Suggestions needed for attractions to see on a car trip between Seattle and Portland!

[Ania]

Our friends (a couple with 3 kids, ages 2-9) and my family (a couple with 2 kids, ages 4-8) will be taking an RV/car trip this summer. We'll be starting in Seattle and destination #1 is Mt. Rainier National Park. We'll have about a week to travel along the coast and then to Portland where our trip ends. I'm looking for suggestions of fun family attractions on the WA and Oregon coast roughly between these two cities. None of us are familiar with the area (I've been to Seattle many times and to Portland once, but know little about the coast).

So far I got great recommendations for Newport Aquarium, Sea Lion Caves, and a few other coastal spots south of Portland. I'm looking for suggestions of fun things to do and see along the coast north of Portland. Kinds of things I'm looking for: nice slow/sleepy non-touristy beach towns, fun kid-friendly outdoor activities, kid-oriented museums in case of bad weather, good food spots (coffee, baked goods, ice cream, beer, chocolate). Also, nice RV parks, preferably with a nearby hotel where I could check myself in to escape the chaos for a little bit

Any suggestions?

 

[Artemis@BC]

I don't think any of the beach towns will be sleepy/non-touristy in the summer, though I've been to the Long Beach area a couple of times in the off-season and they've been lovely and quiet then.

Nonetheless I do recommend the Long Beach area (Washington) for its variety of activities. The beaches are of course phenomenal, and lots of places to rent bikes and other recreational equipment. But there are also great wooded and marshland areas that are fun to explore.

And then as you're heading south, you'll get to cross into Oregon over the spectacular Astoria bridge over the mouth of the Columbia river. Not for the faint of heart though. Google it, you'll see what I mean.

Astoria itself is a neat little town, lots of historic maritime stuff (their maritime museum is one of the best I've ever been in).

 

[Johnny_Fever]

You'll be in temperate rain forest country. I'd be in the woods a lot.

 

[Ania]

And then as you're heading south, you'll get to cross into Oregon over the spectacular Astoria bridge over the mouth of the Columbia river. Not for the faint of heart though. Google it, you'll see what I mean.

I did! Indeed, spectacular and terrifying. I don't think I can do this, especially in an RV! Thank you for the heads-up and for the other recommendations!

 

[purple skates]

I was there in January for Synchro Midwesterns in Portland, and spent a week travelling around - mostly on the coastline. It was myself and my college-aged son (who is majoring in environmental science), so we spent all of our time in and around nature. That said, here's a couple of ideas for you:

Seaside Oregon: The part that we stayed in was more like an old fashioned beach town - although further north it looked more like a resort town with lots of stuff going on. We could see the big hotels down the beach, but in our part it was mostly beachcombers and surfers. There was lots of crabbing going on in the evening. We stayed at the Inn at the Shore in a (I thought) reasonably priced two bedroom suite with kitchen and oceanfront balcony. There was a small market easily walkable where we bought food. (ETA: I just noticed you are in an RV. So this won't work for you - not sure about camping in the area. I believe there's a State Park somewhere to the northeast, if my memory from doing research serves correctly.)

Columbia River Gorge Oregon: This is just outside of Portland, to the East. Several really beautiful waterfalls. However, I imagine it's absolutely crawling with people in the summer. Tanners Creek State Park (closer to Mt Hood) had some nice ones, but now you are talking an hour or so from Portland. (ETA - and I have no idea about available camping in that area.)

Lake Quinault Washington: We stayed at the lodge there, but there are other options in the area. This is in the Olympic National Park/Forest rain forest, so really cool trees and moss. Took a van tour that originates at the lodge and saw lots of eagle and elk. And waterfalls. (ETA: Campgrounds are all around here.)

Ruby Beach Washington: This is north of Lake Quinault, still in the Olympic National Park. (ETA: Lots of campgrounds around here too.)

The whole of Highway 101 between Oregon and Washington was very interesting, but it is a lot of driving time with not much except nature between the spread out towns. Oh, and that bridge was......interesting......for someone like me who isn't too fond of heights. I'd drive over it again, though, as the view was spectacular from up there. (ETA - we have a 23 ft camper, and I'd pull it over that bridge - in very low gear on the climb up . Mainly because of those big iron sides making me feel like the camper wouldn't be pitched over the sides. We are pulling ours to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in June, and I am not looking forward to crossing the Mighty Mac with it.)

 

[madm]

Oregon coast:
Kite flying on the beach in Lincoln City, Oregon is incredible (just north of Newport). There are lots of shops to buy unique kites there. The sand dunes south of Florence, Oregon are loads of fun in a dune buggy. There are many state parks along the Oregon Coast and lighthouses to visit (Yaquina Head is near Newport). Seaside, Oregon is the end of the Lewis and Clark trail, with educational displays and statues. In Tillamook, you can tour the cheese factory and eat delicious ice cream.

Southern Washington:
East of I-5 in southern Washington, you can visit the Mount St. Helens Forest Learning Center, where you can learn all about volcanos, lava tubes, and maybe even Sasquatch! http://www.mountsthelens.com/visitorcenters.html. Mt. Rainier National Park is a must. If you have time, driving around the entire Olympic peninsula provides fantastic scenery and hiking, but it's a long full day excursion with minimal civilization. Staying at Quinalt Lodge or camping near the Hoh rain forest would be good. I recommend going to Long Beach and then crossing into Oregon over the Astoria bridge. One difference between Washington and Oregon is that they allow motor vehicles to drive on the beach in Wash., while nearly all of the Oregon coast is preserved as state park land.

 

[maatTheViking]

I so agree with Mt St Helens.

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (http://www.pdza.org/) in Tacoma is pretty nice (though one of their elephants did not look happy when we were there. Rest of zoo was great)

The museum of glass in Tacoma is interesting too, but maybe not for smaller kids.

 

[Ania]

I so agree with Mt St Helens.

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (http://www.pdza.org/) in Tacoma is pretty nice (though one of their elephants did not look happy when we were there. Rest of zoo was great)

The museum of glass in Tacoma is interesting too, but maybe not for smaller kids.

I've been to both and loved them! Had to cut our trip to the museum of glass short because my older one was 3 then, and now our friends have a 2-year-old. I'd love to return to this museum one day (and hopefully buy something in their gift shop!)

Thank you all for the other suggestions! I'll look into all of them tonight.

 

[madm]

Most of the recreational opportunities in southwest Washington revolve around forestry and nature. There aren't a lot of coastal tourist spots except Long Beach. If you are spending any time in Seattle, there's the Space Needle, Pikes Place Market, Seattle Aquarium, IMAX theater, ferry boat rides and orca watching trips. IMO there are many more recreational opportunities and seaside towns with restaurants along the Oregon Coast. If you make it to the Newport area, good places to eat include the Rogue Brewery, Mo's Chowder House (which has places all up and down the Oregon Coast), and the Sea Hag in Depot Bay.

http://seesouthwestwa.com/
http://www.gonorthwest.com/Washington/southwest/wasw.htm