101 SOUTH FROM OLYMPIA TO REDWOODS

Ditto Cape Disappointment State Park. Lots of Lewis and Clark history there.

Oh, if your not in a hurry take the coast route and stop for at least an Overnight at Cape Disappointment. Hike over to the southern lighthouse and check out the great interpretive center. We hiked to both lighthouses and they were so cool
Spend sometime in Astoria also, short drive but check out the Lewis and Clark History in that area, especially if your into history or have kids. Astoria
Tillamook is the best for an ice cream treat. And then there are some beautiful beaches, lighthouses, drives, parks and campgrounds all the way down the Oregon Coast.
Enjoy

There are several options for visiting Crate Lake.

- head east to Eugene, and take OR58 SE to US97, and then OR138 west to the north entrance of Crater Lake. On leaving Crater Lake take OR62 to Medford, and US199 to Crescent City (the north end of the CA redwoods).

- If you want to see more of the coast, consider OR42 to Roseburg, and OR138 east to Crater Lake.

I'd allow a day to over and a day back to the coast.

Think of US101, I5 and US97 as 3 parallel tracks the length of Oregon. Your route could easily be any mix of those, using roads like US30, I84, US26, US20, OR58, 22, 42, 138, 62 to cross back and forth.

A great park to head for is Harris Beach SP in Brookings OR, not too far north of the redwoods in CA which is your ultimate destination. There's an excellent commercial park in Trinidad CA right in the heart of the redwood contry, don't know the name of it but it gets nice reviews.

US101 does not go south from Olympia at all. It does north. :) But the drive west to south bound US101 isn't far.

You could drive west from the I5 corridor to US101 at almost any point from Olympia south to Grants Pass (US199). A few of the Oregon highways to the coast are twisty. Mostly it's a trade off between the speed on the freeway versus the scenery along the coast.

Also if you were to head North on 101 from Olympia much of 101 is not along the coast. A lot of Washington's coast is not along 101 of even near the Pacific Ocean. Northern part of 101 is along the Strait of Juan de Fuca and much of the ride you don't even see the water. It different in Oregon. 101 is on the coast in Oregon.

101 South from Olympia doesn't really go along the coast. You have to go west to Aberdeen, then a lot of the road goes inland. Along 101 from Raymond south is not really the Ocean but the Willapa Bay. There is a great Oyster Farm, Goosepoint Oyster farm south of South Bend. After you go though Willapa Bay then it's over the Astoria Bridge to Oregon. Maybe it would be better to head over to Longview Washington and go west of 30 to Astoria, then south along the Oregon Coast to the Redwoods.

We just did Astoria down through CA on our way home from Portland to So. Cal. last spring. As the first poster don't plan on moving far as there is so much to see and do!

Enjoy the trip!

Better yet IMHO continue down the coast spending a couple of days in the northern Redwoods, and then head north toward GrantsPass. Don't forget the Oregon Caves. At Grants Pass you pick up I5 south. I would stop at Valley of the Rogue State Park for a couple of days. Historic Jacksonville is only a few miles away. This is where gold was first discovered in southern Oregon and a well preserved town. Also don't miss the Oregon Vortex. At the north end of Medford turn up toward Crater Lake.

Love this drive down the Washington and Oregon coast. Stay at Lake Quinault, WA and enjoy the lake view and the creme brulee' in the Quinault Lodge. Of course Asotria and Fort Clatsop. Long Beach is also a nice place to see.

Tillamook, OR and the cheese factory. Turn inland at Coos Bay then south to Medford for the trip up to Crater Lake.