The ocean (Portland, Forest Grove, Astoria: how much, employment, move)

[foxmstng]

We are visiting Portland the 2nd week of October, to check out the area. (We are considering a possible move next spring - don't panic, we will have employment in the Medical field). My question is we will be there for a few days and want to see the ocean on our way up to Seattle. Where is a good spot to go and how much time should we allow? I am getting info from other forums on what to see. There is too much! Thanks in advance.

[hamellr]

The Ocean is a good 90 mile one way drive out of your way to Seattle.

Seaside, Astoria and Longbeach are good, you pretty much should take a whole day to do so. OR drive from Portland to Seaside, go up to Astoria and cross the river to LongBeach. Take 101 up to Aberdeen, then drive back inland coming out at Olympia or Bremerton. If you go the Bremerton route you can take the ferry across to Seattle from there. That is a great drive, but there are very few towns in between Longbeach and Olympia area.

Most of the Washington Coast doesn't really have any beaches BTW, so you'll want to hit Oregon as much as possible although Westport in Washington is a nice little fishing town with a touristy downtown corridor.

[Beenhere4ever]

You could do what I did on my last trip to Portland. I visited Portland, then I headed to Astoria, crossed from Astoria to Longview on the interstate bridge, then drove up the Washington coast to Long Beach. Then I caught a highway that led from the coast to Tacoma and Seattle. Highway 101 which runs along Puget Sound. Very scenic.

[Larry Caldwell]

Like Seattle, you really don't see much ocean from Astoria. It's situated between the Columbia River and Young's River. There's lots of water, but no ocean. Seattle is the same, lots of water, but it's all Puget Sound. Take a boat tour of the Sound while you are there.

Highway 26 out of Portland goes to Seaside, and there is lots of ocean and sandy beach at Seaside. Canon Beach is another popular tourist town on the ocean. If the weather is clear, a drive south over Neahkahnie to Tillamook and west over Cape Lookout can be beautiful. If you don't want to backtrack, drive west out of Portland to Forest Grove and pick up Oregon Route 6, also known as the Wilson River Highway. That will put you in Tillamook, and you can head north from there. Unfortunately, that puts you on the landward side of the highway, so the passenger seat will miss a lot of good views.

[Beenhere4ever]

Why would they need to head south on a trip north. There's plenty of ocean to see on the coast highway in Washington.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by Beenhere4ever

Why would they need to head south on a trip north. There's plenty of ocean to see on the coast highway in Washington.

To get to Seattle along Highway 101 in Washington is a significant distance inland. It also has to skirt Wialpla Bay on the east side, and there are very few places to stop along that road.

You could loop out to Westport via Highway 105 and then back to Aberdeen, it's only an extra hour or so drive.

[foxmstng]

Thanks all of you for the info on the ocean trip. I will plan out something on your info. I'll let you know what we thought of Portland after our trip - which runs thru Spokane to Portland to Seattle and back thru Spokane - and on to home.

[Beenhere4ever]

Originally Posted by hamellr

To get to Seattle along Highway 101 in Washington is a significant distance inland. It also has to skirt Wialpla Bay on the east side, and there are very few places to stop along that road.

You could loop out to Westport via Highway 105 and then back to Aberdeen, it's only an extra hour or so drive.

I've done this drive. As far north as Long Beach. The highway then turned NE and eventually ends up on Puget Sound. But to me, by the time you swing inland, you've been able to see a LOT of ocean. I spent an afternoon on the beach at Long Beach.

[foxmstng]

Thanks everyone for the info, but we had to cancel our trip. We will keep the info for the future. Again, thanks to all.