Portland to SF - what to do?

hey everyone,

my boyfriend and I have 5-6 days to get from Portland OR to San Fran - not counting seeing those cities themselves. I would love to hear your suggestions on what to do in between these 2 cities! We are in our late 20s, adventurous and outdoorsy.

Some ideas we have and would love some feedback on are:

- hot springs (Calistoga or is there somewhere better/less snooty?)
- wine tasting in Oregon
- salmon fishing (though I don't know how salmon season is looking)
- camping in the redwoods
- Oregon coast - what is cool/awesome/fun?
- is point reyes worth it? is it oyster season?
- anything cool to do in mendocino/humboldt? (besides the obvious ;)
- bandon dunes?
- mount shasta?
- around portland - gorges? volcanoes?

help! thank you!

anyone?? :(

Quote:

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Originally Posted by violet49

hey everyone,

my boyfriend and I have 5-6 days to get from Portland OR to San Fran - not counting seeing those cities themselves. I would love to hear your suggestions on what to do in between these 2 cities! We are in our late 20s, adventurous and outdoorsy.

Some ideas we have and would love some feedback on are:

- hot springs (Calistoga or is there somewhere better/less snooty?)
- wine tasting in Oregon
- salmon fishing (though I don't know how salmon season is looking)
- camping in the redwoods
- Oregon coast - what is cool/awesome/fun?
- is point reyes worth it? is it oyster season?
- anything cool to do in mendocino/humboldt? (besides the obvious ;)
- bandon dunes?
- mount shasta?
- around portland - gorges? volcanoes?

help! thank you!

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I can't comment on the hot springs, but I'll answer what I can.

- Wine tasting. You may want to consider Napa Valley for this. I enjoyed the Chandon Winery tour to see how sparkling wine is made (nice samples, too).
- Camping in the redwoods. Check out Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park.
- Oregon Coast. As I just wrote in another post, it depends where you start. If you start as far north as Astoria, it may be worth your while to check out Battery Russell at Fort Stevens State Park to see the only part of the continental US attacked during WWII. There's a shipwreck on the beach to explore in the park, also.
Tillamook offers a cheese/ice cream factory tour. Extra sharp cheddar--mmm.
There are a number of Mo's Restaurants down the coast to stop in for a cup of chowder and a bite to eat. Good stuff.
Heceta Head Lighthouse north of Florence is a great place to stop for the scenery.
There's a wild animal park south of Bandon where you can actually get close to bear, lion, and tiger cubs at certain times of the year. Check it out here:http://www.gameparksafari.com/
When you get into California you may want to check out the Redwoods National Park. If you're into tacky tourist traps, the Trees of Mystery between Crescent City and Eureka is a great place to stop for a snapshot in front of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox.
If you like Victorian buildings, stop by Ferndale. The film "The Majestic" was filmed there.
- I haven't been to Point Reyes in 30 years, but I remember it being worth the trip. I plan to go again within a year.
- I drive past Mt. Shasta almost every time I visit my brothers in Oregon, so I'm less awed by it than I once was. It's a stately volcano, but I've never climbed it or hiked around it.
- East of Portland along I-84 is Multnomah Falls. The old highway has a bridge that runs in front of the falls that's cool to walk over.

I hope this helps.

I'll answer some of your other questions -

- wine tasting in Oregon
Check out this Oregon Winery website. It has locations and lots of good information and should help you find wineries along your route.

- salmon fishing (though I don't know how salmon season is looking)
According to this report, they are currently meeting to review the status of the salmon season. If you decide to go, the Rogue River area is supposed to have great fishing. Most salmon trips are really a full day activity and you have somewhat limited time so I'm unsure if I'd want to give up a full day for this. I'm thinking fishing trips out of Depoe Bay will take up only half a day as they advertise 5 hour trips. Anyway, I've only fished in Washington state so I can't vouch for any particular charter outfit. I would just google and find a company that seems to fit your needs and schedule and then ask them about how the fishing season is looking.

- Oregon coast - what is cool/awesome/fun?
Everything. It's really worth giving at least 3 days to explore this area, more if you have time for it. Here's a great roadtrip report that will give you some ideas. Some of my personal favorites are Oregon Dunes NRA, Depoe Bay, Newport (aquarium and other attractions), Sea Lion Caves, Tillamook Cheese Factory, all the lighthouses, Devil's Punch Bowl, Seaside, and oh, so much more. You could easily spend a week driving the Oregon Coast and not have time for it all.

- around portland - gorges? volcanoes?
The Columbia River Gorge is awesome. It's one of the premier windsurfing areas in the world. The drive is gorgeous. I prefer the Washington side but you could easily do a loop. I'd suggest at least two days for the loop to see the highlights. The historic highway, Crowne Point Vista House, Multnomah Falls, Bridge of the Gods, Beacon Rock, Maryhill, and more await you. You could easily detour to Mt. Hood when visiting the Gorge. A couple hours north of Portland will take you to Mt. St. Helens....breath-taking and worth the trip if you can swing the time.

Hope this gives you some ideas you can use. Keep asking questions. Happy planning!