Seattle to San Francisco road trip planner Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Seattle to San Francisco. Then, head out to Patricks Point State Park and Trinidad State Beach to get your first taste of the rugged northern California coast. For example, in the Marina youll run into bar-hopping twentysomethings who just moved out of the fraternity, while the Outer Sunset is basically a, Read More Where to Stay in San Francisco: A Locals Complete GuideContinue, Lets get this out of the way at the top Boston is definitely not the best city for gluten free foodies in the United States. Rainier to Portland, stopping at Mt. The drive's signature stops include the cities of Portland and Sacramento, Mt. 1512650 [9] Website. Note: We skip over San Francisco here, and loop back to itbecause our flight leaves from San Francisco+ we have to return our rental car here. Glass Beach and Fort Bragg: Glass Beach is an unusual beach with tons of tiny colorful glass pieces amid the pebbles on the beach. The advantage of staying there is that its right in the middle of downtown. To help with the planning of your amazing road trip, check out all the information below for great inspiration, information and things to do along the way. Long road trips = the need for bathroom stops! However, a new bridge ismeant to be opening in October 2017. Hiking to Towering Comet Falls in Mount Rainier National Park, 3 Days in Portland, Oregon: Plan a Perfect Weekend in Portland, Gluten Free Portland: A Travel Guide for Gluten Free Foodies, 4 Days in San Francisco: A Complete City Guide from a Local, A Locals Guide to the Best Gluten Free Restaurants in San Francisco, A Complete Washington State Road Trip Itinerary, An Unforgettable 2 Week Oregon Road Trip Itinerary, Plan an Incredible San Francisco to Los Angeles Road Trip, 9 Spectacular Day Trips from Florence to Plan Now, One Day in Florence: The Best of Florence in 24 Hours, Closing Time at the Louvre with Take Walks (Complete Review), One Day in Lisbon: How to See the Best of Lisbon in 24 Hours, 17 Amazing Things to Do in Olympic National Park in 2023, All the Best Things to Do in Mount Rainier National Park. The 960-mile road trip from Seattle to San Francisco takes 20 hours 30 minutes. Psst! A somewhat sleepy, somewhat rowdy college town, home of the University of Oregon, Eugene is quirky, creative, and a fun weekend getaway from Portland. The Pacific coast highway is one of the legendary road trip routes that follows highway 101 through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Early November is when the weather really starts to turn. Stop as frequent or as little as you like but dont forget to look up! The Northern California Coast is considered to be one of the most scenic areas in the entire country, and for many reasons. This is the worst driving day because theres not much to see along the way from Redding to San Francisco. Your email address will not be published. Stop at the Good Life Cafe: If youre going to be in Mendocino in the morning, stop over at the Good Life Cafe for breakfast and a cup of coffee. Make sure you check road conditions From Seattle, drive straight to Mt. Taking the quickest possible route, the road trip from Seattle to San Francisco takes 13 hours and spans 810 miles. Have you ever taken a road trip from Seattle to San Francisco? If thats a few too many days, then we recommend heading down the I-5 corridor through Oregon instead, skipping Bend and Crater Lake, which are further inland. Were assuming that youre treating your road trip from Seattle to San Francisco as a vacation, and budgeting a week or more so that you can see the best of the west coast along the way. Your email will not be provided to third parties. I am a keen photographer and we like nice scenery, (oceans/mountains/forests/rivers/lakes/waterfalls etc). Spend the night at the Olema House. From: 1 traveler 2 travelers 3 travelers 4 travelers 5 travelers 6 travelers. Once you're up, you can kick off your morning with a visit to the amazing Remede Spa. to double check the weather. Todays a long driving day, but its broken up with many stops. The Best Route for Your Seattle to San Francisco Drive, The Best Stops to Make on a Seattle to San Francisco Road Trip, Mt. Head North back to San Francisco,andexplore the city! by Emily Cass | Oct 18, 2017 | Most Popular, North America | 3 comments. Explore a route and we'll find the best locations to keep you charged along the way and upon arrival. They remembered my mum right away and we chatted with them about their lives. Take your time, drive slowly and stop at every opportunity you can! Visiting in July for 5 days with my boyfriend, where and what must we do? San Fran is one of the States' most iconic cities, so it should come as no surprise that it's home to some of California's fanciest hotels. Spend the afternoon in Cannon Beach, spending some time on the beach near Haystack Rock and then eat lunch at Public Coast Brewing. If its on (or even if its not), you should stop in Ashland. Day 1: Seattle, Washington (3 days) Day 4: Seattle - Willamette Valley (222 miles/357 km) Day 5: Willamette Valley - Pacific City (63 miles/101 km) There are so many places to stop and it all depends on the time you have as well as your interests. Hotels: The Hoxton and the Society Hotel (weve stayed there) are our top hotel picks in Portland. Last, but certainly not least (the opposite, in fact) is