Driving to Seattle from the Bay Area

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Archived Q&A and Reviews

Seattle Road Trip - where to stop along the way

May 2012

We (mom, dad & 7yo son) plan to spend 7 days for road trip
from SF ending up in Seattle.

We thought we'd drive up 101 to see the redwoods and
somewhere around crescent city switch over to I-5 to get to
Portland and then on to Seattle.

Any suggestions of where to stop and stay?  We thought first
night somewhere near the Avenue of the Giants but where to
stay?  Second night near Oregon border, Portland third night
before hitting Seattle.  

We'd like Clean and Comfortable but not too pricy places. I
was looking at reviews for hotels-motels but things seem
extreme - either quite pricey (ie $170+ but clean or less
than $100 but yucky).  We are hoping to spend about $100 per
night - is that possible???  B&B not a good idea for us as
son is still prone to temper tantrums, hyper.  

Also suggestions on things to do or road attractions
appreciated!  anon

When my husband and I did a similar trip years ago, we
actually stayed in Eureka the first night at the Carter
House Inn, but that is a bit pricey.  If you want to stay in
the Redwoods, Fortuna has a few chain hotels like a Holiday
Inn and such,or you can head through the Avenue of the
Giants on the first day and stay in Eureka or Arcata the
first night.  There are lots of great old Redwoods north of
Eureka as well.  You can catch Hwy 199 in Crescent City
which takes you to Grants Pass, OR (about 80 miles north of
the Oregon Border).  GP is a charming little town (we have
family there and visit often) and we usually stay at the
Redwood Motel, which is close to the downtown area.  There
are lots of hotels near I-5 (my parents like the La Quinta),
but I like staying close to town where there is a great
coffee roaster and non-chain restaurants.  The Redwood Motel
has more charm than your average motel, but it is still a
motel.  There is a nice pool area, they have an okay
continental breakfast (not the best, but it will do), and
most of the rooms have been updated within the last couple
of years.  They also have a family suite or two available if
that interests you.  They are quite reasonable, but I think
you have to call to get a rate (ask for the AAA discount).
The best thing about it is that you can walk to G street for
coffee, shopping, and dining options.  I like the Circle K
restaurant for good burgers, pizza, and sandwiches.

It has been years since I have been to Portland and Seattle,
so I can't give any good recommendations for places to stay,
but definitely seek out Stumptown Coffee in Portland.  So
good!  Maria

don't know if you would consider this but some of the oregon
state campgrounds have yurts for rent. i think they are
about $35-40 a night. very basic- ie, a bunkbed with plastic
mattresses (you'll need your own sleeping bags, pillows) and
a table and a camping fire-pit with bbq grill outside (so
you'd need to be prepared for eating with minimal
facilities). public bathrooms for the campgrounds usually
have showers. we do road trips up to oregon regularly with
our now 3 yr old and have found these to be a great
inexpensive overnight option.  here's a link for more info:
http://oregon.gov/OPRD/PARKS/rustic.shtml#RUSTIC_YURTS anon

Hope I'm not too late: Try a beautifully maintained old
stagecoach inn owned by the state of Oregon but using a
private contractor to provide a charming hotel and
restaurant. And reasonable! We enjoyed an overnight stay
there and make a point of trying to at least have a meal
stop whenever we travel I-5. It's 27 miles north of Grants
Pass and about 23 miles south of Canyonville. By all means,
check out the website1 http://www.historicwolfcreekinn.com/
Pearl 

Don't miss the Treesort (http://www.treehouses.com/) near
Cave Junction in Southern Oregon.  It has treehouses for
overnight guests and ziplines.  You'll need to reserve
early.  We did the ziplines and had a great time!  Just the
thing to break up a long road trip.

Right in the same area are the Smith Redwoods (camping) and
Oregon Caves (cave tours and a 1930's era lodge) Treehouse
fan