United States. Itll be a little wet in the winter, but its still passable (unlike some of the roads in central Washington and Oregon, which can get a wee bit sketchy). That doesnt mean youre not going to have a great time, though! Rainier to Portland, stopping at Mt. Roseburg. If there's no coastal fog obscuring it, which there probably is. This is the worst driving day because theres not much to see along the way from Redding to San Francisco. Read Next: The 19 Best Airbnbs in Seattle. Photo Credit: Bigstock. If you are flying into San Francisco International Airport and road-tripping north, you can simply hop on US Highway 101 N. Keep your eye out for the Elks! If you dont, either because youve already been or youre just simply not interested, spend that time somewhere else instead. The hotel is a bit on the expensive side, as you might expect, but if any resort in the area is worthy of its price tag, it's definitely this one. Youngberg Inn Hill $199 $400 USD/breakfast included. Sleep at the Blue Door Inns, which looks amazing. Download this app. It will help people who will take the same Seattle to San Francisco route. Find out how many days in San Francisco to stay. Trip (807.8 mi) on Map San Francisco Seattle. The MoPop is a must for music and culture lovers, with tons of unique and fascinating exhibits about music and pop culture you wont find anywhere else in the world. If there was one thing on this whole trip that we really wanted to see, it was Big Sur. 53-63000. Rainier. 4. Jump back in your car and follow the signs towardsThe Avenue of the Giants. Trinidad: Hike the Trinidad Head trail to enjoy stunning 360-degree panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. (1 answer), Marsha-laine asked:Most Scenic Drive Down to San Francisco (2 answers), John asked:Seattle to San Francisco recommend route (1 answer). GNIS feature ID. It was! 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. Can you take us too? Read Next: A Locals Guide to the Best Gluten Free Restaurants in San Francisco. Restaurants in Napa for girls outing? Today, an island called Wizard Island juts up from beneath the surface of the water. drive for about 1.5 hours, 9:37 am Ashland (Oregon) By joining our email list, you give LazyTrips permission to use your email for sending you newsletters, emails and updates including for marketing purposes. . If you have more than a couple of days to spare, a much more scenic alternative would be to drive along the coast, which would extend your drive by about 8 hours. Have you done this road trip before? The Pacific Science Center is a great stop for kids, with interactive exhibits that make for a perfect rainy day activity in Seattle. Start Your Trip. Here are some of our favorite things to do in Portland. For something a little more low-key, you can also enjoy a yoga class or even try wine tasting. Hows the weather like for a Road Trip and visiting alot of these spots then? We basically spent a full two months on this route last summer, and it was every bit as memorable, beautiful, and amazing as you might imagine. Rainier and Mt. Then, head out to Patricks Point State Park and Trinidad State Beach to get your first taste of the rugged northern California coast. Its an incredible conglomeration of neighborhoods, all with their own unique style and vibe. Arrive in Portland and stay either Kex, the Hotel Grand Stark, or the Jupiter NEXT Hotel (read our full guide on the best places to stay in Portland for more of our recommendations weve been to Portland numerous times and are planning on relocating there at some point in the near future). Oxbow Public Market (6 mentions) Explore locations along your route to charge your electric vehicle and see how our Supercharging network can take you there. Distance from San Francisco to Seattle: approximately 810 miles. 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. Spend the afternoon in Cannon Beach, spending some time on the beach near Haystack Rock and then eat lunch at Public Coast Brewing. stay for about 2 hours and leave at 8:02 pmdrive for about 58 minutes, 9:00 pm arrive in San Franciscostay at Top of the Mark, Elliott from Sheffield asked:Road Trip from SF to Vancouver/Seattle- where are the best places to see? 9:00 am start in Seattledrive for about 2.5 hours, 11:43 am Portland Dont forget to share your experience by writing a comment to this post. This route was intriguing to us because the arrival time was almost 3 hours faster than the Highway 101 alternative, but we decided that this drive was once in a lifetime and