to head inland and hit Mt. We love this stylish Airbnb in Capitol Hill, which is perfect for traveling couples. Besides the fact that any coastline drive looks better when the weather is warmer, forests and parks are a defining feature of this road trip. Read that if you want the details beyond some of our recommendations. Rome2rio displays up to date schedules, route maps, journey times and estimated fares from relevant transport operators, ensuring you can . Hop onto Interstate 5 straight out of Seattle and make your way to Portland, passing Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. Trip (807.8 mi) on Map San Francisco Seattle. Oxbow Public Market (6 mentions) Still, totally doable in October. International Rose Test Garden (20 mentions) Click the blue button below. Simply use this as a guideline! 9:00 am start in Seattledrive for about 2.5 hours, 11:43 am Portland Therefore, we kindly ask you to share your experience with us in the comment field at the end of the blog post. After half a day here, we made our way down HWY 199 through some interesting towns, en route to Crescent City on HWY 101. For something a little more low-key, you can also enjoy a yoga class or even try wine tasting. The Drive Weather map shows the next 6 hours of weather forecast, wind, temperatures and radar for the the Seattle to San Francisco drive. Seattle Center: I actually dont really recommend you go up to the top of the Space Needle. The views are cool (check out Kerry Park nearby for the best views in Seattle), but its expensive and kind of uninspiring. Here are a few pit stops to consider stopping for. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Are you going straight to a hotel, or Here are some of our favorites. Stay charged anywhere you go, with access to our global charging networks. The road trio from Seattle to San Francisco is full of incredible activities and experiences. The travelplan so far. We wouldnt recommend spending the night here instead, continue south to Portland for the night, which is just a couple of hours south. Let us know, wed love to hear from you! Heres what we recommend. Shasta (2 days) Stop 5: Redwood National Park (1-2 days) Stop 6: Crater Lake (2 days) Stop 7: Coos Bay / Southern Oregon Coast (1 day) Before we go on to give you our 2-week itinerary, please note that there is no right or wrong way to do this trip. Airbnb in Seattle. I have been multiple times, mostly with family growing up, and I joked to Alysha on our last trip that, Read More Where to Stay in Zion National Park: Best Hotels + B&BsContinue, The scale of the Grand Canyon is absolutely mind-blowing. You can toggle between map views using the buttons above. What is your favorite restaurant in Portland? The Society is the best value hotel in Portland, with options from dorm rooms to suites, so you can pick an option that works for your style and budget. The Hoxton is a super stylish hotel that is one of our favorite hotel chains in the world. If youre lucky, you may spot the local bald eagles. Aug 19th, 2009 08:02 AM. Crescent City. Basic large rooms with a good location right off the 101. Alexander Valley Wine Region: Take a drive through the Alexander Valley Wine Region to enjoy some of the tastiest (and most affordable) wines in California. Its only 3 hours though, and you can stop in Berkeley or Oakland on your way into the city if youre looking for somewhere to grab lunch. In this section, we list the five different restaurants to dine at on the road trip from Seattle to San Francisco. Explore Capitol Hill: Our favorite! From here, you can either take the coastal highway HWY 1 or the HWY 101 directly to Santa Rosa for the night OR if you feel as though you can continue driving, drive to Santa Cruz. Grab yourself some lunch from The Picnic Basket or the Surfrider Cafe and enjoy it on the beach whilst people watching and soaking up the sunshine. The Best Road Trip from Seattle to San Francisco By Jess Moss That Pacific Coast Highway route from San Francisco to Los Angeles gets all the attention, but it's not the only West Coast drive that should be on your map. Seattle to San Francisco Road Trip Itinerary. What is your favorite restaurant in Portland? Our travel philosophy, in general, is eat-walk-drink-walk-eat-repeat. And Portland is an amazing place to do that. eg. Once in Vacaville, take Interstate 80 through Fairfield, then cross the Alfred Zampa Memorial Bridge. If you want to stay in the best rooms and get pampered by the finest service the city has to offer, book yourself a room at St Regis San Francisco. Apr 3rd, 2010 10:39 PM. Rainier National Park (the Paradise Side), More Time? Starting on I-5 south for 90% of . Here we are answering the frequently asked questions about the Seattle to San Francisco drive. Grab a freshly baked bagel from Los Bagels,a crepe from Renatas Creperie and Espresso oran ice cream from Arcata Scoop(or all of the above!). For more amazing trees, waterfalls, and trails in California, check out Sequoia National Park. If you're planning a road trip to San Francisco, you can research locations to stop along the way. Jessica from asked:Best seafood restaurant in S.F.? Tall tales, trip guides, & the world's weird & wonderful. San Francisco. We recommend Timber Valley Inn and Suiteswhich is conveniently located directly off HWY 5. Wildlife Safari (3 mentions) Limited time in Napa, help with my itinerary! Stop at Redwoods National