What should we do in CA/OR Next Summer ?

[jalapeno_pretzel]

We're going to CA/OR next summer. Initial itinerary is

3 nights Yosemite (reservations are already made - they open 366 days in advance and fill up quickly)
2 nights Lake Tahoe
1 night Chester (near Lassen Volcanic NP)
1 night Redding (after Lassen)
1 night Eureka CA (Redwoods)
2 nights Crescent City CA (Redwoods)
1 night Crater Lake NP OR (seeing Oregon Caves NM on the way)
3 nights Bend, OR
1 night Portland

 

[Rex1993]

We're going to CA/OR next summer. Initial itinerary is

3 nights Yosemite (reservations are already made - they open 366 days in advance and fill up quickly)
2 nights Lake Tahoe
1 night Chester (near Lassen Volcanic NP)
1 night Redding (after Lassen)
1 night Eureka CA (Redwoods)
2 nights Crescent City CA (Redwoods)
1 night Crater Lake NP OR (seeing Oregon Caves NM on the way)
3 nights Bend, OR
1 night Portland

That’s certainly an ambitious itinerary from a driving standpoint. I’ve done all these places and I’ll make some suggestions and probably make some enemies in the process.

Leaving Lake Tahoe heading to Lassen up the Feather River is gorgeous! Give yourself time to enjoy that.

Skip Redding. There is no good reason to stay there. It’s less than two hours from Lassen and it’s an absolutely grueling three hours from Eureka. I’ve done that drive and it is somewhat pretty but ungodly windy and tedious. You are better off crossing over through Red Bluff. That drive is awful windy too but at least you’re not wasting a day in Redding.

I probably wouldn’t do Eureka and Crescent City but that’s just me. Pick one and it’s easy enough to drive to the other. I’d probably pick Eureka between the two. Also I wouldn’t stay there three days. Pick up another day at Crater Lake so that you can be there for the sunrise, you won’t regret it.

Lots to do in Bend and everyone loves it. I assume you’re leaving from PDX so that’s the Portland day. I lived across the river from Portland and I only crossed the bridge to shop and after COVID, even doing that got sketchy. Take a look at Skamania Lodge in Stevenson. You can come across the bridge in Hood River on your way up from Bend and then hit the Lodge. You could cross the Bridge of the Gods and hit Multnomah Falls but the better views of the gorge are from the WA side so I’d recommend you stay north and go through Camas and then double back to hit the falls. Keep your eyes out for bald eagles. I once counted 17 bald eagles going from Camas to Hood River.

The falls are pretty quick and can definitely be done on a departure day if you’re leaving later in the day. If you have any interest in ww2 planes definitely do a quick stop at the museum in Madras, OR.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

That’s certainly an ambitious itinerary from a driving standpoint. I’ve done all these places and I’ll make some suggestions and probably make some enemies in the process.

Leaving Lake Tahoe heading to Lassen up the Feather River is gorgeous! Give yourself time to enjoy that.

Skip Redding. There is no good reason to stay there. It’s less than two hours from Lassen and it’s an absolutely grueling three hours from Eureka. I’ve done that drive and it is somewhat pretty but ungodly windy and tedious. You are better off crossing over through Red Bluff. That drive is awful windy too but at least you’re not wasting a day in Redding.

I probably wouldn’t do Eureka and Crescent City but that’s just me. Pick one and it’s easy enough to drive to the other. I’d probably pick Eureka between the two. Also I wouldn’t stay there three days. Pick up another day at Crater Lake so that you can be there for the sunrise, you won’t regret it.

Lots to do in Bend and everyone loves it. I assume you’re leaving from PDX so that’s the Portland day. I lived across the river from Portland and I only crossed the bridge to shop and after COVID, even doing that got sketchy. Take a look at Skamania Lodge in Stevenson. You can come across the bridge in Hood River on your way up from Bend and then hit the Lodge. You could cross the Bridge of the Gods and hit Multnomah Falls but the better views of the gorge are from the WA side so I’d recommend you stay north and go through Camas and then double back to hit the falls. Keep your eyes out for bald eagles. I once counted 17 bald eagles going from Camas to Hood River.

The falls are pretty quick and can definitely be done on a departure day if you’re leaving later in the day. If you have any interest in ww2 planes definitely do a quick stop at the museum in Madras, OR.

