driving up to ~Portland, good stops etc ?

[shmoov_groovzsd]

Originally Posted by bloom

^ great travel logue.

Cool. Thanks bloom.

On several occasions when we were having dinner I would just book a room via the Priceline app on my phone. It was just too easy to do. Many times its hard to quantify if X city will be a place you want to stay for the night or if plans change and you have to cancel and you have never been to these places.

Funny story was I booked a room at a casino near Eureka as it was $100 (same as some questionable Best Westerns and Holiday Inn's based on reviews) and I was shocked at how nice the casino hotel room was and facilities. Winning $250 at the slots that evening didnt hurt either

We werent sure of the weather so we left lots of room to explore with only the B&B and PDX points be our anchors.

Even after all the rave reviews, it was still that same awesome feeling of coming to SD. We really do live in an amazing place that in in the grand scheme of things, whether you live by the coast or inland, we really do share the same 'stuff' on our little island of SD.

If anyone has any questions just shoot me a PM.

[intothelight]

Cape Meares (or anywhere along Oregon coast) is pretty amazing. I went in summer though - and it's probably not quite as magnificent in the rain

Also Multnomah falls is amazing.

[shmoov_groovzsd]

Originally Posted by intothelight

Cape Meares (or anywhere along Oregon coast) is pretty amazing. I went in summer though - and it's probably not quite as magnificent in the rain

Also Multnomah falls is amazing.

I heard the falls were nice. We were nit expecting the weather along the coast to be as nice as it was. Literally clear, sunny and in the 60s. It was stunning.
They too are having draught issues in the PNW.

[lrmsd]

Originally Posted by shmoov_groovzsd

I heard the falls were nice. We were nit expecting the weather along the coast to be as nice as it was. Literally clear, sunny and in the 60s. It was stunning.
They too are having draught issues in the PNW.

Well, not sure which part of the coast you were on, so maybe it was b/c of the drought in yoru case, but southern coastal oregon has their banana belt, always sunnier and warmer than other parts of the coast/state in the rainy/winter season. south of Port Orford, including Brookings area:
Banana belt - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
And yes, it IS a cool/beautiful area. Reminded us, in some parts, of New England but a little lusher. Great fish shacks, etc. Also the Smith River area on CA side not far from the border, is amazing, too.

Also, anyone traveling up to or near Healdsburg needs to try Diavolas in Geyerserville. [just north of Hburg]. Incredible food, house cured/made italian meats, best pizza rivals east coast or italy, etc. Another great road trip is to take the 128 to mendocino coast-boonville had the first or one of the first craft breweries in the country. Mendocino village has awesome food; redwood parks galore, etc. Then drive up through fort bragg and check out the Lost Coast, before crossing back over the 5 to check out arcata/eureka, etc. [Though in western Sonoma county, Sebastopol over to Occidental)there are amazing bakeries and restaurants, too. You could easily just hang in Sonoma for a week and explore its coasts, towns, cities, restaurants, wine, etc.

Anyone driving straight up the 5 to OR, can hit up Mt. Shasta city (really a small town) or Ashland, Or. (The latter being the home of famous Shakespeare Festival) Both great places with some wonderful restaurants, shops and amenities. [For future road trip people who may or may not have a guidebook or any idea of the west coast towns/cities]. Mt. Shasta and surrounding towns are rumored to have the best water in the world or something like that, and you can fill your bottles through a spiggot that dumps into the local river in town, mountain water from Mt. Shasta itself. And, yes, it IS really amazing water. Dunsmuir, just south of Mt Shasta off the 5, is a cute town, very popular with fly fisherman in the fall; the sacramento river begins there.

I mention all of this for any future CD researchers who wander into this thread for information.
Happy Trails!!!!

[bloom]

^ skip Dunsmuir

[shmoov_groovzsd]

lrmsd, I actually posted at length where we were in the south Oregon coast on page 4
Basically from the 126 in Florence down. We were in Port Orford for 3 days at a B&B.

Yup, Sonoma is incredible. We were just in Sonoma last month for a week as well, but that is another thread totally off topic.

We took those same exact routes coming out of Sonoma/Napa off the 101 onto the 128. We really like Scharffen berger sparking wine so picked some up there and then through to Mendo up to the 199 in Crescent City. The 199 to Grants Pass and onto the 5 was my least favorite part of the trip to drive.

Lost Coast was cool to stop off in. Grabbed one of their anniversary ale which I havent tried yet.

Additionally, if in Petaluma and you like beer, Lagunitas is there. They have a cask conditioned 'starburst' IPA called Yakima which is mind blowing. Literally tastes like a pink Starburst. That can get dangerous lol

[earlyretirement]

Sounds like an incredible trip Shmoov! Yep, I totally agree with you. GREAT eats up there. I've mentioned on a few threads how great the foodie scene is up there. Sounds like a fabulous trip.

Welcome back and Happy New Year.

[Rsamani]

Originally Posted by bloom

^ skip Dunsmuir

Weeds is the next town. check it out and gas up.