Oregon in April 2016 last week

I'm planning to visit Oregon next weekend i.e., Apr 30 - May 2, 2016. I've 3 days time. I'm flying to Portland probably Thursday night or Friday morning and back on Monday evening. Is it a good time to visit ? I've been reading that some places around Crater Lake are closed at this time and Sept/Oct would be the best time to visit. I've other plans around that time of the year and I want to visit Oregon this year itself. Is crater lake worth visiting late April?

I'm planning to visit Columbia River Gorge, Portland Japanese Garden, Chinese Garden, Rose Garden. Optionally one of the beaches (Haystack Rock ?). Any suggestions on other places to visit in 3 day period ? I'm generally fast paced and keep hopping to places. I enjoy nature and scenery.

I will call NPS tomorrow to find how the weather is.

On a sider note, I'm buying Rand McNally Atlas tomorrow, please defer that in comments :)

Whether any place is 'worth' visiting only you can know. Everyone is different, and what one person thinks is worth it, might be another person's waste of time and miles. So do your research and decide.

When you have the Rand McNally you will see that scenic routes are all highlighted. Even though they will be slower than most highweys, you may find a route which suits you to interchange on occasions from highway to scenic route and back. Of course in Columbia River Gorge you get a bonus. It is both a scenic route and a highway, but make time to stop at the many sights along the way.

It greatly depends on the snow cover and when they do the plowing, as to whether you can visit all of Crater Lake.

Hope the weather is good for you.

Lifey

Crater Lake is only open to cars from Highway 62 to the Rim Village until June. Whether that's worth the trip is up to you.

You could easily fill up your calendar on a long weekend trip to Portland and the coast. Driving along US 30 to Astoria and then down the coast to Lincoln City before heading back to Portland. Astoria is a town full of arts/crafts/boutiques and eateries. Perched above the town is a lookout and a drive across the Columbia River to another lookout in Washington State are both interesting and fun.

About a half hour south of Astoria is Cannon Beach which hosts one of many "haystacks" along the northern Oregon coast. The Ecola State Park (admission fee) is great for taking in the views or going on a couple of short hikes (one is a goat trail down to the haystack).

Down the road another 20 minutes or so is Oswald West State Park -- a roadside parking area (and facilities) has a groomed/paved path through old growth forest down to the pocket cove beach, Short Sands.

Southward, approaching Manzanita, is a roadside pullover scenic view of the huge bay. What a sight when 30+ ft waves traveling from the Aleutian Islands are breaking all the way across the huge bay.

Continuing south of Tillamook you will find Cape Kiwanda which also has a haystack.

The water is cold but it can be a great time of year to make this drive.

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Originally Posted by glc

Crater Lake is only open to cars from Highway 62 to the Rim Village until June. Whether that's worth the trip is up to you.

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Does that mean I cannot get good views of the lake ?

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Originally Posted by landmariner

You could easily fill up your calendar on a long weekend trip to Portland and the coast. Driving along US 30 to Astoria and then down the coast to Lincoln City before heading back to Portland. Astoria is a town full of arts/crafts/boutiques and eateries. Perched above the town is a lookout and a drive across the Columbia River to another lookout in Washington State are both interesting and fun.

About a half hour south of Astoria is Cannon Beach which hosts one of many "haystacks" along the northern Oregon coast. The Ecola State Park (admission fee) is great for taking in the views or going on a couple of short hikes (one is a goat trail down to the haystack).

Down the road another 20 minutes or so is Oswald West State Park -- a roadside parking area (and facilities) has a groomed/paved path through old growth forest down to the pocket cove beach, Short Sands.

Southward, approaching Manzanita, is a roadside pullover scenic view of the huge bay. What a sight when 30+ ft waves traveling from the Aleutian Islands are breaking all the way across the huge bay.

Continuing south of Tillamook you will find Cape Kiwanda which also has a haystack.

The water is cold but it can be a great time of year to make this drive.

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I want to visit Redwood National Forest if possible. Do you have any suggestions ?

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Originally Posted by pichalite

I want to visit Redwood National Forest if possible. Do you have any suggestions ?

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Have you looked at Humboldt Redwoods State Park and The Avenue of Giants? It may be on a more direct route for you and is spectacular.

Lifey

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Originally Posted by Lifemagician

Have you looked at Humboldt Redwoods State Park and The Avenue of Giants? It may be on a more direct route for you and is spectacular.

Lifey

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How is that a direct route ? Din't get that. You mean the US 101 - same road as I travel south ?

You may or may not get a good look at the lake - it all depends on the weather.

The Avenue of the Giants actually used to be part of US-101, it was bypassed with a freeway. It's considerably south of the Redwood National Park.

I have finalized my plans as following. Will appreciate all improvements and suggestions to the plan.

Route map: https://goo.gl/maps/venxeiSfbXo

Saturday
- Reach Portland Airport: 11:30 AM (After 9 hr flight from DC.)
- Go around Japanese Gardens, Multnomah falls, may be a little around Oneonta Gorge (not really till the fall.. I'm only want to see those popular green creek views in lower Oneonta) until dusk.
- Drive to Bend or somewhere on the way on US 26, US 97 and stay at night.

Sunday
- Drive to Crater Lake US 97, US 138, US 230, US 62.
- I booked a free Snowshoeing Ranger led hike offered by the park at 1 PM - 3 PM.
- Go around park and get some views.
- Drive to Eugene on US 62, OR 238, OR 138 and I-5 and stay at night.

Monday
- Drive to Florence on OR 138, OR 38 and US101
- Drive till Newport for US 101 experience and exit US 20E and then I-5N to Portland.
- Return flight at 10:50 PM from Portland. So have ample time to drive all day and relax on the way. Considered a 5:30 PM flight but thought that would rush the day.

Does this plan look reasonable ?

Your first day will be quite exhausting following a 9 hour flight. I would think best case scenario you would not get to Bend until 8pm, a long day !! One way to go is to reverse the order of your trip and put less pressure on the start. Maybe head to Yachats on the coast and get an early night and then an early start to Crater Lake [6am] and finish in Bend and then drive to the Gorge and into Portland. It will still be tiring but at least you shouldn't be exhausted from day 1.