Thanks for the suggestions! We like to pack a lot into a trip! I've been most all of these places but it will be a first for the kids. Will look at Feather River and plan to take our time going up to Lassen. The night in Redding was mainly because I'm not sure if there will be lodging closer to Lassen but heading west? I think we want a full day there, and didn't want to cut it short to drive all the way from Chester -> Lassen -> Eureka in one day - that's like 5 hours not including driving time within Lassen. Maybe it would be better to backtrack to Chester for a 2nd night and not have to pack up and move that day. But yeah, it does look like Red Bluff has plenty of lodging options, so it all comes down to if we want to pack up and move and have a somewhat shorter drive the following day.

I agree it's not that far between Eureka and Crescent City, so maybe it would be better for just one place for 2 or 3 nights. When I saw the redwoods years ago it was very quick, and I want to hit some of the state parks in addition to the National Park. My kids LOVED Hoh Rainforest in Olympic NP last year, and I know Redwoods is not a rainforest, but it's still got the giant trees and moss and kind of a damp coastal climate that I think they will like. I thought we would get to Eureka, then the day between Eureka and Crescent City would be for the National Park area, night one in Crescent City, the next day would be Redwoods state parks and coastal areas, then one more night in Crescent City and we'll leave the following morning for Oregon Caves / Crater Lake.

I'm definitely very excited about Bend ... planning on Smith Rock State Park, probably a white water rafting day, High Desert museum. We were in Portland last summer as we finished up our WA/BC/OR trip, stayed downtown I think in the Pearl district, we thought it was great. Tons of good dining, and the highlight for one of my kids was Powell's bookstore. I have already promised we can go back there! I will look at the Lodge though, it would be easy enough to make a stop at Powell's books and the head further out of the city. That is a great idea to see Multnomah Falls on departure day if it's a later flight. It does look like many of the flights are afternoon, and that always leaves time that we're just sitting around waiting. We were there when my oldest was just 8 months old, so that would be fun.

 

[Rex1993]

Thanks for the suggestions! We like to pack a lot into a trip! I've been most all of these places but it will be a first for the kids. Will look at Feather River and plan to take our time going up to Lassen. The night in Redding was mainly because I'm not sure if there will be lodging closer to Lassen but heading west? I think we want a full day there, and didn't want to cut it short to drive all the way from Chester -> Lassen -> Eureka in one day - that's like 5 hours not including driving time within Lassen. Maybe it would be better to backtrack to Chester for a 2nd night and not have to pack up and move that day. But yeah, it does look like Red Bluff has plenty of lodging options, so it all comes down to if we want to pack up and move and have a somewhat shorter drive the following day.

I agree it's not that far between Eureka and Crescent City, so maybe it would be better for just one place for 2 or 3 nights. When I saw the redwoods years ago it was very quick, and I want to hit some of the state parks in addition to the National Park. My kids LOVED Hoh Rainforest in Olympic NP last year, and I know Redwoods is not a rainforest, but it's still got the giant trees and moss and kind of a damp coastal climate that I think they will like. I thought we would get to Eureka, then the day between Eureka and Crescent City would be for the National Park area, night one in Crescent City, the next day would be Redwoods state parks and coastal areas, then one more night in Crescent City and we'll leave the following morning for Oregon Caves / Crater Lake.

I'm definitely very excited about Bend ... planning on Smith Rock State Park, probably a white water rafting day, High Desert museum. We were in Portland last summer as we finished up our WA/BC/OR trip, stayed downtown I think in the Pearl district, we thought it was great. Tons of good dining, and the highlight for one of my kids was Powell's bookstore. I have already promised we can go back there! I will look at the Lodge though, it would be easy enough to make a stop at Powell's books and the head further out of the city. That is a great idea to see Multnomah Falls on departure day if it's a later flight. It does look like many of the flights are afternoon, and that always leaves time that we're just sitting around waiting. We were there when my oldest was just 8 months old, so that would be fun.

One huge issue you need to prepare for is wildfires. This year and last were exceptionally mild fire seasons for CA. The year before you would not have been able to drive your itinerary.

