LazyTrips is a trading name of Uncle Bob Media Ltd. Timberline Lodge (12 mentions) This is another city we know REALLY well, and we have all sorts of thoughts, tips, and tricks that only locals would know to help you plan an amazing few days in San Francisco. The best things to see and do between Seattle and San Francisco. stay for about 1 hour and leave at 3:04 pmdrive for about 3 hours, 6:02 pm Napa The 808 miles of the road trip from Seattle to San Francisco takes around 12 hours and 47 mins of driving without stops. Sure, its cool to see the sea lions at Pier 39, but we think you can find better things to do with your time in San Francisco. The Society is the best value hotel in Portland, with options from dorm rooms to suites, so you can pick an option that works for your style and budget. So, it would be perfect if you shared your experience with other travelers who want the same experience. Fun Fact: At 380 feet, Hyperion in Redwood National Park is the world's tallest living tree. Hood River also makes a great overnight stay, with plenty to do and see to occupy a day of your time. Break the budget! Want to plan the trip back? The western side of Mt. This is the one where you can drive your car through actual living redwoods! If you dont already live in the Seattle area, then you can fly in and rent a car to take the Seattle to San Francisco drive. Youll be ready fortonights sleep thats for sure! Trip (807.8 mi) on Map San Francisco Seattle. There are three awesome places to find ice cream in Seattle. The high-60s temperatures are just warm enough for you to spend your time outdoors, so this is when most tourists tend to flock to the city. Get the reverse directions for a Here are a few of our favorite things to do in Seattle. We are looking to plan this exact trip this summer and Im so happy to find your blog! What an amazing road trip! However a bit unsure about the timing, how is it in mid October there? Worth the Time Investment The hostel was close to all the main sights as well as public transport. Its only 3 hours though, and you can stop in Berkeley or Oakland on your way into the city if youre looking for somewhere to grab lunch. If you're planning a road trip to San Francisco, you can research locations to stop along the way. You can pick one of them that suits your taste. Saint Helens provides some surreal views of this active volcano, as well as some intriguing natural formations. Here are some more restaurants people talk about: Want to research more popular restaurants in San Francisco? Find out how many days in San Francisco to stay. Theres way more to do here then youll have time for, so we will just touch on a few things you can check off while youre in town. It can be hard to decide which iconic spots to see . We have five restaurant recommendations worth your attention. Both are cool cities, and you could do a day trip into the beautiful wilderness just outside either citys limits. Remember, like you, people planning a San Francisco road trip need your opinion. We recommend Sandcastle Inn. It totally depends on the year. Hungry? The drive will take a few hours, but its gorgeous. Today, we split time between San Francisco and Seattle. This seaside town has one of the most historic boardwalks in the state. Hood, Willamette, and Siuslaw National Forests, and Redwood National and State Parks. Limited time in Napa, help with my itinerary! Spend the night at either the Olympic Lodge or a vacation rental along the shores of Lake Sutherland. Today, an island called Wizard Island juts up from beneath the surface of the water. What is your favorite restaurant in Redding? Make quick stops at Cape Ferelo and Natural Bridges, then cross over into California, where youll immediately be confronted with redwoods some of the biggest and best in the state! Its packed full of interesting spots to stop in, whether youre looking for vegan ice cream or a unique boutique selling who knows what. Redding (11 answers) If you want to stay in the best rooms and get pampered by the finest service the city has to offer, book yourself a room at St Regis San Francisco. Expect to drive2-6 hours a day with 1 or 2 longer days. Id start in Washington and move south in hopes that you get the last pieces of good weather in the Northwest, but its hard to say what youre going to get at that time of year. Best free things to do in Ashland (Oregon)? If you are thinking of taking a break and having a nice meal on your Seattle to San Francisco journey, you can consider the five restaurants we have chosen. Youre very welcome Candice, enjoy your trip! Drive to Port Angeles, with a stop at Nourish Sequim along the way for a delicious (and gluten free) lunch. If thats a few too many days, then we recommend heading down the I-5 corridor through Oregon instead, skipping Bend and Crater Lake, which are further inland. Miles and miles of rugged, unspoiled coastline that hugs the oceans edge. Here are the top seven hotels on the Seattle San Francisco route! You could also visit one of the many wineries surrounding the Sonoma County too. Finally, you can drive down Howland Hill Road, which is mostly unpaved but well-maintained road traversing a magnificent redwood forest. Download this app. Mendocino is a largely unspoiled area of California that has beaches, valleys, and forests. If youre making a trip specifically for gluten free food, wed say that Boston is probably not even on the shortlist of places wed recommend. Just 15 minutes from Monterey, youll find a variety of cheaper hotels. What is your favorite restaurant in Redding? We have also given you detailed information about each place so that you can make an informed choice about where to stay, eat, and what to see. If you're driving from Seattle WA to San Francisco CA check the weather conditions for a safer trip. Want more awesome west coast travel guides to inspire your next trip, and empower you with all the information you need to plan it? Make sure you check road conditions From here, drive to Mendocino (not the most interesting drive, to be honest). 