PACIFIC NORTHWEST ROAD TRIP

SUMMER 2016 - NORTHERN CALIFORNIA & PORTLAND, OREGON & SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKVsXSUGnXg&t

During the summer of 2016 I took a funtastic road trip up the Pacific Coast from San Francisco to Seattle along the famous Pacific Coastal Highway 1.  I enjoyed some incredibly beautiful coastal scenery, ate way too much delicious food, and kept it weird in Portland.  Here are the highlights of my trip!

General Itinerary
While I am sure that there are numerous ways that this road trip could be planned out, here is the general plan that I followed.

• San Francisco --> Bandon Oregon 
• Bandon, Oregon --> Portland, Oregon
• Portland, Oregon --> Seattle, Washington

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northern California & Oregon Coast

I may have been a bit too ambitious with my first day of the road trip from San Francisco to Bandon, Oregon.  Although it took me a little longer than I'd expected, and my window shield got cracked along the way...this leg of the trip was awesome!  Here are the highlights:  

• North Coast Brewing Company - Fort Bragg California - This brewery was about a 3 hour drive from San Francisco and came highly recommended by the great Dominic Molinari.  This was a great local spot to stop for some lunch.
• Drive Thru Tree Park - Legget California - After stopping for some lunch and admiring the coastal scenery, I drove a bit inland and decided to drive through the Chandelier Tree.  The wait wasn't that long, and it gave me something to do to break up the long drive.   There were also some bathrooms and a coffee shop which was nice.  
• Lost Coast Brewery - Eureka,California - I stopped in here and sampled some delicious beer and had a tasty quesadilla before getting back on the road to head to my final destination for the day in Bandon, Oregon.  
• Giant Paul Bunyan Statue - Exactly as described!  Located at Trees of Mystery.  
• Bandon, Oregon - I may have slightly miscalculated my driving times and ended up getting into Bandon around 11 PM.   While the last leg of my drive was pretty long, lacked any radio stations, and started to get pretty dark, it was probably one of my favorite parts of the trip.  After excitedly entering Oregon (Northern California is HUGE!) I was driving somewhere along the coast and it was just absolutely pitch black out.  I decided to pull over to stretch my legs, and when I got out of the car I could barely see a massive rock in the coastal waters from the edge of the road.  After getting out of my car and walking several feet away, the car was miraculously shrouded in darkness.  With my naked eye I looked up and saw stars like I have never seen before, I could actually see bands of the Milky Way Galaxy.  This was one of the coolest things I think I have ever experienced!  
  • Finally arriving in Bandon, Oregon I stayed at The Inn At Old Town.  The hotel was very nice and was directly across the street from a small local coffee shop that had some great breakfast sandwiches.  

The next day I continued up the coast on my way to Portland, Oregon.  The Oregon Coast was awesome and had tons of beautiful places to stop and marvel at nature.  

• Bandon Oregon - In the morning I drove around the town of Bandon which  had some beautiful beaches and a very nice lighthouse.
• Oregon Sand Dunes - As I was driving I kept noticing massive sand dunes in the distance.  I eventually decided to stop at a shopping complex where it looked like they had sand dunes in the back.  I am lucky that I did!  There was a massive expanse of Sand Dunes behind this parking lot where people were hiking and sledding down.  It was a very cool sight to see.  
• Thor's Well - Not too far north of Bandon I marveled at one of the most beautiful sights I saw on this trip.  I parked the car along the roadway and did a small hike along the coast to find the famous "Thor's Well".  The coastal scenery here was great, and I even saw a whale off the coast!
• Yaquina Head Lighthouse - Driving along the coast a little farther north I stopped to see the lighthouse and Nye Beach which was also a scenic area.  

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*NOTE:  Like NJ, it is also illegal for you to pump your own gas in Oregon.  Whoops!

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Portland, Oregon

Accommodation 
I stayed in an AirBnB close to the Heritage Tree Park that had an outdoor deck that afforded me a wonderful view of Mt. Hood.  Portland is a very walk able city and this location worked out just fine.

