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Highlights from Roadtripping Through Oregon

| Destinations, North America, Oregon, USA

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I just came back from a whirlwind tour through the state of Oregon. In the span of 8 days we traveled almost 2500 km, visited 8 cities, passed through many more, relaxed on 4 beaches, and visited numerous national and state parks. We also ate a lot. That’s a lot of driving and memories being made!

Road Tripping Through Oregon

There were a couple key things that we knew we wanted to do:

  1. We wanted to see the Oregon Coast.
  2. We wanted to go on the sand dunes.
  3. We wanted to explore Crater Lake.
  4. We wanted to do lots of eating in Portland.

So with those 4 criteria in mind, we planned our ultimate Oregon experience. We wanted to limit the amount of driving we would do between places so that we can maximize our destinations. I’m excited to share these highlights from my trip, but I’ll be writing more about each attraction and experience in depth in the weeks to come.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you book or buy something through one of these links, I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you!). Read my full disclosure policy here.

Read more:

Roading Tripping Oregon: The Hotels

Highlights from Roadtripping Through Oregon | packmeto.com

Created using Travelers Point

Have you ever noticed that the state of Oregon looks kind of like a piece of toast? My tour guide in Portland said something about it and now I can’t unsee it.

Here is a quick overview of our route and what I would different if I were to do this again.

Day 1: Driving to Portland

Driving from Vancouver to Portland was relatively uneventful. We wanted to get to Portland as quickly as possible. We stopped briefly in Olympia to check out the capitol building and meet up with Samantha and Yeison of My Tan Feet who were visiting. It’s always so awesome to meet other travel bloggers!

Olympia State Capitol | Highlights from Roadtripping Through Oregon | packmeto.com

I love the domes of all the capitol buildings in the US!

In Portland, we had a meal at the famous Pok Pok, checked out a bar arcade before getting some doughnuts from the famous Voodoo doughnuts.

Read more

A Quick Tour Through the Portland Food Scene

Ground Kontrol Pinball Machines | Highlights from Roadtripping Through Oregon | packmeto.com

Turns out I’m terrible at pinball.

Pro Tip: If you’re driving from Vancouver to Portland and don’t want to stop in Seattle, exit I-5 and take the 405 through Bellevue instead. It doesn’t add too much more time and you get to skip all the traffic.

Day 2: Portland to Seaside

After a delicious brunch and a quick stop to buy my new GoPro, we were off to the coast! I had been to Seaside once briefly and really wanted to see more of the town. I was a bit disappointed by the city and it didn’t live up to my memories of it. We had a terrible dinner experience that night which ended up ruining our experience in this city.

Seaside Beach with Fog | Highlights from Roadtripping Through Oregon | packmeto.com

The beach is pretty cool though. Look at how big it is!

We took a quick detour up to Astoria and visited the Astoria column, saw some sea lions and met the loveliest person at Visitor Information. She recommended we take the drive out to see the Peter Iredale Shipwreck and I’m so glad we did. Hands down one of the coolest things I did this whole trip.

Read More:

Incredible Views Over Charming Astoria
Shipwrecked at Fort Steven’s State Park
Impressions of Seaside, Oregon

Peter Iredale Shipwreck | Highlights from Roadtripping Through Oregon | packmeto.com

How stunning and cool is this?!

Lesson Learned: Stay in Cannon Beach instead, even if it’s slightly more expensive. Seaside looks and feels a bit like Disneyland minus the rides. Everything looks placed and fake.

Day 3: Seaside to Lincoln City

Leaving Seaside and going to Cannon Beach was like a breath of fresh air. The fog had burned off, the sun was out and it was even warm. We had a beach morning and left as the wind was picking up and the fog was coming back in.

Cannon Beach + Haystack Rock | Highlights from Roadtripping Through Oregon | packmeto.com

Simply stunning! That haze around the rock? That’s the fog.

A quick stop in Tillamook to visit the Tillamook Cheese Factory and learn about all things cheese making is a great rest stop. Plus, cheese samples! Working in the food manufacturing industry, this stop was really fascinating to me.

Read more:

A Cheesy Time at the Tillamook Cheese Factory

Tillamook Cheese Factory | Highlights from Roadtripping Through Oregon | packmeto.com

Cheese anyone? My favourite was the jalapeno jack. Spicy and cheese!

In Lincoln City, we didn’t do too much except hang out on the beach. We built a bonfire despite the high winds. Hurray for outdoor skills! It was ridiculously cold and the wind didn’t help. I eventually hid back in our hotel room because it was way too cold.