2 Week Road Trip Itinerary Overview Over the course of 2 weeks, we drove approximately 1650 miles (2330km) at a moderate pace. Otherwise, this route is pretty accessible year-round. There are many beautiful pit stops along the way to San Francisco. Here are some of our favorite things to do. If organized tours are your thing, here are some recommendations: Belltown. 1. From here, cross the Columbia River via Route 30 and continue west until you reach the coast. Maybe try typing in a faraway location like London, Hong Kong, Stop by Rachels Ginger Beer, Beechers Cheese (their flagship cheese is one of my top three all time favorites), and Ellenos Frozen Greek Yogurt while youre there. www .seattle .gov. Seattle Center: I actually dont really recommend you go up to the top of the Space Needle. Dont forget to stop at the iconicBixby Bridge (40 minutes from Monterey). Matt is the founder and main writer behind Wheatless Wanderlust, which he started back in 2018 as a way to share his gluten free travel guides with his fellow Celiac travelers. See here for our top things to do in San Francisco. questions about Redding: You can choose from the stops below based on how much time you have to spend think of it as a choose your own adventure sort of thing (used to LOVE those Goosebumps books!). United States. From: 1 traveler 2 travelers 3 travelers 4 travelers 5 travelers 6 travelers. Explore Capitol Hill: Our favorite! If you're looking for a quick answer, you can check out Top of the Mark, which was mentioned 13 times on Trippy. Best coffee shops in Portland For once, I wasnt the tallest! Click on any question to see answers from the community! stay at Ace Hotel. Theres nothing worse than being 100 miles from the nearest toilet! Road Trip Route Planner, Map and Trip Guides | Roadtrippers Start New Trip Trip Guides Sign Up Log In Start a trip by adding places Collect places for your trip by adding them. No Seattle to San Francisco road trip would be complete without making a stop in the weird and lovable city of Portland. We chose to skip the coast & national parks here as weredoing thisfurther south. The 363 mile Oregon coast has cute towns, beaches and photo ops all along the way. Here are our favorite places to visit at these locations. If you're in the market for the best rooftop view of Portland's architecture, The Duniway Portland is the hotel for you. Drive all the way to Redding, get dinner at In-n-Out Burger, and stay at the Americana Hotel in downtown Redding. Our favorites would be Becks Motor Lodge (close to the Mission) and Hotel Kabuki (in Japantown). Nonstop drive: 807 miles or 1299 km Driving time: 12 hours, 32 minutes Is there anything else you think we should have done, or not done? Stop in at Rocky Point Restaurant for a cocktail and then head to California Market at Pacifics Edge for lunch with sweeping views of the ocean. 4. Hood River Hotel is a close second. Continue south towards LA and be sure to stop intoPismo Beach, Solvang, Santa BarbaraandSanta Maria orcheck out thisextensive list of ideas. Here are a few of our favorite restaurants in Seattle, in no particular order. There are so many places to stop and it all depends on the time you have as well as your interests. Continue along 101 South, stopping at Ruby Beach and Kalaloch, before doing the short walk in the Quinault Rainforest and spending the night at either Kalaloch Lodge on the coast, or Lake Quinault Lodge on the shores of, you guessed it, Lake Quinault. From here, you can either take the coastal highway HWY 1 or the HWY 101 directly to Santa Rosa for the night OR if you feel as though you can continue driving, drive to Santa Cruz. The road trip from Seattle to San Francisco is full of amazing stopover options, so you should definitely consider booking a few hotel rooms on the way. There are a few places to spend a night in the Big Sur, Glen Oaks,Fernwood Resort,Big Sur River Inn, as well as campsites inPfeiffer Big Sur State Park. After half a day here, we made our way down HWY 199 through some interesting towns, en route to Crescent City on HWY 101. You wont want to miss our detailed guides to visiting Mount Rainier that are all based on our own personal experience exploring the park. Discovery Park: Get yourself ready for some longer hikes with an easy stroll out to the western edge of Seattle, where youll find yourself face-to-face with the Pacific Ocean. If youre craving a drink, here are a few of our favorite bars in Seattle. