Read Next: 4 Days in San Francisco: A Complete City Guide from a Local. International Rose Test Garden (20 mentions) We know the city like the back of our hands, and hope we can give you some of the inside knowledge you need to make your trip to Seattle a memorable one. Its a no frills option, with great value rooms with modern amenities. Yes, even this step is optional, because if you're on vacation What is your favorite restaurant in Redding? We usually prefer Airbnb for stays longer than a day or two, and Seattle has some awesome Airbnb options. Visiting in July for 5 days with my boyfriend, where and what must we do? Lithia Park (2 mentions) Its a good stopping point on the way down to Bend from Portland. In the next section, we list the destinations worth seeing along the route from Seattle to San Francisco. Take your time, drive slowly and stop at every opportunity you can! California Redwoods. Dont forget to stop at the iconicBixby Bridge (40 minutes from Monterey). Airbnb: Weve stayed in a bunch of Airbnbs in Portland on our numerous trips over the years. eat at Voodoo Doughnuts The best resource on neighborhoods, areas, Trippy is where Day 1: Fly into Seattle and pick up your rental car (or, leave from Seattle if you live here!). Redd Overview of a 4 week 2015 Seattle, San Francisco, and Sierra with Travel Itinerary, Travel Road Map, and Tips for Cross Country travelers with Kids 2015 Seattle, San Francisco, and Sierra | Lolo's Extreme Cross Country RV Trips If youre not making the trek inland for Crater Lake, stay on the coast for the night and skip to day 8. Hood, Bend, and Crater Lake, which will take significantly more time than the other two options. Dont forget to share your experience by writing a comment to this post. Would it be too cold in Washington/Oregon? Tall tales, trip guides, & the world's weird & wonderful. Once you're up, you can kick off your morning with a visit to the amazing Remede Spa. by Emily Cass | Oct 18, 2017 | Most Popular, North America | 3 comments. For more amazing trees, waterfalls, and trails in California, check out Sequoia National Park. Whats the weather like and is there any concerns doing it that late? Sleep at the Blue Door Inns, which looks amazing. The Hoxton is a super stylish hotel that is one of our favorite hotel chains in the world. There are tons to do in this bustling city so see our post on thetop things to do in San Francisco. A trip from San Francisco to Seattle involves driving for around 800 miles along the Pacific Northwest and watching the most attractive views while on the way. Drive to Port Angeles, with a stop at Nourish Sequim along the way for a delicious (and gluten free) lunch. 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). Airbnb in Seattle. Though, obviously, you probably didnt quit your job to adventure in your converted Honda Odyssey, so theres that. It will help people who will take the same Seattle to San Francisco route. westcoastbound. The Willamette Valley is home to some of the best Pinot Noir in the world and youll find more than 500 wineries surrounding this region. Best free things to do in Ashland (Oregon)? 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. Check out the 5th St. Public Market for a combination of shopping, eating, and drinking with local vendors. Before we go on to give you our 2-week itinerary, please note that there is no right or wrong way to do this trip. If you road trip San Francisco to Seattle you'll cover at least 807 miles - that's if you do the aforementioned route and go straight down the I-5N. Drive Time from San Francisco: 20 minutes / 7 miles Your trip starts with a drive across the world-famous Golden Gate Bridge. Last, but certainly not least (the opposite, in fact) is to head inland and hit Mt. Hotels: The Hoxton and the Society Hotel (weve stayed there) are our top hotel picks in Portland. From there, visit Klamath and Shasta-Trinity national Forests, and consider doing an optional detour to Lassen National Forest. 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. Drive time (to Eureka): 5 hours / 245 miles. We plan (and pay for) all of our own travels, and we use our first hand knowledge to write detailed travel guides to the places we love to help, Heres a guide to the best breweries in Seattle, industrial-chic Airbnb in South Lake Union, How to Plan an Unforgettable Day Trip to Mount Rainier From Seattle, Where to Stay near Mount Rainier National Park: A Complete Guide, The Best Hikes in Mount Rainier National Park: A Helpful Hiking Guide. (1 answer), Marsha-laine asked:Most Scenic Drive Down to San Francisco (2 answers), John asked:Seattle to San Francisco recommend route (1 answer). Day 1: Arrive Seattle, rest Day 2: Seattle Day 3: Seattle, leave for Portland Day 4: Portland, leave for Newport OR Day 5: Newport to Bandon OR Day 6: Bandon to Trinidad CA Day 7: Redwood National Park, go to Healdsburg CA Day 8: Healdsburg/Sonoma/Napa Day 9: Wine country to Yosemite Day 10: Yosemite Day 11: Yosemite to SF Day 12: SF We spent the past two years traveling, which included 18 national parks here in the United States, and an extended trip to Europe. A unique experience awaits you in San Francisco. Be prepared for the overwhelming choice of flavours! Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Seattle to San Francisco. Stay hungry and enjoy! Elliott Bay Books for the best local bookstore in Seattle. Here are a couple of ways to do this road trip based on your interests and number of days. So, there you have it- a complete guide to planning a road trip from Seattle to San Francisco. Again, take Interstate 5 out of Seattle and follow it past Capitol State Forest and Gifford Pinchot National Forest before pulling into Longview. Taking the quickest possible route, the road trip from Seattle to San Francisco takes 13 hours and spans 810 miles. It was! Stop as frequent or as little as you like but dont forget to look up! Pike Place Market: Probably the most famous attraction in Seattle, Pike Place Market lives up to the hype and then some. Youre very welcome Candice, enjoy your trip! If youve got 3-4 days, sleep in Portland on night one, Redding on night two, and finish the drive to San Francisco on day three. Long road trips = the need for bathroom stops! Portland Saturday Market (13 mentions) There are picturesque coastal towns, wildflowers galore during the spring, cool ocean breezes in the summer (definitely expect fog too), serene beaches, and towering redwoods that will leave you in awe. If dining is a pleasure, some restaurants will please you on your Seattle to San Francisco road trip. Here is a quick rundown of our favorite areas and places to stay. Answer 1 of 8: Hi everybody, My family and I are planning a road trip from San Francisco to Seattle for next summer. 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. Visiting in July for 5 days with my boyfriend, where and what must we do? This is a 31 mile scenic stretch of road that runs through the Red Wood Forest parallel to the highway. Except the authors have strong perspectives on what adventures you should choose. 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!). looking for a vacation rental or Airbnb? And if you know Seattle well, please help your fellow 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. Were going to California in mid October, and thought since were already flying in from outside US, maybe we should do our long wished-for seattle-SF trip. Other foodie things to do besides wine tasting San Francisco to Seattle Road Trip Itinerary Overview Stop 1: San Francisco, California (2-3 days) Stop 2: Wine Country: Napa/Sonoma (1-2 days) Stop 3: Mendocino/Fort Bragg (1 day) Stop 4: Lassen/Mt. Wed recommend Rainier if you only have time to visit one. Besides the fact that any coastline drive looks better when the weather is warmer, forests and parks are a defining feature of this road trip. With an early-morning flight booked well in advance, it's possible. Otherwise, this route is pretty accessible year-round. FIPS code. The Best Route for Your Seattle to San Francisco Drive, The Best Stops to Make on a Seattle to San Francisco Road Trip, Mt. By joining our email list, you give LazyTrips permission to use your email for sending you newsletters, emails and updates including for marketing purposes. who wants the trip to end? Crater Lake National Park is an extraordinary park that has a dormant volcano as its crown jewel. The Paradise side of Mt. We have listed seven hotels, five restaurants, and three places to visit on the way. Planning a Trip to Mount Rainier National Park? Life is all about the journey, not the destination! stay for about 1 hour and leave at 3:04 pmdrive for about 3 hours, 6:02 pm Napa Keep Calm and Travel On |. A city filled with unique coffee shops, breweries, restaurants, seaplanes, shopping, sculptures, parks and of course the home of Greys Anatomy (yup, Im lame). You can roam the vineyards, taste plenty of wines and relax while overlooking acres of grapes. The 363 mile Oregon coast has cute towns, beaches and photo ops all along the way. Ocean View Inn and Suites. Here are our top picks for where to stop along the way with some of our favorite places to eat, drink, stay, and play for each. Pigeon Point Light Station is a lighthouse located on the coast of northern California near Pescadero. Not sure what to do in Seattle? Wait, wheres Fishermans Wharf on this list? Thanks for all the info happy travels . Check out Redwood National and State Parks and Humboldt Redwoods State Park before getting onto Highway 1 and pulling into Mendocino - from there, check out Jackson Demonstration State Forest before continuing south. Sightseeing in Napa? Here are some more hotels people talk about: Want to research more popular hotels in San Francisco? We recommend Sandcastle Inn. Here are our favorite places to eat in San Francisco, a city full of amazing food spots. Believe us. Heres what we recommend. Its a beautiful place to visit while on your road trip. Anything you plan or save automagically syncs with the apps, ready for you to hit the road! Simply use this as a guideline! 