Help with plans for E30 Picnic road trip

[pietro]

My wife and I are driving up from San Francisco for the E30 Picnic. We're probably driving up to Crater Lake on Friday, and finishing the drive to Tacoma on Saturday, then we plan to spend the whole week after the picnic checking out Seattle, Vancouver, Victoria, ferry back to Tacoma, then Portland on the way back down to SF.

We'd greatly appreciate any tips for interesting local places to stay, eat, and do anywhere along the route.

Any tips?

[Wschnitz]

Well If you like aviation history and have not already been the boeing museum is always fun to walk around in.

The pikes place market is the well known place everyone goes to see, would be a good stop if your interested in grabbing some fresh fish, flowers, or a trinket to remind you of the trip when you get back home.

There are an absolute insane number of good places to eat, from cheaper quick food like a Doner from "TheBerliner" to more expensive places like The "Metropolitan grill". If your looking for food downtown id honestly pull out your phone and search the type of food you want and just pick any place.

If you want some views from Seattle of the Olympic mountains Alkai beach and Discovery park give some great vantage points.

If you go east on 90 or hwy 2 and get closer to the mountains there are plenty of hikes to do.

All in all there are tons of things to see, id just suggest searching on maps what you want to do that day, and there will be something close for sure.

[korn]

This route may be a bit longer than you are looking for... But would be pretty epic.
-North of seattle, turn into Whidbey Island, where you get to drive through deception pass.
-Then Ferry to the Olympic Peninsula
-At this point you could go south down the hood canal, but for a few more hours I say take the long way round.
-Port angeles and then to Forks- Home of that vampire show (and also the Legend of Mick Dodge!!)
-Then south, down the coast, with mountains on your left.
-The olympic hot springs would be a great spot to overnight and refresh.
- Then continue down the coast until you hit Astoria, Take a pic in front of the Goonies house
Then back on the road to SF!!



This is showing about 9 Hrs, Vs. the 3-4 it would take going direct to Portland...

[ahrensNW]

Here in the PNW, it's sort of a tradition to drive on the left side of the road....

But seriously, the NW has an insane amount of stuff to do. The food is great, the people are Pretty cool, and the the rain isn't that cold. If you love the outdoors, this is the place to be

+1 on touring the oly pen

[E30 Memorial]

http://www.myballard.com/ballard-locks-seattle/

This is a quick little day outing, and it's free.

http://www.seattle.gov/visiting-seattle

[Habla]

I would second korn's route, but add a detour to go see Neah Bay.

[pandaboo911]

Lava beds national monument

[ST1G]

Worth it! The Olympic peninsula is bad ass. And it goes by really quickly.

[pietro]

Lots of great ideas! Thanks everyone! I've tried to put them all up on a Google Map with our driving directions, which you can all check out here –waffleslet me know if I've missed something:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zV_1gUebM3QY.khGv8_hxuboU

korn: we're thinking the same way, although my route had us going all the way up to Vancouver, then back down through Victoria, then to Port Angeles. Looks like this adds about an extra two hours over dropping down through Tacoma to Concordia.

If anyone else has suggestions, I'll be sure to add them to the map, along with anything else we find.

[npag206]

check out kerry park on queen anne, my favorite park. Best view of seattle imo!

[E30 Memorial]

my route had us going all the way up to Vancouver, then back down through Victoria, then to Port Angeles.
If anyone else has suggestions, I'll be sure to add them to the map, along with anything else we find.

If you're going that far north, it would be a shame to miss Chuckanut Drive.

https://www.google.com/search?q=chuckanut+drive&biw=1440&bih=822&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=_eJCVcvZJc_ToASD5YD4BQ&ved=0CDkQsAQ

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/LocalPrograms/ScenicByways/Chuckanut.htm

Also if you're going to Victoria, Ferry reservations are a MUST!