Ever since our trip to Oregon last month, I have been trying to figure out a way to share what a wonderful and worthwhile road trip Oregon is and to give some more concrete details of the routes we took (that turned out to be amazing) and the recommendable places that we stayed. If there is a recommendation missing for a particular day it is because our accommodations were just okay, but we aren’t going to suggest it. Click on the map below to see all of the our favorite landmarks in more detail, and read below for more of the nitty gritty on which route to take and hotels that we loved.

Leg 1: Fresno to Redding
We knew we had to cover quite a bit of ground on this first day, but we also didn’t have any major plans in Redding so we made sure to take our time and stop at a few fun places along the way. This is also not a scenic drive so we routed our trip based on the ease of the drive.
Day 1 route: HWY 99 north ~> HWY 120 west (in Manteca) ~> I-5 north (in Manteca)

Off I-5 in Lathrop
Lots of chocolate and ice cream sundaes!

Off: HWY 80 in Sacramento
Very cool self-guided tour of some California history. The fort is set up just as it was in the early nineteenth century. It was crazy hot when we visited but it was still a fun stop to break up a day of driving.

Off: I-5
Leg 2: Redding to Bend
This day started off very smoky as there was a fire burning in southern Oregon. Unfortunately we missed some of the beautiful scenery because of the smoke. However once we got a little ways into central Oregon it cleared and we really enjoyed the drive and the stops along the way.
Day 2 route: I-5 north ~> HWY 97 north (Weed, Ca) ~> HWY 62 north ~>HWY 138 east ~> HWY 97 north




This hotel was amazing! Our room overlooked the river and we were able to sit on our balcony and enjoy listening to the river.
Leg 3: Bend to Portland
This was one of my favorite days on the road because I had no idea what to expect and was totally in awe of the ever changing landscapes. With volcanoes on the horizon the entire drive, we also passed through desert canyons, saw Smith Rock from the road (would have stopped if time permitted), and eventually made our way into lush forests as we neared Mount Hood and Portland.
Day 3 route: HWY 97 north ~> HWY 26 north (in Madras) ~> I-84 (in Gresham)



This quirky Portland hotel in the Northwest neighborhood was PERFECT for our stay in the city. The room had two queen beds, plus a living room and kitchen area. It was a great little space to settle into for a few nights. There was also an expansive continental breakfast each morning and various activities throughout the week including Movie Night Monday, Wine Down Wednesday, Hoppy Hour Thursday, and Sundae Sundays all presented in the lobby in the evening. Plus they provide tickets to the Portland Streetcar and the hotel is in walking distance to tons of amazing restaurants in NW Portland. We definitely recommend this place if you are visiting Portland!
Day 4: Day in Portland


If you love children’s museums like we do, Portland’s is a must. Located in Washington Park near the Portland Zoo and a handful of other museums to explore, if you have kids this is a great area to spend some time when in Portland. There is tons of parking and also access by bus and light rail. We spent a couple of hours taking in the awesome exhibits (our favorites were the outdoor water play area and the theater where the kids got to perform and do puppet shows) and then we hopped on the free Washington Park shuttle that took us to the International Rose Test Garden.

Such a beautiful treat for the senses. The actual garden is down below the parking, stores, and shuttle drop off, so we actually smelled the roses before we saw them. We spent our evening strolling through these gorgeous flowers on the winding paths of the garden. The kids loved it as much as we did.
Day 5: Day trip to Multnomah Falls from Portland. Route: I-84 east from Portland, exit 31 on left to access best Multnomah Falls Parking; continue on I-84 east to next turn off, East Historic Columbia River Highway (west). Return to Portland on I-84

This was one of our favorites days of the trip. The previous day in Portland had been fun but exhausting due to our choice to navigate a big city by public transit with two little ones. A day in nature was exactly what we needed, and this short drive out of Portland provided some spectacular nature! The route above is what we wish we had done to have saved a little time, however, the views are incredible and calm so even if you circle around a few times looking for parking you can still have an amazing day. Multnomah Falls is the busiest and most famous of the falls, with the bridge that can be reached on a short hike. We totally think this is worth doing! However, don’t stop there. When you are done exploring Multnomah Falls drive just a bit further (see route above) to access a few more incredible waterfalls that are much less busy and are really easy to reach.

Leg 4: Portland to Newport
I was arguably the most excited about this travel day because of my childhood love of the Goonies and our planned stops in Astoria and Cannon Beach. Again, the views were spectacular and now we were along the Oregon Coast taking in yet another beautiful landscape. We also managed to squeeze in a stop for dinner and a self-guided tour at Tillamook. Such a full day but I wouldn’t change a thing.
Day 6 route: From Portland I-5 north ~> HWY 30 west (in Kelso) ~> Exit to Astoria (for Goonies fun ~> HWY 101 south (exit for Cannon Beach, Tillamook, then all the way to Newport)




Day 7: Day in Newport



Leg 5: Newport to Brookings
Though we were starting to feel the ware of the driving and the trip at this point, we still were absolutely loving the amazing stops and time together exploring Oregon. We made sure to focus on the journey rather than trying to get to our destination early. There is so much to stop and see along the way and we were grateful that we took the time to see so much of it (though not nearly all of the things that were there). We also were thrilled with our hotel in Brookings. It was the perfect calm end to a long day of driving. The kids played on the beach while we waited for a pizza to be delivered for dinner. This was another fantastic day.
Day 8 route: From Newport ~> HWY 101 south (exit for all of the amazing coastal views and sites – see below) all the way to Brookings










Leg 6: Brooking to Fort Bragg
Day 9 route: From Brookings ~> HWY 101 south ~> HWY 1 south (in Leggett) ~> HWY 271 to Drive Through Tree ~> HWY 1 south to Fort Bragg





Leg 7: Fort Bragg to Fresno
Day 10 route: Use Google Maps to find your best option for the day you are traveling.
Get home safely and on a route that is least crowded. We used Google Maps to determine which route was our best bet to get us home as quickly as possible. This 8 hour drive was the longest of the trip. We were all tired, sad that the trip was over, and not ready for work the next day. Nevertheless, we would do it again tomorrow if given the chance! 😉 I hope this helps plan a trip to Oregon or just inspires you to go somewhere new! Happy travels!
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