San Francisco to Seattle 3 – A great off the beaten path route along the coastline of western USA (from north to south) that includes a trip to the states of Washington, Oregon and California, as well as the cities of Seattle, Portland and San Francisco (and lots of picturesque towns – especially along the shores of Oregon and California). Many days of travel in this route are along the Pacific coast, although there is also a part of this route that visits the mountain ranges to the east (in Mount Rainier and Saint Helens, along the Cascades Range). One of the advantages of this route is that most of it can be travelled almost year round (except In winter), its disadvantage is that it includes relatively long drives, and for some travelers it may be a bit monotonous in part.
Please note – it is possible to shorten this trip in one day by skipping the trip to Shelter Cove; roads in Mount Rainier and Mount Saint Helens may be closed by snow from October/November till May (and high altitude hiking trail may be inaccessible until June/July) – in this case you should change the route and drive directly from Seattle to Portland – 3 hours drive (hence shortening the trip in 2 days).
Day 1 – Land in San Francisco and spend a few hours in the city
Lodging location: San Francisco
Day 2 – Spend the day in San Francisco
Lodging location: San Francisco
Day 3 – Enjoy one more day in San Francisco
Lodging location: San Francisco
Day 4 – Spend the morning in San Francisco and then drive north to Jenner, 2 hours drive
Lodging location: Jenner
Day 5 – Visit sites near Jenner: Goat Rock State Beach (here you may walk to the mouth of the Russian River), beautiful Wrights Beach and at Duncans Landing (a wonderful viewpoint)
Lodging location: Jenner
Day 6 – Drive north on the extremely scenic portion of HWY 1 to the town of Fort Bragg, on the way stop at Goat Rock State Beach (here you may walk to the mouth of the Russian River), Salt Point State Park and in Mendocino (with it’s galleries, restaurants and beautiful coastline), 2.5 hours driveLodging location: Fort Bragg
Day 7 – Visit MacKerricher State Park and then drive to the scenic coastal town of Shelter Cove and enjoy the afternoon in the area, 2.5 hours drive
Lodging location: Shelter Cove
Day 8 – Relax in beautiful Shelter Cove and visit the towns wild pristine beaches
Lodging location: Shelter Cove
Day 9 – Drive to Eureka through the Avenue of the Giants, 2.5 hours drive
Lodging location: Eureka
Day 10 – Visit the southern and central region of Redwoods National and State Parks, 1.5 hours drive
Lodging location: Crescent City
Day 11 – Visit the northern region of Redwoods National and State Parks
Lodging location: Crescent City
Day 12 – Drive north along the dramatic coastline of HWY 101 towards Bandon (Oregon), on the way stop at: Harris Beach State Park, Lone Ranch Beach, Meyers Beach, he scenic town of Port Orford and Cape Blanco Lighthouse, spend the afternoon along the scenic Bandon coastline, 2 hours drive
Lodging location: Bandon
Day 13 – Visit Sunset Bay State Park, Shore Acres State Park, Simpson Reef Viewpoint, and Cape Arago State Park located not far from Bandon, 1 hour drive in each direction
Lodging location: Bandon
Day 14 – Continue driving north to Newport and on the way stop at: Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area (hike the John Dellenback trail), Sea Lion Caves, Smelt Sands State Recreation Area (near the town of Yachats), Seal Rock Viewpoint, 2.5 hours drive
Lodging location: Newport
Day 15 – Drive north on Hwy 101 to the coastal town of Cannon Beach and on the way stop at: Yaquina Head, Cape Kiwanda, Cape Meares, Tillamook Creamery, 2.5 hours drive
Lodging location: Cannon Beach
Day 16 – Relax along the beaches of Cannon Beach and visit Ecola State Park
Lodging location: Cannon Beach
Day 17 – Drive to Portland and spend the afternoon in the city, 1.5 hours drive
Lodging location: Portland
Day 18 – Enjoy the day in Portland
Lodging location: Portland
Day 19 – Drive to Mount Rainier National Park and on the way visit the western slope of Mount Saint Helens (see map here), 4.5 hours drive
Lodging location: South Mount Rainier or Paradise or Longmire
Day 20 – Hike and travel in the Paradise area of Mount Rainier National Park
Lodging location: South Mount Rainier or Paradise or Longmire
Day 21 – Enjoy one more day in the Paradise area of Mount Rainier National Park
Lodging location: South Mount Rainier or Paradise or Longmire
Day 22 – Visit the Sunrise area of the park and then drive to Seattle, 4 hours drive
Lodging location: Seattle
Day 23 – Enjoy the day in Seattle
Lodging location: Seattle
Day 24 – Enjoy one more day in Seattle
Lodging location: Seattle
Day 25 – Fly home
– In order to fill this route with content – see our Northwest USA and California destinations pages, where you can find articles that include suggestions what to do in various locations along this route.
