<p>For our senior trip my freinds and I were thinking about doing a roadtrip through California, Oregon Washington and ending up in British Columbia. </p>
<p>Does anyone have advice for traveling around in the northwest? Cheap places to stay, interesting things to do, etc? Money is pretty limited so free is always a plus. </p>
<p>Thanks for the help</p>
<p>P.S. We would be starting in Sacramento, California.</p>
<p>I used to live in Sacramento. Is that where you are from? I was there in the mid-1980s.</p>
<p>I would recommend going up the Cali coast, which is so beautiful. Stop at the giant redwoods (maybe you’ve already seen those?)</p>
<p>As for cheap places to stay, get a copy of Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide (you can get the at the library, it’s OK if the edition is a few years old) – they usually have the best budget lodging in there, including things like hostels. There’s always Motel 6, but the hostels will be cheaper.</p>
<p>I personally think the Oregon coast is really gorgeous – I remember staying at a little place called Yachats (pronounced Ya-haats, I think), which was little more than a collection of houses at the end of a street, right on the cliff. We stayed in a small cabin with a kitchenette, ate frozen pizza and spaghetti (another way to keep the costs down). There are also nice sand dunes on the Oregon coast – check the map.</p>
<p>Should definitely see Mt. St. Helens if you have time – the road up takes a while, and is a little nerve-wracking, but the scene at the top is so worth it (not sure what the access is right now, wasn’t there some activity in the crater a few months back?)</p>
<p>Sounds like a GREAT road trip, I’m jealous!! I think your best bet is to get one of those guidebooks like LP or RG geared to budget travellers and pick out things to see.</p>
<p>Both the Cal. and Oregon coasts are beautiful, but even in winter hotels/motels are spendy for those on a budget. There are youth hostels in the college towns that should be cost effective.</p>
<p>Take in the National Parks: Redwoods in NoCal and Crater Lake in Oregon. Both are magnificant.</p>
<p>Bring along camping stuff. Cheaper and tons of fun. Even if it rains.</p>
<p>Definitely see the Mount St. Helens national park. Devote a day to seeing it. I have travelled all over the country, and this is probably the most interesting national park that I have ever seen. I am just sorry that we had only about 4 hours to devote to seeing it.</p>
<p>I did that trip when I was about 19. Camping on Oregon coast is beautiful. I third the stop at Mt St Helens.<br>
A few great camping spots I can remember are the rainforest on the Olympic *****ula of Washington then taking the ferry from Pt Angeles to Vancouver Island. Then driving to the pacific side of the island and camping. It was such a contrast to the eastern side.<br>
Pikes market in Seattle.<br>
Crater Lake in Oregon. Though I have been twice both times in the early summer and have never been able to see the lake.<br>
Have fun</p>
<p>Crater Lake is very nice. I think it is somewhat inland from the coastal road, and it’s just north of the Cali border, in Oregon.</p>
<p>Went up there in april 85 (I remember the date well b/c I was 5 months pregnant) and did manage to see the lake, although there was snow around. Very pretty, absolutely mirror-like.</p>
<p>We drove to Oregon from Idaho and on our way to Portland stopped at Mulnomah falls.
<a href=“http://trips.stateoforegon.com/multnomah_falls/[/url]”>http://trips.stateoforegon.com/multnomah_falls/</a> It was just gorgeous. I love to plan trips! If you do a trip that starts in a couple of months (I’m assuming you are talking summer and not Spring break?) you have plenty of time to get information from the states you’ll be visiting includig free maps. Just google tourist information, state name. Also half.com usually has cheap tour books. </p>
<p>We loved Mt. St. Helens too but I thought Crater Lake was just okay… Beautiful but slightly overrated. Seems like we drove up, parked, hiked up to see the lake stared at it for 15 minutes, went to the ranger station and left.</p>
<p>Well, I guess the Grand Canyon would also be just okay if you drove up looked over the rim for 15 minutes and then left. To do Crater Lake properly you gotta hike down into the crater. You gotta take the boat ride out to Wizard Island and peer down into the clearest water on the planet earth. You gotta hear the ranger give the geology tour, and so on.</p>
<p>Lots to do depending on the time of year and how much time you have.</p>
<p>Two loop drives I recommend, one day each. Out of Portland, along the Columbia River, see the Dam, then loop aroud Mt. Hood and back. Out of Seattle, south/eastwards loop around Mt. Ranier and back.</p>
<p>Vancouver is a nice city overall. If youy have time, there is an old gold mine about half an hour north of it. For totem poles, the University of British Columbia museum. Also a very nice new aquarium on the Oregon coast. Also on the Oregon coast, ask about beaches with good tidal pools.</p>
<p>Coureur,
Oops! busted for the quick visit! Crater Lake was one stop on a three week tour of the west. As I remember it, we caught it on the way from Portland to Northern California and just didn’t have time to do all we should have done to get the full effect. Guess I won’t tell you what we did at the Grand Canyon …</p>
<p>Thanks you guys this all sounds REALLY cool. How about anything to do in washington/british columbia? I noticed that this is all pretty much nature things to do, how about fun yet cheap urban things? I know thats a bit harder to do, but thanks so much!</p>
<p>Man, where to start in Vancouver. Just through a dart at that city and there will something fun to do – walk the seawall, explore Gastown, eat the best Asian food available outside of Asia. Go to Stanley Park, go to a potlach. Explore the museums. Take a ride up to the top of the local ski area and see the most incredible view of the city and the bay. If you are lucky enough to be there at the right time, take a boat to the middle of English Bay and watch an unbelievable fireworks competition between 4 nations, all put to music, I could go on and on, but that should hold you for a week.</p>
