Seattle to Portland in December 2016

[petaleahy]

Hi!

Looking for some advice on scenic driving routes from Seattle to Portland (return) for mid-December 2016.

We are starting in Vancouver and travelling to Seattle and then on to Portland (returning to Vancouver).

I have Googled some inland routes but unsure if they will be possible as I understand that some of the roads and sights may be closed due to it being Winter.

We have no timeline but had thought we would spend about 3 days in each area. We will be travelling with kids so frequent stops and things to do along the way are important.

Columbia River Gorge is very high on our "to do" list as are the Oregon sand dunes.

Any advice for this Aussie family would be greatly appreciated!

[Southwest Dave]

Hello and welcome to the RTA forums !

You could create a nice loop where I would recommend heading south along the coast and inland heading north which puts the ocean and the scenic viewpoints on your side of the road. The Oregon Dunes are quite a way south of Portland but not a problem if time isn't an issue and there are lots of great stops all down the coast. You could start out in Olympic NP and then head south on 101. The Columbia river Gorge is Gorgeous and well worth the drive. You could either head out and back from Portland, or enter the Gorge by cutting across from the coast and going through the Mt Hood National forest to Hood river and into Portland or exit Portland and head back towards Seattle via Mt Rainier, but I think a lot of the park is off limits this time of year. You will have to be adaptable at this time of year as the weather could play a big part in your plans, especially in the mountains, there is just no way of knowing what it will do at the time you travel until a couple of days before. The good thing is you should have no need to book in advance but you can still research your options and have a plan 'B' and even a plan 'C'.

As you continue with your planning and specific questions come to mind, don't hesitate to ask.

[Lifemagician]

Any advice for this Aussie family would be greatly appreciated!

Sure!!

Some of the things you might like to consider.....
**Put a small Australian flag in the rear window of your vehicle. Let them know you are not a local.
**Carry a box of souvenirs to share with folk whom you meet along the way, especially those who help in one way or another. Small things such as fridge magnets, keyrings, postcards, pens, etc. Be sure to include one of those packs of little koalas, to give to children whom yours befriend. I have always found these are appreciated, and it is another opportunity to enforce the fact that they are koalas (not bears).
**If you are a member of RACQ, be sure to take your membership with you. It will get you access to free maps and tourist information from the CAA in Vancouver and the AAA in the US. Once you have the maps, you will see all the attractions along the way and all the myriad of routes from which you can choose, especially the scenic routes which are highlighted.

While you are in the region, check if Mt St Helens is accessible. The information centre is quite close to I-5.

Enjoy

Lifey

[petaleahy]

Great tips!
Thank you

[petaleahy]

Perfect!
Thank you and if I have any other questions I will send them your way :-)

[petaleahy]

I have been agonizing over our December roadtrip for weeks now!

We are starting in Vancouver, Canada (December 10) and heading as far down as Portland, USA before heading back to Canada around the 21st December.

I had a nice route with stops all planned out but my husband threw a spanner in works wanting to see the Seattle Seahawks play on December 15.

The original plan was Vancouver to Seattle following the "Whidbey Loop", Seattle to Portland (day trip to Columbia River Gorge), Portland to Astoria, Astoria to Victoria (via Port Angeles), Victoria to Ucluelet, and Ucluelet to Vancouver. All in a total of 11 days. Needing to be in Seattle on the 15th has thrown me and I am struggling to get another roadtrip plan in place.

Anyone have any suggestions cause I am stuck!?? Stops need to include Vancouver Island, Seattle, Portland, Columbia River Gorge. We area also travelling with two kids so the idea was to break the trip up so that we weren't doing really long driving stints at once.

Any advice would be extremely welcome! TIA

Please keep all questions regarding this trip in one thread. Thankyou.