Oregon road trip (1 Viewer)

[General Malaise]

Alright, I'll offer up a little different spin on your itinerary so you hit the spots you mention, just approaching it from the opposite direction.
- Friday, fly in and stay in Portland that night. Don't be afraid of the city of Portland. It's had some issues, but it's a lovely place to be in Sept. Consider Inn at Northrup which is in NW Portland. Entirely walkable, lots of restaurants, old homes that have character. You'll encounter some derelicts, but you'll be fine. Happy to recommend spots to eat/drink.

- Saturday, head down the Gorge taking your time to get a hike in or two. You can visit Multnomah Falls - and you definitely should, even if you just grab some photos - but for a hike, I'd strongly suggest Horsetail Falls, which allows you to walk behind a very powerful fall. It's awesome. You can hike to the top or just go behind the falls and head back on an easy hike. Other ideas - Latourell Falls and Angel's Rest, which is a killer hike to the top with amazing Gorge views. Angel Falls is a moderate hike with some elevation, but if you're feeling it, the payoff is outstanding.

- Continue east to Hood River, OR and stay there. This is home to some of the world's best wind surfing and kite surfing and watching these guys fly around the Columbia with a cold beer is a lot of fun. You might see a bald eagle or two hunting for fish. There are a BUNCH of great spots for food, beer and wine. You can even go across the river on the Hood River Bridge to Everybody's Brewing for a pint and amazing views of Mt. Hood. Plenty of hotels around Hood River, but you can look for ABnB too if you like. Some really neat places there with awesome views. Other suggestions: pFriem Brewing, Double Mountain Brewing, Naked Winery, Cathedral Ridge Winery. Full Sail is there, but it's not my favorite....

- Sunday, head up to Mt. Hood on 35 - this is a really neat drive up to Hood and you should check out Timberline Lodge which was featured in The Shining and was part of the Works Progress Admin under Roosevelt to get us out of the Great Depression. Hikes all over, plenty to check out and explore, but visiting Timberline is really a must. You can spend as much time here as you like and stay there too, but unless you just fall in love with the mountain, I'd continue your journey on to Bend via 26 to 97. Before you get to Bend, stop off at Smith Rock State Park. Other ideas - Lava Butte, Lava Lands, etc. The High Desert is incredible, so I think spending Sunday night and Monday in Bend is a great idea. I *LOVE* Bend. There is so much to see and do and there are probably a dozen or more breweries that have cool outdoor areas with cornhole, horse shoes, etc. I might even consider TWO nights in Bend so you can get that full Monday in there.

- Early Tues, head out to Crater Lake. I just want to make sure you get enough time here to really experience Crater Lake. I would recommend the boat tour, which I've not done, but my wife has and said it was one of the coolest things she's done. From Crater Lake, you can then hit Umpqua Hot Springs and Toketee Falls which are very close together. You could even stay around the area at Umpqua's Last Resort, which looks really cool. Do a little glamping!

- Wed morn, head down to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. About 3 1/2 hours away from Umpqua. Man, I don't know what to say here. The Redwoods are magical. I'd not want you nor anybody to race through seeing these magnificent trees. You can find a million cool spots around here, from tourist attractions like Trees of Mystery to hidden hikes, no matter where you go, you're going to be in awe of the trees. Find a place there to stay Wed night - look for something IN the Redwoods.

- Thurs, head up 101 taking your time to stop and appreciate the glory. I'd target Yachats which is about 4 hours north of Jedidiah. Gold beach is neat - there's specks of gold in the sand and it sits at the mouth of the Rogue, which I'd love to explore one day but haven't yet. You'll go through Bandon, which is a golf paradise. Florence is a neat coast town with giant sand dunes you can check out. Yachats - man, this is the chillest place on the coast. Get a meal at The Drift Inn. The back patio is fabulous. Food is outstanding. Service is friendly, which is in short supply on the Oregon Coast. Yachats is a little south of Waldport, which is where we like to vacation. Beaches are not crowded, there's cool driftwood logs, the weather is a touch warmer, just a really cool spot. You might not want to leave! Stay there that night, whether Yachats or Waldport, you'll be okay. Cape Perpetua, Thor's Well, Devils Churn, Amanda's Hike...all right there and all worth your time.

- Friday, continue your drive up 101 to Cannon Beach. There's an aquarium in Newport that's neat, but I'd skip it. Depoe Bay is prime whale watching, but can be a bit of a headache parking and walking around. Have lunch at the Pelican Brewery in Siletz Bay. This is the newest Pelican, built in 2022 and it's so cool. Big wrap around deck, views of the bay, great beer and food. A bit pricey, but worth it. Pacific City is cool - also has a Pelican with great views of a haystack rock - there's a neat beach in Oceanside where you can hunt for agate rocks. Tillamook is where the cheese factory is, but I'd skip that. It's not worth your time - just get some of their cheese or ice cream at a store. It's a tourist trap. On to Cannon Beach to stay Friday night.

- Saturday, take your time at Cannon Beach. It's a gem. It's a 90 minute drive from Cannon Beach back to Portland, so don't be in a hurry to get back. Yeah, you can go all the way up to Astoria and that might be cool if you're a Goonies fan or Kindergarten Cop. There's a cool museum there, the Lewis and Clark National Park, great food and beers. Also about a 90 minute drive back to Portland. Skip Seaside, OR. Stay in Portland Sat night, fly back Sunday.

You miss Silver Falls and Abiqua Falls, though you COULD theoretically hit them real fast, but that's not the goal. For example, if you REALLY wanted to hit Silver Falls, it's a long hike that'll take you hours to see complete the full loop and see 10 different falls.

Just another way to look at your journey. You can't go wrong. It's lovely here.

Tl;dr

i bailed at "early tuesday"

Yeah, this probably should have been an email. My bad.

 

[urbanhack]

Alright, I'll offer up a little different spin on your itinerary so you hit the spots you mention, just approaching it from the opposite direction.
- Friday, fly in and stay in Portland that night. Don't be afraid of the city of Portland. It's had some issues, but it's a lovely place to be in Sept. Consider Inn at Northrup which is in NW Portland. Entirely walkable, lots of restaurants, old homes that have character. You'll encounter some derelicts, but you'll be fine. Happy to recommend spots to eat/drink.

- Saturday, head down the Gorge taking your time to get a hike in or two. You can visit Multnomah Falls - and you definitely should, even if you just grab some photos - but for a hike, I'd strongly suggest Horsetail Falls, which allows you to walk behind a very powerful fall. It's awesome. You can hike to the top or just go behind the falls and head back on an easy hike. Other ideas - Latourell Falls and Angel's Rest, which is a killer hike to the top with amazing Gorge views. Angel Falls is a moderate hike with some elevation, but if you're feeling it, the payoff is outstanding.

- Continue east to Hood River, OR and stay there. This is home to some of the world's best wind surfing and kite surfing and watching these guys fly around the Columbia with a cold beer is a lot of fun. You might see a bald eagle or two hunting for fish. There are a BUNCH of great spots for food, beer and wine. You can even go across the river on the Hood River Bridge to Everybody's Brewing for a pint and amazing views of Mt. Hood. Plenty of hotels around Hood River, but you can look for ABnB too if you like. Some really neat places there with awesome views. Other suggestions: pFriem Brewing, Double Mountain Brewing, Naked Winery, Cathedral Ridge Winery. Full Sail is there, but it's not my favorite....

- Sunday, head up to Mt. Hood on 35 - this is a really neat drive up to Hood and you should check out Timberline Lodge which was featured in The Shining and was part of the Works Progress Admin under Roosevelt to get us out of the Great Depression. Hikes all over, plenty to check out and explore, but visiting Timberline is really a must. You can spend as much time here as you like and stay there too, but unless you just fall in love with the mountain, I'd continue your journey on to Bend via 26 to 97. Before you get to Bend, stop off at Smith Rock State Park. Other ideas - Lava Butte, Lava Lands, etc. The High Desert is incredible, so I think spending Sunday night and Monday in Bend is a great idea. I *LOVE* Bend. There is so much to see and do and there are probably a dozen or more breweries that have cool outdoor areas with cornhole, horse shoes, etc. I might even consider TWO nights in Bend so you can get that full Monday in there.

- Early Tues, head out to Crater Lake. I just want to make sure you get enough time here to really experience Crater Lake. I would recommend the boat tour, which I've not done, but my wife has and said it was one of the coolest things she's done. From Crater Lake, you can then hit Umpqua Hot Springs and Toketee Falls which are very close together. You could even stay around the area at Umpqua's Last Resort, which looks really cool. Do a little glamping!

- Wed morn, head down to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. About 3 1/2 hours away from Umpqua. Man, I don't know what to say here. The Redwoods are magical. I'd not want you nor anybody to race through seeing these magnificent trees. You can find a million cool spots around here, from tourist attractions like Trees of Mystery to hidden hikes, no matter where you go, you're going to be in awe of the trees. Find a place there to stay Wed night - look for something IN the Redwoods.