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Dont miss these! Day 1: Drive from Seattle to Mt. Planning to do something like that in the future. The mighty Hood River and stunning Columbia River Gorge are a must-see on your way down to Bend. The first thing we want to get out of the way is that your experience is largely going to be dictated by the amount of time you have. Head up to Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park and hike Hurricane Hill for spectacular views over the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Range. I have been multiple times, mostly with family growing up, and I joked to Alysha on our last trip that, Read More Where to Stay in Zion National Park: Best Hotels + B&BsContinue, The scale of the Grand Canyon is absolutely mind-blowing. For example, here are some questions people have asked about San Francisco. Hop onto Interstate 5 straight out of Seattle and make your way to Portland, passing Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. Do this road trip and you'll probably do around double that. If you want to see what makes the Pacific Coast a staple of US adventures, you should definitely do a road trip from Seattle to San Francisco. This is our pick for a summer road trip. Hiking the Skyline Trail: Is This the Best Hike in the Entire State? These hotels are listed below. Read Next: The 19 Best Airbnbs in Seattle. Saint Helens. Looking to promote your product, hotel or service? Life is all about the journey, not the destination! Roseburg. Seattle To San Francisco Road Trip (Day 1 &2) Since Seattle is the starting pointand five days is like a few minutes on this tripone should get to Seattle early enough. Trippy members suggest Ike's Place, which was mentioned 23 times. Sounds interesting right? Here are some of our favorites. Cap Hill as we locals call it, is home to the best selection of food, drinks, and coffee in the city. Hows the weather like for a Road Trip and visiting alot of these spots then? Highway 101 Road Trip. You can also visit the town of Fort Bragg, which has plenty of experiences to offer, both adventure-wise and when it comes to eating and drinking. Itll be a little wet in the winter, but its still passable (unlike some of the roads in central Washington and Oregon, which can get a wee bit sketchy). There are tons to do in this bustling city so see our post on thetop things to do in San Francisco. Don't forget about exploring your own hometown with a staycation. Mid July: 1 week with wife and kid - what should we prioritize? Eureka: The small city of Eureka is a charming coastal stop with some delicious beer and cider to try at Lost Coast Brewing and Humboldt Cider. We basically spent a full two months on this route last summer, and it was every bit as memorable, beautiful, and amazing as you might imagine. The road map above shows you the route to take to your destination. Seattle to San Francisco Road Trip Itinerary. Walk the Mendocino Headlands: The Mendocino Headlands State Park on the south side of the town of Mendocino features a great number of easy trails that take you near rugged coastlines, hidden away beaches, and spectacular sea arches. Its in Union Square, which honestly kinda sucks, but its affordable and stylish. Elliott Bay Books for the best local bookstore in Seattle. Thanks for all the info happy travels . The guide below is written with a two week trip in mind. Seattle ( / sitl / ( listen) see-AT-l) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. restaurants around Redding: If you have more than a couple of days to spare, a much more scenic alternative would be to drive along the coast, which would extend your drive by about 8 hours. Theres no need to rent a car in Seattle, public transport is fairly reliable however if you stay outside of the city, you can still rely on Uber and some public transport. Click the button below to explore more questions I have regularly done the Seattle to San Francisco drive (and the San Francisco to Seattle drive, too), including one time where I did it all in one daysolo. Therefore, we kindly ask you to share your experience with us in the comment field at the end of the blog post. Airbnb in Seattle. Alexander Valley Wine Region: Take a drive through the Alexander Valley Wine Region to enjoy some of the tastiest (and most affordable) wines in California. Can you hike on Mt. Drive the Avenue of the Giants: The Avenue of the Giants in the Humboldt Redwoods is a 31-mile forest drive that is considered to be the best drive through redwoods in the world. All the rooms are the same, so theres no presidential suite or choices between deluxe and superior rooms. Dont miss our guide to the coolest hotels in San Francisco for more suggestions. If there was one thing on this whole trip that we really wanted to see, it was Big Sur. Planning to drive from Adelaide to Melbourne via the Great Ocean Road? Artsy area with fun little shops Check out the. Who would have thought trees could be so fascinating? Last, but certainly not least (the opposite, in fact) is to head inland and hit Mt. Crater Lake National Park is an extraordinary park that has a dormant volcano as its crown jewel. 53-63000. Experience the stunning beauty of the Pacific Northwest and Northern California on this luxury journey from Seattle to San Francisco. Today is a long but good day of driving. Here are our picks for where to eat, drink, stay, and play while youre in Seattle. As for San Francisco itself, there's virtually no wrong time to visit - in the spring and winter, you'll find that a warm jacket is enough to help you deal with the coastal wind, and the otherwise-pricy hotels also tend to bring down their prices these times of year. View Road Map. This article shares the 15 top tips that turn your San Francisco trip into an unforgettable journey. If you're driving further south, check out this 3 days San Diego itinerary. Of course, you can choose a suitable restaurant from the list according to your preference. And our favorite