we had to take the longer option if it meant we'd be driving the Oregon coast the entire day. With that in mind, you may want to avoid the drive in the winter if you don't want your access to these landmarks to be significantly limited. Its packed full of interesting spots to stop in, whether youre looking for vegan ice cream or a unique boutique selling who knows what. Today, we split time between San Francisco and Seattle. The best way is to be prepared for the open road by visiting our checklist of road trip essentials. Im a foodie at, Read More Gluten Free San Francisco: A Complete Guide for CeliacsContinue. You can also hike Trillium Falls to see beautiful trillium flowers dotting the groundcover, as well as impressive redwoods and a small waterfall. You can also enjoy a lazy beach stroll down Trinidad State Beach, or soak in the breezy coastal views at Patricks Point State Park. Psst! Driving Directions from San Francisco to Seattle The Fastest Route The easiest way to get on the road to Seattle from San Francisco is via Interstate 5. Standing on the rim of the canyon, youll be staring thousands of feet down into crags and crevices winding through the world-famous chasm that millions of people flock to every year. Start Your Trip. There are many beautiful pit stops along the way to San Francisco. 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. This seaside town has one of the most historic boardwalks in the state. If youve got 3-4 days, sleep in Portland on night one, Redding on night two, and finish the drive to San Francisco on day three. If organized tours are your thing, here are some recommendations in San Francisco: How you budget is entirely based on the types of accommodations youre wanting to stay in and of course where you choose to eat. No Seattle to San Francisco road trip would be complete without making a stop in the weird and lovable city of Portland. Enter a city to drive through, or find all. Dont miss these! Airbnb in Seattle. These hotels are listed below. Advice to avoid snowy road conditions from SF to Seattle (January). One thing to keep in mind along this route is that the coast can be rather windy, potentially making the drive difficult (not to mention less scenic) on a rainy day - be sure to keep close tabs on the weather and plan your stops accordingly. If youre on a budget, check out the Found Hotel. Make quick stops at Cape Ferelo and Natural Bridges, then cross over into California, where youll immediately be confronted with redwoods some of the biggest and best in the state! Cap Hill as we locals call it, is home to the best selection of food, drinks, and coffee in the city. Once youve checked out of Youngberg Hill, visit some popular surrounding wineries such Yamhill Valley Winery,Domaine Serene Winery, Domaine Drouhin & Brooks Wines. If you have more time, here are some other places to stop along the way from Seattle to San Francisco. Day 6: Continue your coastal journey by heading to Point Reyes National Seashore, another one of our favorite spots in California (and 30 minutes from where Alysha grew up). Day 2: Drive the Pacific Coast of Olympic National Park, making three stops along the way. Our travel philosophy, in general, is eat-walk-drink-walk-eat-repeat. And Portland is an amazing place to do that. Santa Cruz. Here are some of our favorites. and was formed by the eruption and collapsing of a volcano, Mount Mazama 7,700 years ago. Head out to the Point Reyes Lighthouse, Cypress Grove, and do a portion of the Tomales Point Trail. Day 5: Home Stretch! The lighthouse has been in operation since 1871 and is still in use today. Once you're up, you can kick off your morning with a visit to the amazing Remede Spa. We think the best way to do Portland is to eat and drink your way through the city. Dont forget to stop at the iconicBixby Bridge (40 minutes from Monterey). Day 1: Fly into Seattle and pick up your rental car (or, leave from Seattle if you live here!). With limited time between three and five days youre going to want to stick to I-5. Theres not a lot going on in Roseburg, but we used this as a stopover to break up the drive en route to Crater Lake National Park the following morning. We loved this modern guesthouse right off of Hawthorne Blvd (the best street in Portland) and this cozy apartment in the hip Alberta Arts District, which is a cool spot to base yourself. Weve made this trip in one straight shot in just 12 hours when taking I-5. Stay at the Graduate Hotel, a college-themed boutique hotel in the center of Eugene. This hotel is located