Which driving route is best for me???

I need help in narrowing down my choices.

I am thinking of a driving vacation through Oregon for the end of July. I%26#39;ve read through many posts on this forum, but there is just SO MUCH.

To me, this is a ';last minute'; vacation. Usually I plan my trips about a year in advance and do lots of research. Although I%26#39;ve started reading about all the recommended ';scenic drives';, there is SO MUCH to absorb in a small amount of time. So I am hoping that there are some experienced Oregon travellers out there who will give me some SHORTCUTS.

I have 5 or 6 days starting out from Portland. These are my requirements:

BEAUTIFUL SCENERY

Good weather - not too hot, not too rainy

Preferably no more than 2 - 3 hours driving per day. (I am not expecting to see all of Oregon in one week.)

Peaceful, restful places...avoid too many crowds and traffic.

Very nice bed %26amp; breakfasts/hotels/resorts along the way. We can budget up to $300 per night. It would be okay to stay in one place for 2 or 3 nights if it is really nice and lots to see in that one area.

Visiting wineries is good too.

BEAUTIFUL SCENERY.

THANKS FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN OFFER.

Which driving route is best for me???

This one is hard to answer w/o more specifics. Do you want to see the coast? Mountains? Rivers? Waterfalls? Desert? How far from Portland are you willing to venture?

If I had a week, I would do the Columbia River Gorge (1 day) w/either Portland area or Hood River as a base, spend a couple of days in/around Bend (include a visit to Crater Lake) then head to the coast (2-3 days) then back to Portland. This would give you diverse look at Oregon in a short time.

To include the wineries in the above itinerary, you could head back inland from the coast at Lincoln City then on to Portland.

Which driving route is best for me???

Central Oregon (Bend) gets very hot in summer. I wouldn%26#39;t go further than the Columbia Gorge if you want to avoid hot weather, maybe loop back around Mt Hood instead.

Thank you both for your replies.

The reason I didn%26#39;t include info about whether I want a coastal drive as opposed to gorges, mountains, etc., is that I DON%26#39;T KNOW.

I am open to any suggestions.

As far as driving distance...we will arrive and leave by plane in Portland. And I don%26#39;t want to spend too many hours of vacation sitting in a car.

Thanks also for the advice about the temps in central Oregon. We are looking to escape heat if possible. We have enough of that in Florida.

I will start reading about your suggestions. Thanks for giving me some pointers.

Hi, we love the beautiful scenery on the northern coast, with your budget you could stay at The Stephanie Inn in Cannon Beach, this is one of the nicest places for lodging on the entire coast, they have a great restaurant there, also where we have enjoyed several meals. I would not miss Ecola State park in Cannon Beach, we loved our time there a couple of days ago, the scenery is spectacular, take the drive back to Indian Beach for some of the prettiest scenery on the Oregon Coast.

You could also explore Seaside where I am, Gearhart, Warrenton (go to Fort Stevens State Park) and Astoria from Cannon Beach. All of these places are just about a 30 minute drive from Cannon Beach, 20 minutes from Seaside. Here are some nice websites for the northern coast:

www.cannon-beach.net

www.seasideor.com

www.oldoregon.com

Enjoy your travels! :)

Thank you Syrahgirl, for the great suggestions, descriptions, and links.

Unlike Syrahgirl%26#39;s recommendations, I%26#39;ll respond to what you have asked. For example, although the northern coast is indeed beautiful and much different than Florida%26#39;s, Seaside is not the place you want to be in late July if you want to ';avoid too many crowds and traffic.';

What you DON';T have in Florida are volcanic mountains. And, so, let me suggest another itinerary for your consideration.

1. Portland through Columbia Gorge (seeing Multnomah Falls, etc.) and continue on Mt. Hood loop to Timberline Lodge for night (advance reservations ASAP).

2. Timberline to Bend (Sisters even better if it%26#39;s not too long a drive for you).

3. Sisters to Eugene

4. Eugene to Yachats

5. You could either plan another night in Yachats or head back to Portland, with a stop for a hike at Silver Falls State Park just east of Salem.

This would give you a chance to see wonderful snowcapped mountains, waterfalls, forests and the spectacular central Oregon coast...all within your driving time limitations (all on good, easy driving roads).

If this itinerary appeals to you, let us know and we can provide lots of additional info, websites, etc. to help you in your planning. If you had an extra day to spend anywhere, I%26#39;d give Portland the extra time. It%26#39;s a wonderful city with lots to do and see and, if you do it at the end of your loop, it%26#39;ll give you a break from major driving the day before you take off for home.

Oregonpoppa...

You make a very good point....while I love the seashore, and Syrahgirl%26#39;s suggestions sound beautiful, seeing snow-capped mountains is VERY appealing to me now that you mention it. And I would appreciate being able to avoid as many crowds as possible.

So...if you have some more recommendations in this direction, please let me know.

It sounds like Oregon has a wealth of beautiful things to see all over the state.

I%26#39;ve tried three times to get all these listed and lost them each time! Let%26#39;s see if I can get it right this time.

if this doesn%26#39;t fit, I%26#39;ll break it down and you can cut and paste...

traveloregon.com/Explore-Oregon/Mt-Hood-Colu鈥?/a>

fs.fed.us/r6/columbia/maps/Mt_Hood_Loop.pdf

http://www.timberlinelodge.com/

http://www.el.com/to/sisters/

thesisterscountry.com/sistersCountry.php

http://www.el.com/to/mckenzierivervalley/

http://www.travellanecounty.org/

http://www.yachats.org/

http://discovernewport.com/

sites.google.com/a/mcbsinthecloud.com/sfpark/

www.salemoregon.com/silverfallsstatepark/

Whoopie! I did it! Browse through these sites and I think you%26#39;ll find nature%26#39;s wonders galore. Others on the forum will be able to chip in with their personal recommendations regarding lodging and sightseeing opportunities. If you like this route, I can give you tips of things to see and do enroute through my general neck of the woods...and I do mean ';woods.';

Well, that first link didn%26#39;t fit...but I checked it and it still works.

July in Oregon can be hot, even at the coast. Though less often at coast. It will not be that humid heat of the south.

your 2-3 hour desired driving time limit really limits your options. The only way you can see coast is to drive there and stay somewhere. From Portland Newport can be reached in that limit so can Cannon beach from portland. Either can be a nice 2 or 3 day stay.

From Newport next day tou can drive south and see some nice coast.

Gorge can be done in that time, but not doing the Mt Hood loop.