Deposit Bay is an interesting harbor. Very small entrance directly off the ocean as access to the harbor.
Walking the beach, any beach, in the evening is very nice also.
Cannot remember when the whales are passing through the can be seen from the deal promentories.
Been many years since I lived in Oregon.
Had razor clams with eggs for breakfast at a small place in Lincoln City.
Just viewing the scenery along the coast is great.

quote:

Originally posted by davetruong:
Was thinking:

Portland --> Astoria --> Lincoln City --> Salem --> Bend --> Back to Portland...this may be too optimistic.

Another option, but we'll miss the coast: Portland --> Salem --> Eugene --> Bend --> back to Portland.

You might want to include Tillamook in your list--they have a very famous cheese factory there.

flashguy

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:

quote:

Originally posted by davetruong:
Was thinking:

Portland --> Astoria --> Lincoln City --> Salem --> Bend --> Back to Portland...this may be too optimistic.

Another option, but we'll miss the coast: Portland --> Salem --> Eugene --> Bend --> back to Portland.

You might want to include Tillamook in your list--they have a very famous cheese factory there.

flashguy

Also really good ice cream (same factory as the cheese).

Here's another option: Portland, baycity (tillamook), Lincoln City, and then Salem

You'll drive past Tillamook on the way to Lincoln City/Newport anyway.

I'd consider Portland > Astoria > (S. on 101) past Cannon Beach, Tillamook, to Lincoln City/Newport > Bend > back to Portland.

This is not too ambitious IMHO for 9 days at all. Consider overnight in Astoria and Newport, definitely not Tillamook. A few nights in Bend is nice, lots to explore around there. If you prefer spirits to beer http://www.bendistillery.com/ They have awesome Gin (among other things). One of them is barrel aged and I sipped it neat like whiskey!

quote:

Originally posted by maladat:

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:
If you want to get away from the crowds of tourists, go to Pacific City and drive on the beach, or go for a hike on the sand dunes. It's a very quiet and laid back place. It's just south of Lincoln City.

Pacific City is actually 20-30 minutes north of Lincoln City.

Pelican Brewery in Pacific City has both really great beer and very good food.

Oops! Yeah, maybe I got Depoe Bay on my mind which is south. Another neat spot for hiking and beach combing. There are a couple of places to eat there as well.

Jim

How far can you guys hike with the kids?

Start at Ecola state park, hike north to Seaside, take Uber or the bus back to your car.

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:

quote:

Originally posted by maladat:

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:
If you want to get away from the crowds of tourists, go to Pacific City and drive on the beach, or go for a hike on the sand dunes. It's a very quiet and laid back place. It's just south of Lincoln City.

Pacific City is actually 20-30 minutes north of Lincoln City.

Pelican Brewery in Pacific City has both really great beer and very good food.

Oops! Yeah, maybe I got Depoe Bay on my mind which is south. Another neat spot for hiking and beach combing. There are a couple of places to eat there as well.

Jim

It's easy to mix up the little towns on the coast.

I think "Tidal Raves Seafood Grill" in Depoe Bay is the best seafood restaurant (and one of the best restaurants in general) between Newport and Tillamook. It also has a great view.

quote:

Originally posted by maladat:

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:

quote:

Originally posted by maladat:

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:
If you want to get away from the crowds of tourists, go to Pacific City and drive on the beach, or go for a hike on the sand dunes. It's a very quiet and laid back place. It's just south of Lincoln City.

Pacific City is actually 20-30 minutes north of Lincoln City.

Pelican Brewery in Pacific City has both really great beer and very good food.

Oops! Yeah, maybe I got Depoe Bay on my mind which is south. Another neat spot for hiking and beach combing. There are a couple of places to eat there as well.

Jim

It's easy to mix up the little towns on the coast.

I think "Tidal Raves Seafood Grill" in Depoe Bay is the best seafood restaurant (and one of the best restaurants in general) between Newport and Tillamook. It also has a great view.

Good recommendation on that restaurant. Get the Razor clam plate if you go there Dave. A little bit of heaven.

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by radioman:
How far can you guys hike with the kids?

Start at Ecola state park, hike north to Seaside, take Uber or the bus back to your car.

Not to brag, but my 7 year old girl is a rock star. She's done an 10 mile hike with me, while her brothers were eating her dust

Skip Salem, not really a place I'd take tourists. It's not really a crime issue, it's a not-whole-lot-here issue. This is coming from a Salem resident

Hood River is a cool town, on your way out there, stop at Multnomah Falls.

You can also visit Bonneville Dam.

On the Washington side, hike Beacon Rock.

If you stop in Cascade Locks, go to the East Wind Drive-In & get a soft serve!

In Hood River, get a sandwich at New York Sub Shop: http://www.nycss.com/#hoodriver

Drive up to Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood.

Who needs tripadvisor!

I live in Newport and say the Oregon coast is a must see. I'd forget Salem and Eugene. Book a charter fishing trip or whale watching tour out of Depoe Bay, relatively inexpensive and worth every penny. Visit the aquarium in Newport, crab off the pier, go to the sea lion docks, visit the lighthouses, drink some beers, eat some seafood, walk the beaches, see the tide pools, fly kites on the beach, enjoy the sunsets.

PS,

I'd offer to show you around, but we're moving sometime toward the end of June or first part of July.

http://www.docksidedepoebay.com/fishing-report.php

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6qHiAwnvXU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPnap-Bh4Lo

There's a cool air museum in McMinnville (they have the Spruce Goose) and there's a nice indoor water park next door (not too far off of Highway 18 between Portland and Lincoln City).

https://www.evergreenmuseum.org/

https://wingsandwaveswaterpark.com/

I bet your Orange County raised kids would get a kick out of river fishing with a guide while you're there. There should be fall salmon, trout, and summer steelhead fishing when you're there.

A couple Sigforumites post pictures on here of their river fishing adventures and I'm green with envy. Perhaps they'll see this thread and comment.

I visit Portland probably every 8-9 months or so as we have Family over there.

I've taken several people to OHMSI to tour the Sub and EVERY one of them really enjoyed it. It's a real eye opener regarding the Submarine Service.

The Evergreen Aviation Museum is another must see IMHO.

quote:

Originally posted by davetruong:
Another option, but we'll miss the coast: Portland --> Salem --> Eugene --> Bend --> back to Portland.

That is not an option. The coast is a must.

How about a visit to the Spruce Goose Airplane in McMinville, the Evergreen Aviation Museum.

Drive up the Columbia River valley. Beautiful.

Garibaldi for the Oregon Cost Scenic Railway, and the Tillamook Cheese factory with the world's BEST ice-cream, bar none, except maybe Umpqua.

Unusual stuff is there a'plenty, including the only boat-lift dock in the PNW.

Hood River Scenic Railway is great, with a fine picnic spot at the lumpy end.

Cannon Beach is a great place to visit if you are bit arty-crafty, and the Pig-n-Pancake is a great place to eat....
Inland, as noted, can get hotter than hell - last time we were in The Dalles it was hitting 104F - NOT funny. The Steens Mountains are a great, if out of the way place to visit, as is Fort Rock. The Wallowas and Joseph, up in the top right corner, are wondrous, as is the cable car up from the lake. Hell's Canyon is a short drive away - the deepest river gorge in the entire USA that makes the Grand Canyon look like a roadside ditch - at 8500 feet. Apart from absolutely thousands of other places to see, that's about it. Oregon tourism information is sublime in its scope and generosity in providing stuff for visitors.

We are there every year, and never fail to find something new, make that LOTS of things that are new to us, every time.

tac