Things to Do in Portland
While most of the main attractions in Portland are food related, there are tons of other cool and quirky things to do and check out, here are some of my favorites:  

• Free Walking Tour!  - A local Portland Resident gives this tour every day at 11 AM from Pioneer Square.  this tour was fantastic and full of quirky stories and history about the city of Portland.  Learn about Portland's nickname "Stumptown", the World's Smallest Public Park and the famous Leprechaun  https://secretsofportlandia.com/
• Pittock Mansion - This mansion is located on the western hill that overlooks the entire city of Portland.  The view here is certainly worth the trip up.  
• International Rose Test Garden -The walk from Pittock Mansion through the woods to get to the International Test Garden was very peaceful and scenic.  The rose garden in Portland was breathtaking and had countless roses in peak bloom. There are a couple of small food carts here if you'd like to grab some Rose Lemonade or other snacks.  
• Powell's City of Books - This aptly named library covered an entire city block and was basically a small city itself.  It is great to wonder around the inside and marvel at all the books and people. 
• Mill Ends Park - The smallest public park in the world!  Definitely check it out if you do not go on the free walking tour and read the nearby sign that explains its origins.  
• 23rd Avenue Shopping - From Burnside Street to about Thurman Street, 23rd Avenue is a lovely quaint little part of town with tons of local artists and shops and an overall nice vibe.  
• First Thursday Art Walk - The first Thursday of every month Portland businesses open the doors and serve free beer and drinks!  What!?!  I know!  Learn more about this awesome thing here:  http://www.firstthursdayportland.com/ 
• Mcmenamins St. John theater - I didn't have a chance to go here, but it is apparently a hip movie theater that allows you to eat food and drink while you watch the movie.  

​Food 
No trip to Portland would be complete without stuffing your face with doughnuts and beer!

• Voodoo Donuts - The world renowned donut shop known for its wild and wacky donuts is a must visit.  This palce gets crowded, so I'd recommend you go first thing in the morning when they open and you'll be in and out before you know it.  Get the voodoo jelly filled donut, and make sure to stab it with the included pretzel stick (while imagining it is one of your enemies of course).
• Blue Star Donuts - Not to be outdone by their rival Voodoo Donuts, this local donut shop also offers incredibly fresh and unique donuts. Delicious.
• Salt and Straw Ice Cream - A popular little ice cream shop that has tons of wild flavors, like caramel cornbread ice cream.  
• Stumptown Coffee - Known for their cold brew and nitrogen infused brews this local coffee shop is very cool.
• Barista Coffee - 

Meals

• Verde Cocina en la Perle - Excellent Mexican themed restaurant with great local beer and pork belly tacos!
• Portland City Grill - Located at the top of a downtown building this local bar has stunning views of the city.  Enjoy cheap happy hour food or a snack here.  
• Food Trucks - Portland has food trucks everywhere!  Check out the intersection of 10th Avenue and Alder Street to find a massive lot of food trucks to choose from.  

Breweries / Beer

• Rogue Distillery and Public House 
• Deschutes Brewery
• Loyal Legion - This brewery has 100 beers on tap from all over Oregon!  My favorite was the Beer Float, which had a rich chocolate Stout covered in ice cream.  
• Pollo Norte - I stopped here for some delicious rotisserie chicken after driving along the Columbia River Gorge on my way back into the city.  

Day Trips / Hikes

• Columbia River Gorge - This is a gorgeous area to the East of Portland filled with beautiful waterfalls and natural scenery.  I'd recommend you start your day here as early as possible, as this gets very crowded in the summer and parking spots / traffic along the scenic roadway fill up quickly.  Below you'll find a list of the falls I visited:  
  • Vista House at Crown Point State Scenic Area
  • Latourell Falls
  • Bridal Veil Falls
  • Multnomah Falls - This is one of the most famous falls along the gorge, as it is one of the highest in the entire country.  
  • Oneonta Gorge / Falls - Wow.  If you choose to do this beautiful hike, make sure to bring a pair of shoes and pants that you do not mind getting wet.  To get to these falls you have to climb over numerous fallen trees and trek through waist high water in an incredibly beautiful canyon.  The hike is a ton of fun and is definitely one of the highlights of my trip.  
  • Horsetail Falls
• Mount Hood 
  • ​Although I did not make it out here, I was told that the mountain area is very beautiful and there is a cool lodge to grab some food. 

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Seattle, Washington

Accommodation 
My friend Dave and I stayed in an AirBnB close to the University of Washington which had a bunch of cool little shops and restaurants on University Way close by.  We either took my car into the city or took Ubers.  

