Help me plan my Northwest Trip

anwmn1

My son goes on spring break in early March so I am already looking into where we will be going. Our annual adventure is usually a mad dash through a couple states hitting points of interests as well as State and National Parks. For our 2009 trip we are heading to the Northwest US. :barb

Looking at flying out of Phoenix on March 6th and back in on March 15th so we have 8 full days to work with.

Must sees are:
Portland and Seattle atleast 2 days each as I have family in both cities.
Crater Lake
Oregon Coast
Olympic National Forest
Redwoods National Park

I had originally thought we could fly one way to San Fran and back out from Seattle but now I am not sure if that is doable. Is San Fran to Seattle just an absurb idea??:dunno


So.......
Send me links to awesome must see places between Redwoods and Seattle.


Here are some of our past trips:
AZ & New Mexico

AZ & Utah

San Diego

CWSkopec

Aaron,
I hit Crater Lake in mid-September this year, and it's definitely a "Must-See" place. Howerver, the one caution I would put on that is, don't plan on needing a lot of time there. As breath taking as it is, there's just not a lot to see. I took a ton of shots (which are still sitting, waiting to be processed I'm sorry to say), but so far in my development with photography, I get a lot of snap shots, so hopefully you'll fare better than I and find more of interest. I don't want to discourage your visit in anyway, just let you know that if you don't mind driving after dark, you could do it all in a day and be on your way after you catch the sunset.

MaryBoo

Should have lots of snow at Crater Lake in March....You might need to check with the park on road conditions.

In Seatlle plan on doing a sunset ferry run. Take a ferry from Seattle to Bremerton to catch the sunset and then and hop the return ride to catch the city lights of Seattle. It's about an hour each way and a fun time if the weather is good. Then there is the classic Seattle Space Needle shoot from Kerry park in the Queen Ann neighboorhood. You can also search out the Fremont Troll. And if you're in the mood for some hotwings, check out The Wing Dome for some amazing wings.

I also love going to the Hiram Chitttenden Locks. Nice gardens & buildings. Great people watching and cool boats. There is also a salmon ladder there. So if the salmon are running you can see them as well. And the the star of the show - the locks themselves. How many times do you get to see lock? You've to the Panama Cannal, the Suez Connel and the locks in Seattle

Bring your rain gear, we get lots of rain and snow in March

Mary

anwmn1

Thanks for the suggestions and informaiton.

Still looking for more!

Mike J

Well - be prepared for a lot of gray skies here in the NW in March. For your Portland stay...

Oregon Zoo
Pittock Mansion
A trip to Multnomah Falls (or any of the falls in the Columbia River Gorge)
In March, the wildflowers will be in bloom on the Washington side of the river - someplace like Catherine Creek would be great. Great hike and stunning wildfires... Check out http://www.ashcreekimages.com/Wildflower-Thumbs-Catherine-Creek.html for some pictures. No - these are not mine.
A trip to Timberline lodge on Mt Hood

You don't say how old your son is but kids have a blast at OMSI - a hands-on science/industry musuem.

For street photography, go hang out downtown at Pioneer Square. Look for all of the cyclicts (even in March). Cycling/commuting is a Portland passion. Finally, not so much for photos, but if you like books you need to stop by Powell's Books downtown.

scottkwest

weather or not
The weather is iffy in March, be prepared for wet. Overcast is great for many photos though. And the sun breaks can provide amazing moments for the patient.

Definitely check the weather on Crater Lake, the roads are closed much of the year, I believe.

There is a lot of driving between SF and Seattle. That sounds ambitious for 8 days, unless you really like the car - just my bias not to rush.

I'm sure you'll find lots to photograph!

a110p0

Oregon
Near Crater Lake, there's Toketee Falls along the Umpqua River.
The waterfall flows through an opening in a wall of columnar basalt.

Also along the Rogue River is Natural Bridge, where the Rogue River
flows underground through a lava tube.

All the coastal towns in Oregon are very scenic. I especially enjoyed
shooting on the beaches of Bandon OR. There are some photogenic
sea stacks offshore.

The Oregon coast has several lighthouses, but Haceta Head is probably
the most photographed.

South of Portland is Silver Falls State Park where there are several
scenic waterfalls.

Oregon has a lot of waterfalls. You'll see a lot of them along the
historic Columbia River Highway, east of Portland. The most
famous of course is Multnomah Falls.

You could probably fly to SF and end your trip in Seattle. There's a lot
to see between those two cities.

In California, there's SF itself, Marin Headlands, Point Reyes, Redwood
National Park and more.

You'll have a great trip.

Alvin