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Cry for help...need advice on Western Oregon and/or Washington


Christal1664882414

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<p>My husband and I recently found out we have to be in Portland, OR in August. I usually extensively research an area before I visit, but in this circumstance time is short and I need your help. We've decided to extend our trip an extra week to allow us to see some of the Pacific NW. From Portland, could I please have some suggestions as to where we should focus our time and energies. We've already seen the Columbia River Gorge (though not in depth), but we haven't seen anything else to speak of. We were thinking of driving over to the coast.....would you recommend north or south? Also, perhaps up into Washington? We need to get some plans in place so we can make hotel reservations. Photography is always a big emphasis when we travel, but we also love hiking and sight-seeing. Also, do you have any travel/guide books you can recommend? Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. </p>
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<p>I'll go along with the recommendation for Silver Falls - go online and search on the name - they have a web site. Lots of waterfalls and not little things, either.<br>

Was over on the coast in June. I'd been to the northern half of the coast a few years ago and wanted to see the rest, so we spend a few days down there. Based on my experience, I think the southern end of the coast is more interesting. Cannon Beach on the northern end is very cool - horseback riders at sunrise are great subjects. But the coast is more photogenic to the south (IMHO). Lots of lighthouses, Roosevelt elk a couple of miles inland from Reedsport (really good!), seals, birds, etc. The lighthouses are good early or late in the day when their lights will stand out (or in poor weather - plenty of atmosphere). <br>

If you plan to be on the coast, getting over to Crater Lake won't be convenient - it'll be a long drive. But if you can fit it into your itinerary, I recommand it. It's unique and an amazing place to photograph.</p>

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<p>I took a trip across the US this summer and although I didn't reach the Oregon coast (I headed into Washington) it was suggested to me from a local that the most scenic beaches in Oregon are the northern ones with Cannon Beach being the one most recommended.</p>

<p><br /> </p>

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<p>Just got home.....I'm thrilled to see all of your responses. This is exactly the kind of info I was wanting. First off, I'll have to get out a map and look up Silver Falls State Park (never heard of it). Mt. Rainier is also a wonderful idea.....I hadn't even thought of that. I read about a wonderful tour in Portland that tells you the history and geology of Mt. St. Helens, and that sounded interesting. We'll have a few days where we can take day trips out of Portland. But for our week-long trip, some of your ideas will be just the ticket. Now I have another question.......is 1 week long enough to do both the northern and southern coast of Oregon without rushing? Not having been there before, it's hard to get a sense for this. Crater Lake is also a good choice, and wildflowers in August??? I'm surprised, so that sounds really appealing as well. Sounds like we have some decisions to make. Please keep ideas coming, and I'll get out my map tomorrow and do some research on the above ideas. Thanks so much for all of your input!</p>
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<p>A week would make for a very nice trip from north to south (or vice versa) along the Oregon Coast. Perhaps start at Astoria (about 2 hours from Portland) and explore the historic areas and then head south. There are things to see every few miles. There are rocky headlands, nearby mountains, forests, dunes, tidal areas, beaches, estuaries, lighthouses, and more to explore. AAA has a detailed map of the Oregon Coast. There are also books on hiking along the coast, but I don't recall specific titles. For a fun day trip, take the jet boat ride up the Rogue River from Gold Beach. At this time of year you will want to plan ahead with reservations. Have fun.</p>
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<p>Thanks, John. I also thought it sounded like a do-able trip for week, but my husband is waffling a little on wanting to travel that far. We've done so much traveling this spring and summer, and I think he's ready for a little R&R trip. So I think we're probably going to have to cover less ground. Now we just need to come to a meeting of the minds as to where we want to plop. If you had to vote on the northern vs. southern coast, which would be your preference? Thanks for your help! </p>
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<p>A week is great--checkout the weather and tide forecasts and make your decisions based on that. There are a couple of great guidebooks for photographers (names slip my mind--but Google is your friend). Early morning/late evening is a great time. Sunrise is aprox 5:20 and sunset 8:25.</p>
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<p>I thought I posted a further reply a few hours ago, but maybe I didn't hit Confirm. The summary version is that the northern coast is close to the population centers (Cannon Beach is 1-1/2 hours from Portland), so there are more motels, more restaurants and more people. The southern coast is a longer drive from Portland and Salem so there are fewer people and hence fewer services. Both are very nice with lots of variety and wonderful scenery. I think of the southern coast as a bit more rugged and unspoiled. You could easily go to someplace like Cannon Beach in the north or Bandon in the south and spend the whole week in one location, just making day trips, and find plenty to do and see. Many of the other towns are also quite nice--I mention those just because they are fairly well known and popular.</p>
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<p>DN.....good idea. We'll store away that idea for a future trip. I've never seen N. Cal.<br>

