Road Trip: Seattle, Washington, to Cannon Beach, Oregon

Tracey Minkin
Updated

Leg 2: Cannon Beach to Gold Beach, Oregon
Leg 3: Gold Beach, Oregon to Mendocino, California
Leg 4: Mendocino to San Francisco, California
Leg 5: San Francisco to San Luis Obispo, California
Leg 6: San Luis Obispo to Santa Monica, California

Mile 0: Seattle: Play First, Drive Later
Explore sprawling Pike Place Market and tuck in at Tarsan i Jane for wood-fired Valencian cuisine that is the talk of this food-loving town. Enjoy an overnight—and spectacular water-front views—at Thompson Seattle, the new 12-story boutique hotel with floor-to-ceiling windows downtown. (Rates start at $279.)

Second Beach, just south of La Push, Washington
Second Beach, just south of La Push, Washington

Mile 151: La Push: Dream Picnic
Ferry to Bainbridge Island and head north toward the Olympic Peninsula via the Hood Canal bridge. Pick up U.S. 101 skirting Olympic National Park. Make your picnic lunch at breathtaking Second Beach just south of La Push, enjoying your first glimpse of the wild Pacific Ocean.

A glowing bonfire on Kalaloch Lodge's driftwood-strewn beach
A glowing bonfire on Kalaloch Lodge's driftwood-strewn beach

Mile 201: Kalaloch Lodge: Bed Down
Unplug (there's no WiFi!) and go for long walks among massive driftwood at the rustic-wonderful Kalaloch Lodge, set in the Olympic National Park's oceanfront wilderness. (Rates start at $145.)

Bowpicker Fish & Chips in Astoria, Oregon
Bowpicker Fish & Chips in Astoria, Oregon

Mile 351: Astoria: Seafood-Dive Stop
Stay on 101 to make funky Astoria your midday destination. Grab fresh-fried, beer-battered albacore at Bowpicker Fish & Chips, a converted gillnet boat, and then take an hour or two at the outstanding Columbia River Maritime Museum.

Cannon Beach's iconic Haystack Rock
Cannon Beach's iconic Haystack Rock

Mile 375: Cannon Beach: Small-Town Crawl
Enjoy coastal Oregon's charming beach towns of Gearhart and Seaside en route to Cannon Beach, home to iconic Haystack Rock and the luxurious Stephanie Inn. (Rates start at $269.)

Detour Worth Taking:
Along the northern edge of the Olympic Peninsula, slow down for Port Angeles, home to a cool clutch of restaurants and B&Bs. Fuel up and drive out to spectacular Hurricane Ridge for superb hikes and views of the breathtaking Olympic Mountains.

Roadtrip By the Numbers:
375 miles driven
<3,000 MILES of river and streams in Olympic National Park
23.8 MILLION PEOPLE ride the WA ferries/year
28 BREWERIES on the Oregon coast
14 MILLION POUNDS of Dungeness crab are harvested by Oregon fisheries each year