9:19 pm arrive in Seattle. Cap Hill as we locals call it, is home to the best selection of food, drinks, and coffee in the city. Please also note that due to a giant landslide in May of 2017, a whole section of the Big Sur is inaccessible from the South, and you cannot travel the whole route. Belltown is close to Pike Place Market and the Space Needle, while Capitol Hill is still central, but full of some of the best bars, restaurants, and cafes in Seattle, which is perfect for foodies like us whose travel philosophy basically boils down to eat-walk-eat.. The Northern California Coast is considered to be one of the most scenic areas in the entire country, and for many reasons. Some of these trees have been known to measure 360 feet in height, making it the tallest measured tree species on earth. Recently, we have chosen to put down roots in Portland, Oregon, and look forward to exploring even more of the Pacific Northwest (Matt grew up in Seattle, so he knows it well). Driving Directions from San Francisco to Seattle The Fastest Route The easiest way to get on the road to Seattle from San Francisco is via Interstate 5. 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. Jump back on the 101 and head south to check out the Big Tree (look out for all the parked cars). This section lists our five restaurant recommendations for you to eat on your road trip from Seattle to San Francisco. Trinidad: Hike the Trinidad Head trail to enjoy stunning 360-degree panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. There are a few small easy hiking paths to take and theyre worth it to view these giants up close. For example, here are some questions people have asked about San Francisco. 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. Potato Champion If youre only going to do it once, do it right. Santa Cruz. . Recommended car for this road trip: Large SUV. After charging your batteries at the bar and Jackrabbit Restaurant, you can burn some calories at the incredible fitness area before heading into town. Were assuming that youre treating your road trip from Seattle to San Francisco as a vacation, and budgeting a week or more so that you can see the best of the west coast along the way. because there's an entire community of travelers talking In the guide below, well give you our favorite stops to make on a Seattle to San Francisco road trip, along with logistics and sample itineraries to help you plan the perfect adventure. 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. restaurants around Napa: Visiting both cities is a must if you're in the area and doing so in an RV is particularly beneficial as you get to see some excellent sights along the way. For something a little more low-key, you can also enjoy a yoga class or even try wine tasting. If you're looking for a quick answer, you can check out Top of the Mark, which was mentioned 13 times on Trippy. So sorry for the late reply I totally missed this. Rainier. Its packed full of interesting spots to stop in, whether youre looking for vegan ice cream or a unique boutique selling who knows what. Don't forget about exploring your own hometown with a staycation. next trip! Get ready for a day of tree exploring! Can you hike on Mt. Best free things to do in Redding? drive for about 41 minutes. Planning to drive from Adelaide to Melbourne via the Great Ocean Road? In this part, we explained seven different hotels you can stay at on the road trip from Seattle to San Francisco. Ashland (15 mentions) Our favorites would be Becks Motor Lodge (close to the Mission) and Hotel Kabuki (in Japantown). However, a new bridge ismeant to be opening in October 2017. With a 2020 population of 737,015, [2] it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest . This is our pick for a summer road trip. Youll immediately gasp at the size of these Red Wood trees! Tasty N Sons This is your best bet if you only have 3-5 days, since youre on I-5 basically the whole way (and theres plenty to do and see along the way). Have you ever taken a road trip from Seattle to San Francisco? Continue south towards LA and be sure to stop intoPismo Beach, Solvang, Santa BarbaraandSanta Maria orcheck out thisextensive list of ideas. For once, I wasnt the tallest! Instead, we suggest spending AT LEAST 7-10 days. For up to date information on these conditions, visit this most recent post. Timberline Lodge (12 mentions) When venturing from the i5 highway, the trip takes approximately 12 hours and 45 minutes of non-stop driving. (19 answers), Julie from Atlanta asked:Best activities for kids (19 answers), Kenneth from Portland asked:Best views in San Francisco? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Especially on the weekdays. You can drive straight down I-5, stopping in Portland and Eugene, which is the fastest route. You can also find some cool day trips or get away for a weekend. Explore locations along your route to charge your electric vehicle and see how our Supercharging network can take you there. What is there not to love about snacks, blasting music, beautiful scenery and your own schedule! 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. If you only have three days, youre obviously not going to be able to hit some of the far flung destinations like Crater Lake and Bend. Seattle to San Francisco Road Trip The best things to see and do between Seattle and San Francisco. Have you done this road trip before? If there's no coastal fog obscuring it, which there probably is. We are looking to plan this exact trip this summer and Im so happy to find your blog! 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. 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. After half a day here, we made our way down HWY 199 through some interesting towns, en route to Crescent City on HWY 101. Miles and miles of rugged, unspoiled coastline that hugs the oceans edge. 