Red Bluff and Redding are basically the same drive from Lassen. Since you're spending all day in Lassen there is no way you can make the drive over to Eureka but I would not recommend backtracking, just get to Redding or Red Bluff as those drives aren't bad. If the stop in Redding is only to sleep, you basically have your pick of all the major freeway motel chains. There is a new Holiday Inn Express that is quite good for the price. The only nice hotel in Redding is the Sheraton and that does have the advantage of being at basically the only Redding tourist attraction: the Sundial Bridge.

I don't know if you can fit it into your schedule but you may want to check out the Shasta Caverns. It's a little detour but I think they're cool.

For Redwoods, I'd still recommend staying in one place. You'll spend more time packing up than you will save by switching. The National Park is great but you are absolutely correct that the state parks are just as good. There are also a number of private attractions too like Trees of Mystery. I think the SkyTrail is worth it but I'm sure there are those who would disagree.

Since you're still in the planning stage, just take a look at Shelter Cove. It's off the beaten path (maybe too far for your schedule) in what's called the Lost Coast. It's gorgeous and so few people ever make it out that way.

One piece of advice on dining is stay away from Black Bear Diner. They started in Mt. Shasta and have spread all over Northern California and OR. Years ago, it was ok...

You're definitely getting my bias against Portland so my apologies. It's like most things. When you live with it you tend to focus on the bad but when visiting you focus on the good. I really would look into Skamania. It's modeled after the National Parks Lodges and the views from the lobby/restaurant are just incredible. They also have a ropes course in the trees and if you book now you could probably get one of their treehouse rooms that always sell out.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

One huge issue you need to prepare for is wildfires. This year and last were exceptionally mild fire seasons for CA. The year before you would not have been able to drive your itinerary.

Red Bluff and Redding are basically the same drive from Lassen. Since you're spending all day in Lassen there is no way you can make the drive over to Eureka but I would not recommend backtracking, just get to Redding or Red Bluff as those drives aren't bad. If the stop in Redding is only to sleep, you basically have your pick of all the major freeway motel chains. There is a new Holiday Inn Express that is quite good for the price. The only nice hotel in Redding is the Sheraton and that does have the advantage of being at basically the only Redding tourist attraction: the Sundial Bridge.

I don't know if you can fit it into your schedule but you may want to check out the Shasta Caverns. It's a little detour but I think they're cool.

For Redwoods, I'd still recommend staying in one place. You'll spend more time packing up than you will save by switching. The National Park is great but you are absolutely correct that the state parks are just as good. There are also a number of private attractions too like Trees of Mystery. I think the SkyTrail is worth it but I'm sure there are those who would disagree.

Since you're still in the planning stage, just take a look at Shelter Cove. It's off the beaten path (maybe too far for your schedule) in what's called the Lost Coast. It's gorgeous and so few people ever make it out that way.

One piece of advice on dining is stay away from Black Bear Diner. They started in Mt. Shasta and have spread all over Northern California and OR. Years ago, it was ok...

You're definitely getting my bias against Portland so my apologies. It's like most things. When you live with it you tend to focus on the bad but when visiting you focus on the good. I really would look into Skamania. It's modeled after the National Parks Lodges and the views from the lobby/restaurant are just incredible. They also have a ropes course in the trees and if you book now you could probably get one of their treehouse rooms that always sell out.

Red Bluff looks good ... lots of chain hotel options for the night. Shelter Cove looks really nice too. We could stay in Red Bluff, and the next day see Shelter Cove, Humboldt Redwoods State Park, and make it up to Eureka. Or even stay in Shelter Cove one night and then 2 nights Eureka or Crescent City. What about Klamath? That's a mid-way point between Eureka and Crescent City. Doesn't look like a lot of lodging options, but they do have a Holiday Inn. The Skamania Lodge looks awesome, I think we would like that much better than staying right in Portland. Cities can be neat, but we've stayed there before. Definitely have to go in for Powell's books though!

I am definitely thinking about the wildfire issues (and excessive heat potential too - it was up in the 100s in Yosemite last week at some point). Yosemite is probably my biggest concern, though I know it could affect anywhere. When we do trips like this I usually have backup plans in mind just in case we need to rework things on the fly. For our Yosemite days, I'm thinking about even booking something completely different (that has a same day cancellation policy), just in case. I think we would probably go for Monterey/Santa Cruz or else San Francisco and coastal areas and wine country to the north.