Read more:

The Beautiful Beaches of the Oregon Coast

Lesson Learned: In order to have a fire on the beach you need a bucket of water nearby so be sure to pick one up along the way. Also, it gets really really really cold and windy along the coast, especially at night. Bring lots of warm clothing.

Day 4: Lincoln City to Florence

This portion of the drive was the most beautiful of all of our coastal drives. As you turn corners you’re greeted with breathtaking views after breathtaking views.

Highlights from Roadtripping Through Oregon | packmeto.com

How incredible is it to be driving right next to this?!

We had wanted to stop along the way to see the sea lions, but when we pulled up we were informed that the elevator down to them was broken and we couldn’t go. The cameras they had in the caves didn’t show many of them so maybe they weren’t around anyways (that’s what I’m going with to make myself feel better). I was really looking forward to seeing them! It just means I’ll have to go back and do the trip all over again.

Read more:

Florence, Oregon: Sea Lions, Sand Dunes & Sun

Day 5: Florence to Roseburg

This was the day we went on our sand dune tour which was the most exhilarating thing to do and would recommend everyone to go for it.

Sand Dunes Tour | Highlights from Roadtripping Through Oregon | packmeto.com

So awesome! So much fun!

While they make it sound like an extreme experience, there are only one or two drops that make you get that stomach in throat feeling. Otherwise it’s just a really fun ride and be prepared for sand. Sand everywhere in places you would never expect it to be. Seriously! A MUST!

Read more:

Riding the Oregon Sand Dunes

Lesson Learned: Have a jacket that has zippered pockets so you can bring a camera / phone with you on your sand dune tour. Also, layers are key and you’ll want to tuck everything in. Zip up everything as much as possible. They also give helmets to participants under 18, but you might want to consider getting one so you’re not finding sand in your hair the rest of the day.

Day 6: Roseburg to Eugene via Crater Lake

Our sand dune guide the previous day suggested we stop along the way to Crater Lake at Toketee Falls which ended up being a massive detour. We went too far, got lost and when we eventually found the falls, we realized how stupid we were in missing the sign for it. It’s right off the highway!

Toketee Falls | Highlights from Roadtripping Through Oregon | packmeto.com

So pretty! The hike in was easy but surprisingly long.

Crater Lake was an amazing experience and stunningly beautiful. I’ll just leave you with this image.

Read more:

A Beautiful Day at Crater Lake National Park
Visiting the Toketee Falls en Route to Crater Lake

Crater Lake Lunch View | Highlights from Roadtripping Through Oregon | packmeto.com

The lake really is that colour when the sun is out. No photoshopping needed. The world is beautiful.

The drive to Eugene that night was pretty eventful. We drove through a fire zone. As we got closer and closer the air got thick with smoke and you couldn’t see the sky. I was worried for a moment that they wouldn’t let us through. The highway was open though.

Driving Through a Fire Zone | Highlights from Roadtripping Through Oregon | packmeto.com

Look at all that smoke outside!

As we drove past a ranger stop you could see lines and lines of firetrucks and firefighters resting from tackling the fire. It was a very surreal and humbling moment.

Lesson learned: Next time I would stay 2 nights in Roseburg and skip Eugene. It was a lot further than we thought and it was a bad time doing all that driving in one day. Another option would have been to stay in Bend which has really great breweries. Also, there is no reception through the drive to the park and in the park so be prepared with paper maps in case you get lost.

Day 7: Eugene to Portland

The drive from Eugene to Portland was uneventful. With no sales tax in the state, we stopped briefly at Woodburn Outlets so I could buy a windbreaker (seriously, should have gotten this before going to the coast), and then hit up the fantastic food carts of Portland.

Portland Food Cart Pod | Highlights from Roadtripping Through Oregon | packmeto.com

The lines may be long, but they move really fast.

I went on a walking tour of Portland before having a fantastic elk burger. To cap off the night? One last visit to Voodoo Doughnuts of course.

Read more:

7 Free Things to Do in Portland

Lesson learned: Get to the outlets early! The parking lot fills up quickly as soon as it opens. Also, it seems with most Portland eating establishments, expect a line. Usually, the wait isn’t too bad. Most restaurants are really efficient at moving tables and people because they do it all the time.

Day 8: Driving home

Saturdays in Portland mean a visit to the Saturday Market which was filled with artisans selling their fare. After that it was time to head back to Vancouver.

Stalls at the Portland Saturday Market | Highlights from Roadtripping Through Oregon | packmeto.com

Pretty busy for bright and early Saturday morning!

A trip to Trader Joe’s to stock up and we were on our way. Sort of. Traffic was terrible the whole way and what should have been a 6-hour drive, morphed into an 8 hour one.

