Road Trip Help? - Seattle to San Francisco

[redsunfish]

Hi everyone,

My husband and I are going on a trip to the west coast. Part of our trip is going to be a driving vacation from Seattle to San Francisco. We plan to spend about 5 whole days making the drive and hope to find some interesting things to stop and see along the way. We're not 100% set on anything in particular we'd like to see or what route we'd like to take. We're thinking about/trying to decide on some things like Crater Lake, Redwood National Park, Shasta Lake/National Forest, seeing Portland OR etc.

Anyway, I thought I'd post on here and see if anyone has any suggestions on what we should do or even things we should skip because they aren't worth it. No stop along the way is too big or small, we'd just love to have some more opinions/options of things to see along our trip.

Thanks and I'm looking forward to your suggestions!

 

[monkeybug]

I lived in Northern Oregon, and grew up in Northern Ca., so I have made the drive from the top of Oregon to just south of Shasta dozens of times.
I would definitely stop at Crater lake and the avenue of the giants!! Both are beautiful!
I don't know if I would make Lake Shasta a stop, but I grew up close to that, so perhaps I take it a bit for granted. I think I prefer the Lassen park/Almanor area more, but that could be for sentimental reasons!
My personal favorites are Astoria Or. (where I lived for awhile, where the goonies was filmed, and only 5 minutes from Ft. Stevens which I think is beautiful), Mt. St. Helens, Ecola state park and Cannon Beach Or., Mendocino and Ft. Bragg California (the skunk train is great. and so many, many beautiful things along hwy 1!), Napa Ca. (wine train!!), Point Reyes, Tomales bay or Hog island for some yummy oysters, Mt. Lassen park, Mt. Rainer, Columbia river gorge, oh my gosh just too many to list! The whole area is gorgeous and really you can't go wrong!!!
When you know your stops/route I hope you will post it, lot's of yummy restaurants and little things to see along the way to each.