- Thurs, head up 101 taking your time to stop and appreciate the glory. I'd target Yachats which is about 4 hours north of Jedidiah. Gold beach is neat - there's specks of gold in the sand and it sits at the mouth of the Rogue, which I'd love to explore one day but haven't yet. You'll go through Bandon, which is a golf paradise. Florence is a neat coast town with giant sand dunes you can check out. Yachats - man, this is the chillest place on the coast. Get a meal at The Drift Inn. The back patio is fabulous. Food is outstanding. Service is friendly, which is in short supply on the Oregon Coast. Yachats is a little south of Waldport, which is where we like to vacation. Beaches are not crowded, there's cool driftwood logs, the weather is a touch warmer, just a really cool spot. You might not want to leave! Stay there that night, whether Yachats or Waldport, you'll be okay. Cape Perpetua, Thor's Well, Devils Churn, Amanda's Hike...all right there and all worth your time.

- Friday, continue your drive up 101 to Cannon Beach. There's an aquarium in Newport that's neat, but I'd skip it. Depoe Bay is prime whale watching, but can be a bit of a headache parking and walking around. Have lunch at the Pelican Brewery in Siletz Bay. This is the newest Pelican, built in 2022 and it's so cool. Big wrap around deck, views of the bay, great beer and food. A bit pricey, but worth it. Pacific City is cool - also has a Pelican with great views of a haystack rock - there's a neat beach in Oceanside where you can hunt for agate rocks. Tillamook is where the cheese factory is, but I'd skip that. It's not worth your time - just get some of their cheese or ice cream at a store. It's a tourist trap. On to Cannon Beach to stay Friday night.

- Saturday, take your time at Cannon Beach. It's a gem. It's a 90 minute drive from Cannon Beach back to Portland, so don't be in a hurry to get back. Yeah, you can go all the way up to Astoria and that might be cool if you're a Goonies fan or Kindergarten Cop. There's a cool museum there, the Lewis and Clark National Park, great food and beers. Also about a 90 minute drive back to Portland. Skip Seaside, OR. Stay in Portland Sat night, fly back Sunday.

You miss Silver Falls and Abiqua Falls, though you COULD theoretically hit them real fast, but that's not the goal. For example, if you REALLY wanted to hit Silver Falls, it's a long hike that'll take you hours to see complete the full loop and see 10 different falls.

Just another way to look at your journey. You can't go wrong. It's lovely here.

Tl;dr

i bailed at "early tuesday"

Yeah, this probably should have been an email. My bad.

No way…this is good information!

 

[gianmarco]

Alright, I'll offer up a little different spin on your itinerary so you hit the spots you mention, just approaching it from the opposite direction.
- Friday, fly in and stay in Portland that night. Don't be afraid of the city of Portland. It's had some issues, but it's a lovely place to be in Sept. Consider Inn at Northrup which is in NW Portland. Entirely walkable, lots of restaurants, old homes that have character. You'll encounter some derelicts, but you'll be fine. Happy to recommend spots to eat/drink.

- Saturday, head down the Gorge taking your time to get a hike in or two. You can visit Multnomah Falls - and you definitely should, even if you just grab some photos - but for a hike, I'd strongly suggest Horsetail Falls, which allows you to walk behind a very powerful fall. It's awesome. You can hike to the top or just go behind the falls and head back on an easy hike. Other ideas - Latourell Falls and Angel's Rest, which is a killer hike to the top with amazing Gorge views. Angel Falls is a moderate hike with some elevation, but if you're feeling it, the payoff is outstanding.

- Continue east to Hood River, OR and stay there. This is home to some of the world's best wind surfing and kite surfing and watching these guys fly around the Columbia with a cold beer is a lot of fun. You might see a bald eagle or two hunting for fish. There are a BUNCH of great spots for food, beer and wine. You can even go across the river on the Hood River Bridge to Everybody's Brewing for a pint and amazing views of Mt. Hood. Plenty of hotels around Hood River, but you can look for ABnB too if you like. Some really neat places there with awesome views. Other suggestions: pFriem Brewing, Double Mountain Brewing, Naked Winery, Cathedral Ridge Winery. Full Sail is there, but it's not my favorite....

- Sunday, head up to Mt. Hood on 35 - this is a really neat drive up to Hood and you should check out Timberline Lodge which was featured in The Shining and was part of the Works Progress Admin under Roosevelt to get us out of the Great Depression. Hikes all over, plenty to check out and explore, but visiting Timberline is really a must. You can spend as much time here as you like and stay there too, but unless you just fall in love with the mountain, I'd continue your journey on to Bend via 26 to 97. Before you get to Bend, stop off at Smith Rock State Park. Other ideas - Lava Butte, Lava Lands, etc. The High Desert is incredible, so I think spending Sunday night and Monday in Bend is a great idea. I *LOVE* Bend. There is so much to see and do and there are probably a dozen or more breweries that have cool outdoor areas with cornhole, horse shoes, etc. I might even consider TWO nights in Bend so you can get that full Monday in there.

- Early Tues, head out to Crater Lake. I just want to make sure you get enough time here to really experience Crater Lake. I would recommend the boat tour, which I've not done, but my wife has and said it was one of the coolest things she's done. From Crater Lake, you can then hit Umpqua Hot Springs and Toketee Falls which are very close together. You could even stay around the area at Umpqua's Last Resort, which looks really cool. Do a little glamping!

- Wed morn, head down to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. About 3 1/2 hours away from Umpqua. Man, I don't know what to say here. The Redwoods are magical. I'd not want you nor anybody to race through seeing these magnificent trees. You can find a million cool spots around here, from tourist attractions like Trees of Mystery to hidden hikes, no matter where you go, you're going to be in awe of the trees. Find a place there to stay Wed night - look for something IN the Redwoods.

- Thurs, head up 101 taking your time to stop and appreciate the glory. I'd target Yachats which is about 4 hours north of Jedidiah. Gold beach is neat - there's specks of gold in the sand and it sits at the mouth of the Rogue, which I'd love to explore one day but haven't yet. You'll go through Bandon, which is a golf paradise. Florence is a neat coast town with giant sand dunes you can check out. Yachats - man, this is the chillest place on the coast. Get a meal at The Drift Inn. The back patio is fabulous. Food is outstanding. Service is friendly, which is in short supply on the Oregon Coast. Yachats is a little south of Waldport, which is where we like to vacation. Beaches are not crowded, there's cool driftwood logs, the weather is a touch warmer, just a really cool spot. You might not want to leave! Stay there that night, whether Yachats or Waldport, you'll be okay. Cape Perpetua, Thor's Well, Devils Churn, Amanda's Hike...all right there and all worth your time.

- Friday, continue your drive up 101 to Cannon Beach. There's an aquarium in Newport that's neat, but I'd skip it. Depoe Bay is prime whale watching, but can be a bit of a headache parking and walking around. Have lunch at the Pelican Brewery in Siletz Bay. This is the newest Pelican, built in 2022 and it's so cool. Big wrap around deck, views of the bay, great beer and food. A bit pricey, but worth it. Pacific City is cool - also has a Pelican with great views of a haystack rock - there's a neat beach in Oceanside where you can hunt for agate rocks. Tillamook is where the cheese factory is, but I'd skip that. It's not worth your time - just get some of their cheese or ice cream at a store. It's a tourist trap. On to Cannon Beach to stay Friday night.

- Saturday, take your time at Cannon Beach. It's a gem. It's a 90 minute drive from Cannon Beach back to Portland, so don't be in a hurry to get back. Yeah, you can go all the way up to Astoria and that might be cool if you're a Goonies fan or Kindergarten Cop. There's a cool museum there, the Lewis and Clark National Park, great food and beers. Also about a 90 minute drive back to Portland. Skip Seaside, OR. Stay in Portland Sat night, fly back Sunday.

You miss Silver Falls and Abiqua Falls, though you COULD theoretically hit them real fast, but that's not the goal. For example, if you REALLY wanted to hit Silver Falls, it's a long hike that'll take you hours to see complete the full loop and see 10 different falls.

Just another way to look at your journey. You can't go wrong. It's lovely here.

Tl;dr

i bailed at "early tuesday"

Yeah, this probably should have been an email. My bad.

No way…this is good information!

Agreed, I was just giving him a hard time.

I'm partway through chapter 7 and loving it. Hard to put down.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

Alright, I'll offer up a little different spin on your itinerary so you hit the spots you mention, just approaching it from the opposite direction.
- Friday, fly in and stay in Portland that night. Don't be afraid of the city of Portland. It's had some issues, but it's a lovely place to be in Sept. Consider Inn at Northrup which is in NW Portland. Entirely walkable, lots of restaurants, old homes that have character. You'll encounter some derelicts, but you'll be fine. Happy to recommend spots to eat/drink.

