Pacific Northwest Road Trip

PACIFIC NORTHWEST

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

VOLUME TWO: PART ONE: 8 DAY TRIP MAY 2019

CONTENTS 3

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QUICK FACTS Find out what month we went without even a day of rain during our trip!

PORT ANGELES, WA Awesome port city with easy access to Olympic NP

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OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK Hurricane Ridge - stunning!!

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SMALL TOWNS IN BETWEEN Olympic Peninsula along Hwy 101 has so many hidden gems to check out

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COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE Endless waterfalls and hikes right outside of Portland plenty to keep anyone entertained!

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PORTLAND, OR Fun, quirky city to add to your list

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CLOSING REMARKS Amazing trip along the coast of Washington and Oregon

8 DAY ROAD TRIP Sample itinerary

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WHERE TO STAY Read to find out where we chose to stay on a budget and more!

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SEATTLE, WA Overview City Sightseeing Outdoor Enthusiasts Noteworthy Restaurants Brews

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QUICK FACTS The Pacific Northwest is geologically unique with many large active volcanoes, four dominant mountain ranges, and a wet cool climate which has led to some of the largest trees grown in the world. The coast in particular is home to multiple National Parks, major cities people travel from all over to visit, and quaint small towns to explore.

Best Months to Visit: May and June are preferred summer months for less crowds, but still dry, sunny, beautiful days. Temperatures are typically high 60s to low 70s.

means it is the most popular time for visitors. Temperatures consistently in the 70s.

September through mid-October are the preferred time to visit for gorgeous fall color. Leaf change is a big deal in both Washington and Oregon. Still sunny and minimal wind, with temperatures in the 60s and 70s.

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July and August are filled with the most sunny days without rain, which also

8 DAY ROAD TRIP Day 1

Day 4

Seattle, WA Downtown Pike Place Queen Anne Day 2

Port Angeles, WA Day 5 Olympic National Park Day 6

Hiking

La Push, WA

Rattlesnake Ledge

Ruby Beach

Twin Falls

Long Beach, WA

Seattle, WA Industrial District

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Breckinridge Island

Fremont District Day 3 Mt. Rainier National Park

Illwaco, WA Day 7 Columbia River Gorge Day 8 Portland, OR

WHERE TO STAY Our trip consisted of Airbnbs and Inns in both the cities and small towns we chose to sleep in. We would have considered camping, but since we flew in rather than drove, we were restricted on how much we could pack! This trip consisted of multiple unique stays that we would 100% go back to and highly recommend!

Seattle, WA : We chose to stay in North Beacon Hill near Jefferson Park, a more quaint local part of the city just south of downtown. The neat aspect to this location is that the light rail is very central and walking distance from most homes. The route was set for commuting

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easily and takes you right into the heart of downtown Seattle in about 20 minutes!

Gorgeous water views, friendly neighbors, and beautiful homes.

Port Angeles, WA: We stayed in "Grandma's House" along the Elwha River. Our bedroom view looked out at the river, we kept the window open the entire time and woke up to the sound of the water flowing - it was incredible, and still within a 10 minute drive of the town's main streets.

IIwaco, WA : Salt Hotel & Pub sits on the marina in the small town of Ilwaco, which hovers on the border of the Washington and Oregon state line. The rooms were recently renovated, modernized, and extremely clean. The Pub downstairs also provided a convenient drinking hole after a long day of driving before walking upstairs to bed!

WHERE TO STAY I think accommodations are such a huge aspect to any successful trip. Where you stay sets the stage for the entire destination. If you walk into an Airbnb, that is clean with special touches like a coffee station, outdoor patio, or quality bed linens, then you are happy, feel at home, and excited to see what else the location has to offer. If you stay in a funky, unique hotel, with an awesome lobby, pool, and colorful, bold accent wall in the bedroom, you are going to remember the stay and want to return!

Hood River, OR : Columbia Gorge Hotel & Spa is perched on the cliffs with incredible views of the Columbia River. Includes 40 guest accommodations, river side and garden side rooms, with very

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reasonable rates for a historic, boutique-style hotel! The property includes a restaurant, outdoor terrace, full-service spa, lounge and meeting space.