Lesson learned: Traffic through Tacoma sucks. Accidents suck too. Also, if you can, get a Nexus card. Border waits suck (but the whole car needs it or else you’re back in the regular line).

So there you have it, a quick overview of my 8 days in Oregon. I really had a fantastic time exploring the state and it has so much to offer. There is still so much more of the coast to explore and one day I’d love to take the time and keep driving down Highway 101 into California. I’ve only visited 2 of their self-proclaimed 7 Wonders of Oregon and if these two were any indication of what else is to come, then I can’t wait to see the rest!


Have you been to Oregon? What were some of your highlights? If not, where would you like to go?

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Comments

  1. Can’t wait to see your post on Crater Lake, it was one of my favorite stops in Oregon! Everything else looks amazing too. Love that pic of the rusty boat!

    • It’s a great state to explore! It’s nice because it’s small and its fairly easy to get around without having to drive really long hours.

  3. You are making me SO homesick right now! We love to drive south to Nehalem Bay, which is a thirty minute drive from the Tillamook Cheese Factory. That is pretty much my favorite place on earth. I always get a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup and then a big cup of my favorite ice cream, Grandma’s Cake Batter! Yum!

    • Ohhh we missed out on a lot of cool beaches and view points along the way. I’ll have to keep Nehalem Bay in mind if I’m ever in the area again. I love how Tillamook has opened their factory up for visitors. So cool.

  4. Definitely cool. Oregon is on my list of places to visit, and I’ve seen Crater Lake in a few blog posts lately that really makes me want to go there. Can’t wait to see all of your photos. And I’m looking forward to seeing the rest of your trip, too – I think your suggestions will help me plan my future trip!

    • Awesome! Yea, Oregon is definitely worth it to visit. You know what you need to do now: come to Vancouver for a visit and the head south 🙂

    • Haha it was pretty cool to see the cheese being made. It was kind of strange because you see it from above and its self guided. I was wondering the whole time how the workers feel being gawked at.

  9. Such an amazing road trip idea! I totally agree with your sentiment about Seaside vs. Cannon Beach. Every time I’ve been to Seaside it’s like “WHY aren’t we going to C.B. guys?” Way better 🙂
    It really looks like you hit all the major amazing stuff. Never been to Crater Lake but it looks beautiful– a nice reminder that there definitely are wonderful sights to see only a car trip away.
    Sorry if this was obvious and I missed it, but what sort of accommodations did you choose for your trip?

    • Yea, next time I do this, I’m definitely skipping Seaside. It’s so bleh.

      I didn’t talk about my accommodation here, but I’ll have a follow up post with all the places we stayed and whether or not I’d stay there again. We stuck mostly to hotels along the way.

    • Awww booo that sucks. But as my tour guide in Portland says, you haven’t truly been to Portland unless it rains. Consider yourself getting the full experience?

  11. I have done road trips through Oregon and loved them. The beaches, the Columbia river area, and Portland are all so great! Interested to hear more.

  13. I’ve been dreaming about Portland ever since visiting! I fell in love with that city so hard. Didn’t go to Voodoo Donuts though because the line was way too long and I don’t even like donuts :P, but I had such a blast stuffing my face with food cart foods all weekend. Omg I miss it SO much. Some of the food I ate there still remains the BEST I’ve ever had on this earth!

    I think when I eventually make it back there, I would want to do an Oregon roadtrip like this!! I kinda regretted not seeing Crater Lake (and it looks absolutely beautiful!) and I would love to see the coast as well. I didn’t even know about the sand dunes, but I REALLY want to do that (had an opportunity to do it once in Arizona but it fell through)!!

    Can’t wait to read about each portion of the trip in detail!

    • Portland is so spoiled with great food. We had such a hard time picking and choosing what to eat with our limited time. I think I just need to go back for a month and just eat. There’s so much cool stuff to do in the state, I really want to go back and see the rest of it too!

  14. I love Oregon! Been there on many road trips. Done the coast, Crater Lake, volcanic legacies, and the Columbia gorge. Still want to go back and check out the painted hills! The tourism people there are awesome and put out so many really good (and free!) guides to the state.

  15. Oregon is one of the few states I have never been to, but it is on my bucket list. You sure covered a lot in only 8 days. Amazing you found time to relax on the stunning beaches. The fire looked pretty scary, glad you made it through safely. The old ship wreck or the Crater Lake are my favorite photos.