- Saturday, head down the Gorge taking your time to get a hike in or two. You can visit Multnomah Falls - and you definitely should, even if you just grab some photos - but for a hike, I'd strongly suggest Horsetail Falls, which allows you to walk behind a very powerful fall. It's awesome. You can hike to the top or just go behind the falls and head back on an easy hike. Other ideas - Latourell Falls and Angel's Rest, which is a killer hike to the top with amazing Gorge views. Angel Falls is a moderate hike with some elevation, but if you're feeling it, the payoff is outstanding.

- Continue east to Hood River, OR and stay there. This is home to some of the world's best wind surfing and kite surfing and watching these guys fly around the Columbia with a cold beer is a lot of fun. You might see a bald eagle or two hunting for fish. There are a BUNCH of great spots for food, beer and wine. You can even go across the river on the Hood River Bridge to Everybody's Brewing for a pint and amazing views of Mt. Hood. Plenty of hotels around Hood River, but you can look for ABnB too if you like. Some really neat places there with awesome views. Other suggestions: pFriem Brewing, Double Mountain Brewing, Naked Winery, Cathedral Ridge Winery. Full Sail is there, but it's not my favorite....

- Sunday, head up to Mt. Hood on 35 - this is a really neat drive up to Hood and you should check out Timberline Lodge which was featured in The Shining and was part of the Works Progress Admin under Roosevelt to get us out of the Great Depression. Hikes all over, plenty to check out and explore, but visiting Timberline is really a must. You can spend as much time here as you like and stay there too, but unless you just fall in love with the mountain, I'd continue your journey on to Bend via 26 to 97. Before you get to Bend, stop off at Smith Rock State Park. Other ideas - Lava Butte, Lava Lands, etc. The High Desert is incredible, so I think spending Sunday night and Monday in Bend is a great idea. I *LOVE* Bend. There is so much to see and do and there are probably a dozen or more breweries that have cool outdoor areas with cornhole, horse shoes, etc. I might even consider TWO nights in Bend so you can get that full Monday in there.

- Early Tues, head out to Crater Lake. I just want to make sure you get enough time here to really experience Crater Lake. I would recommend the boat tour, which I've not done, but my wife has and said it was one of the coolest things she's done. From Crater Lake, you can then hit Umpqua Hot Springs and Toketee Falls which are very close together. You could even stay around the area at Umpqua's Last Resort, which looks really cool. Do a little glamping!

- Wed morn, head down to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. About 3 1/2 hours away from Umpqua. Man, I don't know what to say here. The Redwoods are magical. I'd not want you nor anybody to race through seeing these magnificent trees. You can find a million cool spots around here, from tourist attractions like Trees of Mystery to hidden hikes, no matter where you go, you're going to be in awe of the trees. Find a place there to stay Wed night - look for something IN the Redwoods.

- Thurs, head up 101 taking your time to stop and appreciate the glory. I'd target Yachats which is about 4 hours north of Jedidiah. Gold beach is neat - there's specks of gold in the sand and it sits at the mouth of the Rogue, which I'd love to explore one day but haven't yet. You'll go through Bandon, which is a golf paradise. Florence is a neat coast town with giant sand dunes you can check out. Yachats - man, this is the chillest place on the coast. Get a meal at The Drift Inn. The back patio is fabulous. Food is outstanding. Service is friendly, which is in short supply on the Oregon Coast. Yachats is a little south of Waldport, which is where we like to vacation. Beaches are not crowded, there's cool driftwood logs, the weather is a touch warmer, just a really cool spot. You might not want to leave! Stay there that night, whether Yachats or Waldport, you'll be okay. Cape Perpetua, Thor's Well, Devils Churn, Amanda's Hike...all right there and all worth your time.

- Friday, continue your drive up 101 to Cannon Beach. There's an aquarium in Newport that's neat, but I'd skip it. Depoe Bay is prime whale watching, but can be a bit of a headache parking and walking around. Have lunch at the Pelican Brewery in Siletz Bay. This is the newest Pelican, built in 2022 and it's so cool. Big wrap around deck, views of the bay, great beer and food. A bit pricey, but worth it. Pacific City is cool - also has a Pelican with great views of a haystack rock - there's a neat beach in Oceanside where you can hunt for agate rocks. Tillamook is where the cheese factory is, but I'd skip that. It's not worth your time - just get some of their cheese or ice cream at a store. It's a tourist trap. On to Cannon Beach to stay Friday night.

- Saturday, take your time at Cannon Beach. It's a gem. It's a 90 minute drive from Cannon Beach back to Portland, so don't be in a hurry to get back. Yeah, you can go all the way up to Astoria and that might be cool if you're a Goonies fan or Kindergarten Cop. There's a cool museum there, the Lewis and Clark National Park, great food and beers. Also about a 90 minute drive back to Portland. Skip Seaside, OR. Stay in Portland Sat night, fly back Sunday.

You miss Silver Falls and Abiqua Falls, though you COULD theoretically hit them real fast, but that's not the goal. For example, if you REALLY wanted to hit Silver Falls, it's a long hike that'll take you hours to see complete the full loop and see 10 different falls.

Just another way to look at your journey. You can't go wrong. It's lovely here.

Tl;dr

i bailed at "early tuesday"

Yeah, this probably should have been an email. My bad.

No way. This stuff is gold. It’s just fun to mess with ya! Did you get the sequoias figured out?

 

[Joe Bryant]

looks like fun. Have fun and be safe.

Thank you for editing. And did you not get the memo? Backward Southern towns are the only cities one can make fun of...

 

[Joe Bryant]

Alright, I'll offer up a little different spin on your itinerary so you hit the spots you mention, just approaching it from the opposite direction.
- Friday, fly in and stay in Portland that night. Don't be afraid of the city of Portland. It's had some issues, but it's a lovely place to be in Sept. Consider Inn at Northrup which is in NW Portland. Entirely walkable, lots of restaurants, old homes that have character. You'll encounter some derelicts, but you'll be fine. Happy to recommend spots to eat/drink.

- Saturday, head down the Gorge taking your time to get a hike in or two. You can visit Multnomah Falls - and you definitely should, even if you just grab some photos - but for a hike, I'd strongly suggest Horsetail Falls, which allows you to walk behind a very powerful fall. It's awesome. You can hike to the top or just go behind the falls and head back on an easy hike. Other ideas - Latourell Falls and Angel's Rest, which is a killer hike to the top with amazing Gorge views. Angel Falls is a moderate hike with some elevation, but if you're feeling it, the payoff is outstanding.

- Continue east to Hood River, OR and stay there. This is home to some of the world's best wind surfing and kite surfing and watching these guys fly around the Columbia with a cold beer is a lot of fun. You might see a bald eagle or two hunting for fish. There are a BUNCH of great spots for food, beer and wine. You can even go across the river on the Hood River Bridge to Everybody's Brewing for a pint and amazing views of Mt. Hood. Plenty of hotels around Hood River, but you can look for ABnB too if you like. Some really neat places there with awesome views. Other suggestions: pFriem Brewing, Double Mountain Brewing, Naked Winery, Cathedral Ridge Winery. Full Sail is there, but it's not my favorite....

- Sunday, head up to Mt. Hood on 35 - this is a really neat drive up to Hood and you should check out Timberline Lodge which was featured in The Shining and was part of the Works Progress Admin under Roosevelt to get us out of the Great Depression. Hikes all over, plenty to check out and explore, but visiting Timberline is really a must. You can spend as much time here as you like and stay there too, but unless you just fall in love with the mountain, I'd continue your journey on to Bend via 26 to 97. Before you get to Bend, stop off at Smith Rock State Park. Other ideas - Lava Butte, Lava Lands, etc. The High Desert is incredible, so I think spending Sunday night and Monday in Bend is a great idea. I *LOVE* Bend. There is so much to see and do and there are probably a dozen or more breweries that have cool outdoor areas with cornhole, horse shoes, etc. I might even consider TWO nights in Bend so you can get that full Monday in there.

- Early Tues, head out to Crater Lake. I just want to make sure you get enough time here to really experience Crater Lake. I would recommend the boat tour, which I've not done, but my wife has and said it was one of the coolest things she's done. From Crater Lake, you can then hit Umpqua Hot Springs and Toketee Falls which are very close together. You could even stay around the area at Umpqua's Last Resort, which looks really cool. Do a little glamping!

- Wed morn, head down to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. About 3 1/2 hours away from Umpqua. Man, I don't know what to say here. The Redwoods are magical. I'd not want you nor anybody to race through seeing these magnificent trees. You can find a million cool spots around here, from tourist attractions like Trees of Mystery to hidden hikes, no matter where you go, you're going to be in awe of the trees. Find a place there to stay Wed night - look for something IN the Redwoods.