Portland, OR : We stayed in a neighborhood southeast of the downtown area called Woodstock. This was definitely a unique experience as it was very residential and did not feel like true city life. Homes are full of history and quirts as craftsman style bungalows. Plenty of restaurants and bars within walking distance and the ability to hop on a bus or light rail and head up to downtown if you so desire.

@columbiagorge hotelandspa

SEATTLE, WA Top Things to Do: Pike Place Market - $10 fresh flower bouquets, salmon throwing, and local farmers and artisans selling handcrafted pieces and produce Kerry Park - views of the skyline and space needle, sits within the Queen Anne neighborhood, where you will find beautiful, large, high dollar homes up on the hill.

Rattlesnake Ledge - perfect hike with an incredible summit; it is hard to believe it is just 35 minutes outside a bustling metropolitan area!

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Sample Itinerary: Day 1: City Sightseeing Pike's Place Market - early morning to beat the crowds Olympic Sculpture Park / Centennial Park - nice walk or bike along the water Explore Queen Anne neighborhood and enjoy views at Kerry Park Space Needle - on a clear day you can see Mt. Rainier from the top!

Dinner at Emmett Watson's Oyster Bar Day 2: Explore outside the city!

Spend the morning hiking one of the many trails close by Brewery hop in the Industrial District and SoDo Dinner in the Fremont district Day 3: Catch a ferry to Bainbridge Island Rent bikes and check out the multiple wineries on the island!

Walk around town, do a little shopping Dinner at The Pink Door

SEATTLE, WA City Sightseeing

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Kerry Park

Incredible views of the skyline, Space Needle, Mt. Rainier & the Puget Sound

Centennial Park Space Needle Olympic Sculpture Park

Walk, bike or scooter along the water!

Tons of restaurants, street food, markets, artisans, farmers, and so much more!

Pike Place Market

We walked a total of about 6 miles our first day in the city simply exploring as much as we could, and there was still so much sightseeing we could have done!

SEATTLE, WA Outdoor Enthusiasts

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Rattlesnake Ledge - 5.3 mile out and back trail with gorgeous views at the top and bottom! Drive takes about 35 minutes from Seattle area.

Twin Falls - 2.5 mile out and back trail. This is a fun alternative to Ho Rainforest if you're like us and just could not squeeze it all in. Very lush forest and easy trail to an up close and personal experience with a waterfall. Requires a Discover Pass for parking, which can be purchased at ranger stations.

Mt. Rainier - A 2 hour drive from Seattle, and seasonally, this is a fantastic National Park to spend a day hiking. We unfortunately did not get around to it, but absolutely want to go back and make it a priority. Hikes on our list are: 1. Skyline Trail Loop ~ 5.6 miles 2. Tolmie Peak Trail ~ 5.6 miles 3. Naches Peak Loop Trail ~ 3.3 miles Bainbridge Island - gorgeous island that can be easily accessed via the Seattle-Bainbridge Island ferry, a 50 minute ride that runs many times a day for about $20 one way. A great island to explore via bike. Multiple wineries and nature preserves. Quaint downtown with shops, restaurants, and a local grocery.

SEATTLE, WA Favorite Breakfast/Coffee: Top Pot - donuts and coffee chain within the city Seattle Coffee Works - just one block north of the Pike Place Market sign. Cozy shop with plenty of comfy seating to study, read, and meet friends. The coffee was expensive, but that seems to be very typical in Seattle! For example, a 16oz vanilla iced latte was $7

Favorite Dinner/Lunch: Emmett Watson's Oyster Bar - no frills, cozy and casual, found within Pike Place, but not situated

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on a main street therefore it was not crowded.

Fried oysters were amazing and staff were friendly!

Pike Place Chowder - within Pike Place Market, always a line, but worth it. *Rachel's Ginger Beer - Handcrafted ginger beer on tap in many flavors, located right next to Pike Place Chowder.

The Pink Door - white linen Italian-American restaurant with views of Elliot Bay from the view deck. Location without a sign so the only way to

find the establishment is by looking for the pink door! Entertainment including trapeze, cabaret, and live music.