    • There is so much to explore in the state. It’s a good thing, it’s fairly small. We were pretty good planning our itinerary for lots of down time. Those two photos are my favourite ones too 🙂

  16. Yaya you got a Go pro!! Woo it looks like the rest of your trip was success. Glad you guys had fun! So jelly you saw Crater Lake gawwdd that is gorgeous!

    • Seriously you and Yeison did such a good job of selling them haha and the price was right too. I’m really excited to keep using it and learn all its tricks 🙂

  17. I haven’t been to Portland since I was a kid but would really love to return, especially after seeing all this. That shipwreck would be a definite stop as well as Voodoo Doughnuts. The coastline there is so pretty. Coming from Texas, it’s hard for me to imagine it being so cold in summer that you would need a windbreaker, so I will need to remember that for when I visit.

    • I, too, still find it hard to believe it being so cold on a beach in the summer that you need a jacket! Even in Vancouver (with the strange weather we get), it’s not that bad. That truly was shocking and I’m still scratching my head over it.

  18. Sand dunes! I had no idea! Looks amazing though. That Crater Lake picture blew my mind, so simple and so stunning… Looks like you covered quite a bit ground too! I hope to do something like this one day when I’m on the west coast again 🙂

    • The sand dunes were incredible. It’s right on the edge of a city and you’re driving along and all of a sudden, bam you see them on the side of the road. So crazy! I hope you get a chance to explore Oregon the next time you’re on the west coast!

  19. I loved Oregon too – especially the coast! I stayed at a camping ground only 1km from the Peter Iredale wreck so walked out to it one afternoon. I also did the dune buggy which was a lot of fun (no where near as scary as the one in Huacachina, Peru) and loved walking along Cannon Beach, exploring historic Astoria, Portland Saturday Market and Voodoo Donuts, Crater Lake, historic Jacksonville and the natural Umpqua hotsprings. I will definitely go back to Oregon

    • Oh wow, that must have been really cool to camp so close! I missed out on Jacksonville and the hotsprings (but we did drive by it!). I’ll have to go back to those I think. Hmm, I’ll have to keep the ones in Peru in mind. I wouldn’t mind a little crazier of an experience on the dunes.

  20. The US is so big! Oregon is not somewhere I knew anything about before (I am resisting the embarrassment of having to look it up to find out where it is too) but it looks entirely visitable. Damn. Too many places!

    • It’s crazy how huge and how different the US is. I would say Oregon is definitely a great place to visit for something different from the typical California beaches. If only they were a little warmer though!

  21. Wow looks like an awesome road trip! I’ve only done the straight drive down from Seattle to San Francisco but never got to see all the things in between. Great write up and summary.

    • Thanks William! Wow, I’ve never driven all the way down to SF. Well actually technically I have, but I was so young I don’t think it counts. That must have been a crazy long drive!

    • It really wasn’t all that bad. We were careful to not pack too much into a day and the drives were short. Plus, I didn’t have to do much driving 😀

  23. Hi! I am roadtripping around Oregon next summer and wanted to know the details of the sand dunes trip you did! Which company was it with?
    Thanks a lot,
    Dominique

  24. you MUST go to Hood River, Mount Hoid and Zlost Lske. Drifting in a canoe looking at Zmt Zhood is unreal.

    • Ooh! Thanks for the tips. There’s so much more to discover in Oregon it seems. I’ll have to put these on my ever growing list.

      • I’m curious why you missed Multnomah Falls and the Columbia River Gorge. So close to Portland! Thanks for your blog. Makes me proud of my home!

        • Time. We only had limited time and someone in my party needed to be back in Vancouver on a certain day. We decided collectively that we wanted to see the coast so that was our priority. Driving to see the gorge and the falls would have taken us in the opposite direction. That said, both are on my list of places to visit the next time I’m in Oregon. It’s only a 5 hour drive away so it’s likely I’ll be back very very soon.

  25. I live in Oregon in the small town of Newberg, (45ish minutes south of Portland) and I recommend staying one night in Newberg because we still have a Drive-In Movie Theater! its called the 99-W drive in and is amazing! For $8 you can see two movies while snuggled up in your car 🙂 If you go get there early! It fills up fast with locals, trust me getting there early is worth it. If you can afford it I recommend staying at the Allison hotel in Newberg! Although a small town, it has some unique, worthwhile activities!

    • Ooh! Cool! I’ll have to keep that in mind the next time I’m down that way. Is the theater open year round or only in the summer months?

  26. You hit up some great places in Oregon! I’ve lived here all my life and didn’t know we had a shipwreck on the coast! Definitely planning to go check that out sometime soon. Thanks for opening my eyes to new things to do in my own state. 🙂 Sounds like you have a pretty good list of other places to visit next time you’re here, but if you don’t mind my two cents I’d definitely include a visit to Bend. It’s absolutely beautiful! The mountains are gorgeous and there is quite a bit to do.

