Howdy Pacific NW! An SF to Portland Street Journey

After I was a child, most of our holidays had been tenting journeys stitched collectively by the various Nationwide Parks dotting the western states. This Labor Day, I returned to these roots with a San Francisco to Portland street journey.

There are such a lot of route choices to select from for a street journey from San Francisco to Portland, however we anchored ours to Crater Lake, the only nationwide park in Oregon. It’s a spot I’d at all times needed to go however had solely ever seen from a airplane (it’s so large, you possibly can see it from house!).

As with all street journey, ours was crammed with hilarious cases, unlucky mishaps, and lovely views.

This San Francisco to Portland street journey itinerary is for six days, however I’ve included notes on locations we might’ve favored to go to or spend extra time at. And naturally, you possibly can at all times reverse this itinerary and use it for a Portland to San Francisco street journey as a substitute.

Let’s hit the street.

Day 1: SF to Mount Shasta

Okay, so technically this itinerary is for six.25 days. And by that I imply, you have to both get out of the town of San Francisco the night earlier than or rise up tremendous early and get out of the town earlier than visitors hits.

We selected to go away the night earlier than and bought to our campsite outdoors of Corning, CA round 10 p.m. We had been the one of us tenting at that olive grove that day, which meant our late arrival luckily didn’t disrupt anybody’s sleep. (Not conversant in tenting on personal grounds? Try Hipcamp and get $10 off your first campsite reserving.)

In your first full day, drive as much as Mount Shasta in your first style of the Cascades. It’s a bit of over 4 hours away from San Francisco and was just below two hours from our campsite in Corning.

Since we had a bit of little bit of a late begin and didn’t get to Shasta till lunchtime, we selected to hike up Gray Butte Path.

This 3-mile out-and-back path is simple for lively hikers and average for the common individual. It begins out on the Panther Meadows Campground earlier than winding by way of a conifer forest after which up for prime views of Mt. Shasta in addition to panoramics of the complete space.

If we’d had at the least 2 days in Shasta, we would have tried to summit by way of Avalanche Gulch Route.

Unsure if the Gray Butte Path or an in a single day hike is for you? This information gives a fairly good overview of straightforward, average, and arduous hikes within the Mount Shasta area so that you can select from.

Phrase of warning for the Mt. Shasta area — hailstorms can happen at any level, so deliver some rain gear and pay attention to climate forecasts and the way the skies look.

Then drive by way of Klamath Falls, which disappointingly has no waterfalls regardless of its title. It does have a fairly stable brewery although, so pop your head into the Klamath Basin Brewing Firm.

And eventually, discover your resting spot for the night time on the Sundown Campground at Lake of the Woods.

I can’t say sufficient good issues about this campground contained in the Fremont-Winema Nationwide Forest. It’s bought giant campsites with campfire rings, potable water, clear bogs, and on-site hosts (workers of the Lake of the Woods resort, the concessionaire for this federal campground).

And it’s proper subsequent to this attractive lake.

If we had extra time, we positively would’ve stayed one other night time there and both went out on the lake or executed some mountain climbing close by. Waking as much as this gentle by way of the bushes is price it in itself.

Day 2: Crater Lake Nationwide Park

The drive from Lake of the Woods to Crater Lake is roughly 90 minutes. Right here, you’ll must pay an entrance price of $25 per automotive or purchase an America the Lovely annual cross for $80.

I used to be so pleased to lastly see Crater Lake in individual.

It’s so blue, so clear, so large. In some ways, it jogged my memory of Lake Tahoe in the summertime in addition to Heavenly Lake, the crater lake that bridges China and North Korea on the opposite facet of the world.

As with many nationwide parks within the U.S., you don’t must be bodily match to see the wonderful nature that has been granted this nation. However if you would like a extra lively go to, there are dozens of mountain climbing trails across the lake in addition to elsewhere within the park.

We began with the Garfield Peak Path, a steep however comparatively quick hike that grants you these superb views of Crater Lake. We noticed little children and aged of us going up this path, so take your time, and you can also make it, too!

Seeking to cling up our hammock and chill, we determined to maintain it to 1 hike a day and proceeded to drive to our campground. And that was the beginning of the largest mishap of the journey.

Nicely, let’s simply say somebody booked us a equally named campsite in Utah as a substitute of inside Crater Lake Nationwide Park.