right on the beach with gorgeous views of the boardwalk/beach. Let's be friends! Our favorites would be Becks Motor Lodge (close to the Mission) and Hotel Kabuki (in Japantown). Again, take Interstate 5 out of Seattle and follow it past Capitol State Forest and Gifford Pinchot National Forest before pulling into Longview. day 2 driving 6.5 hours. you can get answers personalized for your tastes, budgets, If you're planning a road trip to San Francisco, you can research locations to stop along the way. This is another city we know REALLY well, and we have all sorts of thoughts, tips, and tricks that only locals would know to help you plan an amazing few days in San Francisco. Since then, Matt and his wife Alysha have visited 18 national parks, spent three months in Europe and six weeks in Colombia, and have explored every corner of the Pacific Northwest, which is where Matt grew up. You could very easily extend your time on this route with additional nights in the aforementioned locations. Crater Lake is the largest lake in the United States (over 1900 ft deep!) On the way from Seattle to San Francisco, you may want to stay at some points on the way. If you're looking to have some fun, nothing can beat the relaxing view from the terrace, especially when it's coupled with an incredible live performance by top-of-the-line musicians. Seattle Center has some cool attractions though. Here are some more restaurants people talk about: Want to research more popular restaurants in San Francisco? Rainier National Park (the Paradise Side), More Time? Post-activity, eat some fresh, local oysters at Hog Island and some local cheese at Cowgirl Creamery. Aug 19th, 2009 08:02 AM. Last, but certainly not least (the opposite, in fact) is to head inland and hit Mt. Drive the Avenue of the Giants: The Avenue of the Giants in the Humboldt Redwoods is a 31-mile forest drive that is considered to be the best drive through redwoods in the world. If organized tours are your thing, here are some recommendations: Belltown. Let us know, wed love to hear from you! Hood, Bend, and Crater Lake, which will take significantly more time than the other two options. We will be in de US for about 4 weeks. Ashland (Oregon) (29 answers) Book early for any weekend trips. 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). You can also see most people recommend as the best amount of time to visit. These are some of the best resorts this incredible itinerary has to offer: Oregon's largest city is the most logical place to spend a weekend on your road trip from Seattle to San Francisco, especially if you're driving the interstate route. This 807-mile drive will take you to some of the best spots in the Pacific Northwest. Required fields are marked *. Of course, you can choose a suitable restaurant from the list according to your preference. Next up: TheShrine Drive-Through Tree. The two best hotels in Seattle are actually in South Lake Union, which happens to be between Belltown and Capitol Hill. We have a whole guide on the best places to stay in San Francisco that is well worth a read if youre looking for more detail from people who ACTUALLY lived in the city for almost a decade. Head North back to San Francisco,andexplore the city! Other foodie things to do besides wine tasting, Searching for an inexpensive and nice inn in Napa area. Pass through Salt Point and Sonoma Coast State Parks, then explore Point Reyes National Seashore. Hiking the Skyline Trail: Is This the Best Hike in the Entire State? Get our latest blog posts, updates and deals. Read:The Ultimate Guide To Crater Lake National Park. Spend the night at either the Olympic Lodge or a vacation rental along the shores of Lake Sutherland. Check out the 5th St. Public Market for a combination of shopping, eating, and drinking with local vendors. Sure, its cool to see the sea lions at Pier 39, but we think you can find better things to do with your time in San Francisco. This coastal adventure is a perfect year-round itinerary. 1. Day 3: Continue south along the coast of Washington, crossing into Oregon after a quick stop at Cape Disappointment. 