Trip up coast--NorCal, Oregon, Washington

Excellent info. Thank you!

RedRocket204 wrote:

myredracer wrote:
Sounds like you know the Or & Wa. well. With so much unprotected coastline, are there any periods during the summer when it isn't so windy and maybe the winds even die right down or is it windy most of the time? Maybe the winds pick up in the morning and die down in the evening some days? I can't remember any time I've been there over the years when there hasn't been strong winds off the water. I think it's a good idea to have some warm clothing with you for a walk on the beaches because it can be a bit chilly.

Is there a prevailing direction for the winds? We towed a smaller TT northward once and had a heck of a time from strong gusting winds from the northwest which made it a real white knuckle trip.

I know you were asking the other poster but thought I would jump in here. I just moved away from the north OR coast a few years ago but had spent the previous 9 years there.

Yes, there are times in the summer where the winds are generally not blowing. However, it was more often than not the winds would blow. I also did a lot of surfing there so taking advantage of non-existent wind was what we would look for.

Usually, the mornings are when there is little to no wind. In the summer after morning, the convection gets going much further inland as the land heats up. This causes the air over the hot land to rise so other air ultimately fills in that void. The air filling the void usually comes from the coastal areas...that is why the winds will pick up when there is no approaching storm.

Problem with those wind currents is the ocean water along the PNW is usually cold, so when the winds start, it can feel like someone turned on the air conditioning. In the summer, those winds are northerly, coming off the cold water. IT can make for a great place to kite-board as the winds blow from north to south which is mostly parallel to the coastline there from Warrenton to Seaside.

Ask my wife, as that is really the primary reason we moved away. Toughing out the long rainy fall/winter/spring and hoping for a mild to warm summer was not very frequent when we lived 2 blocks from the ocean.

Don't get me wrong though. There are extremely nice days there as I have seen many of those days. Just not enough of those days. :)

myredracer wrote:
Sounds like you know the Or & Wa. well. With so much unprotected coastline, are there any periods during the summer when it isn't so windy and maybe the winds even die right down or is it windy most of the time? Maybe the winds pick up in the morning and die down in the evening some days? I can't remember any time I've been there over the years when there hasn't been strong winds off the water. I think it's a good idea to have some warm clothing with you for a walk on the beaches because it can be a bit chilly.

Is there a prevailing direction for the winds? We towed a smaller TT northward once and had a heck of a time from strong gusting winds from the northwest which made it a real white knuckle trip.

I know you were asking the other poster but thought I would jump in here. I just moved away from the north OR coast a few years ago but had spent the previous 9 years there.

Yes, there are times in the summer where the winds are generally not blowing. However, it was more often than not the winds would blow. I also did a lot of surfing there so taking advantage of non-existent wind was what we would look for.

Usually, the mornings are when there is little to no wind. In the summer after morning, the convection gets going much further inland as the land heats up. This causes the air over the hot land to rise so other air ultimately fills in that void. The air filling the void usually comes from the coastal areas...that is why the winds will pick up when there is no approaching storm.

Problem with those wind currents is the ocean water along the PNW is usually cold, so when the winds start, it can feel like someone turned on the air conditioning. In the summer, those winds are northerly, coming off the cold water. IT can make for a great place to kite-board as the winds blow from north to south which is mostly parallel to the coastline there from Warrenton to Seaside.

Ask my wife, as that is really the primary reason we moved away. Toughing out the long rainy fall/winter/spring and hoping for a mild to warm summer was not very frequent when we lived 2 blocks from the ocean.

Don't get me wrong though. There are extremely nice days there as I have seen many of those days. Just not enough of those days. :)

We loved Honeyman State park near Florence, OR last summer. We also like Deception Pass State Park in Wa. Also cannon beach rv resort was fun one spring break.

Leo Smith wrote:

I have rambled enough. If you choose to travel on 101, take your time and enjoy the sights.
Happy trails!

Sounds like you know the Or & Wa. well. With so much unprotected coastline, are there any periods during the summer when it isn't so windy and maybe the winds even die right down or is it windy most of the time? Maybe the winds pick up in the morning and die down in the evening some days? I can't remember any time I've been there over the years when there hasn't been strong winds off the water. I think it's a good idea to have some warm clothing with you for a walk on the beaches because it can be a bit chilly.

Is there a prevailing direction for the winds? We towed a smaller TT northward once and had a heck of a time from strong gusting winds from the northwest which made it a real white knuckle trip.

fairfaxjim wrote:
Reservations are a must. For other side trips, Gold Beach has the Columbia River and the Jet Boat trips (I like Jerry's, but the Mail Boats are good too) First run in the mornings is best in my opinion.

Just a slight correction here...Gold Beach has the Rogue River you are referring to with the Jet Boat trips. The Columbia River is the boarder of OR/WA.