Nick....yes, that's a good idea to check tides, etc......can make a big difference in the photos we'll take. Thanks so much!<br>

John....sounds like you really know that area. Thanks for all of your help, and I'm sorry that you lost your earlier post to me. Thanks for resubmitting it. It's really helpful info, so now we just have to decide. I've spent all night working on trying to find cheap airfares..... not much luck. After I get that taken care of I'll be able to start on the actual itinerary. I appreciate your help.</p>

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<p>If you decide to visit Mt. Rainier NP, you're welcome to visit my <a href="http://www.wsrphoto.com/mtstart.html">photo guide</a> for the NP and <a href="http://www.wsrphoto.com/services.html">ask questions</a> if the guide is missing information or resources you need or want. Please note, it's only about the NP, nothing outside the NP, to avoid conflicting with existing commercial and other Websites, but I can help your research. Good luck, and hopefully it won't be as hot as we're expecting this week (low to mid 90's).</p>
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<p>I was just at Mount Rainier (East Side) . If you are going to camp in the park it is VERY helpful to get reservations first. If you are going up to Sunrise on a clear day get in early before the crowds show up from Seattle.</p>
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<p>Scott...Thanks so much.....gosh, what a resource you've compiled! And you have some outstanding images of Mr. Rainier as well! I don't think we're going to go that far north on this trip....we've been discussing our trip all evening and seem to be gravitating toward the coast......exactly where will depend on hotel prices. Gosh, they're expensive out there! I'm finding much cheaper prices in Lincoln City, but I wonder how good of a location that is. If you or anyone out there can give me some feedback on that, I'd appreciate it. I'll file away your site for future reference....for sure!</p>

<p>Doug.....We DO camp, but not on this trip. My husband is already retired, and as soon as I retire we're going to travel in RV across this great country. After spending all night looking at sub-par hotels at exhorbitant prices, I really wish camping were an option for us this trip. Oh well.....eventually! Thanks for your suggestions!</p>

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<p>Lincoln City is about two hours from Portland. I've stayed there a number of times because it is quite convenient. The town itself is strung out along Highway 101 for several miles with typical beach/tourist businesses. It has lots of wide flat beaches that are great for strolling but are not terribly picturesque (no dramatic seastacks like Cannon Beach). Lincoln City is, however, well located for making drives up and down the coast to many fine locations. Just north of Lincoln City, the Nature Conservancy has a preserve at Cascade Head with a nice hike to a headland with spectacular views.</p>

<p>In Lincoln City I have stayed at the Coho Inn which is somewhat dated but very clean, with large rooms and beachfront views at affordable prices (kitchenettes available). If you stay at Lincoln City, make sure you drive a few miles south to Depoe Bay and have lunch or dinner at Tidal Raves restaurant--excellent seafood.</p>

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<p>Two more thoughts: First, lodging at the Oregon coast in the summer can be hard to come by--people often book well ahead and end up paying full rates. This year, with the economic problems, I think business is down and it would be worth calling some places and asking if they have any flexibility on rates. I can't offer any specific guidance, but I've been getting attractive offers from popular resort areas in central Oregon so I assume the situation is the same at the coast.<br>

