Road Trip to California & Oregon Coast

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by opendoor

While I think that's overstating it (Portland in particular seemed more or less the same as I remembered it when I was there a couple of months ago), the US definitely seemed a bit sketchier and run down this last time. I don't know if it's COVID or what, but the difference was pretty stark.

Originally Posted by blankall

Portland has always been that way. Part of the charm. ....

Portland has been an architectural ingenuity marvel for decades leading to 2000's. Ever since Portland adopted their Urban Growth Boundary Policy, it had forced builders and architects to be extremely creative with built-form and site designs to maximize the use of small parcels. (It also made home prices skyrocketing, of course, and forced people out of the city into suburbs; but that's irrelevant.) I used to love Portland's inner-city feel and design. Went there to visit this past November - it was truly devastating. BLM street demonstrations have left the City in shambles. ("We are very proud of our protesters!" said the girl at the food counter). Graffiti is covering everything. Homeless people took over the downtown. We walked the beautiful parks and it was scary. We felt alone there in the middle of a gorgeous autumn day. People lying on asphalt in their own vomit. Someone taking a sh.t under the monument in the middle of the playground. Someone storming into Powell's Book Store and pushing book shelves down. Uber driver told us that they try not to come out of their cars in Downtown. A friend of mine quipped that perhaps this is someone's devilish plan to drive the prices of coastal cities' real estate down to nothing and then buy everything for pennies on the dollar. Seems plausible... So, no; no charm left there in Portland. Just sadness and devastation.

[Muta]

Great thread! I literally started planning a two-week driving trip down the US west coast with two friends last night. Can't wait to go see Cannon Beach, the Redwood forests, and anywhere along the Big Sur.

[RandyHolt]

It's been a few years now since we've done most of this drive so things might have changed but this sounds like an amazing trip. Some of the highlights on our previous trips starting north of LA would be:

California
- Paramount Ranch - although I think it's had a few fires so not sure how much is left
- Solvang is a pretty interesting Danish town just north of Santa Barbara
- Hearst Castle just north of Cambria is great, but I think you have to book tours so might be difficult with a dog
- Big Sur coastline is amazing, especially McWay Falls
- Nepenthe is a great place to eat - dogs probably aren't allowed but might be at the cafe below the restaurant itself which is also great.
- Carmel by the sea is probably the most dog-friendly city I've been to. Huge beach with lots of dogs pretty much anytime you go, and they're allowed in a lot of the stores and restaurants
- Carmel Valley Ranch is pricy but a great place to stay and pet friendly
- Muir Woods and Avenue of the Giants are both great spots to marvel at the Redwoods
- We did not like most of the towns in Northern California but the coastline and driving was great

Oregon
- Brookings was a decent spot to stay with some good places to eat
- One lump or two in Port Orford had good coffee, but played metal music loud and openly mocked ordering decaf which might not go well with a pregnant wife
- Lincoln City and Cannon Beach both have good places to eat and stay
- Surfsand Resort in Cannon Beach has great views and was pet friendly because when we stayed there I could hear the dog next door all night
- We didn't go north of Cannon Beach so I'm no help there

I think most or all of the national parks do not allow dogs which might make some of your stops trickier, but not impossible.

Hope some of this helps!

[opendoor]

^
The beach in Carmel is definitely worth stopping for; super dog friendly. And yeah, most National Parks don't allow dogs or restrict their access. So Muir Woods is out, and you can only do so much in the Redwoods/Avenue of the Giants. For the latter, it's mainly the main trails they're trying to keep them off, but there are tons of less busy areas where they're OK. It's not a typical park with an entrance, it's just a road with tons of places to pull over.

Also agree that most of the towns on the coast of Northern California or on the 101 are a bit rough around the edges. The scenery is beautiful, but most of the towns feel like any other isolated rural town and what comes with it.

[Cappy]

Originally Posted by troutman

I want to try this place:


http://www.wildspring.com/





https://www.redfishportorford.com/

Was just coming in to say don't forget to have a meal at Red Fish in Port Orfard. It was great! great wine selection too.

Apart from the other recommendations, if you are going coast south of SF and are looking to stay in monterrey - go 10 minutes south and stay in Carmel. Nice town with great food!

[RandyHolt]

Yeah I'm probably being too hard on the Northern California towns. Just a pretty significant difference between the towns between LA and San Francisco compared to say anything north of Fort Bragg.

With Muir Woods out, you could look at what dogs are allowed to do in Humboldt State Park right at the end of the Avenue of the Giants. That was a pretty impressive park too and I thought I remembered dogs being allowed since it was a state instead of National Park, but it's been a while.

Even if you just had time to drive through the Avenue of the Giants with the windows down its definitely worth doing.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Sounds like Palm Springs to Carmel would be an ideal first leg for us on the way back.
Looks to be about 7 hours and a great first night stop with the dog. Great advice!

[SeeGeeWhy]

Camping or not?

[you&me]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

Sounds like Palm Springs to Carmel would be an ideal first leg for us on the way back.
Looks to be about 7 hours and a great first night stop with the dog. Great advice!

I may have missed it, but are you on a tight schedule?

I've done this trip a few times with friends and you're talking about covering distances that we'd consider a day's worth.

I've also done a road trip (though not this one) with a pregnant wife... There's so much to see & experience and honestly, it'll never be like this again - slow down and enjoy it! You'll both appreciate being able to enjoy these moments for the last time as "just" a couple and she'll appreciate shorter legs, more breaks, more relaxing.

If I were you, I'd do something like Palm Springs to Santa Barbara (or maybe just Malibu). The LA traffic will take its toll, so a short first leg will be enough. Maybe stop for lunch in Beverly Hills, shoot out to the PCH and up the coast from there.

Next day, keep heading up the 1 to Carmel. It would be about 6 hours if you take a couple breaks and stop for lunch.

From there, I'd shoot for Napa, just 'cause.

Then, keep heading up the valley or back out to the coast, up to maybe Eureka.

Last stop would be Newport or somewhere along the mid coast of Oregon and finally the last stretch home.

[csnarpy]

My family loves this trip.

Brandon, Florence, Newport, Lincoln City, Tillamook, Cannon Beach/Seaside and then get up to Astoria and drive across this bad boy

(From there we cut across through Yakima to Spokane and then home)