(TGA) - Travel - We are planning to head to the Oregon Coast in August. We plan to take the ferry from Victoria B.C. to Port Angeles and then down the west coast of Washington into Oregon - we are heading to Oregon to check out the Pacific University as on option for Optometry. That is the purpose of our trip and plan to include some great shopping (I hear there are lots of outlet malls) and then head back up to Seattle and back up into BC to come home to Alberta. I really want to spend a few days "on the beach" - right on the beach someone on the Oregon coast. I've seen some great pictures and saw an episode of Little People Big World when they took the twins to the beach for a birthday. Suggestions for best beach and best place to stay on the beach? What about the shopping and best place for one night in Portland? Thank so much!
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We have done exactly the same trip as you, several times. A myriad of option, but here's our two cents.
I would take the ferry to PA and then travel down the east side towards Olympia. The west side is not as scenic as you would imagine. At Olympia you connect to I-5 and then drive south to Longview. Turn there to cross over the Columbia River to Oregon. Turn west and drive to Astoria and then south to Cannon Beach. From PA it should take 4 - 5 hours (roughly).
At Cannon Beach I would recommend SeaSprite (either their original site near Haystack Rock) or their new location a block away from downtown yet super quiet. At Haystack they have a great little cabin with nice views and easy access to the beach. At the Estuary building they have beautiful one bedroom units and an excellent two bedroom suite on the top floor. Different views of the beach from the Estuary building but the rooms are excellent.
From Cannon Beach you are about an hour away from Portland. In Portland we usually stay at Northrup Station in Nob Hill
http://www.northrupstation.com/.
The drive back to the border should be about 4 - 5 hours again. Their are outlet shops just north of Seattle on I - 5. If you are into outdoor adventure gear make sure and stop at the REI Flagship Store in Seattle. www.rei.com
Hope this helps. Enjoy your visit to the Oregon Coast.
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Thanks so much for the GREAT information. We actually are coming from Alberta to the Island first - I see your location! We thought we would stay in Nanaimo as central to visit folks in Comox, Qualicum, Parksville, Nanaimo, Duncan and then on to Victoria. Any suggestions for things to do on the Island and in the US? We have 2 teenagers to entertain. Any place on the west side of the island for a beach experience? Thanks again for your info!
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Oregon's largest outlet shopping center is in Woodburn, about 30 miles south of downtown Portland... http://www.shop-woodburn.com/
Remember no sales tax in Oregon :-)
There are also Pioneer Place, Bridgeport Plaza, Clackamas, Washington Square, Lloyd Center . . . all are big shopping meccas. Might have missed some, plus there are other areas in Portland to shop.
I-5 will be having construction on it south of about Olympia, so factor that into your timing.
What is your budget for hotels at the beach? Cannon Beach is nice, upscale, expensive, lots of small shoppes, and very very crowded in August, so book soon. There are many pretty natural areas around Cannon Beach.
Where did the Little People go, do you know?
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Depending on the amount of time you have for this trip, you might want to consider going a little further south along the Oregon Coast to Lincoln City/Newport. Then take hwy 18 back toward Portland. You could also stop at Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville and see the Spruce Goose (Howard Hughes giant plane--movie "The Aviator')
Buccaneer Dave has a good suggestion re: the Washington coast to head for Olympia and west toward the coast at Longview. Either WA Hwy 4 or OR Hwy 30 are good routes to access the Oregon Coast. However, Hwy 4 will be starting more road construction next month. I'm not sure how long that will last, so you will want to check the WA State Hwy Dept website before taking that route. It is a little more scenic than OR 30, but also somewhat slower.
With teens, I would consider Seaside instead of Cannon Beach. It's much or 'kid oriented'. There are outlet malls in Seaside and Lincoln City. Also the big one mentioned in Woodburn which is much the same as the Seattle Premium Outlet Mall in Marysville WA (next to the Tulalip Casino), but no sales tax in Oregon.
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Again, this is such a great place! So glad to have found it! I like all the suggestions - breaking things down a bit, with time and travel a factor, I think we want to stay no farther south than Portland this time. As we will be spending our first week on the BC Coast, we only have another week to come down and then head north again.
I think the little people took the boys to Cannon Beach - it looked like a large condo unti with many units right at the beach. It was one of earlier seasons so can't remember for sure and not having any luck on a search.
I would like to keep our budget at $100-$120 per night - am I being unrealistic? Seaside sounds like a good choice with the kids - they just want some beach time.
Anything entertainment wise would work - ziplining, shopping, beach, good food.
Any suggestions on those narrowed parameters again would be welcome!
Appreciate all the good advice so far.
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Just a comment, not a diversion. It has been suggested that you leave I-5 at Longview, and I agree with that. Drive west along state route 4 to Cathlamet and take the open-deck car ferry across the Columbia River to the Oregon side and continue to Astoria on US-30. The ferry is $3 total, including passengers, and is a real treat.
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You won't find anything in that price range in Cannon Beach; not sure about Seaside. Prices in summer are of course higher.
Lincoln City is farther south but may have one or more beachfront hotels in that range.
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