Vancouver, Seattle, Portland

[nicole01]

Hi- I am just beginning to plan a trip out west and would like to cover Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland... at least. I have 2-3 weeks to travel and would like to stay on a budget as much as possible. I really need a starting point, must-see destinations, etc... If anyone could help "map out" a tentative route, I would greatly appreciate it!

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

The road options are pretty clear. You can follow US-101 along the coast, I-5 down the valley between the Cascades and the Coast Ranges, or you can alternate between the two. If this is a one-way trip, then you would probably want to look at using US-101 for much of it from Seattle around the Olympic Peninsula and then down the coast, but heading inland up the Columbia River to Astoria, Portland and the Columbia River Gorge. If it's a round-trip, then the sensible thing would be to take US-101 in one direction and I-5 in the other.

Highlights you would want to consider, besides those I already mentioned, would include the rose test gardens in Portland, Mount Hood and Mount Ranier, perhaps some wineries, and a ferry ride (without the car) in Puget Sound.

AZBuck