Originally Posted by
TownCar
Thanks Gardyloo for the list of places, certainly looks like plenty to do although most of the accommodation you linked to is already fulled booked on most days, which makes me concerned if I can't get accommodation here, let alone in a national park... I'm also wondering about the weather, how frequently is it likely to be cloudy/overcast or wet in Oregon and Washington? If I were to return to Seattle instead of Portland then I can fly back to the UK direct/non-stop - would there be much to see on a round-trip along the Columbia River and then head north-west back to Seattle?
In August the chances of wet or cloudy weather are minimal. Of course at high altitudes in the mountains anything's possible, but in August the chances of sunny and hot weather (with low humidity) are excellent everywhere.
Here's a loop route out of SEA that is a big favorite among family and visitors alike. It's easily doable in 4 days and will offer incredible variety. Map -
https://goo.gl/maps/uMK3GpEBEtM2
Head south and east from SEA to Mount Rainier. Visit the Paradise Visitor center, then drive past the Reflection Lakes on the Stevens Canyon Road to the Grove of the Patriarchs, a stand of enormous old-growth trees.
Reflection Lake -
Then continue east over White Pass (more amazing scenery) on US 12 and down to the Yakima Valley vineyard and orchard country. Continue south on US 97 through the Yakama Indian reservation through near-desert followed by fabulous "old west" scenery - cottonwoods and creeks - like this for example -
https://goo.gl/maps/i4BN4zJm8Ls - then down to the Columbia at Maryhill. Visit both the museum (funky and eclectic with some amazing exhibits like lots of Rodin) and Stonehenge.
Continue west on the north (Washington) side of the river (better scenery including Mt. Hood in the distance) to Hood River. Spend a day around Hood River including stops at
Panorama Point in the Hood River Valley and a drive up to Timberline Lodge.
Then farther west to the heart of the waterfalls along the historic highway and on to Portland before returning up I-5 to Seatac.
I'd look at timing like this -
Day 1 - Seatac to Yakima via Mt. Rainier
Day 2 - Yakima to Hood River via Maryhill
Day 3 - Hood River to Portland via Hood River Valley, Mt. Hood and Columbia Gorge historic highway
Day 4 - Portland to SEA.
You won't have any trouble finding accommodation in Yakima (it will be very hot) and if you have trouble in Hood River, look at The Dalles (east) or Troutdale/PDX (west.) If this requires some "doubling back" just use I-84 which is very quick. Look at McMenamin's properties -
https://www.mcmenamins.com/ - for fun accommodations throughout the Portland region, or there are many affordable places around PDX airport, all with immediate access to the Gorge via I-84 or via the Historic Highway, accessed from Troutdale.