I scored two nights in a Crater Lake cabin the last week of July. Now to work three weeks around Crater Lake with origin in Portland. Been to CA so I don’t want to go there. Considering Idaho or Western WA. Thoughts?
Look at McCall and the Sawtooths in ID, Joseph, the Wallowas, Painted Hills, The Steens and Alvord Desert in eastern OR, and the falls along the Umpqua River. Not enough time to do it all, but it’s all amazing. You should be able to string a nice trip together. Have fun.
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Great thanks. My grandmother grew up in eastern WA so considering there but ID appeals to us. We have been to Seattle, Bainbridge Island (family) and Victoria/Bouchart Garden
If you go up to Washington, the road past Stevens Pass and Leavenworth is phenomenal. It’s well off the beaten path though.
If you’re at Crater Lake, you could also head north to Hood River and see the Gorge.
Sounds like a fun trip!
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Cannon Beach in Oregon - easy from Portland and a great 2 night stop.
Bend Oregon - hip, lots of micro breweries and outdoor activities.
Drive the Cascade Loop in Washington - with time in Winthrop, Washington. Sun Valley Idaho is a great summer destination. Bike trails, fishing, great town with nice restaurants, river rafting.
What about the San Juan Islands - may be hard to find accommodations - but 4 days or so on San Juan Island or Orcas Island with a day trip to Lopez Island would be dreamy,
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Wherever you decide to go, make sure to make reservations well ahead of time. Some will require a minimum of 2 nights stay. I’m sure Leavenworth will be mobbed.
Friends report that everything they looked at on San Juan islands was full. Dining, too. WA is supposed to fully open by the end of June (fingers crossed!), so more openings might be coming up.
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Airfare is really high!
White water rafting on the Deschutes River out of Bend is a lot of fun!
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Thank you for the additional tips. We have done the coast and it is beautiful and worth the drive.
Have you ever heard of the Channeled Scablands in eastern Washington state? Many people would find this region incredibly boring, but it’s one of the 7 Wonders of Washington, geologically fascinating, and a source of mystery and speculation regarding their origin.
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Never heard of them and they sound interesting. Thanks.
Have you visited the Hoh Rain Forest? A great summer trip.
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Heading there tomorrow morning.
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Love the Hoh and the OP in general.
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Take the North Cascades Highway!
You could also hike on Mount Rainier.
Mt. St. Helen’s and the visitor center there (if open) are great.
Ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island and back. Lovely city views and the occasional orca sighting.
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The visitor center at Mt. Saint Helens is closed, sadly.
Bend is nice.
If you play golf and don’t visit Bandon Dunes or Chambers Bay, that would be a mistake.
Bought my plane tickets and will be there almost 3 weeks. Now to fill in the blanks. Thanks for all of your suggestions
I LOVE Oregon! I absolutely adore the area all around Glide and the Umpqua River. The Umpqua has the most beautiful water, kind of greeny blue, apparently due to copper in the water. Colliding Rivers in Glide is a fantastic sight. Head up Little River Road, then go under the lovely covered bridge and drive up Cavitt Creek Road to Cavitt Creek Falls. There’s a lovely swimming hole and a little ledge you can jump off into the water.
Then go up the Umpqua Hwy and stay at the Steamboat Inn. The restaurant is excellent and the gardens are gorgeous for dining outside. Sign up for some hardcore fly fishing lessons. The place is well known for fly fishing and you will see some serious (and expensive) fishing kit. The road from Steamboat will get you to Crater Lake in about 80 minutes. All along the route there are lovely hikes, rivers, and streams. There’s a very cool series of hot springs set into a hillside. Lots of old hippies and at least one naked dude, lol. The painted outhouse alone is worth the trek. https://www.elitejetsetter.com/umpqua-hot-springs-oregon/
The Oregon Coast is so beautiful. There are no private beaches in Oregon and the forests go right up to the ocean in some places. It’s very dramatic. I strongly recommend going to the beach communities near Tillamook: Netarts and Oceanside. There’s a great restaurant in Netarts, The Schooner. Amazing views, big outdoor dining area, all locally sourced food. Schooner Restaurant & Lounge
Go up to the Cape Meares Lighthouse from Netarts or Oceanside, where you’ll get spectacular views up and down the coast. There’s a cool Octopus Tree up at Cape Meares too. Tillamook has plenty of lodging, and of course there’s the Disneyland-esque Tillamook Cheese Factory. There’s a funky restaurant right in Tillamook called The Pacific. It’s housed in an old department store and has eclectic food and decor.
All around Oregon, there are so many amazing places. Have a great time!
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Thank you @Lindagaf. We drove the coast last visit (one of our kids is based in Portland) and I agree it’s a beautiful drive. We started in the Cannary Pier Hotel in Astoria and worked our way south from there. (They still send me emails.) We also drove to The Dalles area where my granddad grew up and saw the falls and of course drank wine. My main objective this time is Crater Lake and eastern OR, ID and possibly eastern WA where my grand mom grew up.