Road trip suggestions to Seattle from San Fransisco

Hello,

I'm planning for a road trip from San Fransisco to Seattle during the Thanks Giving week. My plan is to start on Saturday (19th) and return on Saturday or Sunday (26th or 27th). I plan to stay in Seattle for 3 days. I'll take a rental car here and drop the car in Seattle. The plan is to to fly back from Seattle.

I would be interested to know the places that are worth seeing on the way to Seattle. Appreciate if you can give me some suggestions for stay too. I'll be traveling with my family and I've a kid of 6 years old. So, I would like to avoid trekking or similar activities. Walking couple of miles is okay.

I really appreciate any advice on the trip planning.

Hello and welcome to the RTA forums !

It would be hard to beat a leisurely drive up the coast at this time of year, or if it's an option fly to Seattle and drive back, that way the ocean would be on your side of the road and it's scenic viewpoints. You also have the Redwoods State and National parks to enjoy where you could drive through the giant trees on the 'Avenue of the Giants' in Humboldt Redwoods SP and the Newton. B. Drury scenic parkway in Prairie creek and you could take an easy walk through the giants at the Ladybird Johnson grove. You may prefer an inland route or a mix of both, they are all "worth it". If you went to Portland you could enjoy the waterfalls along the historic Columbia River highway to the east of the city.

Keep in mind that with a one way trip you will be facing possible one way drop off charges on your rental which can be pricey.

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Originally Posted by Southwest Dave

Hello and welcome to the RTA forums !

It would be hard to beat a leisurely drive up the coast at this time of year, or if it's an option fly to Seattle and drive back, that way the ocean would be on your side of the road and it's scenic viewpoints. You also have the Redwoods State and National parks to enjoy where you could drive through the giant trees on the 'Avenue of the Giants' in Humboldt Redwoods SP and the Newton. B. Drury scenic parkway in Prairie creek and you could take an easy walk through the giants at the Ladybird Johnson grove. You may prefer an inland route or a mix of both, they are all "worth it". If you went to Portland you could enjoy the waterfalls along the historic Columbia River highway to the east of the city.

Keep in mind that with a one way trip you will be facing possible one way drop off charges on your rental which can be pricey.

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Thanks for your response. Say, if I want to skip Seattle and do the road trip to Portland both ways, then what are my options for a week trip?

Heading inland and back down the coast would make a nice loop. Lassen volcanic park, Burney Falls, Crater Lake and the Columbia river highway are popular destinations, but it's up to you as to what appeals and you will need to check conditions and road status. There are some closures at Lassen due to snow and ice and the only access to Crater lake is via the south entrance to rim village where you can get views of the lake [weather dependant] but the rim road is closed. Have a look at a good map and check out options that appeal to you and keep an eye on conditions before and during travelling.

Hwy 101 is good option and you will enjoy it however it may take up to 3 days from SF to Olympic Peninsula. Well worth it... I5 is boring drive however on the way back you may consider I5.

While I tend to agree with you that I-5 is a less scenic option, this is not to say that it is boring. My husband and I have traveled up the 5 a number of times, and there are quite a few places we anticipate. One is the Lake Shasta area and Mount Shasta, another one is around Castle Crags State Park in northern California. The Siskiyou Pass, which is the part of a winter trip that could be "iffy", depending on the weather, is really pretty. Once the 5 turns westerly for a bit, getting into the Rogue River valley is also pretty. Normally, we stop at the Valley of the Rogue State Park for lunch or for a walk to stretch our legs. We also enjoy it when the views of Mt Hood, the Three Sisters, and Mt Rainier come along.


Donna