West Coast Travel Questions

[aspeck]

My youngest daughter graduates tomorrow, Valedictorian of her class. She is a good girl and wanted, as a graduation trip, to go to Croatia. That trip has been cancelled. Her second choice was the states of Washington, Oregon, and Northern California focusing more on the coastal side. We have 2 weeks available the end of July.

Now for my questions:

1. How is travel in those areas right now? Still mostly shut down? Opening up slowly? By then should be open, noproblem? What could I expect?

2. We will probably fly in and out ofSeattle and travel around, head south, and back north to leave. What are the “must sees” in those areas. We lovewater, nature, mountains, history, and local food. We are not big on Malls, chain restaurants, and tourist traps.

I am ready to hear anything you western guys and gals can tell me... I have never visited this area before, except for theinside of the Seattle Airport for 3 hours.

 

[sphelps]

Well I've never been anywhere but isn't that where the big Redwood trees are ?

 

[jbcurt00]

Watermann should have some helpful insight.

You can check the map & see who's where

https://forums.iboats.com/forum/boa...air/660251-iboaters-where-are-you-members-map

I used that map to touchbase w a couple members Nova scotia for info before my parents took a vacation there. Worked out great, they were both very helpful.

 

[GA_Boater]

'speck - Can't help with travel plans in that neck of the woods, but your daughter deserves a :first: Good for her!

 

[achris]

My youngest daughter graduates tomorrow, Valedictorian of her class. She is a good girl and wanted, as a graduation trip, to go to Croatia. ....

Looking at the figures, Croatia is probably a lot safer than just about anywhere in the USA. For a couple of reasons.

And well done Miss Speck.

Chris.....

 

[bruceb58]

My guess...a lot of places will be open by end of June in California. However, my vacation rental I have in Lake Tahoe is still on hold until California and my City Council gets their act together.

 

[redneck joe]

Man yer gonna have fun...

 

[tpenfield]

Safe Travels . . . FWIW the Admiral and I flew to FL recently and it was not too bad . . . Masks (and gloves) lots of sanitizer. There were very few people in the airport (because of the few number of flights) and the plane was about 1/2 full . . . the airline did not have anyone sitting in the middle seats. They boarded the plane from the back row and then going forward. Some batches of rows had no one sitting in them. We were in row #3 . . . the first 2 rows were empty as were about 5 rows further back.

I kept the fresh air nozzle pointed at us to keep a good air flow.

We survived

 

[Harritwo]

Aspeck, while in the Seattle Area, go to Snoqualimie falls. Beautiful waterfall there. If the Ice Caves are open, it is about a 1/2 mile hike but still a marvel to see. Take a Helicopter tour out of Boeing Field. The Air museum is at Boeing Field. Lots of interesting airplane history there.

Go to Lake Union, There is a Industrial Museum and a small boat museum there. They have a Steam Powered Small Boat that they will give rides on when they are operating. Very interesting things there.

Drive the 101 highway on the peninsula, it follows the coast.

If you have a passport, take the Victoria Clipper to Victoria Canada and visit the Butchart Gardens and stay the night.

Astoria OR is beautiful coastal town that is about a 8 hr drive from Seattle.

As you head south, take the Pacific Coast Highway in Cali. Beautiful scenery along the coast. My favorite place in Cali is Port Hueneme. Just like the beach town.

Lot to do in Seattle if you like the touristy stuff. Pikes Market is interesting, watching the fish mongers do their thing.

The park by the market is not my cup of tea. Lots of homeless in Seattle, usually hanging out in the parks and along the on ramps to the I-5

 

[southkogs]

Congrats to the grad ... it's a graduation year that will be hard to forget!

 

[Watermann]

You can't go wrong checking the Seattle city center and then get away from the city with a drive to the coast up around the Olympic Peninsula. Then down the coast to Oregon. Lots of Lewis and Clark history with Fort Clatsop.

The Puget Sound Orca is on the decline so not sure how much longer they will let whale watchers bother them so if you're into a boat ride and seeing killer whales you may want to set up a trip, should be opened up by then.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

Looking at the figures, Croatia is probably a lot safer than just about anywhere in the USA. For a couple of reasons.

And well done Miss Speck.

Chris.....

reference 1995 in Croatia.

 

[Sprig]

