driving from the Willamette Valley to The Coast (Portland, Eugene: casino, live in)

[JackieLovesSun]

I just read a post that from Eugene to Florence is 45 minutes, but mapquest tells me it's about 1.25 hours. I've noticed before that people here in Medford say things like it's 90 minutes to The Coast - it took me a LOT longer.

from here you need to go through and around some major mountain - I understand the coast ranges further north are not as high?

are locals consistently speeding?

how do various cities from Portland down to Eugene vary in the time it takes to get to a beach on the ocean? are the drives very scenic? are the roads at all scary?

thanks in advance!
Jackie

[Nell Plotts]

The road between Eugene and Florence is not scary. Google says it takes 1.25 hours. BUT it will take longer if you drive it from Florence to Eugene on a Sunday evening or from Eugene to Florence on Friday evening/Saturday morning.

If you are driving from Medford take I-5 exit 136 and head west. I have taken that route before and while it uses a lot of 2-lane state highway it is a beautiful drive. 3.25 hours with no/light traffic.

[JackieLovesSun]

it makes sense traffic would be heavy on weekends.

T

he road between Eugene and Florence is not scary

I guessed that because you don't see hairpin turns on the map!

have you driven other routes further north to compare them?

[Silverfall]

I live in way south Salem and it takes me 1.25-1.5 hours to get to Lincoln city. It depends on the Casino traffic.

[PNW-type-gal]

I'm thinking of driving from Medford to Bandon, on the general principle that:
a) I've driven Medford to Brookings several times
b) I'd rather go somewhere other than Brookings, preferably somewhere with better beach access
c) Bandon SHOULD be far south enough on the coast not to attract quite the beach masses that Newport and places north do (although that might not be true).

I have no idea what Hwy 42 is like, but it is a highway and not a NFS road, so, lol, it'll be paved.....

[seashelly]

Hwy 42 is the South Coast Local's route from Hwy 101 over to I-5 near Roseburg/Southern Oregon and yes it's paved, lol. Curvy but a scenic drive plus bonus, an old covered bridge at a turnout near Remote, Oregon.

[crazyme4878]

I give myself an hour to get from Florence to west Eugene, but I drive fast. And I've had to admit to myself that I have to allow an hour and a half to get to downtown. But really, it does come down to who else is driving the road and how fast they are going, because there aren't many places to pass. In fact, I don't consider any place safe to pass until the Walton area.

[JackieLovesSun]

I have no idea what Hwy 42 is like, but it is a highway and not a NFS road, so, lol, it'll be paved.....

I hear you, PNW type gal - Brookings was OK but I'd choose to try something else next time, I think

Originally Posted by seashelly

Hwy 42 is the South Coast Local's route from Hwy 101 over to I-5 near Roseburg/Southern Oregon and yes it's paved, lol. Curvy but a scenic drive plus bonus, an old covered bridge at a turnout near Remote, Oregon.

that sounds nice, like to see that

turns out wikipedia describes highways, that's nice - so for highway 20, for example it doesn't describe the part between the coast and Corvallis but it does a better job of further east. so if you were driving to Bend it would be helpful.

I think before you set out it's nice to know basic things like is it 4 lane, 2 lane, yes paved or not

[Silverfall]

Originally Posted by PNW-type-gal

I'm thinking of driving from Medford to Bandon, on the general principle that:
a) I've driven Medford to Brookings several times
b) I'd rather go somewhere other than Brookings, preferably somewhere with better beach access
c) Bandon SHOULD be far south enough on the coast not to attract quite the beach masses that Newport and places north do (although that might not be true).

I have no idea what Hwy 42 is like, but it is a highway and not a NFS road, so, lol, it'll be paved.....

Bandon doesn't get the masses. The beaches have been quite empty whenever I've been there.

[rtg143]

The best route to the coast from I5 is Sutherland to Reedsport. There are 2 hairpin curves but the rest is very good, with many passing lanes.