Seattle to San Fran

[yes_sica]

Hey Y'all!!

I'm planning a trip with a few friends to take a road trip from Seattle to San Fran.

We'd like to leave from our home town (Denver), punch through the drive to Seattle (preferably straight through), and then spend the next 6 days heading down the coast.

Two of us are of the opinion that we don't have enough time to wander down the coast while the other has done some time research and thinks that if we drove 3hours a day we could make it to San Fran in time and still see some amazing thigs.

Should we just stay on the Olympic Peninsula? Is there enought to see there if we stayed 6 days?? Or should we get on down the coast and see Oregon as planned?

We are planning on camping the whole way (with a night to crash in Seattle with friends).

Are we crazy?

[Mark Sedenquist]

I'm planning a trip with a few friends to take a road trip from Seattle to San Fran.

Welcome to the Great American RoadTrip Forum! The first thing I would suggest is that you scroll to the bottom of this page and read the other threads listed there.

We'd like to leave from our home town (Denver), punch through the drive to Seattle (preferably straight through), and then spend the next 6 days heading down the coast.

There is so much cool stuff to see on the way, but if the only way you can have six days on the coast is such a speed-run, perhaps it is fine.

Two of us are of the opinion that we don't have enough time to wander down the coast while the other has done some time research and thinks that if we drove 3hours a day we could make it to San Fran in time and still see some amazing thigs.

Ummm, the person who was doing the time research --- What speed were they envisioning for these three hours per day? I can just about guarantee that the fastest average speed will be ~ 50 mph on the coastal roads. (Even if you manage to hit 70 once in a while). So, with six days of travel you could cover ~900 miles and it is about 1100 miles following the coastal roads, so I think three hours a day will be tough.

Should we just stay on the Olympic Peninsula? Is there enought to see there if we stayed 6 days?? Or should we get on down the coast and see Oregon as planned?

You could easily spend a month on the Olympic Penisula and only see the highlights...

Happy Planning!

Mark

[PNW Judy]

I agree that your timeframe sounds tight to me. Especially since you are already planning a speed run to Seattle and also planning on doing the Olympic Peninsula.

Mark is right. If you and your fellow travelers enjoy outdoor activities (hiking and other), you will find plenty to do on the Olympic Peninsula to keep you busy for a good week, at minimum. If you add in visiting other places in Washington worth a visit like Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, and the San Juan Islands, you could easily spend a few weeks in Washington.

I would think a roadtrip that includes places in Washington to visit and then Oregon, if you still have time, would be great without putting undue pressure on yourselves.

Unless, of course, there is some reason why you have to end your trip in San Francisco.

If you can give us a bit more information on what you like to do and see, where you think you really want to spend your time, and if you really need to end up in San Francisco or not, we might be able to advise you better.

As for driving on the coast...for the most part, the coastal highway is quite windy. It is also a 2-lane road. It is common to get stuck behind slow-moving traffic like RVs for significant periods of time before you can pass or they pull out and let you by. Because of this, I highly doubt you'll ever get up to 70mph and it wouldn't be uncommon for you to sometimes be going slower than 50mph.