 

[China Expat]

Check out picks of Ferndale instead of Eureka. Famed for Victorian houses and quaint Main st. Eureka and Crescent City are more gas and meal stops for us.

 

[bcla]

I haven't been to Redding in a while, but it's the only largish city anywhere in the area. I actually did a day trip to Lassen and stopped in Redding for a few hours where I had dinner and even got a haircut at Mount Shasta Mall. I didn't go to Turtle Bay per se, but did check out the Sundial Bridge at night before going home, although I got home past midnight.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

Just wanted to chime in with a couple quick suggestions.

1. If you can help it, don’t arrive in Lake Tahoe on a Friday or leave on Sunday. Traffic can get bad with locals spending the weekend there.

2. Definitely two nights at Crater Lake. It’s a long drive just to get there no matter where you’re coming from. But it’s so worth it! You said “summer” so to me that means July. In early July, depending on the snow this winter, not all of the roads/trails will be open. July 1 is a very different story than August 1.

Have a great trip!

 

[Douglas Dubh]

It’s a long drive just to get there no matter where you’re coming from.

It’s only two hours south of Bend, and two hours north of Medford.

 

[China Expat]

One huge issue you need to prepare for is wildfires. This year and last were exceptionally mild fire seasons for CA. The year before you would not have been able to drive your itinerary.

Red Bluff and Redding are basically the same drive from Lassen. Since you're spending all day in Lassen there is no way you can make the drive over to Eureka but I would not recommend backtracking, just get to Redding or Red Bluff as those drives aren't bad. If the stop in Redding is only to sleep, you basically have your pick of all the major freeway motel chains. There is a new Holiday Inn Express that is quite good for the price. The only nice hotel in Redding is the Sheraton and that does have the advantage of being at basically the only Redding tourist attraction: the Sundial Bridge.

I don't know if you can fit it into your schedule but you may want to check out the Shasta Caverns. It's a little detour but I think they're cool.

For Redwoods, I'd still recommend staying in one place. You'll spend more time packing up than you will save by switching. The National Park is great but you are absolutely correct that the state parks are just as good. There are also a number of private attractions too like Trees of Mystery. I think the SkyTrail is worth it but I'm sure there are those who would disagree.

Since you're still in the planning stage, just take a look at Shelter Cove. It's off the beaten path (maybe too far for your schedule) in what's called the Lost Coast. It's gorgeous and so few people ever make it out that way.

One piece of advice on dining is stay away from Black Bear Diner. They started in Mt. Shasta and have spread all over Northern California and OR. Years ago, it was ok...

You're definitely getting my bias against Portland so my apologies. It's like most things. When you live with it you tend to focus on the bad but when visiting you focus on the good. I really would look into Skamania. It's modeled after the National Parks Lodges and the views from the lobby/restaurant are just incredible. They also have a ropes course in the trees and if you book now you could probably get one of their treehouse rooms that always sell out.
View attachment 779364

Agree about Black Bear diner. All fried and heavy foods. Did not like.

 

[Rex1993]

Check out picks of Ferndale instead of Eureka. Famed for Victorian houses and quaint Main st. Eureka and Crescent City are more gas and meal stops for us.

I agree that Ferndale is definitely a neat town and much more charming than CC or Eureka. The only problem is that for this itinerary it adds another hour+ of driving to get to the parks.

 

[NewbieMouse]

On your drive up the coast through Oregon, I would highly suggest stopping here for pie. they have a few special berry pies that are only available in the summer. We haven't been to Oregon for several years but all of us talk longingly about returning to the "Pie Chalet"...

http://www.chaletrestaurantandbakery.com/

 

[bcla]

I've only read about it, but an interesting place near Eureka/Arcata is the Samoa Cookhouse. It has a history as a lumber company dining hall where mostly mill workers and lumberjacks would eat large quantities of all you can eat food. It's currently closed for renovations, but should be open by next year.

https://www.samoacookhouse.net
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samoa_Cookhouse
https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/last-logger-cookhouse-in-california-17353456.php

 

[ambula603]

When you are in Redwood NP, make plans to get the timed entry for the hike through Fern Canyon. It was a highlight of our trip this summer!