With it being a vacation weekend, all the first-come, first-serve campsites had been very a lot taken up. We additionally didn’t have a backcountry tenting allow in hand and weren’t going to make it to the allow workplace earlier than it closed for the day.

Fortuitously, after some preliminary “ahhh, possibly we will simply sleep within the automotive” moments, we had been capable of finding a close-by sno-park that doubles as a free campground within the summers.

We had been capable of cling up the hammock and discover some wooden for a hearth, however then got here the rain. I suppose studying within the tent as a substitute of the hammock needed to do.

Day 3: Crater Lake & Bend

Within the a.m., we packed up our gear and headed again into the park.

One of many fascinating issues about Crater Lake is that it’s purely stuffed by rain and melted snow. But regardless of having boat excursions and permitting individuals to get into the water, the water is crystal clear.

So. Rattling. Clear.

The one correct strategy to get all the way down to the lake is by way of the Cleetwood Cove Path, a steep decline that leads you straight to the water.

Should you dare to leap or wade in, simply be ready for breathtaking chill. Even when the climate is within the 80s outdoors, the water stays bone-chilling — it not often reaches past 55° Fahrenheit even on the most popular of days.

Basking within the solar after you get out of the water? Now that’s what lake days are for.

If you’re able to say goodbye to this attractive magnificence, hit the street for a two-hour drive to Bend.

I do know there’s far more to Bend than craft beer, however you possibly can’t fault me for associating that with this central Oregon metropolis.

Since we had been headed to Portland partly to go to pals, we sadly weren’t going to have the ability to give Bend the time it deserves. So we had been singularly centered on one factor: beer.

First cease: Crux Fermentation Challenge.

This brewery warehouse plus large yard is the stuff of summertime beer goals. You may strive their many brews whereas munching on one thing from both their intensive in-house menu or from one of many meals vehicles within the yard. Bonus factors: the place is canine and family-friendly.

Then it was off to the unique Deschutes Brewery & Public Home for a much bigger dinner and drinks. If I wasn’t so drained, we seemingly would have hit up just a few different spots downtown as properly. However alas, I used to be able to cross out.

As a substitute of spending the night time in a resort, we selected to camp at this bison and yak ranch just a few miles out of city. And it was excellent.

The skies had been so clear — nice for stargazing — and the ranch was tremendous cute (you possibly can lease the teepees if you would like). Plus, it was the place we lastly bought to bathe on this San Francisco to Portland street journey.

Day 4: En path to Portland

This itinerary isn’t actually truthful to Bend, I do know. We’ll have to return someday and provides it extra devoted time. Apart from the breweries, we actually solely bought to see some artwork in Tin Pan Alley.

Of all of the Bend issues we missed out on this journey, the one factor I’m so upset about is just not seeing the world’s final Blockbuster retailer.

I actually love Netflix, however it could have additionally been fairly the throwback to stroll into an actual Blockbuster retailer similar to once I was child.

However, alas, we needed to hit the street. (Don’t fear, we not solely made it to the Bend Blockbuster a yr later, we moved to Bend altogether for just a few months!)

There are a few totally different routes you possibly can take from Bend to Portland. As a result of we had been touring on a vacation weekend, we selected the route with the least anticipated visitors: by way of the Heat Springs Reservation and Mt. Hood Nationwide Forest.

If we’d had 1-2 days to get from Bend to Portland, we might have seemingly taken one in every of these 3 choices:

1. Nonetheless go the route we took however cease and go to the Museum at Heat Springs to study extra in regards to the three tribes which might be represented on this reservation. If doable, a hike in Mt. Hood Nationwide Forest would even have been good.
2. Go by way of Salem, Oregon, and discover the town there.
3. Take a barely longer route by way of Hood River wine nation and do some wine tasting there.

One of many many superb artistic endeavors round Portland!

When you get to Portland, settle in and go discover the town.

We met up with pals on the very eccentric Fashionable Occasions for beer flights (be sure that to take a look at the hallway by their bogs) earlier than having fun with a scrumptious tapas dinner at Bar Casa Vale.

To proceed experiencing the eccentricity of Portland, we held off on dessert till we bought to the Rimsky-Korsakoffee Home. Classical music, do-it-yourself desserts, kitschy teapots, and a few haunted components make this place an area favourite. (Don’t neglect to make use of the restroom right here.)