spots to drink, whether youre looking for a flight of craft beer or a $20 cocktail (were joking kind of). by calculating the distance from Seattle to San Francisco. Grab a freshly baked bagel from Los Bagels,a crepe from Renatas Creperie and Espresso oran ice cream from Arcata Scoop(or all of the above!). Here are some excellent hikes you can go on while visiting the best national park in Washington (and one of the best on the west coast). If its on (or even if its not), you should stop in Ashland. You can also see most people recommend as the best amount of time to visit. restaurants around Portland: Have you done this road trip before? Inn at Cape Kiwandahasgorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean and deluxe rooms OR Surf & Sand Inn, a cosy motel in the centre of the city, perfect for a one night stop. In terms of height, it is one of the tallest lighthouses in the United States and stands at 115 feet. That being said, we would never recommend something to you that we dont stand behind 100%. You might end up with more rain and snow, which isnt necessarily a deal breaker if youre prepared for it (pack a good rain jacket and waterproof shoes / boots!). Past Dunnigan, hop onto Interstate 505 and either follow it south to Vacaville or detour to Sacramento. Its one of those places that makes you go I wonder what the first people, Read More How to Plan an Amazing Grand Canyon Itinerary (2 Days)Continue, Wondering if San Francisco is a good place to visit if you need to eat gluten free? By joining our email list, you give LazyTrips permission to use your email for sending you newsletters, emails and updates including for marketing purposes. When venturing from the i5 highway, the trip takes approximately 12 hours and 45 minutes of non-stop driving. Breakfast was included, it was clean and surrounded by shops, places to eat and gas stations. Youll find an array of video games, mini golf, photo booths, laser tag and rides. Capitol Cider for a huge selection of Pacific Northwest ciders and a 100% gluten free kitchen. Wait, wheres Fishermans Wharf on this list? We love this stylish Airbnb in Capitol Hill, which is perfect for traveling couples. Monterey Bay > Pacific Grove > 17 Mile Drive > Pebble Beach > Carmel-by-the-sea > Point Lobos > Monterey (or Seaside to sleep). Here are some more hotels people talk about: Want to research more popular hotels in San Francisco? Choosing which vineyards to visit can be rather overwhelming, so we strongly recommend spending at least a night at one of the magnificent Bed and Breakfasts to get the full experience. We want to explain the top three destinations we recommend on the San Francisco route. It's one of the most spectacular road trips in the USA. We have a whole guide on the best places to stay in San Francisco that is well worth a read if youre looking for more detail from people who ACTUALLY lived in the city for almost a decade. A somewhat sleepy, somewhat rowdy college town, home of the University of Oregon, Eugene is quirky, creative, and a fun weekend getaway from Portland. If you are flying into San Francisco International Airport and road-tripping north, you can simply hop on US Highway 101 N. Beach Street Inn and Suites. Here are a few pit stops to consider stopping for. Today, its time to relax! Expect to drive 2-6 hours a day with 1 or 2 longer days. Your email address will not be published. The tour guides are funny, and you get to learn about the history of Seattle from a slightly different perspective. Saint Helens. Restaurants in Napa for girls outing? Learn how your comment data is processed. The travelplan so far. Instead, we suggest spending AT LEAST 7-10 days. You can also hike Trillium Falls to see beautiful trillium flowers dotting the groundcover, as well as impressive redwoods and a small waterfall. Day 4: Get an early start and make a beeline for the California border. San Francisco to Seattle Road Trip Itinerary Advice Mar 29, 2022, 6:53 AM Save We are a couple aged around sixty and looking for some advice on a self drive road trip between San Francisco and Seattle over 10 days from 16th to 26th May. most talked about places recommended by Trippy members. You could choose to stop in San Fran or continue south (like we did) and hit the beach! We have a whole guide to the best places to stay in Seattle to help you find the perfect neighborhood and place to stay. Youll immediately gasp at the size of these Red Wood trees! Have you ever taken a road trip from Seattle to San Francisco? Next: See how to edit the route The hike out to Cascade Head near Lincoln City is worth it if you have the time, otherwise continue on to spend the night in Newport at the wonderful Inn at Nye Beach. And roads at Mount Rainier NP close sometime in early November, which is another reason to start in Washington if youre planning on going to Rainier. This route never strays from the interstate, so aside from some highly recommended detours, the drive is extremely straightforward and beginner-friendly. Read that if you want the details beyond some of our recommendations. In our opinion, the two best areas to stay in Seattle are Belltown and Capitol Hill (though we also like South Lake Union). For more information about the best places on the Seattle to San Francisco journey, you can check the 3 Best Places To Visit On The Way From Seattle To San Francisco part. Mount Shasta (California) (9 answers) The road trio from Seattle to San Francisco is full of incredible activities and experiences.