- Thurs, head up 101 taking your time to stop and appreciate the glory. I'd target Yachats which is about 4 hours north of Jedidiah. Gold beach is neat - there's specks of gold in the sand and it sits at the mouth of the Rogue, which I'd love to explore one day but haven't yet. You'll go through Bandon, which is a golf paradise. Florence is a neat coast town with giant sand dunes you can check out. Yachats - man, this is the chillest place on the coast. Get a meal at The Drift Inn. The back patio is fabulous. Food is outstanding. Service is friendly, which is in short supply on the Oregon Coast. Yachats is a little south of Waldport, which is where we like to vacation. Beaches are not crowded, there's cool driftwood logs, the weather is a touch warmer, just a really cool spot. You might not want to leave! Stay there that night, whether Yachats or Waldport, you'll be okay. Cape Perpetua, Thor's Well, Devils Churn, Amanda's Hike...all right there and all worth your time.

- Friday, continue your drive up 101 to Cannon Beach. There's an aquarium in Newport that's neat, but I'd skip it. Depoe Bay is prime whale watching, but can be a bit of a headache parking and walking around. Have lunch at the Pelican Brewery in Siletz Bay. This is the newest Pelican, built in 2022 and it's so cool. Big wrap around deck, views of the bay, great beer and food. A bit pricey, but worth it. Pacific City is cool - also has a Pelican with great views of a haystack rock - there's a neat beach in Oceanside where you can hunt for agate rocks. Tillamook is where the cheese factory is, but I'd skip that. It's not worth your time - just get some of their cheese or ice cream at a store. It's a tourist trap. On to Cannon Beach to stay Friday night.

- Saturday, take your time at Cannon Beach. It's a gem. It's a 90 minute drive from Cannon Beach back to Portland, so don't be in a hurry to get back. Yeah, you can go all the way up to Astoria and that might be cool if you're a Goonies fan or Kindergarten Cop. There's a cool museum there, the Lewis and Clark National Park, great food and beers. Also about a 90 minute drive back to Portland. Skip Seaside, OR. Stay in Portland Sat night, fly back Sunday.

You miss Silver Falls and Abiqua Falls, though you COULD theoretically hit them real fast, but that's not the goal. For example, if you REALLY wanted to hit Silver Falls, it's a long hike that'll take you hours to see complete the full loop and see 10 different falls.

Just another way to look at your journey. You can't go wrong. It's lovely here.

Thanks GB. Expert insight like this is always hyper-welcome.

 

[General Malaise]

And I should have specified why I spun you the other direction - early Sept. weekends on the Oregon Coast can be very crowded, especially if you're going to Cannon Beach. You'll be going south to north avoiding the throngs of beach chasers trying to capture one final weekend of fun on the sand. And when you come back to Portland on Sat, you'll be watching all the traffic going to opposite direction, and that's key.

 

[-fish-]

GM's depth of knowledge here is impressive. I have some family in Portland, my brother lived in Seaside, and I've spent some time on the Oregon coast, but other than my agreement about how ambitious the original itinerary is and the degree of difficulty driving in the rural areas of the state, I've got no useful suggestions. But GM's detailed suggestions and comments here struck me. If someone asked this question about my neck of the PNW, I would have a few suggestions but nowhere near the knowledge of my own area that he has of Oregon, even places that I assume he hasn't frequented all that much. I couldn't tell you where the nearest hike with a waterfall is, and we have hundreds of them. GM's posts make me want to go explore my backyard more. I won't, but they make me want to.

 

[General Malaise]

GM's depth of knowledge here is impressive. I have some family in Portland, my brother lived in Seaside, and I've spent some time on the Oregon coast, but other than my agreement about how ambitious the original itinerary is and the degree of difficulty driving in the rural areas of the state, I've got no useful suggestions. But GM's detailed suggestions and comments here struck me. If someone asked this question about my neck of the PNW, I would have a few suggestions but nowhere near the knowledge of my own area that he has of Oregon, even places that I assume he hasn't frequented all that much. I couldn't tell you where the nearest hike with a waterfall is, and we have hundreds of them. GM's posts make me want to go explore my backyard more. I won't, but they make me want to.

Thanks GB. I need to get up your way and catch another M's game. Be great to see you again.

 

[-fish-]

GM's depth of knowledge here is impressive. I have some family in Portland, my brother lived in Seaside, and I've spent some time on the Oregon coast, but other than my agreement about how ambitious the original itinerary is and the degree of difficulty driving in the rural areas of the state, I've got no useful suggestions. But GM's detailed suggestions and comments here struck me. If someone asked this question about my neck of the PNW, I would have a few suggestions but nowhere near the knowledge of my own area that he has of Oregon, even places that I assume he hasn't frequented all that much. I couldn't tell you where the nearest hike with a waterfall is, and we have hundreds of them. GM's posts make me want to go explore my backyard more. I won't, but they make me want to.

Thanks GB. I need to get up your way and catch another M's game. Be great to see you again.

My parents recently moved to Portland to be closer to family (they're turning 95 and 91 next month), so I'll be visiting down there a little more. You're always welcome to visit. I have lots of extra space since Roverkid moved to NYC.

Also, M's are fun and T-Mobile is a great park, but consider a Rainiers game. AAA baseball is a vibe and great seats are around $15.

 

[General Malaise]

GM's depth of knowledge here is impressive. I have some family in Portland, my brother lived in Seaside, and I've spent some time on the Oregon coast, but other than my agreement about how ambitious the original itinerary is and the degree of difficulty driving in the rural areas of the state, I've got no useful suggestions. But GM's detailed suggestions and comments here struck me. If someone asked this question about my neck of the PNW, I would have a few suggestions but nowhere near the knowledge of my own area that he has of Oregon, even places that I assume he hasn't frequented all that much. I couldn't tell you where the nearest hike with a waterfall is, and we have hundreds of them. GM's posts make me want to go explore my backyard more. I won't, but they make me want to.

Thanks GB. I need to get up your way and catch another M's game. Be great to see you again.

My parents recently moved to Portland to be closer to family (they're turning 95 and 91 next month), so I'll be visiting down there a little more. You're always welcome to visit. I have lots of extra space since Roverkid moved to NYC.

Also, M's are fun and T-Mobile is a great park, but consider a Rainiers game. AAA baseball is a vibe and great seats are around $15.

Heck yeah, that sounds great!

Where'd your folks move to in Portland?

 

[-fish-]

GM's depth of knowledge here is impressive. I have some family in Portland, my brother lived in Seaside, and I've spent some time on the Oregon coast, but other than my agreement about how ambitious the original itinerary is and the degree of difficulty driving in the rural areas of the state, I've got no useful suggestions. But GM's detailed suggestions and comments here struck me. If someone asked this question about my neck of the PNW, I would have a few suggestions but nowhere near the knowledge of my own area that he has of Oregon, even places that I assume he hasn't frequented all that much. I couldn't tell you where the nearest hike with a waterfall is, and we have hundreds of them. GM's posts make me want to go explore my backyard more. I won't, but they make me want to.

Thanks GB. I need to get up your way and catch another M's game. Be great to see you again.

My parents recently moved to Portland to be closer to family (they're turning 95 and 91 next month), so I'll be visiting down there a little more. You're always welcome to visit. I have lots of extra space since Roverkid moved to NYC.

Also, M's are fun and T-Mobile is a great park, but consider a Rainiers game. AAA baseball is a vibe and great seats are around $15.

Heck yeah, that sounds great!

Where'd your folks move to in Portland?

Not sure. I'm headed down to see them in 2 weeks.

 

[SFBayDuck]

Our gb @General Malaise nailed much of it! I grew up in Portland and went to college in Eugene, but left for 25 years and just came back three years ago. So I can tell you where you can likely find a kegger in the woods of the West Hills on a Saturday night or where the post-college (and college) crowd hangs out in Eugene, but our Texas-import friend knows way more about my home state now than I do. And you're nailing the timing, nothing better than the PNW in late-August through early October. Unless of course fire season is bad, which could make anything east of the coast range a bummer or even inaccessible for short periods of time. But, fingers crossed, the last two years haven't been too bad. But you will want to pay attention - I drove up from California two summers ago with my daughter and a friend who was super excited to visit Crater Lake, and the smoke was so bad when we got there that you literally couldn't even see it.

Trying to come up with a few things he left out....

If you're into wine, there are world class Pinots in the Willamette Valley south of Portland, centered largely around Newberg, Dundee, McMinnville. A couple of hundred wineries, beautiful country.

There are a couple of college football games in early-mid September, with Boise St in Eugene on the 7th, and the Ducks heading up to Corvallis to play some mid-major team on the 14th. I kid, I kid, Corvallis is a cool little college town, and also close to the wineries above. But either of those would basically eat a whole day. But hit me up if you want to tailgate at Autzen!

If you're into fishing, you could hit Diamond Lake (not too far from Crater Lake), or the Deschutes or one of dozens of lakes near Bend (I'm hoping to hit Maupin next weekend myself). Or if you want to get out in the ocean for something really unique to Oregon, you could get out on a charter from Depot Bay (world's smallest harbor) or Pacific City (dory boats launch directly off the beach through the surf). And if you do hit Pacific City, you can have a beer at the original Pelican Brewery while looking out at the ocean and enjoying the view of (the real) Haystack Rock. Even without fishing if you want to bring back something right out of the ocean to an Airbnb to cook up yourself, you'll be able to find salmon, cod, oysters, and possibly albacore at fish markets in several towns, or even directly off a boat at the dock in Newport. Nothing like some fresh albacore belly right off the grill.