I live in Northern California and have all my life. I’ve traveled all over California, Oregon and Washington. So much to do and see it’s hard to say where and what all to do. Harritwo suggestions are excellent. I really recommend taking the high speed ferry to Victoria Canada thru Puget sound and Seeing the gardens. If you spend the night spend a little $$$ and stay at the Empress hotel. Very elegant very cool. Your daughter may enjoy having High Tea there.
As far as Oregon drive the coast line. One of the most beautiful and rugged in the world. While there take a jet boat ride on the Columbia river. Very fun and interesting.
California is huge, I’ll just suggest a couple things. Visit the giant redwoods. It is mind boggling. You will see nothing like it anywhere in the world.
The whole California coast line is as beautiful as Oregon’s. Lots of cool little coastal towns. Monterey is beautiful and the aquarium there is a must see. Carmel right next store in also beautiful and unique.
I’ll give some views in general about your trip and 2 weeks is not nearly enough time to cover all three states. To do so you’ll be driving everyday all day and you’ll be wore out. 2 weeks in just California wouldn’t be too much. There is more to do and see in California than probably any place in the world. From California southern border to the northern is over 1000 miles.i would suggest if you really want to go into Seattle the drive south and leave from somewhere in calif. in California in general I suggest seeings the coastline, the redwoods, the Sierras, Lake Tahoe, gold country. I’m not even going to comment on Southern California, but if you do go there San Diego is beautiful.
Things are opening up here on the west coast but it varies from state to state, county to county and city to city. I left out the major cities purposely. The major cities have lots of problems including huge homeless areas, aggressive homeless, high crime, very expensive. San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle and los angles can be a very unpleasant place to visit. In SF it’s hard to walk down some streets without stepping in poop. It’s as bad in the other mentioned cities. Crime is huge in those cities and the police do not enforce many of the laws. We use to love San Francisco but my wife and I have decided not to set foot there again because of all the problems. We don’t feel safe there.Examples of laws not enforced- ok to poop and urinate on the streets, stealing $950 worth of stuff is a citation , Prostitution not enforced. There are over 100 cars a day broken into. If caught which is seldom they give a citation, no arrest. Anyway I’d suggest concentrating your visit in California. If you want more specific things to do and see let me know.

 

[aspeck]

I appreciate all the info so far ... I am taking it all in and to heart. We will not book flights for a couple more weeks and will decide on the route we want to take. I would like to fly into Seattle and fly out of a northern California airport (I have been in and around San Diego, Los Angeles, and Palm Springs/Palm Desert so no "need" to go to the southern area of California), but depending on the price of tickets, I may have to fly in and out of the same airport since I have a "free" companion ticket for a round trip flight. Ah, the many angles of a tour director ... LOL. So I am very much in the information gathering stage because the Croatia trip was canceled on Tuesday.

 

[Sprig]

Consider flying out of Sacramento ca. airport. It’s easy in and out centrally located in the middle of the state.
its incredible the number of things to do and see in Northern California. When you are over on the coast Hurst Castle is a great tour.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Congrats to your daughter... that is quite an accomplishment! You must be super proud!

 

[redneck joe]

my thoughts. I grew up in the PNW before ending up in a lot of other places. If i didn't live here in TN, I'd move back home without looking back.



Fly into Seattle, rent a one way car and drive south.

If it were me i'd plan two days or so each place, then a 6-7 hour drive to the next place. Rinse lather repeat.

Spend couple days in Seattle doing Seattle things.

Check out Kenmore Air - pre Rona had a deal that you could fly on a daily route with them for like $150. Couldn't get off and spend a day on any of the islands, but the view is fantastic. We use them to get to our folks on Lopez sometimes.

Or ferry to Lopez or one of the other islands - Orcas is kinda touristy but better accommodations. Lopez has a few airbnb and one passable motel but has some great cliff side hiking with the occasional whale spotting. Plan a couple days there as well. I have friends on Orcas.

If you do the Victoria clipper when you pass Lopez wave to my folks - they are right on the beach. We sit there watch and the the Clipper a few times a day. Speaking of my folks - if you do hit Lopez and they are at the house I'm sure my dad would meet you at the Galley for a drink, french fries and some inside info on the island.

Head south to Olympia, then on to Astoria. Awesome little town, small restaurant/bar run that has a small trolley but pleasant enough to walk. Plan a couple days there and you can charter a boat for a day if you want. This is where they filmed the Goonies if that matters. The house is currently under renovation. It is also where my wife and I took our honeymoon 13 years ago. Yes, odd place to honeymoon but we are odd people and before we married she had rarely been out of state except to Alabama, just accross state line for 'fancy' dinners in Huntsville. When we were there we stayed at the Best Western that overlooks the marina but it closed after part of the deck fell into the marina. I think i heard they were bought and it was fixed up. Should be plenty of airbnb plus they have a really nice, and expensive, hotel on the pier plus a decent Holiday Inn.

Head down 101, the views are amazing - take turns driving so the driver doesn't miss out, also plan on 1-2 hours per day in picture/view stops. Be somewhere every sundown - you will not be disappointed. Also remember you wont be crusing at 75 mph so use google to plan drive times.

Seaside is (was? haven't been in years) touristy

moms side of the family has a house in Cannon Beach, spent many a summer there. Haystack Rock is the largest monolithic rock in the world and now the tide pools are a state park. I used to play in them back in the 70s pre state park days.

aunt has a place on the beach in Lincoln City.

Depot bay is pretty as is coos bay - we used to go crabbing those places.

Not too much known about NORCAL so after Coos Bay you're on your own.



Basically take the time you have, plan a time frame for driving and that ends up being your next stop - how many days there before moving on. I'm not a fan of back tracking - been there once so why do it again or have to race to get back to the airport you started from. Wherever you end up that has an airport is where you fly out of. Sacramento is an easy airport as noted.

oh and i agree with the San Fran, which is sad I've always wanted to do the wharf but my son lives in SF (works for Apple) and he tells me the same.



congrats and good luck. hmu if anything else I can add.

 

[puddle jumper]

Noticed a few people mentioned Victoria BC. As much as we on the island would love to have you and your family come for a visit. I don’t think you would be able to cross the border. Just a little bragging. We on the island have been covid free for about a month now.