Alex and I took a ten day road trip back in May up to Spokane, WA for my little sister’s graduation from Gonzaga University. We decided to take the long way traveling up the California Coast, the Oregon Coast, through Portland and Seattle and then over to Spokane. Here is just a little glimpse of the first few days of traveling along the coast.
We started our drive by heading north on the 101 and we saw signs for a drive through tree. We had to do it! Corny, maybe but totally worth it.
Alex loves the beach so of course we had to stop and explore. This beach was just north of Eureka near Humboldt State
Entering the National Redwood Forest; we were going to camp that night but unfortunately the weather did not want to cooperate.
The Sun was shinning in Oregon the next day however. And after a pitcher of IPA we had to go to the beach and goof off.
Our campsite in Sunset Beach; this was my first time camping since I was little.
The road trip was fantastic and this was just two days of the trip. After this we headed into Portland to eat way too much and then to Seattle to drink too much with the graduate. Then of course off to Spokane for the graduation. We can’t wait to share the rest of this awesome trip with you!
{"html": "Why the Coast Route Is Worth the Extra Days
If you only look at a map, the fast way from Northern California to Spokane is to cut inland and let the interstate do the work. We chose the opposite. Highway 101 hugs the Pacific for hundreds of miles, and the pace it forces on you is the whole point. You slow down for curves, you pull over when a view demands it, and you stop caring that the GPS keeps announcing a later arrival time.
The drive also changes character as you go north. In California the road runs through dry golden hills and then plunges into groves of enormous redwoods. Once you cross into Oregon the coastline gets rugged and moody, with sea stacks rising out of the surf, long empty beaches and small fishing towns where everything seems to close a little early. Each stretch feels like a different trip, which is a big part of why it never got boring.
- Plan for slow miles. Coastal highways rarely let you average more than a modest speed, so count on a few hours of driving to cover what looks like a short distance.
- Leave room in the schedule. Some of our best moments, like the beach stop near Eureka, were not on any list.
- Fill up when you can. Towns can be far apart, and it is easy to underestimate how remote some sections feel.
Camping on the Coast: What We Learned
Camping was the part of the trip I was most nervous about, since I had not slept in a tent since I was little. Looking back, the coast is a wonderful place to ease back into it. State parks and campgrounds are plentiful, many sit within walking distance of the water, and falling asleep to the sound of surf is hard to beat.
The biggest lesson was that the weather up here makes its own decisions. Our plan to camp among the redwoods fell apart when the rain rolled in, and it was a good reminder to stay flexible. A wet tent in a dark forest is a lot less romantic than it sounds on paper, so having a backup plan, whether that is a roof for the night or simply a different stop, saves a lot of misery.
- Pack layers, even in May. Mornings and evenings by the ocean are cool, and the wind off the water is no joke.
- Bring a tarp or an extra rain layer for gear, because damp bedding can ruin a night quickly.
- Check ahead on campsite availability, especially around weekends and holidays when the popular spots fill up.
- Keep a warm drink or a hearty meal in mind for the end of the day. Everything tastes better after a cold, windy beach.
Little Roadside Stops That Make the Drive
The drive-through tree was exactly the kind of cheesy attraction that makes a road trip feel like a road trip. Highway 101 is full of them, from quirky roadside statues to tiny diners and viewpoints marked only by a gravel pull-off. If something makes you smile when you see the sign, we found it is almost always worth the detour.
The same goes for the beaches. Alex has an unshakable rule that if there is sand within sight, we are stopping, and honestly I am grateful for it. Those unplanned pauses, walking along the tideline, hunting for driftwood and goofing off after a pitcher of IPA, ended up being the memories that stuck. Not every beach on this coast is meant for swimming, since the water is cold and the currents can be strong, but they are perfect for wandering, photographing and doing absolutely nothing.
Practical Tips for Your Own Pacific Northwest Road Trip
A multi-city drive from California to Washington sounds intimidating, but a few simple habits make it smooth. Here is what we would pass along to anyone planning something similar.
- Break it into chapters. We thought of the trip as the California coast, the Oregon coast, then the cities of Portland, Seattle and Spokane. Giving each leg its own mood made the long mileage feel manageable.
- Mix nature and city time. After days of camping and beaches, arriving in Portland hungry for good food felt like a reward. The contrast keeps the trip fresh.
- Download maps ahead of time. Cell service can disappear in forests and along remote stretches of coastline.
- Share the driving and the playlist. Long days go faster with a co-pilot who is in charge of snacks and music.
- Have a fixed destination for the big event. Ours was a graduation in Spokane, which gave us a firm deadline and kept us from lingering too long in any one place.
We have written about other places we love in our City Guides, and if you enjoy slower, story-driven travel, our Travel Essays are a good next stop.
What We Took Away From the First Days
Looking back, those first two days set the tone for everything that followed. We laughed a lot, got a little rained on, and stumbled into moments we never could have scheduled. The trip was built around celebrating my sister, but it also became a reminder of how much we enjoy simply moving through new places together without a rigid plan.
If you have ever wondered whether the long way is worth it, our answer is a happy yes. The coast rewards patience, and every unplanned stop gave us a story. Stay tuned, because Portland, Seattle and Spokane are still ahead.
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