P.S. There’s probably not nice tenting per se close to Portland correct, so a resort it was for our nights there. The Courtyard Marriot in downtown Portland had an amazingly central location and was good and comfortable — particularly after solely having a sleeping pad for a few days!

Day 5: Discover Portland

And by “discover Portland,” I imply eat and drink your method by way of Portland.

To your solely full day in Portland (at the least on this journey), begin by having brunch at one of many metropolis’s many scrumptious eating places.

Sizzling tip: put your title down at a number of eating places which might be shut to one another and take whichever desk is accessible first. One trio to think about: Cheryl’s on twelfth, Gracie’s, and Tasty & Adler.

Then spend the remainder of the daytime alternating between exploring arts districts and making an attempt out new breweries.

For our Sunday in Portland, we hit an artwork competition within the metropolis’s Pearl District and had some drinks on 10 Barrel’s rooftop deck. Then it was over to the well-known Saturday Market, which is an artisanal market that’s open each days of the weekend.

Subsequent up: Ecliptic Brewing — with its galactic references — and the Mississippi Arts District, adopted by the Alberta Arts District and Nice Notion Brewing (with its lumberjack artwork!).

Lastly, we wrapped up our night time with dinner at Little Chook, probably the most informal of the Portland French trio that additionally contains Le Pigeon and Canard.

Should you’ve bought far more time in Portland or simply need to do greater than eat and drink, try my 3-day Portland itinerary. It contains outdoor time, artwork & bike excursions, and extra.

Day 6: Cannon Seashore & Tillamook

On the final day of your San Francisco to Portland street journey, take a mini street journey inside your street journey.

Oregon’s coast is extremely attractive, dotted with small cities which might be bordered on the opposite facet by huge forests. Apart from Crater Lake, my one different must-do on this journey was to go to the coast.

First up, the city of Cannon Seashore. The roads from Portland to Cannon Seashore will be windy to the purpose of hypnotizing, so be sure to’re well-caffeinated and alert for the drive.

Its well-known Haystack Rock is as picturesque as you’d count on, although as of late you’re much less prone to see the puffins which have lengthy made the rock its roost. The coast is gorgeous nonetheless, and regardless of each story I’d ever heard, it can truly be heat alongside the shores of Cannon Seashore.

On the town, there are various watering holes. A couple of solutions:

• Pelican Brewery for beers, although I’d skip their overpriced meals
• Cannon Seashore {Hardware} and Public Home was urged to us, however it was (rightfully) closed once we had been there on Labor Day. (And sure, it’s truly a ironmongery store as properly.)
• Cannon Seashore Distillery for the smoothest rum you’ll ever style. In addition they have agave spirits, gin, and their specialty: whiskey.

Then, there’s a fork within the street the place you need to decide: keep in Cannon Seashore and hike the coastal trails of Ecola State Park or go eat cheese and ice cream on the Tillamook Creamery about an hour south. Yep, bodily exercise or meals.

I’ve two witnesses who will attest that we initially went for the lively possibility. However the strains to enter Ecola State Park was so snakingly lengthy that we (and plenty of others) determined to show again round…in our case, straight right into a world of ice cream pleasure.

The Tillamook Creamery is a humongous construction that dominates within the city of Tillamook. Its cheeses are bought just about all around the nation, however there are various ice cream flavors you could’t discover elsewhere.

So except you’re woefully lactose illiberal, head to the ice cream counter upon arrival and end up some ice cream heaven.

Then go inside for a self-guided tour about how the Tillamook Creamery got here to be and the way they make their cheeses. There are additionally free cheese samples and an enormous present store that sells every little thing you possibly can consider with the Tillamook model on it, plus numerous regionally made merchandise.

After your go to to the Tillamook Creamery, it’s possible you’ll really feel a bit of just like the cows that energy it. However meh, it’s price it.

If we had extra time, I’d’ve liked to take it a bit slower on the Oregon Coast, possibly even keep there an evening or two. We caught a glimpse of the solar setting on the coast, and it was magical.

When you get again to Portland, slot in yet another scrumptious meal — and possibly one other brewery go to — earlier than your flight. We went with the well-known Portland Thai establishment Pok Pok and liked each chew. My mouth is watering simply fascinated by it now!

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Wishing you a protected and unbelievable street journey, whether or not it’s from San Francisco to Portland or vice versa.