Ashland has a world class Shakespeare festival, and could be a night between Crater and the coast/redwoods. It's a cool, funky little town with a few breweries and some wineries in the area (and a ton of trails/hiking). Nearby is Jacksonville, which I've only spent a few hours in but has some history to it (Old West frontier town) and, like most of the state, has wine and a ton of outdoor activities all around it.

There is also the Pendleton Round Up the 11-14th which brings a ton of visitors to that corner of the state every year. But it's way out of the way from everything else, so you'd have to be really into rodeos and/or ghost mining towns (there are a handful in deep eastern Oregon) to make that part of the trip.

That's all I got for now, but excited for you! I'm currently on my way back from a few days in FL and just met somebody from Ft. Lauderdale yesterday, and he told me he and his wife come out to the PNW every summer/fall and are amazed that none of their friends have ever been or know anything about it.

 

[General Malaise]

Good call on the fires - they were brutal a few years back. Hopeful we have a tame season.

And double yes on the wineries. There's a FBG who owns one with his wife called Bells Up and I recommend it highly.

@Buc in Exile Makes exceptional wine and has a wonderful tasting room to sample his wines...the guy will forget more about wine tonight than I'll ever know about it my lifetime.

 

[NutterButter]

And I should have specified why I spun you the other direction - early Sept. weekends on the Oregon Coast can be very crowded, especially if you're going to Cannon Beach. You'll be going south to north avoiding the throngs of beach chasers trying to capture one final weekend of fun on the sand. And when you come back to Portland on Sat, you'll be watching all the traffic going to opposite direction, and that's key.

You also mentioned that it significantly cuts the drive time heading towards crater lake which makes sense. As far as the cannon beach traffic, so this depends on the day I'm heading to portland. if i'm heading back late sunday b/c i'm leaving monday which might be the case (got the lady friend to agree to another day), then i'll be sitting in that portland traffic. just something i'll need to keep in mind with my planning.

 

[NutterButter]

Our gb @General Malaise nailed much of it! I grew up in Portland and went to college in Eugene, but left for 25 years and just came back three years ago. So I can tell you where you can likely find a kegger in the woods of the West Hills on a Saturday night or where the post-college (and college) crowd hangs out in Eugene, but our Texas-import friend knows way more about my home state now than I do. And you're nailing the timing, nothing better than the PNW in late-August through early October. Unless of course fire season is bad, which could make anything east of the coast range a bummer or even inaccessible for short periods of time. But, fingers crossed, the last two years haven't been too bad. But you will want to pay attention - I drove up from California two summers ago with my daughter and a friend who was super excited to visit Crater Lake, and the smoke was so bad when we got there that you literally couldn't even see it.

Trying to come up with a few things he left out....

If you're into wine, there are world class Pinots in the Willamette Valley south of Portland, centered largely around Newberg, Dundee, McMinnville. A couple of hundred wineries, beautiful country.

There are a couple of college football games in early-mid September, with Boise St in Eugene on the 7th, and the Ducks heading up to Corvallis to play some mid-major team on the 14th. I kid, I kid, Corvallis is a cool little college town, and also close to the wineries above. But either of those would basically eat a whole day. But hit me up if you want to tailgate at Autzen!

If you're into fishing, you could hit Diamond Lake (not too far from Crater Lake), or the Deschutes or one of dozens of lakes near Bend (I'm hoping to hit Maupin next weekend myself). Or if you want to get out in the ocean for something really unique to Oregon, you could get out on a charter from Depot Bay (world's smallest harbor) or Pacific City (dory boats launch directly off the beach through the surf). And if you do hit Pacific City, you can have a beer at the original Pelican Brewery while looking out at the ocean and enjoying the view of (the real) Haystack Rock. Even without fishing if you want to bring back something right out of the ocean to an Airbnb to cook up yourself, you'll be able to find salmon, cod, oysters, and possibly albacore at fish markets in several towns, or even directly off a boat at the dock in Newport. Nothing like some fresh albacore belly right off the grill.

Ashland has a world class Shakespeare festival, and could be a night between Crater and the coast/redwoods. It's a cool, funky little town with a few breweries and some wineries in the area (and a ton of trails/hiking). Nearby is Jacksonville, which I've only spent a few hours in but has some history to it (Old West frontier town) and, like most of the state, has wine and a ton of outdoor activities all around it.

There is also the Pendleton Round Up the 11-14th which brings a ton of visitors to that corner of the state every year. But it's way out of the way from everything else, so you'd have to be really into rodeos and/or ghost mining towns (there are a handful in deep eastern Oregon) to make that part of the trip.

That's all I got for now, but excited for you! I'm currently on my way back from a few days in FL and just met somebody from Ft. Lauderdale yesterday, and he told me he and his wife come out to the PNW every summer/fall and are amazed that none of their friends have ever been or know anything about it.

Lots of good stuff in here as well. GM got the benefit of being first; otherwise I think you would've had him beat . Really good to know about the wild fires. I never would've thought of that. I'll probably just bail on the trip if I can't get the full experience. There's always another year unless there isn't in which case it won't really matter.

 

[General Malaise]

And I should have specified why I spun you the other direction - early Sept. weekends on the Oregon Coast can be very crowded, especially if you're going to Cannon Beach. You'll be going south to north avoiding the throngs of beach chasers trying to capture one final weekend of fun on the sand. And when you come back to Portland on Sat, you'll be watching all the traffic going to opposite direction, and that's key.

You also mentioned that it significantly cuts the drive time heading towards crater lake which makes sense. As far as the cannon beach traffic, so this depends on the day I'm heading to portland. if i'm heading back late sunday b/c i'm leaving monday which might be the case (got the lady friend to agree to another day), then i'll be sitting in that portland traffic. just something i'll need to keep in mind with my planning.

I think you'll be okay. Point being if you START the trip leaving Portland for Cannon Beach on a Saturday (I think that was your original plan) you'll be driving with the flow of traffic and Cannon Beach could be pretty crowded. The drive back won't be as bad as the drive there but let that be the deciding factor. The way I have you approaching Cannon Beach going north on 101 would be smooth sailing and get you in on a Friday DAY on advance of the weekend crowds and that would be a small victory.

As for the fires, the recent experiences with them were really outliers in my history here. The Gorge fires of 2017(18?) were caused by a dumb teenager throwing firecrackers into the Gorge forest causing massive destruction that's still visible today. I'd like to believe that never happens again. In 2020, it was just a perfect storm of wild fires out of control. I wouldn't let those stop you from coming out, you can always adjust things and go Coast heavy, which would be a ton of fun too. Oregon Coast is my happy place and there's a gazillion things to do like SF Bay suggested.

 

[urbanhack]

Did the Horsetail Falls hike this weekend. It was pretty great. My lady is still working her way back into shape after her hysterectomy so this one worked out well. Just did 1.5 miles up past the upper falls.

 

[General Malaise]

Did the Horsetail Falls hike this weekend. It was pretty great. My lady is still working her way back into shape after her hysterectomy so this one worked out well. Just did 1.5 miles up past the upper falls.

Saw the picture, that's awesome! Being behind that fall is really cool, you can feel how powerful that water is coming down...glad you're getting out and about.

 

[NutterButter]

Got lodging all booked up. Got turo rental. Just need the airfare. Final itinerary. Got lady friend to agree to 2 more days. GM, I know its in the opposite direction you suggested, but I wouldn't expect any traffic in the evening Sat heading to the beach and then its just Sunday dealing with the crowds. Someone else suggested heading south so you're driving with the ocean on your side and I kinda liked the sound of that. I was also sold on doing 3 days at the beach

Sat: Fly into portland early. Hang around Portland for the day and drive to Seaside.
Sun: Hang around cannon and drive to Newport
Mon: To Coos Bay
Tues: To Crescent City, CA.
Wed: To Umpqua and stay at Umpqua's last resort
Thurs: Another day in area.
Fri: To Bend
Sat: Bend
Sun: To Hood River
Mon: To Portland
Tues: Fly home

So pumped for this trip now that everything has come together.

 

[Manster]

Sounds like a cool trip!

In central OR you could check out the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, and the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway......then pub crawl!

If you're adventurous you could book a guided rafting trip on the lower Deschutes.

Definitely recommend Pfriem in Hood River. Outstanding beer.

 

[Manster]

I would check out Local Ocean for seafood in Newport, and pop into Rogue for a beer.

Another adventure....razor clamming around seaside. Just need a good low tide, minimal gear you can rent.....fried razor clams! Theres tons of info on the web.