If you are in Astoria, consider the Columbia River Maritime Museum as Astoria has a very active Coast Guard presence since the Columbia River Bar is considered the graveyard of the Pacific.

Also to visit in Warrenton near Fort Clatsop is the Peter Iredale shipwreck. It is just a skeleton now but you can walk up to it and put your hands on it, tide dependent. You can also drive a vehicle on the beach there.

In Seaside, there is the infamous The Point surf spot. South end of Seaside all the way out on "the point" of Tillamook Head where you can see from the parking lot. There is also a nice hiking trail up Tillamook Head that goes over to Cannon Beach.

A couple of nice beaches to hang out on (as long as the wind is not strong), Indian Beach/Ecola State Park north end of Cannon Beach and also, Short Sands (Oswald West State Park, Smugglers Cove) south of Cannon Beach.

World class salmon, halibut and sturgeon fishing from Astoria or Ilwaco, WA.

If in the central Oregon area, it should be considered a crime to not visit John Day Fossil Beds National Monument - Oregon, Painted Hills Unit.

An absolutely stunning area.

Lots of great info so far..... great tip about driving south down the coast. This is very true for the parts of the Oregon I am familiar with. If you come inland try to avoid Portland around traffic times - especially heading north from Portland/Oregon into Washington. Other times are not bad but there is a HUGE rush hour backup. If you do come through Portland area the Columbia River Gorge is a must see. Mount Saint Helens is amazing. The best campground in the world (at least what I've seen :)) is the Lower Lewis River Falls Recreation Area about 1.5 hours out of Portland (in Washington). Dry Camping but absolutely amazing water falls, hiking and a surprisingly empty campground with large paved spots (PM me is you want more info or pictures).

Mount Hood is beautiful - Government Camp/Timberline Lodge are great if you're on the mountain - there are several great camping areas near the top of the mountain but most/all have no services but maybe a well to pump water from. Mt Hood Village RV Resort is about 45 minutes from Portland and 30 minutes from Mount Hood and is full service and then some (but expensive). They have full hook-ups, cable, swimming, restaurant, etc, etc.

From Mt. Hood it's a somewhat easy trek over to the Columbia River Gorge and up into Saint Helens area if you want to see a couple really nice mountains. Mount Rainier and Mount Jefferson are also nearby and make for great views from the other mountains.

I would recommend heading north on I-5 through Oregon and Washington, then turn left at Olympia and follow highway 101 to the north. When you are driving on 101, most of the highway is 2 lanes with an occasional passing lane. This means (especially during the summer) that you will be traveling as fast as the slowest motorhome that in front of you. I would consider 200 miles/day on 101 to be ambitious. The majority of highway 101 in Washington is inland, where the majority of highway 101 in Oregon is on or near the coast. There are plenty of interesting places to stop and visit in both states as your schedule and budget will allow. Following highway 101 from where it starts in Olympia, I would recommend the following places to visit:
1. Port Townsend (historic Victorian seaport)
2. Hurricane Ridge (near Port Angeles)
3. Lake Crescent
4. Forks (the town of Twilight fame)
5. Lake Quinault and Lake Quinalt Lodge
6. Ilwaco and Fort Canby State Park, then cross the Columbia river to Oregon.
7. Astoria and fort Stevens State Park (KOA is across the road if no spaces are available at the state park) Lewis and Clark slept here, visit their interpretive center at Fort Clatsop.
8. Seaside (arcades, mini golf, and rides for the kids, excellent beach )
9. Cannon Beach (high end shops and art galleries, scenic beach, excellent RV park)
10. Manzanita (good shops and restaurants, excellent beach, Nehalem Bay state Park is south of the town)
11. Pacific City (this is a busy beach: fishing dories launch from the beach, plenty of surfers, great brewery restaurant next to the beach, excellent RV park across the street from the beach)
12. Depoe Bay (world's smallest natural harbor, plenty of tourist shops)
13. Newport (interesting "old town" on the bay, great aquarium on the south side of the bay)
14. Florence (tourist shops in "old town", great sand dunes and dune buggy rides south of Florence)
15. North Bend/Coos Bay (make a side trip to Charleston, a quaint fishing village)
16. Bandon (world class golf: $$$)
17. Gold Beach (jet boat rides up the Rogue River)
18. Welcome to California!

I have rambled enough. If you choose to travel on 101, take your time and enjoy the sights.
Happy trails!

Thank you for all the great input! I have my work cut out for me...

Last spring, we went to Salt Creek County Park (west of Port Angelas, WA),toured the Olympic Rain Forest, and ended up in Ocean Shores, WA. This might be a bit to far North, but lots of history and great places to see.
Anywhere in Oregon coastal regions are special. Fort Stevens has some super historical stuff, along with camping.
Have fun!!