and State Parks: Seeing the redwoods is a must when youre in Northern California. Jump back on the 101 and head south to check out the Big Tree (look out for all the parked cars). You can drive straight down I-5, stopping in Portland and Eugene, which is the fastest route. If youre making a trip specifically for gluten free food, wed say that Boston is probably not even on the shortlist of places wed recommend. Drive all the way to Redding, get dinner at In-n-Out Burger, and stay at the Americana Hotel in downtown Redding. Its super touristy, and kind of overrated and boring in general. (29 answers), Dina from Dallas asked:What are the top 5 can't miss tourist attractions in S.F.? 3029 Spirit Lake Highway, Castle Rock, WA, US, 13515 SE McLoughlin Blvd, Milwaukie, OR, US, 4303 Sardine Creek L Fork Road, Gold Hill, OR, US, The Embarcadero And Beach St, San Francisco, CA, US. Looking for more cool hotels? Read:The Ultimate Guide To Crater Lake National Park. There are a few small easy hiking paths to take and theyre worth it to view these giants up close. Road trips are F-U-N! questions about Eugene: We will be in de US for about 4 weeks. The accommodation all round in Seattle wasnt cheap, in fact, it is one of the most expensive cities weve tried to find accommodation in worldwide. I was planning a similar trip and I think Im just going to follow your itinerary to a T! Thanks for all the info happy travels . Today, we split time between San Francisco and Seattle. Visiting both cities is a must if you're in the area and doing so in an RV is particularly beneficial as you get to see some excellent sights along the way. If youre anything like us, by now you may be sick of trees and slightly hungry so pull off the highway and stop into Arcata for lunch. Third stop is the Hoh Rainforest, which is a spectacular example of the temperate rainforests that call this part of the country home. Not long after passing Wildcat Canyon Regional Park, drive the San Francisco - Oakland Bay Bridge and pull into San Fran. Inn at Cape Kiwandahasgorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean and deluxe rooms OR Surf & Sand Inn, a cosy motel in the centre of the city, perfect for a one night stop. San Francisco to Seattle drive, or go to the main page to plan a new road trip. Ashland (Oregon) (29 answers) You made it to San Francisco! You'll cover three states, at least three national parks, and see sweeping coastal views and no end of charming towns. Day 4: Eugene to Ashland. Expect to drive 2-6 hours a day with 1 or 2 longer days. Timberline Lodge (12 mentions) We spent the day driving around the lake, taking photo after photo! by calculating the distance from Seattle to San Francisco. If youre really feeling it, why not take a helicopter to Post Ranch Inn (a very fancy resort) in a helicopter, starting at $4000! Day 2: Drive from Mt. Tip: Stop into Safeway (large grocery store) prior to your arrival and pick up a variety of cheese, meats, crackers and fig jam to create your own charcuterie plate. Capitol Cider for a huge selection of Pacific Northwest ciders and a 100% gluten free kitchen. Other foodie things to do besides wine tasting, Searching for an inexpensive and nice inn in Napa area. Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA. The tallest trees on the planet are on full display in the Redwoods National and State Parks. Last time, we stayed at this Treehouse on Airbnb, which was also fantastic, but you probably want a hotel given youll only be in town for one night, and the Airbnb cleaning fee will make it more expensive. Youll want to stay in a hotel, since youll only be in town for a night, and it should probably be the Society Hotel in Bingen, the sister hotel to the one in Portland (which weve stayed at and loved). The 363 mile Oregon coast has cute towns, beaches and photo ops all along the way. Lucky you! Your email address will not be published. Theres been a lot of driving the past week so today, grab your swimmers, a towel and a book and get to the beach in Santa Cruz. The Pacific Science Center is a great stop for kids, with interactive exhibits that make for a perfect rainy day activity in Seattle. The first thing we want to get out of the way is that your experience is largely going to be dictated by the amount of time you have. Below is an interactive map or see below for a static map to save. (4 answers), Jd from Australia asked:Advice to avoid snowy road conditions from SF to Seattle (January) (3 answers), Will from Chicago asked:Road Trip on the 101 and 1- what to see on the way to SF from Seattle? Enter a city to drive through, or find all. A road trip through the Pacific Northwest and Northern California is equally epic, but with less traffic. In addition, you can read detailed information about the restaurants in the section titled 5 Best Restaurants On The Way From Seattle To San Francisco. stay for about 1 hour and leave at 1:00 pmdrive for about 1 hour, 2:04 pm Redding Parking is a nightmare in Nob Hill, which is the neighborhood we used to call home, so Id recommend avoiding that area. San Francisco is a gluten free paradise, as long as you know where to look. If youre looking for the best gluten free restaurants in San Francisco, Ive got you covered. Otherwise, this route is pretty accessible year-round. The guide below is written with a two week trip in mind. This road trip is 808 miles and takes about 12 hours and 30 minutes.