Sisters and Brothers - Nashville hot chicken lunch spot in the Georgetown district. "Hole in the wall" atmosphere with a small number of tables and delicious chicken.

Red Star Taco Bar - found in the Fremont District, a fun modern restaurant with great margaritas!

SEATTLE, WA Brewery Tour: Industrial District Those I can vouch for: Elysian Brewing - home of the Space Dust IPA Two Beers Brewing Co. Seattle Cider Company - shared with Two Beers Brewing Co. that way you can get a flight of both ciders and beers - where else can you do that?!

Others you can stumble into: Jellyfish Brewing Company Machine House Brewing Georgetown Brewing Co.

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San Juan Seltzery Seapine Brewing Company Ghostfish Brewing Company

Brews in other areas : Fremont Brewing - urban beer garden with expansive seating, a great place for large groups.

Black Heron Lounge - experimental brews Schillings Hard Cider - small tasting room, but lively atmosphere with groups of friends playing board games and sipping on the unique and crazy flavor combinations this cidery comes up with.

Perihelion Brewery - local joint and the first brewery in North Beacon Hill, awesome beer and great shareable snacks to order. Everyone we met and spoke with here were very friendly and it was so nice to experience the local drinking hole!

PORT ANGELES, WA Port city on the northern end of the Olympic Peninsula, a 1.5 hour drive on Hwy 101 from the ferry terminal on Bainbridge Island. An established town with very picturesque water views and streets lined with shops and restaurants that will not disappoint. We were very impressed with this little city and absolutely think it is worth staying a night, especially if you're entering Olympic National Park!

From the Bainbridge Ferry you drive past Sequim, home of the Sequim Lavender Festival. If you happen to be passing through in the month of July it is worth going!

NP Entrance to Hurricane Ridge is within Port Angeles, making it very convenient for a full day of hiking, yet plenty of eateries for the evening.

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Breakfast/Lunch : First Street Haven, a very cute cafe along the main streets.

Dinner and Drinks: Next Door Gastropub - it was actually very crowded so we sat at the bar. The food was awesome, huge portions, and the drinks were good quality and fresh ingredients. Everyone we chatted with was so friendly!

Check out Where to Stay, page 4, for details on the Airbnb we stayed at!

Bonus: Lake Crescent is less than 30 minutes outside of Port Angeles, WA. HIGHLY recommend checking it out on your drive around Hwy 101. It is worth stopping and having lunch or a snack by the water!

OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK Hurricane Ridge Trail - 3.4 mile out and back trail. The trailhead starts 1.5 miles past the Olympic NP Visitor Center. Incredible hike with snow capped mountains in one direction and the sea in the other direction!

BONUS: This is where we got engaged!

It was a holiday weekend so we waited in a line of cars for almost 3 hours to get through

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the NP gate, but once we were hiking and got to the top, it was so worth it and I see why he chose this location to be where he asked me!

SMALL TOWNS IN BETWEEN We took our time driving along Hwy 101 all the way around the Olympic Peninsula.

Forks, WA - stopped and had lunch - the Twilight movie series took place in this quaint town, and believe it or not, there are still signs everywhere from fans of the movies!

La Push, WA - A forested trail for about 1 mile takes you out onto an incredible beach with offshore rock formations, driftwood lining the sand, and a natural arch rock.

Long Beach, WA - claimed to be the longest beach in the United States, stretching 28

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miles long, where cars can drive up onto the sand. A lot of typical beach shopping and restaurants right in town. We had dinner at Castaway's Seafood Grille and ice cream at Scooper's - it felt very touristy, but luckily we were there during off season.

Ilwaco, WA - quaint fishing village that includes the Lewis and Clark Expedition Trail where they saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time - this trail ends at the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse - which was beautiful to see at sunrise! We went to a drive thru coffee shop before getting back on the road called Roots, friendly service and delicious coffee!

Astoria, OR - first town in Oregon on Hwy 101 - one of the most incredible bridges we went over! Home of the Astoria Column, a hilltop monument with murals of town history, and the Columbia River Maritime Museum in a Queen Anne style Victorian mansion.