    • Thanks for the great comment Whitney! I really hope you have a chance to see the Peter Iredale. Hands down one of my favourite things we randomly discovered. Bend was actually on our list to pass through (instead of Eugene), but it just didn’t work out this time. I’ve heard such amazing things about it and all the beer 🙂 Next time for sure!

  27. Awesome blog! I’ve been to Medford and Bend multiple times each, but never to Portland or the coast. I’m planning a massive road trip next summer, so your tips will come in handy. What time of year did you go? Was it September?
    And I agree with you, there’s no such thing as too many stops at Voodoo Donuts!

    • Hi Joe! Thanks for reading and for the lovely comment. I went on my road trip in the last week of August, right before the Labour Day long weekend. Temperatures varied – cool and chilly along the coast, but very hot inland. I hope you have a fantastic time exploring Oregon. It’s a beautiful state.

  28. I love Oregon and recently visited a friend in Portland and fell in love with the greenery of the city and its food scene! Love your photos of the coast and was reminded of my time in Canon Beach. I didn’t know about the sand dunes and I would love to see Crater Lake, especially after seeing your awesome photos.

    Feel free to visit my post about Oregon and let me know what you think: http://passportcouture.com/plenty-in-portland

  29. Thank you for the beautiful post on Oregon, that’s my home state. I love how you formatted your post with the details to locations.

  30. I totally agree about Seaside!! We had to spend a month here as we were visiting a friend. The food is terrible. The vibe isn’t all that great. Lucky you weren’t here in peak summer period because its so touristy.

    • I can’t imagine having to spend a month there. I would be bored out of my mind. I definitely got the touristy vibe even though there were not that many during my visit!

  31. Might I suggest heading East from Portland to Hood River? Stop and hike in the Columbia River Gorge – I suggest Horsetail Falls and Oneonta Gorge. Check out the Fruit Loop and Wind Surfing in Hood River and then head up to Mt. Hood on HWY 35. In the summer I suggest checking out Government Camp and Trillium Lake. Then, head to Bend on HWY 26. If you wanted to do a loop back to Portland, you could travel from Bend to the Willamette Valley (on HWY 20/22) and do some wine tasting near McMinnville/Dundee. Then head up HWY 99 back to Portland and I-5 and back home. This is a good week itinerary!

    • Yes! I would love to do that itinerary at some point. I’ve heard amazing things about the Columbia River Gorge and Bend as well (all that beer!). I’m going to have to wait until the Canadian dollar gets better, though. Everything costs 30% more now 🙁

  33. I live in the Columbia River Gorge and am so jealous of your trip! If you get a chance to stay at a McMenamin’s property, you won’t be disappointed. They take old properties, spruce them up and make them their own.

    If you’re back on the coast, I have better luck at the Lincoln City outlets, than I do at Woodburn. Better parking and easier to get around. Also, in old town Newport, sea lions are usually hanging out on the docks. Yes, it smells like fish, but they are so entertaining it’s easy to forget the smell. Honestly, the fish factories are probably the reason the sea lions are on the docks.

    Anyway, you’ve inspired me for the next weekend my family can get out of town.

  34. Nice! This is just what I was looking for! My girlfriend and I are in the process of planning a road trip through Oregon and British Columbia so this info is super helpful in our trip planning process. I’m super excited to visit Lincoln City and enjoying all of their beautiful scenery in Oregon! Thanks Adelina!

  35. I can’t believe you skipped Ecola State Park. Not a whole lot to do there, but Oh My Gosh – the views! Tillamook Head lighthouse on clear days and you can look straight down the coast to the Louth and see all the way toast Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach. Not to be missed!

  36. As a local, I would highly recommend going to Cape Lookout near Tillamook, Oregon to see the gorgeous pines and rocks right up against the ocean and then driving down to Cape Kiwanda to see the huge sand dune that is right off the beach. It’s on my bucket list to bring a sled and ride down the dune on it before we move. It is plenty steep enough and so much fun to run down 😉 Then of course don’t forget to have pizza at Doryland pizza right across the street from Cape Kiwanda. Our favorite pizzas are their thai pizza and the bbq chicken pizza.

    We have lived in Oregon about a year and a half now and it is incredible! We have enjoyed it so much we started a business selling souvenir earrings. Feel free to check them out! Our Etsy shop is called Funin3d.

    https://www.etsy.com/shop/FunIn3d?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=683951732

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