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Whew! Our Long Drive Through Northern CA, Oregon, and Washington

 

My dear polite travelers,

Ah, the allure of the open road...  Uh-huh, considering the lighter traffic of past decades that adage seemed positive.  Today?  Not so much.  Still, sometimes magic appears beyond a mountain ridge.  Sometimes, it’s just another detour. 

Our most recent road trip north from Davis, CA through Oregon, and Washington to Port Angeles—the northwestern tip of Washington—was tiring but rewarding.  There were plenty of surprises on this rushed eight-day journey.  Most of which was spent in hotels and on the highway.  What follows is a snapshot of our trip. 

Note

Our ultimate goal was to see, at least some of, the Olympic National Forest before returning home.  Due to our ‘seasoned’ age, it is uncomfortable to travel more than 5 to 6 hours each day, resulting in staying one night in each city.  The only exception was Port Angeles—our only two-day stay.  

Note

A list of hotels and a map of our journey. 



A Girl’s Gotta Eat!

Those of you who read my posts and/or my Google Maps reviews, know how much I LOVE Starbucks.  Not surprisingly, we visited multiple times each day at my fav.

Most stores were lovely with only a few as ones I don’t recommend or weren’t memorable. 

Starbucks We Recommend

475 E St, Williams, CA

4641 Churn Creek Rd. Redding, CA

1805 Fort Jones Hwy, Yreka CA

Restaurants We Recommend

North Fork Public House, Eugene Oregon

Welly’s Real Fruit Ice Cream, Port Angeles, Washington

Downriggers on the Water, Port Angeles, Washington

Georgie's Beachside Grill, Newport Oregon

Skip

Lake Crescent Lodge, Washington

Geno'sPizza and Burgers, Astoria, Oregon

Note

Please read my article about these restaurants before visiting

Ashland Oregon

We arrived late, so our stay was: check-in, drop bags, search for a restaurant, eat, sleep, and move on.  Most days, this was our mantra.  Still, I yearn to spend more time here.  It’s an art-filled mecca—quaint with a touch of quirk. 

Unfortunately, the pouring rain kept us from spending our few hours looking around.  But we will return.  You might want to visit as well.

Note

Ashland is the home of the renowned Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Port Angeles, Washington

Our lodging was simple but overlooked the bay with a deep harbor that welcomed ships of all sizes.  The location was perfect, just two blocks from the bay and wharf.  Frankly, there were many adventures to be had, but we were simply too tired to do much but take in the serenity.  Please read more.

Olympic National Forest

Even though the multiple days of driving took its toll on us, we did drive through much of the Olympic National Forest.  It is majestic.  Check out the pictures. 

Note

One negative we noticed in Washington and parts of Oregon is the number of smokers.  In our region of California, smoking isn’t as prevalent.  So, it was a bit of a shock to the system to smell the old familiar scent of earlier years.  Not positive. 

Astoria and Newport

Both Astoria and Newport Oregon are on the Pacific, making these two stays even more delightful.  Again, we had a scant few hours in each of these two cities.  Still, two of this trip’s best city memories are Astoria’s sea lion serenades and the view, and meal, from Georgie's Beachside Grill in Newport. Please watch our video

After leaving Newport, OR, we had one more stop in the Hilton Garden Inn, Medford, OR before returning home.  Since we had so little time, it was impossible to determine what type of city Medford is in, but on the surface, it seems a lovely place to visit.  In fact, it has a Trader Joe’s!  Check out our pictures!



Until next time, my polite travelers: Happy Travels!

More from the Polite Traveler  

Consider this Quality Inn Uptown in Port Angeles, Washington

Location is Everything: Comfort Suites, Newport, OR  

The Good & Not So Good Oregon & Washington Road-Trip Restaurants

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