiful place to be. There is nothing productive to be gained by discussing/debating my own subjective experiences, and they likely have no impact on the OP's enjoyment of making a vacation here. If the OP had asked for feedback on whether it's a good idea to live here, I might have shared more.

And if you read my original comment, I didn't even really say anything negative or critical. I don't hate it here, nor would I discourage others to live here if it seemed a good fit.
Regattamom
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Re: Pacific Northwest trip

Post by Regattamom »

I am partial to Washington over Oregon. Oregon is beautiful and I really like Portland, but there is so much beauty in Washington state and there is nothing in Oregon that compares to the Puget Sound and to Mt. Rainier, IMO.

Top things to do:
Take ferry from Anacortes to the San Juan Islands and stay for a day or two. The San Juans are amazing.
Explore Hood Canal and the Olympic Peninsula for a day or two and then take the Coho ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria, BC (maybe you'll see some whales). No need for a car, just walk on. Don't forget your passport. Have tea at The Empress.
Day trip to Mt. Rainier and hike to Spray Park.
Day trip to Hoh Rainforest.
Day in Seattle at the market and museums. Take the water taxi to West Seattle and explore Alki.
And there's so much more!

Have fun wherever you decide to go!
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