<p>No, wait go shopping at Granville Island market, shopping on Robson Street, OK, enough.</p>
<p>Can you tell that I love that city?</p>
<p>If you do the loop drive up to Mt. Hood, drive one way (or both) along the Washington side of the Columbia rather than the Oregon side. You can cross the river in Hood River, or the Dalles (if I’m not mistaken), or at the Bridge of the Gods, which is just past Multnomah Falls. I would recommend going through Vancouver and up the Washington side (there’s a beautiful overlook to stop at, if you come that way), crossing at the Bridge of the Gods (there will be signs) and continuing up the Oregon side to Hood River. After that, you can either head back west to the Multnomah Falls and double back to go along the Washington side, or just continue on down to Portland. If you’re pressed for time, the Oregon way is quicker, but the Washington side is much more scenic and a very nice drive, especially on a beautiful spring day (those are rare, but we did have them 
). </p>
<p>Also, if you have time for a hike, Multnomah Falls is a truly spectacular place. If you just have time for a quick visit, at least stop and see it. For the dam, the museum/tours are on the Washington side.</p>
<p>If you can’t tell, I lived in the Columbia Gorge for a while…</p>
<p>Go to Powell’s Books in Portland. One of the best bookstores in the world.</p>
<p>Seattle is a great city, I’ve only been there a handful of times, however, so I don’t know it that well (and the last time was at least 5 years ago). There are certainly very nice bookstores, and the Capitol Hill (or is it Capital Hill?) area was sort of the up and coming urban hot spot then …</p>
<p>I was going to suggest going to the Seattle Center ( home of Space needle, EMP and a smallish amusement park)
also just a jot away from the center of the universe, Fremont neighborhood home of many funky shops, statue of Lenin and the junk shop where Eddie vedder ran into an old copy of “Last Kiss”</p>
<p>I agree with Powells although if you don’t have much room in your car for books, you may want to limit yourself to the branch on Hawthorne it is a bit smaller.
But be sure to check out the nickel arcade. old time pinball machines et.al. that only cost nickels instead of quarters!
<a href=“http://web.pdx.edu/~nac/pdxdirtcheap/[/url]”>http://web.pdx.edu/~nac/pdxdirtcheap/</a></p>
<p>Will you be able to go to Victoria? IMHO, it was better than Vancouver; double decker red buses, Parliament bldg, tea at the Empress Hotel, Butchart (sp?) gardens, wax museum. I absolutely love that place!!
If you have the time (and this is a little out of the way) try to stop in Leavenworth, WA. I think it’s about 2-2.5 hrs east from Seattle and such a cute town. The whole town is a little Bavaria in the middle of the Cascades. Even the Safeway and the gas stations have the same facade.</p>
<p>Hopefully you can view these pics on my imagestation link. This was last summer and we stopped in Leavenworth for a few hours (also a couple family pics here at home thrown in):
<a href=“Best Of SEO & Blogging - ImageStation”>Best Of SEO & Blogging - ImageStation;
<p>Shagpin
I suggest you drive the coast road one way and I-5 the other. As you
enter each state, stop at the Visitors Centers to pick up maps, general
information etc… </p>
<p>Cheap Sleeps
There are hostels in many cities. Though you could ask at the
visitors centers for recommendations on good, cheap motels.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.hostelsweb.com%5B/url%5D”>www.hostelsweb.com</a></p>
<p>Oregon
Just southeast of Grants Pass is the Oregon Vortex in Gold Hill:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.oregonvortex.com%5B/url%5D”>www.oregonvortex.com</a></p>
<p>(this was featured on “You Asked For It” when I was a kid!)</p>
<p>If you just want to do a portion of the Oregon Coast, try Coos Bay
to Florence. You can rent ATV’s to ride around on the dunes at:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.pacificcoastrecreation.com%5B/url%5D”>www.pacificcoastrecreation.com</a></p>
<p>Seattle</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.seattleattractions.com%5B/url%5D”>www.seattleattractions.com</a> (coupons!)</p>
<p>My top pick:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.undergroundtour.com%5B/url%5D”>www.undergroundtour.com</a></p>
<p>Vancouver
Try and stay in the downtown area (West End, Robson Street area).
I believe there are hostels in that area.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.tourismvancouver.com%5B/url%5D”>www.tourismvancouver.com</a></p>
<p>If you’re in town during the fireworks (as someone mentioned) go to:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.celebration-of-light.com/fireworks/info.html[/url]”>www.celebration-of-light.com/fireworks/info.html</a>
July 27, 30 and August 3, 4 2005</p>
<p>Coolest suspension bridge (because it’s free and no tourists go there!)</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.dnv.org/ecology/see_do/see_do.html[/url]”>www.dnv.org/ecology/see_do/see_do.html</a></p>
<p>Museum of Anthropology on the grounds of UBC
If you aren’t interested in totem poles, native indians etc. the building itself,
is interesting (designed by Arthur Erickson)</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.moa.ubc.ca%5B/url%5D”>www.moa.ubc.ca</a></p>
<p>Simon Fraser University up on Burnaby Mountain
also designed by Erickson. Used often as a Sci-Fi film location (and
the X-Files)</p>
<p>Gastown
near the harbour has been used in films, as well (Helena, Montana in
“Legends of the Fall”)</p>
<p>Chinatown
don’t walk there from downtown, though</p>
<p>Stanley Park
You can rent bicycles or rollarblades to ride around the seawall
and listen for the 9:00pm cannon to go off at night!</p>
<p>Okay, now I’m homesick.</p>
<p>the vortex house! My wife made us stop there about 10 years ago – she has still not lived it down!! It is one of her classics, like wanting to take the “coast road” to Las Vegas — FROM L.A.!!! LOL</p>