This was our inaugural road trip, and because the kids were small (7, 6, and 4), we kept it really simple with a focus on nature that appeals to all ages. Starting and stopping in the Emerald City of Seattle (emerald for the lush greenery), we looped down the coast with its crashing waves and incredible sand dunes, and then moved inland to explore amazing volcanoes, steep mountains, and a mighty river. There is so much more we could have done, but we didn’t have the time because our trip got hijacked by my ex who wanted to go to Vancouver and Victoria Island—in CANADA. Follow us on our journey and use my suggestions as a starting point to discovering nature’s bountiful gifts…
States Washington, Oregon
| Theme Nature’s Bountiful Gifts | Duration 10 Days | Map |
Day 1: Fly to Seattle
Day 2: Explore Seattle
 | • Experience Music Project • Harbor Cruise • Pike Place Market • Seattle Space Needle |
Day 3: Seattle to Vancouver, WA
 | • Museum of Glass (Tacoma) • State Capitol Building (Olympia) • Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument |
Day 4: Vancouver to Roseburg, OR
 | • Tillamook Creamery • Oregon Sand Dunes |
Day 5: Roseburg to Diamond Lake
 | • Crater Lake • Diamond Lake Resort |
Day 6: Diamond Lake to Sisters / Madras
 | • Explore Sisters • Crescent Moon Alpaca Farm |
Day 7: Sister / Madras to Cascade Locks
 | • Mt. Hood Skibowl • Columbia River Cruise • Bonneville Dam |
Day 8: Cascade Locks to Portland
 | • OMSI • Jet Boat on the Willamette River • Explore Portland |
Day 9: Portland to Seattle
Day 10: Fly Home
You couldn’t possibly get a true picture of the Northwest and only go to one side of the mountains. You missed all of Eastern Oregon and Eastern Washington. Totally a different and much drier experience.!
You must see our side of the mountains!
Hey Mike, You are totally right. Initially I had wanted to go much further east but my trip got hijacked by my ex husband who wanted to explore Vancouver and Victoria Island. There are so many more places I have yet to see, and that is definitely one of them. What are the DO NOT MISS sites that I need to experience?-Alisa
We just finished a road trip of 2600 miles following the 101highway thru Ca into Oregon. Tillamook Cheese Factory was our destination, but so many awesome sights were experienced along the way! Then the Columbia River to Bonneville Dam and Multnomah Falls. We came back following the I-5 and 99 south to the OC. Great trip!….
Wow, that sounds amazing! We live in California but still have yet to do it “road trip style”
Excellent work. I really enjoyed it. One question, though. As a resident of Tacoma, WA I found it interesting that you backtracked from Seattle to the Museum of Glass rather than including it on your way from Vancouver to Roseburg.