Which route through Oregon

[we"reofftoneverland]

Anyone have any ideas on this? We are driving from Disneyland to Seattle and not sure which route to take once we get to Oregon. We are not concerned about time but experience. Any input is appreciated! We are mom, dad, and 2 teen boys if that makes a difference.

 

[Rex1993]

What time of year will have a big impact on that decision. I used to live outside of PDX but made the trip down to the Bay Area about 2x/month. I almost always took 5 because it was faster but so boring. Going through Bend is a neat detour but you can get some issues with either fires or snow depending on the time of year.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

What time of year will have a big impact on that decision. I used to live outside of PDX but made the trip down to the Bay Area about 2x/month. I almost always took 5 because it was faster but so boring. Going through Bend is a neat detour but you can get some issues with either fires or snow depending on the time of year.

Second week of May. I have been looking at it more closely and think maybe the boring route to stop at Crater Lake National Park? It does sound like there is still snow in May which I didn’t even think about because we live in Texas where May is already too hot.

 

[Chili327]

If you want to take the scenic route go eastern route, if you want to get there stay on i5

 

[Douglas Dubh]

Crater Lake still has lots of snow in May. If you have a lot of time, go up 101. Stop in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz. Drive over Golden Gate, see Redwoods.

 

[cedricandsophie]

Oregon has the most beautiful coast in the country. If you want to visit crater lake which is on 97, continue north to Bend. Then take 20 west to 101 and the coast. I’ve driven it both ways, it’s amazing. You can stop at Strawberry Hill rest stop, walk down to the water and watch the seals. Stop in Newport for the Oregon coast aquarium. Depoe bay has great gray whale watching depending on the time of year. Lincoln city has a spectacular beach. Tilamook has great cheese and ice cream. And Canon beach is spectacular especially Haystack Rock. . If you’re heading to Portland you can start inland on route 26 through gorgeous country. I’d definitely take 2-3 days so you can stop, spend the night, walk the beaches, etc.

 

[cedricandsophie]

And if you’re going to Seattle you can skip Portland and go north thru Astoria and head inland to route 5 for a quick drive to Seattle. Depending on your travel days you might also consider tine on the Columbia River which is also spectacular. The Washington side has great views and if you get to Hood River it’s the kite boarding capital because of the winds.
Sorry for the long note. Oregon is my favorite state!

 

[China Expat]

The coast!

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Crater Lake still has lots of snow in May. If you have a lot of time, go up 101. Stop in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz. Drive over Golden Gate, see Redwoods.

Thanks for this info

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Oregon has the most beautiful coast in the country. If you want to visit crater lake which is on 97, continue north to Bend. Then take 20 west to 101 and the coast. I’ve driven it both ways, it’s amazing. You can stop at Strawberry Hill rest stop, walk down to the water and watch the seals. Stop in Newport for the Oregon coast aquarium. Depoe bay has great gray whale watching depending on the time of year. Lincoln city has a spectacular beach. Tilamook has great cheese and ice cream. And Canon beach is spectacular especially Haystack Rock. . If you’re heading to Portland you can start inland on route 26 through gorgeous country. I’d definitely take 2-3 days so you can stop, spend the night, walk the beaches, etc.

And if you’re going to Seattle you can skip Portland and go north thru Astoria and head inland to route 5 for a quick drive to Seattle. Depending on your travel days you might also consider tine on the Columbia River which is also spectacular. The Washington side has great views and if you get to Hood River it’s the kite boarding capital because of the winds.
Sorry for the long note. Oregon is my favorite state!

I really appreciate the long note and will look into all of this! Thanks

 

[Howry]

If it were me I would go down the coast rather then crater lake. Crater lake is nice but my family much prefers the views and stops along the coast to the drive to crater lake. Just depends on how much time you have. Coast would easily be my #1 choice if time allows. If you dont have the time, just take I5 all the way.

I live in Oregon and maybe its because I have been to both many times but you just cant beat the coast trek imo.

 

[disneychrista]

I'd go up 5.

 

[bcwife76]

If you have the time I'm another one to vote the 101 on the coast, it's stunning! Crater Lake is gorgeous too but like others have said, you could still be dealing with snow in May.

 

[China Expat]

I drive this route often from San Francisco up the Oregon coast. STay on the 101 all the way and you'll hit amazing beaches with rock formations, light houses, redwoods, and much more! Stunning. Be sure to stay in Bandon for at least a night and enjoy the tide pools, shops, and crab cakes at Tony's.

 

[zanzibar138]

I did a road trip through Oregon with my ex in March 2015. We did a loop from Portland along the Columbia River Highway, down through Bend and then across to Eugene, across to the coast for a couple of nights, and then back to Portland via Silver Falls State Park. You can see my TR here (it's old obviously but you can still see the photos through the Photobucket watermarks!). It was a really enjoyable trip!

The major highlights for me were Columbia River Highway and Silver Falls (even though we had very little time there). I guess you can probably tell I like waterfalls lol! Having said that, we did also enjoy the coastal drive, which was probably more consistently scenic. The inland driving had a lot of kinda boring bits between points of interest.

We were very lucky with the weather - being from Australia we weren't even thinking about snow and driving through the mountains after Bend could have been a disaster! Luckily it was mostly just a light dusting of snow and the main roads were clear.