Hey Fodors, I need your expert advise on planning a trip to Portland. I am planning to travel to portland on the 5th of October, spend time until the 9th/10th (depending on the places to visit) and head to Sacramento to visit family. I have been googling a lot and received a ton of results with different places and itineraries. Below are the places I have captured from the various threads that I stumbled across:
Day 1:
Mount Rainier National Park, Ashford, WA
Point Defiance Park, Tacoma, WA
Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument
Day 2:
Cannon Beach, OR/Newport, OR
Japanese Garden, Southwest Kingston Avenue, Portland, OR
Columbia River Gorge N S A Boundary, Hood River, OR
Day 3:
Silver Falls State Park, Silverton, OR
Crater Lake National Park, Klamath, OR
Obviously I have too many places. And the other thing is that I have to work till 3 PM on the 9th and 10th. so I am expecting to keep places that are nearby to the place of stay for those evenings. Any help in removing/adding destinations would be really appreciated.
To give a background on the group travelling. It would be me, my wife and couple of friends at the max. No worries about having to drive long or push more. if there are similar activities in couple of these places - say hiking/skiing, we would prefer to do it in only one place... the places were it is best.
Apart from that we may spend more time clicking fotos, enjoying the views, etc. We would like to visit beaches, walk across the shore, eat, enjoy, but would not be going for a swim. similarly, we would prefer doing 1 hike at the most.
please let me know if there is redundancy. Your feedback on the order of visiting the places along with any stay suggestions would also be very helpful.
we wil start the day early and try not to spend too much time in one location.
Please note that I havent listed anything for the evenings of 9th and 10th. This is because I have kept them as buffers. Once I receive suggestions on the stay for these 2 days, I can include places that are nearby.
Thanks in advance for your time and feedback
Portland trip during Columbus day long weekend
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Head east on I-84 to Multnomah Falls - http://www.waterfallswest.com/waterfall.php?id=126
Take the hike up to the top of the falls.
From there go east to Hood River. Cross the "Bridge of the Gods" to the Washington side. Head west on WA 14 to the town of Carson. Turn north on FS 25 (paved0. This road will take you on the east side of Mt. St. Helens. There is a side road which takes you over to Windy Ridge viewpoint. Continue north to Randle (US 12). Decide if you have enough time to see a small part of Mt. Rainier.
This should fill one of your days. What do you think?
OK, I'm back with another fun day for you.
Head west on US 26 out of Portland past the zoo. Cannon Beach is a short distance south after you hit US 101.
Be sure to get some good pictures of Haystack Rock.
On the trip south make a quick stop at the Tillamook cheese factory. Continue south through Newport to the Oregon Coast Aquarium. This is worth an hour or two. From Newport head east on US 20 through Corvallis to get back on I-5. Make a stop in Salem to see the golden man on the top of the Capitol building.
You will not have the time to go to Crater Lake.
If you are driving a rental car and want to avoid a drop off charge in California, the Amtrak Coast Starlight arrives in Sacramento every morning about 6:30AM.