 

[General Malaise]

Got lodging all booked up. Got turo rental. Just need the airfare. Final itinerary. Got lady friend to agree to 2 more days. GM, I know its in the opposite direction you suggested, but I wouldn't expect any traffic in the evening Sat heading to the beach and then its just Sunday dealing with the crowds. Someone else suggested heading south so you're driving with the ocean on your side and I kinda liked the sound of that. I was also sold on doing 3 days at the beach

Sat: Fly into portland early. Hang around Portland for the day and drive to Seaside.
Sun: Hang around cannon and drive to Newport
Mon: To Coos Bay
Tues: To Crescent City, CA.
Wed: To Umpqua and stay at Umpqua's last resort
Thurs: Another day in area.
Fri: To Bend
Sat: Bend
Sun: To Hood River
Mon: To Portland
Tues: Fly home

So pumped for this trip now that everything has come together.

Awesome! You really can't go wrong, GB. You're coming to an outdoor paradise with so many different things to see and do. I'm really glad you'll be in Bend for two days, you'll fall in love with it. Definitely try and get a little river float in if you can, it's so relaxing. Hood River too?

 

[Manster]

The more I think about it, GM's suggestion of a river float thru town makes more sense to maximize your time. And it would be nice, and relaxing. A lower D rafting trip would be an all day thing, and you'd be driving well over an hour to get there from Bend.....it's a whitewater trip too. The lower D below Lake Billy Chinook is a big, brawling river.....the lower Deschutes canyon is one of the crown jewels of Oregon, however.

 

[NutterButter]

Got lodging all booked up. Got turo rental. Just need the airfare. Final itinerary. Got lady friend to agree to 2 more days. GM, I know its in the opposite direction you suggested, but I wouldn't expect any traffic in the evening Sat heading to the beach and then its just Sunday dealing with the crowds. Someone else suggested heading south so you're driving with the ocean on your side and I kinda liked the sound of that. I was also sold on doing 3 days at the beach

Sat: Fly into portland early. Hang around Portland for the day and drive to Seaside.
Sun: Hang around cannon and drive to Newport
Mon: To Coos Bay
Tues: To Crescent City, CA.
Wed: To Umpqua and stay at Umpqua's last resort
Thurs: Another day in area.
Fri: To Bend
Sat: Bend
Sun: To Hood River
Mon: To Portland
Tues: Fly home

So pumped for this trip now that everything has come together.

Awesome! You really can't go wrong, GB. You're coming to an outdoor paradise with so many different things to see and do. I'm really glad you'll be in Bend for two days, you'll fall in love with it. Definitely try and get a little river float in if you can, it's so relaxing. Hood River too?

Water temp still comfortable mid-sept?

 

[General Malaise]

Got lodging all booked up. Got turo rental. Just need the airfare. Final itinerary. Got lady friend to agree to 2 more days. GM, I know its in the opposite direction you suggested, but I wouldn't expect any traffic in the evening Sat heading to the beach and then its just Sunday dealing with the crowds. Someone else suggested heading south so you're driving with the ocean on your side and I kinda liked the sound of that. I was also sold on doing 3 days at the beach

Sat: Fly into portland early. Hang around Portland for the day and drive to Seaside.
Sun: Hang around cannon and drive to Newport
Mon: To Coos Bay
Tues: To Crescent City, CA.
Wed: To Umpqua and stay at Umpqua's last resort
Thurs: Another day in area.
Fri: To Bend
Sat: Bend
Sun: To Hood River
Mon: To Portland
Tues: Fly home

So pumped for this trip now that everything has come together.

Awesome! You really can't go wrong, GB. You're coming to an outdoor paradise with so many different things to see and do. I'm really glad you'll be in Bend for two days, you'll fall in love with it. Definitely try and get a little river float in if you can, it's so relaxing. Hood River too?

Water temp still comfortable mid-sept?

Yup. Mid-sept is still summer here, you'll be fine. Essentially, you put in at one spot, park your car, float down about a mile and change and just chill. Takes about 90 minutes but there's no real hurry, it's just a pleasant way to cool off. There's shuttles that will run you back to your car.

Info: https://www.twowanderingsoles.com/b...time to float,Oregon's high desert for tubing.

 

[NutterButter]

The more I think about it, GM's suggestion of a river float thru town makes more sense to maximize your time. And it would be nice, and relaxing. A lower D rafting trip would be an all day thing, and you'd be driving well over an hour to get there from Bend.....it's a whitewater trip too. The lower D below Lake Billy Chinook is a big, brawling river.....the lower Deschutes canyon is one of the crown jewels of Oregon, however.

Something to keep in mind if/when I come back. This is more of a drive around the state taking in all the highlights type of trip, but if Bend lives up to its reputation, I'll probably be back for an extended trip.

 

[Manster]

The more I think about it, GM's suggestion of a river float thru town makes more sense to maximize your time. And it would be nice, and relaxing. A lower D rafting trip would be an all day thing, and you'd be driving well over an hour to get there from Bend.....it's a whitewater trip too. The lower D below Lake Billy Chinook is a big, brawling river.....the lower Deschutes canyon is one of the crown jewels of Oregon, however.

Something to keep in mind if/when I come back. This is more of a drive around the state taking in all the highlights type of trip, but if Bend lives up to its reputation, I'll probably be back for an extended trip.

It depends on who you ask about Bend. Many locals have moved away as it's grown. It's all relative I guess, depending on what ur used to......they are now doing quotas for the trailheads in the 3 Sisters, and Jefferson Wilderness areas.

We do a lot of camping/fly fishing trips, so I don't post many specifics on the interwebs.....the places we recreate have become much busier, as the population has grown......I'm always happy to DM specifics about places that I feel are more sensitive to the crowds....places you'd maybe want to check out on an extended trip.

All that to say, Central OR is awesome.....it's just grown A LOT, and it's crazy expensive.

 

[NutterButter]

The more I think about it, GM's suggestion of a river float thru town makes more sense to maximize your time. And it would be nice, and relaxing. A lower D rafting trip would be an all day thing, and you'd be driving well over an hour to get there from Bend.....it's a whitewater trip too. The lower D below Lake Billy Chinook is a big, brawling river.....the lower Deschutes canyon is one of the crown jewels of Oregon, however.

Something to keep in mind if/when I come back. This is more of a drive around the state taking in all the highlights type of trip, but if Bend lives up to its reputation, I'll probably be back for an extended trip.

It depends on who you ask about Bend. Many locals have moved away as it's grown. It's all relative I guess, depending on what ur used to......they are now doing quotas for the trailheads in the 3 Sisters, and Jefferson Wilderness areas.

We do a lot of camping/fly fishing trips, so I don't post many specifics on the interwebs.....the places we recreate have become much busier, as the population has grown......I'm always happy to DM specifics about places that I feel are more sensitive to the crowds....places you'd maybe want to check out on an extended trip.

All that to say, Central OR is awesome.....it's just grown A LOT, and it's crazy expensive.

Bend actually has some quality airbnb options. Living there full time is probably another story. I try to travel during the shoulder seasons to avoid the crowds and high prices unless its somewhere like Glacier when you have no choice.

 

[Manster]

The more I think about it, GM's suggestion of a river float thru town makes more sense to maximize your time. And it would be nice, and relaxing. A lower D rafting trip would be an all day thing, and you'd be driving well over an hour to get there from Bend.....it's a whitewater trip too. The lower D below Lake Billy Chinook is a big, brawling river.....the lower Deschutes canyon is one of the crown jewels of Oregon, however.

Something to keep in mind if/when I come back. This is more of a drive around the state taking in all the highlights type of trip, but if Bend lives up to its reputation, I'll probably be back for an extended trip.

It depends on who you ask about Bend. Many locals have moved away as it's grown. It's all relative I guess, depending on what ur used to......they are now doing quotas for the trailheads in the 3 Sisters, and Jefferson Wilderness areas.

We do a lot of camping/fly fishing trips, so I don't post many specifics on the interwebs.....the places we recreate have become much busier, as the population has grown......I'm always happy to DM specifics about places that I feel are more sensitive to the crowds....places you'd maybe want to check out on an extended trip.

All that to say, Central OR is awesome.....it's just grown A LOT, and it's crazy expensive.

Bend actually has some quality airbnb options. Living there full time is probably another story. I try to travel during the shoulder seasons to avoid the crowds and high prices unless its somewhere like Glacier when you have no choice.

Huge fan of Air BNB as well. No brainer when you can get a good one for same price, or sometimes cheaper, than a hotel room.

I think for those of us who are Oregon natives, and remember Bend how it was before it was "discovered", lament for the old days. I've actually considered moving there in the recent past, but wages for my profession do not match up well with the cost of living.

 

[General Malaise]

Sisters and Redmond are booming with Bend overflow.

One of our LPs lives in Sisters....his next door neighbor is a fairly famous rapper who moved in a few years ago. Like parts of Montana, Cali money has flocked here and made things silly expensive.

 

[SFBayDuck]

It depends on who you ask about Bend. Many locals have moved away as it's grown. It's all relative I guess, depending on what ur used to......they are now doing quotas for the trailheads in the 3 Sisters, and Jefferson Wilderness areas.

