Originally Posted by
MastaHanky
Hi all,
I have a wedding to attend in Yachats next month over the 4th of July weekend. I have one free day on either side of it. Looking for some suggestions to kill time. I have been to Portland a couple of times so I probably won't spend much time there. I was kind of debating the following:
July 3rd: Arrive in Portland, 9 am. Free all day, need to be in Yachats that night.
July 4th: Wedding
July 5th: Drive up to Mount Hood and Columbia River Gorge for afternoon. Head back to airport for 6 pm flight home.
I was debating going to Crater Lake upon arrival in Portland, but it's a longer haul than I thought - about four hours there, and then another four to Yachats that night. Is Google Maps pretty accurate in that calculation?
If you have any other suggestions for stuff in the general vicinity between Portland and Yachats, I'm all ears!
Yup, Crater Lake is way too far.
I'm partial to the coast, so on the 3rd I'd drive down the Columbia (actually north) on the WA side of the river (more scenic and historic) to Cape Disappointment near Ilwaco. Cape Disappointment has it all - lighthouses above crashing surf, cool hiking trails, a terrific Lewis and Clark interpretive center... then take the bridge over the (awesome) mouth of the river, through Astoria and south along the coast. Stop at Ecola State Park near Cannon Beach - excellent views of the rocky coast - before continuing on to Yachats.
The 5th will be pretty rushed unless you get an early start.