California/Oregon/Washington Trip Help Needed!!

[VerboortTech]

Forget Crater Lake right now unless you are towing a car -- it is still pretty well snowed in still and won't be fully in swing until July. If you have a car you can get there and look at the lake, but everything is closed. It is a small national park. RV parking goes really quick and people don't respect the RV spots. Don't bother trying to drive the rim in an RV.

Other things you should see:

* Lighthouses - it's not really the case that if you've seen one you seen them all. Each has its own character. You probably won't get to tour them all.

* Sea Lion Caves & Heceta Head Lighthouse are pretty good, esp if you have kids.

* Newport has a lot of stuff and makes a good overnight stop: Oregon Coast Aquarium, Waterfront, Yaquina Bay and Yaquina Head Lighthouses. Do do the guided tour and do climb to the top (tours are first-come-first-serve, so get there early). Good camping options: South Beach State Park for budget and outdoorsy, and Pacific Shores Motorcoach Resort for Luxury. Can also stay at the Marina if you want to be closer to services, and have Internet and can't get in to Pac Shores.

* Cape Mears Lighthouse & Octopus tree - short hike to stretch your legs

* Tillamook Creamery - Tour the cheese factory, get lunch & ice cream & some squeaky cheese. RV friendly but very very busy. Oregonians love our Tillamook.

* Silver Falls State Park - Hike half-a-day and see 10 different waterfalls.

* Cannon Beach - Take break from the kids: Stay at Cannon Beach RV resort and reserve a romantic dinner at Evoo and leave the teenager to watch the other two. (Don't be late! They don't start cooking until everyone arrives.)

* Evergeeen Avaiation Museum & Water Park: Air Museum is top notch (there are two of them). Water Park had some severe mechanical breakdowns last Winter and has seen better days. Plenty of room for RVs. Plan 1/2 day for water park, and 1.5 days for the other two museums.

* Ft. Stevens Start Park. Do the Battery Mishler tour. Tour the other batteries. Take kids to beach to climb around on Peter Iredale wreck. Lots of hiking.

* Cape Disappointment Campground & Battery 247 & Cape Disappointment Lighthouse - very nice hike for the outdoorsy

* Mt. St Helens Johnston Ridge Observatory - Ranger talks are amazing. Doesn't open until June or so. Hiking here too, but pack lots of water, can get hot and dry.

* If you want to do the Columbia Gorge, you have to do Multnomah Falls. Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum is also pretty good.

[VerboortTech]

On the way to Glacier is the 50,000 Silver Dollar Bar (tourist trap). West Glacier KOA is nicer than East Glacier KOA.

[kpecks]

Originally Posted by VerboortTech

On the way to Glacier is the 50,000 Silver Dollar Bar (tourist trap). West Glacier KOA is nicer than East Glacier KOA.

Thanks so much for all the great info!!! So many cool spots. This is exactly what we were hoping for.

We have glacier west KOA reserved. I had to keep calling to get in but was able to finally get a spot.

[elite wa]

If you get to the Olympic peninsula you need to see the HOH rain Forrest and there will be whale watching tours in the San Juan’s. April is the beginning of the Orca migration.

[Hey_Joe]

We stayed at the Wilapa Bay KOA in Washington last summer and loved it. It’s right on the beach and when the tide goes out they rent tools to go out in the bay and get clams and oysters. Great experience with the family.

[coachmanjay]

Florence is a good stopping spot for children adventures.The dune buggy tours of some of the largest sand dunes. Sandland Adventures has several options suitable for children and so does the Oregon Coast Aquarium.

[twogypsies]

If you do change your mind about San Francisco what I would recommend would be to stay at Napa Valley Expo or Petatuma KOA and drive the car to the Larkspur Ferry on that side of the bay. Pre-arrange to do a small van tour of the city with this highly recommended company. You park your car at the ferry in Larkspur and hop on the ferry. You'll pass Alcatraz & the Golden Gate. It will let you off at the Ferry Bldg. where the van will be waiting for you.

It will take you to all the highlights of the city with ample time to get out and explore. It will drive across the Golden Gate and you'll have lunch in Sausalito. Then back to the Ferry Bldg to get on the ferry and back to your car.

We went with our daughter who lives there and she was very impressed with the tour. It's the easiest and less time-consuming way to tour the city. Staying in a RV park on the north side of the bay eliminates driving the city and a quick exit via Hwy 101 north.

https://www.sanfranshuttletours.com/

[kpecks]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

If you do change your mind about San Francisco what I would recommend would be to stay at Napa Valley Expo or Petatuma KOA and drive the car to the Larkspur Ferry on that side of the bay. Pre-arrange to do a small van tour of the city with this highly recommended company. You park your car at the ferry in Larkspur and hop on the ferry. You'll pass Alcatraz & the Golden Gate. It will let you off at the Ferry Bldg. where the van will be waiting for you.

It will take you to all the highlights of the city with ample time to get out and explore. It will drive across the Golden Gate and you'll have lunch in Sausalito. Then back to the Ferry Bldg to get on the ferry and back to your car.

We went with our daughter who lives there and she was very impressed with the tour. It's the easiest and less time-consuming way to tour the city. Staying in a RV park on the north side of the bay eliminates driving the city and a quick exit via Hwy 101 north.

https://www.sanfranshuttletours.com/

Wow! This sounds pretty cool! I do have a stop in Napa so this might be doable.

It definitely sounds like the PNW holds special treasures! Perhaps we should spend more time exploring OR and WA, especially along the coast.

[kpecks]

Keep the ideas coming!!! You all are so great to take the time to share these amazing places and tips!!

Can’t thank you enough! The map is shaping up!!

[knit]

From your point 47, cut over to the pacific coast highway 1 and see the Malibu coast before heading to Santa Barbara. Iconic. Some other spots are Monterey and Lake Tahoe. And it is always relevant to drive through the amazing hub of Silicon Valley where most major internet companies have facilities.

[kpecks]

Originally Posted by knit

From your point 47, cut over to the pacific coast highway 1 and see the Malibu coast before heading to Santa Barbara. Iconic. Some other spots are Monterey and Lake Tahoe. And it is always relevant to drive through the amazing hub of Silicon Valley where most major internet companies have facilities.

It’s pretty tough finding any place to stay in LA. Malibu RV resort burned and won’t open for another month. So that was a huge bummer. We were then planning on going to Ventura then up to Sequoia. Might have to skip Malibu and just do Ventura and Santa Barbara...

[poppyof5]

As lo h as you are I would avoid hwy1 from San Luis Obispo to San Francisco. It is a beautiful drive but alot of switch backs and narrow.

[4ina4x4]

[QUOTE=kpecks;4711422]It’s pretty tough finding any place to stay in LA. Malibu RV resort burned and won’t open for another month. So that was a huge bummer. We were then planning on going to Ventura then up to Sequoia. Might have to skip Malibu and just do Ventura and Santa Barbara...
/QUOTE]

In case it might help . . . We stayed at The Californian RV Resort in Acton. It's about an hour outside of L.A. It was basically a place to sleep for us, but it was a lovely RV park and the manager was very warm and welcoming.

Mary

[rlott2k]

#64 Beachside State Park , Oregon. Shhhh don’t tell anyone.