Second, just so you know what to expect in terms of weather...the coast stays quite moderate in temperature even in the summer. When there is very hot weather in the Willamette Valley, there will often be clouds and fog at the coast (at the boundary between the hot inland air and cool marine air). If the valley temperatures are less intense, the coast will be cool but with less chance of coastal fog. Bring a sweater and windbreaker even in summer.</p>

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<p>John.....I think I should put you on a retainer to become our personal tour consultant! :-) Thanks so much for your help. I've noted your other suggestions for hikes, dinner, etc. And as for lodging.....I get so frustrated trying to book online.....so many caveats, etc. I often find the best rate by calling the establishment myself. I'm also going to try VRBO, Vacation Rentals By Owner, which we've had good luck with before. It would be nice to stay at Cannon Beach because it would make it easier to take photos early or late in the day, rather than driving from some distance away. We'll figure it out, and if I have any more questions I'll probably turn to you, if you don't mind. Thanks again!</p>
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<p>Just to pick up a point made previously. The southern Oregon coast is more wild natural and IMO has more scopre for coastal photography than the northern coast. But it is of course further from Portland- though not out of reach for a weeks trip I'd suggest. The Samuel H Boardman Corridor, including Pistol River, Myers Beach, Harris Beach, Whalehead Beach and so on is IMO at least more interesting than anything in the north of Oregon. When you add in Bandon with a great photographers coastline as well as access to Shore Acres, its looking pretty powerful. </p>

<p>I don't want to knock northern Oregon because I do enjoy it there too, but certainly at this time of year Cannon Beach is a well developed beach resort and shopping community that has a very large rock in the middle of the beach. A few miles north theres a nice State Park with a view down the coast that looks good whenever there's clouds in the sky. There's much more variety and more coastline that isn't built up in the south, at the price of taking longer to get there. If you do stay north then then there is an interesting gritty side to some of the seaside towns. Newport has a good old harbour area, and Astoria is especially interesting with the remains of old piers and a very large and shapely bridge,</p>

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<p>David,<br>

First off....seeing that you are a 10 year veteran of Photo.net made me want to check out your portfolio. Then I realized I had seen your work before. I think perhaps you responded to me once in a forum. But I must take a moment to tell you what outstanding work you do. I looked at your website, and truly every shot is a gem. (I marked you as interesting) The shots you have of Bandon Beach kind of corroborate what you were saying above about the southern vs. the northern coastline. It appears much more interesting than Cannon Beach. But I know they both have their beauty, of course. So.....here's our situation at the moment. We have relatives out there, and it's possible they will be loaning us their car (very generous) to take our little road trip over to the coast, to prevent us from having to rent a car. If this happens, we'll take the shorter trip to the northern coast so as not to put many miles on their car. Otherwise, we'll probably head south. We're also really interested in the Crater Lake area. At any rate, I'm filing your information away for future reference, as I'm sure we'll be returning out there many times. We really fell in love with Portland when we were out there last summer. Thanks for your input. I love that there is a travel forum here on PN. I've always gotten really helpful advice from folks here!</p>

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<p>Hmmm,<br>

Well I will put my two cents in. I stayed in Wash and flew in Portland once and except for San Juan Islands, loved Oregon so much more. In a week we traveled down pretty far on Oregon coast and loved the whole thing. You could stop almost anywhere and just chill. We also put in a jaunt to Crater lake, I will try to put photo on; if not check my site here: <a href="http://www.betterphoto.com/Premium/default.aspx?id=67760&mp=V1">http://www.betterphoto.com/Premium/default.aspx?id=67760&mp=V1</a> and look at Northwest part.<br>

Crater Lake is so far away from anything I wondered why I was going there but when you crest the lip of it, you forget all that; gorgeous!! Also other mt. ranges nearby.<br>