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. Here are our favorite things to do on the Northern California Coast. Head out to the Olympic Peninsula by taking the Bainbridge Island Ferry. If youre continuing south towards LA and be sure to stop intoPismo Beach, Solvang, Santa BarbaraandSanta Maria orcheck out thisextensive list of ideas. open-ended. We plan (and pay for) all of our own travels, and we use our first hand knowledge to write detailed travel guides to the places we love to help YOU plan an amazing trip. I was excited to have the opportunity to follow this road for 6 days starting from Seattle and ending up in San Francisco. Would it be too cold in Washington/Oregon? Timberline Lodge (12 mentions) You can also visit the town of Fort Bragg, which has plenty of experiences to offer, both adventure-wise and when it comes to eating and drinking. Life is all about the journey, not the destination! The best times to do the road trip from Seattle to San Francisco are a bit counterintuitive - the unique terrain that defines the route and San Fran's distinctive climate follow a different set of rules than your average oceanside tourist attraction. stay for about 1 hour. Or get a full Seattle to San Francisco flight plan. stay for about 4 hours and leave at 3:43 pmdrive for about 2 hours, 5:39 pm Eugene Rather random? 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. Starting on I-5 south for 90% of . Continue south past Willamette and Umpqua National Forests before pulling into Medford. We lived in San Francisco for almost a decade before quitting our jobs and leaving the city on our year long worldwide adventure. Best free things to do in Ashland (Oregon)? First, at Lake Crescent to hike to Marymere Falls. The mighty Hood River and stunning Columbia River Gorge are a must-see on your way down to Bend. If youre planning to visit San Francisco, you can check this video guide before your road trip. However a bit unsure about the timing, how is it in mid October there? Sounds interesting right? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. If you are driving north to south and plan to do the Big Sur, fill your petrol/gas up in either Monterey or Carmel. This would give you a slower paced trip and allow more time to take everything in. Make sure to go to La Marzocco Cafe and Espresso Vivace at the very least. Explore a route and we'll find the best locations to keep you charged along the way and upon arrival. Pacific Northwest road trip - Scenic round trip from Seattle, Road Trip From Seattle To Glacier National Park, Road Trip From Seattle To Yellowstone National Park, The Duniway Portland is the hotel for you, book yourself a room at St Regis San Francisco. Seattle ( / sitl / ( listen) see-AT-l) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. You can drive straight down I-5, stopping in Portland and Eugene, which is the fastest route. One other note were also assuming you want to spend time in Seattle and San Francisco too. Youll follow the coastline past sweeping sand beaches (stop at Jenner Beach!). From there, visit Klamath and Shasta-Trinity national Forests, and consider doing an optional detour to Lassen National Forest. Add anything that looks interesting! Finish the drive into San Francisco, stopping in the Marin Headlands at the Golden Gate Bridge to hike down to Kirby Cove and marvel at the beauty of the bridge before driving into the city and to the airport to drop off your rental car (or to your final stop, wherever that might be). (20 answers), Valerie from Los Angeles asked:What is your favorite restaurant in San Francisco? Saint Helens. Our drive down the ever so famous Big Sur on HWY 1. Simply use this as a guideline! What is your favorite restaurant in Portland? Crater Lake National Park is the only National Park in Oregon and whilst it may be slightly off course, we promise you wont regret it! Seattle to San Francisco road trip planner Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Seattle to San Francisco. It can be hard to decide which iconic spots to see . Today, its time to relax! (17 answers). Beach Street Inn and Suites. CitizenM Seattle is one of the best value hotels in Seattle. There are many excellent hotels during your Seattle to San Francisco road trip. 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. Hopefully youve found the answer you needed elsewhere, but for anyone else wondering what the weather is going to be like in mid-October, youre likely going to get some great fall color, though the weather could be more unpredictable, with rain or even snow. The Ultimate Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Itinerary (2022) If you want to see what makes the Pacific Coast a staple of US adventures, you should definitely do a road trip from Seattle to San Francisco. Day 1: Drive from Seattle to Mt. Head out to the Olympic Peninsula by taking the Bainbridge Island Ferry. He writes super detailed guides to the places they visit, bringing together personal