Experience I'm a Portland native but have lived in enough other places to gain a bit of perspective. I enjoy travel and learning about other places, so I want to help others learn more about Portland and get the most out of their trips here.
Question Could you recommend a 10 days driving itinerary in Oregon and Washington starting in Portland at the beginning of coming July. Should we books motels in advance? And any other good advice.
Thanks
Answer I'm not the best with driving itineraries, and of course, it will depend a great deal on your specific interests. But the Oregon "not to be missed" highlights are the Coast, the Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Mount Hood and Crater Lake. If you like theater, this is the right time of year to visit Ashland. If you like cities, Portland is a good place to visit. Central and Eastern Oregon also have their own charms, but don't have the flashy fame of the other places I've mentioned.
I'm not as familiar with Washington. You should probably visit Mt. St. Helens, as you will be going up I-5, anyway. I'd allow at least a couple of hours for your visit there. Seattle is a great city. Nearby is Snoqualmie Falls. The Washington Coast is harder to access than Oregon's, so you probably wouldn't want to spend the time getting there.
An Oregon-centered road trip would be to drive from Portland up I-5, stopping at Mount St. Helens, then staying in Seattle for a couple of days. On your return to Portland, you would then drive to the Oregon Coast. If you take the northernmost route, you'll see the Columbia River and its mouth at Astoria. Then you could drive down the length of the coast until its time to cut over to Ashland and Crater Lake. On your way north, you could spend a half day at Mount Hood. After your return to Portland, you'd spend a day exploring the Gorge. The Portland Airport is nearby.
Definitely make reservations in advance anywhere at the Coast and near Crater Lake. You may have more flexibility elsewhere, e.g., Portland and Seattle.
Once you have decided more specifically how you want to allocate your time, feel free to write back, and I can go into more detail.