We do a lot of camping/fly fishing trips, so I don't post many specifics on the interwebs.....the places we recreate have become much busier, as the population has grown......I'm always happy to DM specifics about places that I feel are more sensitive to the crowds....places you'd maybe want to check out on an extended trip.

All that to say, Central OR is awesome.....it's just grown A LOT, and it's crazy expensive.

I just spent last weekend camping on the Deschutes and doing a little fly fishing (my first time). Was the perfect time of year as there were just a few rafts floating by and most of the campground was empty, that certainly won't be the case in about a month I'm sure.

 

[Manster]

It depends on who you ask about Bend. Many locals have moved away as it's grown. It's all relative I guess, depending on what ur used to......they are now doing quotas for the trailheads in the 3 Sisters, and Jefferson Wilderness areas.

We do a lot of camping/fly fishing trips, so I don't post many specifics on the interwebs.....the places we recreate have become much busier, as the population has grown......I'm always happy to DM specifics about places that I feel are more sensitive to the crowds....places you'd maybe want to check out on an extended trip.

All that to say, Central OR is awesome.....it's just grown A LOT, and it's crazy expensive.

I just spent last weekend camping on the Deschutes and doing a little fly fishing (my first time). Was the perfect time of year as there were just a few rafts floating by and most of the campground was empty, that certainly won't be the case in about a month I'm sure.

Are you hooked? I learned to fly fish on the D! I was addicted from day one even though caught more trees than fish initially...

I assume you mean the lower Deschutes down around Maupin? The great thing about that area is it can be pretty busy but there is still plenty of access, and room to spread out. It will be busy for the salmonfly/golden stone hatch.....it is every year.

The thing about the lower D is it's not an easy river to fish which cuts down on the pressure, overall, which is fine with me.

 

[Manster]

Sisters and Redmond are booming with Bend overflow.

One of our LPs lives in Sisters....his next door neighbor is a fairly famous rapper who moved in a few years ago. Like parts of Montana, Cali money has flocked here and made things silly expensive.

Yep.....wish I was in a position to buy a place over there when it was cheap

 

[General Malaise]

Sisters and Redmond are booming with Bend overflow.

One of our LPs lives in Sisters....his next door neighbor is a fairly famous rapper who moved in a few years ago. Like parts of Montana, Cali money has flocked here and made things silly expensive.

Yep.....wish I was in a position to buy a place over there when it was cheap

Had a small fantasy of selling everything and buying one of those trendy "small" houses on the river, get me another rescue dog and spend my days fishing, disc golfing and pouring beers on the side for fun money....reading and writing by the river, drinking beers and playing with my dog.

 

[SFBayDuck]

It depends on who you ask about Bend. Many locals have moved away as it's grown. It's all relative I guess, depending on what ur used to......they are now doing quotas for the trailheads in the 3 Sisters, and Jefferson Wilderness areas.

We do a lot of camping/fly fishing trips, so I don't post many specifics on the interwebs.....the places we recreate have become much busier, as the population has grown......I'm always happy to DM specifics about places that I feel are more sensitive to the crowds....places you'd maybe want to check out on an extended trip.

All that to say, Central OR is awesome.....it's just grown A LOT, and it's crazy expensive.

I just spent last weekend camping on the Deschutes and doing a little fly fishing (my first time). Was the perfect time of year as there were just a few rafts floating by and most of the campground was empty, that certainly won't be the case in about a month I'm sure.

Are you hooked? I learned to fly fish on the D! I was addicted from day one even though caught more trees than fish initially...

I assume you mean the lower Deschutes down around Maupin? The great thing about that area is it can be pretty busy but there is still plenty of access, and room to spread out. It will be busy for the salmonfly/golden stone hatch.....it is every year.

The thing about the lower D is it's not an easy river to fish which cuts down on the pressure, overall, which is fine with me.

Exactly right, just outside Maupin. Not sure I'd say "hooked" yet on the fly fishing, but I've always gotten the appeal and definitely want to get out and do it again.

I grew up drifting/fishing/camping that river every Fall in a drift boat with my dad, but we weren't fly fishing. We'd put in at Pine Tree (I think, it's been 34 years) and drift down to the Dalles over a couple of days. Some good whitewater on that last stretch!

 

[Manster]

Sisters and Redmond are booming with Bend overflow.

One of our LPs lives in Sisters....his next door neighbor is a fairly famous rapper who moved in a few years ago. Like parts of Montana, Cali money has flocked here and made things silly expensive.

Yep.....wish I was in a position to buy a place over there when it was cheap

Had a small fantasy of selling everything and buying one of those trendy "small" houses on the river, get me another rescue dog and spend my days fishing, disc golfing and pouring beers on the side for fun money....reading and writing by the river, drinking beers and playing with my dog.

Sounds pretty perfect......I've had similar thoughts. I could've been a trout bum if I didnt get married, and have kids.

 

[NutterButter]

Talk me out of moving to bend bc this place seems incredible. Did we just hit the trifecta of weather, crowd size and air quality?

 

[General Malaise]

Talk me out of moving to bend bc this place seems incredible. Did we just hit the trifecta of weather, crowd size and air quality?

Love it there but jobs are hard to come by and it's a city for trust fund kids and people that retired super early. You float the Deschutes?

 

[SFBayDuck]

Talk me out of moving to bend bc this place seems incredible. Did we just hit the trifecta of weather, crowd size and air quality?

If you like the outdoors, it's tough to beat. Just be independently wealthy or work remotely, because other than tourism/service there aren't many jobs.

This is a great time to visit the PNW, for sure. Mid-70s to mid-80s is pretty much the norm, with no humidity. And Bend actually doesn't suffer from the grey drizzle we get on the western side of the cascades from Halloween on for several months.

 

[NutterButter]

Talk me out of moving to bend bc this place seems incredible. Did we just hit the trifecta of weather, crowd size and air quality?

Love it there but jobs are hard to come by and it's a city for trust fund kids and people that retired super early. You float the Deschutes?

No float but I'm gonna be back real soon for a longer stretch of remote work/play. Absolutely loved the vibe there.

 

[NutterButter]

Talk me out of moving to bend bc this place seems incredible. Did we just hit the trifecta of weather, crowd size and air quality?

If you like the outdoors, it's tough to beat. Just be independently wealthy or work remotely, because other than tourism/service there aren't many jobs.

This is a great time to visit the PNW, for sure. Mid-70s to mid-80s is pretty much the norm, with no humidity. And Bend actually doesn't suffer from the grey drizzle we get on the western side of the cascades from Halloween on for several months.

Saw they get a lot of sunny days. Also that they have a good sized population but things didn't feel crowded at all and that was on the weekend. Couldn't expect better weather. Got one drizzly day along the coast but just perfect otherwise. Whole state is just magical.

 

[SFBayDuck]

Talk me out of moving to bend bc this place seems incredible. Did we just hit the trifecta of weather, crowd size and air quality?

If you like the outdoors, it's tough to beat. Just be independently wealthy or work remotely, because other than tourism/service there aren't many jobs.

This is a great time to visit the PNW, for sure. Mid-70s to mid-80s is pretty much the norm, with no humidity. And Bend actually doesn't suffer from the grey drizzle we get on the western side of the cascades from Halloween on for several months.

Saw they get a lot of sunny days. Also that they have a good sized population but things didn't feel crowded at all and that was on the weekend. Couldn't expect better weather. Got one drizzly day along the coast but just perfect otherwise. Whole state is just magical.

Don't tell anyone.

 

[urbanhack]

Talk me out of moving to bend bc this place seems incredible. Did we just hit the trifecta of weather, crowd size and air quality?

If you like the outdoors, it's tough to beat. Just be independently wealthy or work remotely, because other than tourism/service there aren't many jobs.

This is a great time to visit the PNW, for sure. Mid-70s to mid-80s is pretty much the norm, with no humidity. And Bend actually doesn't suffer from the grey drizzle we get on the western side of the cascades from Halloween on for several months.

Saw they get a lot of sunny days. Also that they have a good sized population but things didn't feel crowded at all and that was on the weekend. Couldn't expect better weather. Got one drizzly day along the coast but just perfect otherwise. Whole state is just magical.

The weather this past weekend in PDX doesn't get any better! wow.

 

[Manster]

Talk me out of moving to bend bc this place seems incredible. Did we just hit the trifecta of weather, crowd size and air quality?

Love it there but jobs are hard to come by and it's a city for trust fund kids and people that retired super early. You float the Deschutes?

Yea, cost of living is very high. Wages don't match.

For Oregon natives Bend was better before it got "discovered"

 

[NutterButter]

Talk me out of moving to bend bc this place seems incredible. Did we just hit the trifecta of weather, crowd size and air quality?

Love it there but jobs are hard to come by and it's a city for trust fund kids and people that retired super early. You float the Deschutes?

Yea, cost of living is very high. Wages don't match.

For Oregon natives Bend was better before it got "discovered"

I guess it's a good thing for me that I don't have that history bc I'm just discovering it and I think it's amazing. I've had the same experience with costa rica where people that were going there 10 years ago said it was better then while I see it as a tropical paradise I've just recently discovered.