I didn't get to do it, but all the mt.s like Mt. Hood and others are great!<br>

Even though you did Columbia River Gorge, if you want close there is hiking around some of the falls and they are beautiful I think.<br>

By the way Oregon has some of the best propaganda around; go online and search Oregon Travel and you will find they will send some great stuff to you. Good luck! and enjoy!</p>

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<p>Jim.....gosh, another great photographer.....I really enjoyed looking at your pictures! You're right about Crater Lake! What an amazing color it is! Unfortunately we won't make it there on this trip. We've decided to wait and see it when we can drive an RV and spend a more leisurely time seeing the sights. We'll stick to the coast this time, and we're finally getting the beginnings of an itinerary. We're going to drive from Portland over to Cannon Beach, spend 1 night, then work our way down the coast. The hard part now is trying to decide how long to stay in each place with regard to making hotel reservations. Most all of the hotels have 3 day cancellation policies, so we have to research and be pretty sure of our timeline. We prefer to see things in depth as opposed to the way many people travel......ya know.....get out of the car and click a picture and think they've 'seen' a place? Not us. :-) So we'll take it slow and try to get some good pictures along the way. <br>

Now to comment on your photos....I loved the ones of Bandon Beach, especially the Ghost Haystack. Where in the world were you when you took that picture of the Can. and American Niagara Falls? That was wonderful! And I see you've been to Red River Gorge and have a Kentucky folder. Are you from KY by any chance? The Gorge is a place most people haven't seen, and we hope to get down there yet this summer/fall. (We're in Indiana).<br>

After our one-week trip along the coast, we'll be back in Portland for a few days with family. Hopefully during that time we can get up to Mt. Hood or do some hiking in the Columbia River Gorge. And I'll definitely check out the Oregon Travel online. Thanks for the suggestion, and thanks for writing.</p>

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<p>P.S. to Jim,<br>

From your comment, am I to assume that you DID like the San Juan Islands? We plan to go there in the not too distant future. Our daughter married a Canadian from Calgary, so we plan a trip out there next year.....and then over to Vancouver Island and environs. I've heard that the San Juan Islands are beautiful.....just wanted your input on that. Thanks!</p>

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  • 2 weeks later...

<p>Hi Christal,<br>

Sorry to take so long to respond; we are going to Alaska and I am having all kinds of preparations to make.<br>

1st Thanks for all your great comments about my photos, they aren't that great except when I see great stuff!!<br>

San Juan Islands I really would like to spend some time there, but I think the way to do that is definitely see if you could find a local to pay and be on the water. The whales are very cool; but remember I am a Navy kind of guy. (wife loved it too) The second thing is take a vehicle IF YOU ARE STAYING FOR A WHILE. I would also consider island hopping, the ferrys themselves are worth the trip and they are a lot of them.<br>

Please know that I was only on one island one day but going on small cruise convinced me you could shoot eagles, whales, and more.<br>

I would definitely try to watch for eagles if I got a small boat to go on.<br>

Niagara, we stayed in Sheraton high floor and I shot through a dirty window AND screen. Amazed they even came out. Also worth it to eat lunch in that space needle tower they have as the view on falls is also amazing.<br>

Oregon Coast, if you have not already left. I think you could go to a few lighthouses, and around several could just spend time going down cliffs to beach, look at tidal pools, look for seals, birds, and hike. My wife and I both have arthritis and it's hard to get around like that anymore but I would love to. Our time was really limited. When I said chill, I think you could take a week in several places, you pick them, on the Oregon Coast.<br>

Cannon Beach, the really neat thing about that whole coast to me is the way it is so large and the seastacks. I do think you could hike that alone both North (more seastacks) and South and have a great time. I didn't get to check tidal pools but they are great photographic and experience sites.<br>

Since I didn't stay but just one place, I can't help on the motels but I would look for one with an ocean view if possible. Watch for wildlife! You should have a great time. Let me know when you get back so I can see some photos??...:)</p>

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