experience and historical context to help YOU plan an amazing trip. And if you know Seattle well, please help your fellow Pigeon Point Light Station is a lighthouse located on the coast of northern California near Pescadero. One of our all-time favourite things to eat! The Underground Tour: A little quirky and offbeat, kind of like Seattle, the Underground Tour is worth doing while youre in Pioneer Square. Wed recommend Rainier if you only have time to visit one. Sign up receive our monthly newsletter with updates and new in-depth guides. Mileage: It's 808 miles from Seattle to San Francisco. on Amazon that will make travel fun for them. trip dates & more! The best things to see and do between Seattle and San Francisco. Continue along 101 South, stopping at Ruby Beach and Kalaloch, before doing the short walk in the Quinault Rainforest and spending the night at either Kalaloch Lodge on the coast, or Lake Quinault Lodge on the shores of, you guessed it, Lake Quinault. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. We left Santa Cruz after a walk along the beach and continued our way down the coastal HWY 1 towards the gorgeous Monterey Bay + surrounding areas. Its the most direct route. First of all, we have a whole guide on where to stay in Portland. If dining is a pleasure, some restaurants will please you on your Seattle to San Francisco road trip. Wait, wheres Fishermans Wharf on this list? This has become a popular destination for the outdoorsy adventurer types out there. Hey Pontus! The tallest trees on the planet are on full display in the Redwoods National and State Parks. Start your day early and travel down HWY 101 along the coast of Oregon. So if youre looking for the best hotels, restaurants, and places to visit on the road trip from Seattle to San Francisco, keep reading! During our brief stop, we took a trip down memory lane on behalf of her and went and visited her old host family an adorable couplewho arenow 90 and 93 years old! At the end of the journey, you can fly out of San Francisco International Airport (SFO) or Oakland International Airport (OAK). We love this stylish Airbnb in Capitol Hill, which is perfect for traveling couples. Finally, you can drive down Howland Hill Road, which is mostly unpaved but well-maintained road traversing a magnificent redwood forest. Need some recommendations on somewhere to get food? Miles and miles of rugged, unspoiled coastline that hugs the oceans edge. Planning a trip to the Algarve, the gorgeous coastal paradise along the southern edge of Portugal? Rainier National Park is jaw-droppingly beautiful. If youre really feeling it, why not take a helicopter to Post Ranch Inn (a very fancy resort) in a helicopter, starting at $4000! There you have it a complete guide to planning a road trip from Seattle to San Francisco. You can roam the vineyards, taste plenty of wines and relax while overlooking acres of grapes. Tall tales, trip guides, & the world's weird & wonderful. If you're driving further south, check out this 3 days San Diego itinerary. Your email address will not be published. questions about Mount Shasta (California): San Francisco. What is your favorite restaurant in Eugene? Heres what we recommend doing when you stop here during your road trip. As for San Francisco itself, there's virtually no wrong time to visit - in the spring and winter, you'll find that a warm jacket is enough to help you deal with the coastal wind, and the otherwise-pricy hotels also tend to bring down their prices these times of year. 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. You could also drive down the coast, which is gorgeous, and would be our choice if youre making the trip outside of the summer months. Planning to do something like that in the future. Doing this drive in record time isnt going to be a fun one. Wildlife Safari (3 mentions) 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 808 miles of the road trip from Seattle to San Francisco takes around 12 hours and 47 mins of driving without stops. Artsy area with fun little shops This article shares the 15 top tips that turn your San Francisco trip into an unforgettable journey. Explore Capitol Hill: Our favorite! Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin' BBQ (11 mentions) And roads at Mount Rainier NP close sometime in early November, which is another reason to start in Washington if youre planning on going to Rainier. Read: An Extensive Guide to Seattle. Theres so much to do and see in San Francisco that you cant possibly tackle it all in just a few days in the city.