Driving from Vancouver BC or Seattle Wa

i12go2wdw

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jul 3, 2001
How many of you have made this drive and where do you stop? We will be driving in Oct. and I was curious as to how long it has taken you and where the best place to hunker down for the night is.
TIA Christine
 
We've done this a couple times now. We leave from Vancouver Island so we have a ferry ride that adds to the first day :) First time we took the coastal route and stopped a couple places and spent a day in San Francisco. Second time we went straight down the I-5. We generally just stop when we get tired and see a holiday inn express; generally half way through oregon. We like the holiday inns because they always have a nice continental breakfast downstairs where you can get coffee to go, fill up the kid's sippy cups with milk, and get a normal cereal type breakfast. Last time our son forgot his blanky at the holiday inn and they actually mailed it back to us!!! So we highly recomend them. We also tend to take a little travel cooler so we can buy pop, water, and snacks ahead of time so we don't end up paying premium prices at gas stations all the way down.

A couple things we've learned. Oregeon doesn't let you pump your own gas. Arco is cheaper for gas so we generally try to fill up at those. It takes longer to get through Washington state and part of Oregon than California since the traffic moves sooooo slowly in Oregon.
 
We have done this a few times, from Vancouver BC area.
We have driven the first day to Cannon Beach, Oregon, and then driven the Oregon Coast, through to California, through the Redwood Forests, and stayed over in San Fran. Then drive straight into Anaheim. On the way home we usually leave and go straight to Ashland or Medford to sleep over, and then to Portland to shop a little, and then home. Other times we took the I-5 all the way there, slept over in Eugene, Oregon, one time, and in Stockton, CA another. If I were you I would look on a map of the OR coast, and see what is there that you want to make part of your holiday, and if there isnt anything, then I would just take the I-5. My kids love the Sea Lion Caves and the Sand Dunes, so we have done those on the way.

It is always fun either way!
 
We did this for the first time last March, Seattle-Anaheim. We left around 10 am from the Seattle area and pretty much drove straight through to Disneyland. Dh and I took shifts driving. We hit LA rush hour in the morning and arrived at our hotel around 8:30am. Thank goodness our room was ready to check into at such an early hour. On the way back home, we sepnt the night in Redding, CA. It was pretty much half way between DL adn Seattle.
 


Although I live in Portland now, I spent the 1st 18 years of my life living in LA or Seattle. I think Medford or Redding would be a pretty good stop over if you're just shooting down I-5. Both nice size cities with a good selection of motels/hotels near the freeway.
 
We just did this, with a 5 year old and a 2 year old. Redding is definitely a good place to stop.
On the way down, we went to the coast, and stayed in Astoria. This is because my dh is crazy. I am crazy, too, but my kind of crazy is much better. Trust me. Anyway, we drove down the coast for awhile, and it was scenic, but it takes longer. We stayed in Astoria, OR the first night, and Redding, CA the second night.

On the way back, we tried to make it to Redding, but got a late start. And ran into LA traffic on the way out, which didn't help, either. We stayed somewhere about 1.5 hours south of Redding. Then we drove all the way through, to Tacoma, the next day. It wasn't bad. Just bring a portable DVD player.
 
We normally stop in Redding at the BW Hilltop Inn. They have an excellent breakfast, clean pool and there are many places to eat within walking distance.

Jack pirate:
 


We've done the drive twice now from Richmond, B.C. to Anaheim. We take the I-5 and usually get to Medford, Oregon, by dinner time. After dinner we drive some more and stop in Redding for the night. We like the Holiday Inn Express off the hwy. They have a free continental breakfast, which is great for that quick exit and to get back on the road. The hotel was also nice; they told us to take some of their fruit as snacks on the road.

We make pit stops along the way. Off the I-5 are usually some Targets and Walmarts in which we let our DDs get out and run around and take bathroom breaks. We also buy an inexpensive toy/treat for each so they would be occupied till the next stop. We plan on making another drive south in 2 years. These days, driving seems to be a lot less hassle than flying ! :thumbsup2
 

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