Los Angeles to Vancouver'ish and back!

Hi All,

3 kids (5, 9, 12), a mom and a dad. That's who we are and we would like to camp from LA up the Pacific Northwest and back in 22 days (August 1 - August 23). We have camped a lot over the years and my husband and I have driven across the US and back in 5 weeks (LA to Montreal and back) but never with 3 kids!! Can it be done in 22 days? are we crazy? We have plans to meet and camp with friends in the northern redwoods of California the 6th - 8th of August, but I am trying to wrap my head around how many days in Oregon, how many days in Washington and how many days to get back without feeling totally rushed? Any thoughts? Thanks!

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

Having more than 3 weeks available to explore the west coast is fantastic. You should be able to have a very leisurely trip, and time really shouldn't be a problem at all.

Think of it this way - you could power through a drive from Vancouver to LA in as little as two long days on the road. That's not to say you'll want to or should plan to do that, but it should give you the confidence to know that no matter where you go, you'll never be that far from home. If things take longer than you planned, or simply want to spend more time in some areas, then you can, and know it still shouldn't be much of a problem to get back within your timeframe.

I won't say how much time you should spend in each area - as that does depend upon where you want to focus your trip, how you like to travel (lots of short stops, vs fewer longer ones), and the areas you consider to be your must sees. I will, however, suggest you try to break up your time fairly evenly, so you can enjoy coastal attractions one way, and have time for some of the inland/mountain attractions the other way.