​Things to Do in Seattle

• Pike Place Market - This famous outdoor market is right on the water and is home to all sorts of cool foods and artists.  
  • Gum Wall - Probably the most famous attraction at the market is a wall covered in Gum.  You'll find this just downstairs and to the left of the main Pike Place Market sign.  Grab some gum, chew it up and place it on the wall. 
  • First Ever Starbucks Location - The first ever Starbucks Coffee started at the market and is still there with its original and risque logo
• Space Needle - The Space needle is arguably the most iconic image of Seattle!  While it is quite expensive to go to the top, there are tons of things to do and see around the needle.  
  • ​Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum - This is located just beneath the space needle and showcases the work of the renowned glass artist Chihuly.  His artwork is pretty impressive and provides excellent photos with the Space Needle in the background.  
  • Paccar Imax Theater - Located in the Pacific Science Center you can check out an Imax show if the weather is a bit rainy; the theater plays both regular and National Geographic themed films.  
  • Olympic Sculpture Park - This park is located right on the water (not too far from the Space Needle) and houses tons of interesting larger than life statues.  Walk throughout the park to enjoy the art and views of the city.
• Pioneer Square - This is a cool outdoor square that has a bunch of coffee joints, games and shops nearby.  
  • Columbia Tower - Since going to the top of the Space Needle is quite costly, I chose to go up in the Columbia Tower building instead.  The view from the top was truly impressive and you did not have to wait in any long lines!
• Gas Works Park - This park provided some of the best views of the city for sunset.  If you go at night you'll tons of bats flying around and be able to watch the sun set over the glowing city.  
  • Fremont Troll  - Not too far from Gas Works Park you'll find the infamous Fremont Troll which sits beneath the bridge.  There is ample street parking near the troll, and it is a pretty interesting and odd sight to see.
• Green Lake - A scenic lake with people laying out in the sun and just relaxing in the northern part of the city.  There is no particular sight of interest here, but it definitely had a nice relaxing atmosphere.  
• Ballard Avenue NW Shopping - This is a great street filled with local restaurants and vendors.  On the weekend this became a large outdoor street fair with street performers.  This is just an all around great are to window shop and hang out.  
• Golden Gardens Park - This was by far one of my favorite places in Seattle!  If the weather is nice, be sure to go here and just hang out.  My friend Dave and I grabbed some sandwiches at Un Bien and enjoyed them on the sand beach. The park was filled with scores of people BBQing and drinking on the beach, playing volleyball and just having a good old time.  We parked up the hill and walked down a pretty good number of steps to get here, rather than try to get closer where the parking was more scarce.  
• University of Washington - On a clear day the University has a street that provides great views of the distant Mountains. 

Food 
Breakfast / Brunch 

• Mighty O Donuts - Delicious Donut Chain found all throughout Seattle
• Top Pot Donuts - Another great local donut place!
• Morsel - The greatest Latte I have ever had.  A local restaurant chain that makes their own biscuits. Enjoy their delicious breakfast sandwiches and biscuits and gravy.  I went here more than once.
• Portage Bay Cafe - Located near the University of Washington, this is a great spot for Brunch
• Beth's Diner - Serves a 12 Egg Omelet! 

Lunch / Dinner

• Dick's Drive In - Sort of like a local fast food place that serves burgers and fries
• Thai Tom - Also located near University of Washington this is a hole in the wall Thai Restaurant.  
• Amazing Thai Cuisine - Located near UW, this was some amazing Thai food!  I guess it is aptly named. This is a small sit down restaurant that I ate at after my long day of nearby hiking.    
• Un Bien - This restaurant is located closer to the Golden Gardens Park and has some of the best sandwiches around.  
• The Matador - Massive Nachos at this Mexican joint are delicious.  This place is open late, so consider these a good late night snack.  
• Cactus 
• Paseo

Cocktails / Drinks 

Ballard Area - This is the same local area that is good for shopping and eating.  At night there are a ton of nice restaurants and bars.  

• Bastille Cafe and Bar - Great atmosphere 
• Percy's & Co. Seattle - 
• King's Hardware

Capital Hill Area - A nice area to go out for a drink.  


Day Trips / Hikes 
While I was in Seattle I decided to drive to the East and do a bit of hiking.  You'll see these spots at the end of the video!

• Twin Falls Natural Area - Quite a bit of hiking, but the falls were very nice and the overall area is very scenic.  There is a lot to park your car near the starting point of the hike.  This is where I hopped on rocks and saw my new slug friend.  
• Rattlesnake Ledge - This hike definitely involved quite a bit of elevation gain, but the impressive views at the top were truly breathtaking
• Snoqualmie Falls - A large falls that now powers a hydroelectric dam.  This was my last stop.

​Special Thanks to Casey Judy and Tracie Hough for providing such incredible travel recs for Portland and Seattle.  You guys rock!

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places visited

reykjavik, iceland