We look half asleep because we woke up early to see the lighthouse, but the sun peaking over the trees made it worth while. Most mornings along the coastline were foggy as pictured below, but even something about that was peaceful and lovely...

@salt_hotel

COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE Trail Highlight: Dog Mountain Trail ~ 6.5 mile loop Rated: Difficult One of the most challenging hikes within the Columbia River Gorge and Portland Metro area.

From the trailhead all the way to the top proves to be a steady leg burner. There is a fork in the trail where you have to decide whether to veer left or right for difficult or more difficult.

Yes, that is actually what the sign says!

was in front of us - it was quite the experience!

If you go up "more difficult," then on the way down there is a break in the tree line with incredible views of the river. Tons of wildflowers sprinkle the mountain side. It was so worth the storm at the top!

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It can get very windy at the top - we were getting blown around and could not even see what

COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE We drove along the Washington side first since we were coming from the north, going south to Portland, OR. It was so gorgeous, we could see hundreds of massive waterfalls from across the river as we looked over at the Oregon side.

Multnomah Falls The second tallest year-round waterfall in the USA You do not need to hike to view, you can park and walk up to the 620 ft high Always crowded due to the little effort, high reward *However, there is a hike that leads to the falls : Wahkeena Falls Loop ~ 4.6 mile loop trail Includes Fairy Falls, Ecola Falls, and Weisendanger Falls as well Bridge of the Gods - toll bridge since 1926 Thunder Island Brewing in Cascade Locks perfect for a cold beer after that hike!

Fruit Loop 35 miles scenic drive full of farm stands, vineyards, and fields all with a view of Mount Hood!

Hood River Lavender Farms Seasonally, if visiting in July, this is a must do for a sensory overload!

Wine Tastings: Evoke Winery Hood River : cozy converted home and fun gathering space, pet friendly, with awesome outdoor seating and river views Cathedral Ridge Winery : award winning Pinot Noir

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waterfall

PORTLAND, OR My experience of Portland, OR was a quick one, which is why I do not have a complete guide for the city. We stayed in the neighborhood of Woodstock and did not have time to go into the downtown area or do any exploring. We chose to prioritize the Columbia River Gorge this trip, and I am so happy that we did!

From what we did see, Portland, OR is really quirky and fun and we would love to go back and explore at a similar level to how we saw Seattle.

craftsman style bungalows with funky colors, large porches, and a ton of character. There were multiple bus stops and a light rail that gets you up to the downtown area quite easily. Restaurants and bars were walking distance so that was where we went!

Restaurants : Double Mountain Taproom - pizza and beers. I had a pear cider that was neon yellow!

Proper Pint Taproom - modern design with a copper top bar - sat outside enjoying the fire and a couple beers. It was great, and again, everyone we met was so friendly and welcoming!

Papaccino's - contemporary coffee shop in the Woodstock neighborhood

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The homes of Woodstock were mostly

CLOSING REMARKS The Pacific Northwest is an incredible part of this country. There is so much to see and do - it is nearly impossible to do it all in one trip!

of Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park. It was our first road trip together just the two of us, our first time being in the Pacific Northwest, and also the trip we took to celebrate my college graduation.

If you could not tell, we squeezed in a TON of activities in a short period of time. This trip actually ended in San Fransisco, CA for us, but I felt it made more sense to save Northern California for another guide! We were exhausted by the end of it and if we were to do it all over again, we would have just traveled Washington and Oregon and really gotten to focus on the beauty of those two states, hence the formatting of this guide!

Something that I learned about road trips: although it is nice to have some sort of plan, make sure it is a flexible plan. The trip will go much smoother if you go with the flow and tackle it one day at a time. It is okay if you cannot get to it all or you're too tired for something on the list. It is okay if you do something that was not part of the plan, but you stumble into along the way. Road trips are tiring but so rewarding. They allow you to enjoy the simple things, and really see and do so much. I hope this guide was helpful and makes you want to explore the Pacific Northwest. If you're interested in visiting and feel like there's something I missed, please let me know. I am always looking to add and adjust so that everyone can Travel Like a Local.

Cheers,

One Backpack Traveler

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This trip holds a special place in my memory bank for a lot of reasons. Jacob proposed to me on top

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