 

[Manster]

Talk me out of moving to bend bc this place seems incredible. Did we just hit the trifecta of weather, crowd size and air quality?

Love it there but jobs are hard to come by and it's a city for trust fund kids and people that retired super early. You float the Deschutes?

Yea, cost of living is very high. Wages don't match.

For Oregon natives Bend was better before it got "discovered"

I guess it's a good thing for me that I don't have that history bc I'm just discovering it and I think it's amazing. I've had the same experience with costa rica where people that were going there 10 years ago said it was better then while I see it as a tropical paradise I've just recently discovered.

Yea, it's all relative. My aunt, and uncle, who grew up in Bend, moved to Baker City a few years ago. Bend got too busy for them.

I used to want to end up in Bend, but it's just too expensive. And the places I like to recreate at are relatively crowded.

I can only speak for myself, but I think a lot of west coast natives feel this way ......we like sparse pop density, and wide open spaces. Maybe we've been spoiled, but the cool places getting overrun with outsiders with a bunch of money, is kind of depressing. Saw the same thing in Montana when we visited. I spose it's the way of things.

 

[Bob Henry]

Great suggestions and insights from GM. I took my daughter to Mt. Hood last summer for a summer ski race camp. With my other daughter, we turned it into a similar Oregon road trip like yours only we went clockwise (PDX, Columbia River Gorge, Multnomah Falls, Hood River, Smith Rock, Bend / Sisters, Crater Lake, Silver Falls, back to PDX, drop off at Hood (Timberline!), then over to Cannon Beach and then down the coast all the way to Santa Cruz.

If you spend anytime in PDX, I highly recommend the Multnomah Whiskey Library. It's one of the more epic speakeasy spots I've been to across America. Everyone is probably familiar with VooDoo Donuts, too. It's cool. My daughters got a chuckle seeing the c*&k and ball* donut in the display. That was actually our first stop outside of the airport on the way out of town. Stumptown Roasters is one of my personal favorite spots for coffee, though you won't have to look hard around Portland for a good coffee joint.

Luckily, we planned ahead for parking and it paid off going to Multnomah Falls and getting a good hike in there. Great scenery and a good way to get things going for the trip before heading east to Hood River to check out the kite surfing and have lunch at 3 Rivers Grill. Cool spot, outdoor seating and a convenient place to refill before we headed south to Smith Rock.

Smith Rock was one of our highlights for the entire trip. Misery Ridge Trail is gorgeous with roughly 1,000+ foot of elevation gain in about a 1/2 mile if I recall correctly. Aptly named if your not in shape, but not tough otherwise.

There are numerous great spots to eat around Bend. Deschutes Brewery has tons of tasty beer selections, of course, but their menu is rock solid too. The Barn in Sisters was awesome pairing a brewery with an assortment of food trucks in a cozy little park.

We hit Crater Lake, although the boat tour doesn't usually start until late June at earliest. We went about a week before and there was still quite a bit of snow around forcing us to re-route to the southern side of the lake to enter the park. Keep in mind, there is no cell service there so have your maps and general directions well in hand and not rely on Google maps. Crater is gorgeous anytime of the year.

We hopped over to Silver Falls on the way back to PDX to hike the Trail of Ten Falls. My daughters were unhappy with me because I estimated the hike time to be shorter than it actually was. I blame the Alltrails app, though I'm sure it was pilot error, too. It was a good 3 hours but the sites were plentiful and it was a worthwhile jaunt.

After we drove back up through PDX and over to Hood we drove straight west to Cannon Beach to take in Haystack Rock. Timing was perfect as we got there an hour or so before sunset and just walked the entire beach taking tons of pictures and just taking in the beauty of that place. We also ate at Pelican Brewing and made a brief stop at Tillamook and numerous others on the PCH.

We packed everything in Oregon into a 3-4 days of fury. Wish we had more as there is so much to see. Funny thing about this trip and a few ski camps at Hood is my daughter now has Oregon among her top 3-4 schools she's looking at for college. Gulp.

 

[Manster]

Great suggestions and insights from GM. I took my daughter to Mt. Hood last summer for a summer ski race camp. With my other daughter, we turned it into a similar Oregon road trip like yours only we went clockwise (PDX, Columbia River Gorge, Multnomah Falls, Hood River, Smith Rock, Bend / Sisters, Crater Lake, Silver Falls, back to PDX, drop off at Hood (Timberline!), then over to Cannon Beach and then down the coast all the way to Santa Cruz.

If you spend anytime in PDX, I highly recommend the Multnomah Whiskey Library. It's one of the more epic speakeasy spots I've been to across America. Everyone is probably familiar with VooDoo Donuts, too. It's cool. My daughters got a chuckle seeing the c*&k and ball* donut in the display. That was actually our first stop outside of the airport on the way out of town. Stumptown Roasters is one of my personal favorite spots for coffee, though you won't have to look hard around Portland for a good coffee joint.

Luckily, we planned ahead for parking and it paid off going to Multnomah Falls and getting a good hike in there. Great scenery and a good way to get things going for the trip before heading east to Hood River to check out the kite surfing and have lunch at 3 Rivers Grill. Cool spot, outdoor seating and a convenient place to refill before we headed south to Smith Rock.

Smith Rock was one of our highlights for the entire trip. Misery Ridge Trail is gorgeous with roughly 1,000+ foot of elevation gain in about a 1/2 mile if I recall correctly. Aptly named if your not in shape, but not tough otherwise.

There are numerous great spots to eat around Bend. Deschutes Brewery has tons of tasty beer selections, of course, but their menu is rock solid too. The Barn in Sisters was awesome pairing a brewery with an assortment of food trucks in a cozy little park.

We hit Crater Lake, although the boat tour doesn't usually start until late June at earliest. We went about a week before and there was still quite a bit of snow around forcing us to re-route to the southern side of the lake to enter the park. Keep in mind, there is no cell service there so have your maps and general directions well in hand and not rely on Google maps. Crater is gorgeous anytime of the year.

We hopped over to Silver Falls on the way back to PDX to hike the Trail of Ten Falls. My daughters were unhappy with me because I estimated the hike time to be shorter than it actually was. I blame the Alltrails app, though I'm sure it was pilot error, too. It was a good 3 hours but the sites were plentiful and it was a worthwhile jaunt.

After we drove back up through PDX and over to Hood we drove straight west to Cannon Beach to take in Haystack Rock. Timing was perfect as we got there an hour or so before sunset and just walked the entire beach taking tons of pictures and just taking in the beauty of that place. We also ate at Pelican Brewing and made a brief stop at Tillamook and numerous others on the PCH.

We packed everything in Oregon into a 3-4 days of fury. Wish we had more as there is so much to see. Funny thing about this trip and a few ski camps at Hood is my daughter now has Oregon among her top 3-4 schools she's looking at for college. Gulp.

Sounds like an awesome trip!

She's picking the wrong school though....

 

[NutterButter]

@Bob Henry already stated most of the highlights, but here were some of my favorites. Any section along 101 that's on the coast is just wonderful. I love how you're always elevated so you have great views continuously on your front right along with lush forests some how staying upright all along the other side. My favorite stops are cannon beach, Sisters Rock and the section next to Devil's churn where you can just watch the waves crash into the rocks. We rented a dune buggy and rode the dunes.

The redwoods in Jedediah Smith just blow your mine with their size and the ferns filling in the forest floor are a nice addition of greenness. Got an airbnb for staying in an rv which was unique. The clearness and river rock floor of the smith river is something I've never seen. The destruction of the wild fires in umpqua national forest, the hot springs which we were fortunate to use since the road was just recently closed and all that is crater lake; the mountain walls surrounding it and the navy blueness of the water with a band of turquois along the shore. We hiked down to the water and saw some folks jumping off a rock into it so how could I pass up on the opportunity to jump into a volcano. Great call @General Malaise on Umpqua's last resort. The owners of that place are just tremendous.

You already know my thoughts on Bend. Got an airbnb with a hot tub so it was a wonderful end to some chill days just relaxing. Smith rock park was just a pleasant surprise. Between the 360 degree views and the rock climbers, just a memorable experience. Biggest disappointment was failing to stop at the In N Out at Grants Pass. Didn't realize Oregon even had them and I just noticed it too late before getting on I5. Best meal was probably at Pfreim in Hood River. Nothing fancy since we don't roll that way but just delicious pub grub but there were a few others close. Also was the highest percentage of winning beers in the flight we got. Love the flight concept with all the beers to choose from. Love all the food truck pods. Met so many great people between air bnb hosts and while out and about. We drove a ton and we did just as much but it didn't feel too rushed or busy. Couldn't have gone any better. Its gonna be hard to find another place that has so much going on. Only thing we had to skip that was desired was silverton, but I'll cross that off next time while also seeing Salem and Eugene and then back to Bend.

Thank you everyone in this thread for helping to make this trip possible.