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. Hike the short and sweet Trinidad Head Trail for amazing coastal views. Maybe try typing in a faraway location like London, Hong Kong, There you have it a complete guide to planning a road trip from Seattle to San Francisco. Hopefully youve found the answer you needed elsewhere, but for anyone else wondering what the weather is going to be like in mid-October, youre likely going to get some great fall color, though the weather could be more unpredictable, with rain or even snow. We think the best way to do Portland is to eat and drink your way through the city. We have selected seven hotels for you. Need some recommendations on somewhere to get food? Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA. Todays a long driving day, but its broken up with many stops. Surprisingly, there are no rivers or flowing water that enters the lake, the water simply comes from rain and the melting of snow making it one of the cleanest and clearest bodies of water in the world. Read: An Extensive Guide to Seattle. Continue to Eugene, where you should try the wild fermented, locally harvested cider at Wildcraft Cider and head up to Skinner Butte for a nice view of Eugene. 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. 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. So it is time to explore something new! 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. where to stay in San Francisco. If organized tours are your thing, here are some recommendations: Belltown. As you can tell, Jacob was less than impressed. Breakfast was included, it was clean and surrounded by shops, places to eat and gas stations. This luxury coastal road trip will take you from Seattle and the forested islands of Washington's Puget Sound to San Francisco and the towering redwoods of Northern California. Here's the quick answer if you have friends taking shifts as driver so that you can make the entire trip by car without stopping. The road map above shows you the route to take to your destination. You can also hike Trillium Falls to see beautiful trillium flowers dotting the groundcover, as well as impressive redwoods and a small waterfall. Make sure to go to La Marzocco Cafe and Espresso Vivace at the very least. Within the cone of that volcano, called Mount Mazama, is a stunningly blue body of water called Crater Lake. 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. 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. We hope these suggestions will help you turn your 808 miles journey into a feast of taste. Though I cant say the same for the also-famous but largely uninspired gum wall, which is downright disgusting if you really stop to think about it. 9:00 am start in Seattledrive for about 2.5 hours, 11:43 am Portland San Francisco to Seattle drive, or go to the main page to plan a new road trip. 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. Hey Pontus! And for this, 9.00 AM will be late. Today is a long but good day of driving. 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. Im a foodie at, Read More Gluten Free San Francisco: A Complete Guide for CeliacsContinue. If youre planning on doing this drive in the winter, avoid snow and tricky road conditions by going the coastal route on the famous Highway 101, which is amazing in its own right. For example, in the Marina youll run into bar-hopping twentysomethings who just moved out of the fraternity, while the Outer Sunset is basically a, Read More Where to Stay in San Francisco: A Locals Complete GuideContinue, Lets get this out of the way at the top Boston is definitely not the best city for gluten free foodies in the United States. If you're driving further south, check out this 3 days San Diego itinerary. Were Matt and Alysha, the two endlessly curious travelers behind this site. McMinnville. Here are some of our favorites. You wont want to miss our detailed guides to visiting Mount Rainier that are all based on our own personal experience exploring the park. Who would have thought trees could be so fascinating? With that in mind, you may want to avoid the drive in the winter if you don't want your access to these landmarks to be significantly limited. How Many Days to Spend on This Road Trip? Driving down from Seattle to San Francisco will give you a plethora of stunning natural landscapes to explore. We recommend avoiding flying out of San Jose (SJO), which is two hours south of San Francisco, because roads to get there are prone to heavy traffic that will make it an even longer journey. Ashland is a cool little town known for hosting the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Doing this drive in record time isnt going to be a fun one. Parking is a nightmare in Nob Hill, which is the neighborhood we used to call home, so Id recommend avoiding that area. Photo Credit: Bigstock. The water is exceptionally blue and when the sunlight hits the water, its simply stunning. Here are the top seven hotels on the Seattle San Francisco route! The 960-mile road trip from Seattle to San Francisco takes 20 hours 30 minutes. The central route down I-5, while definitely the quickest, is BORING. On a random side note: 41 years ago my mum lived in Oregon on a Rotary Exchange. Click the blue button below. Seattle to San Francisco road trip planner Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Seattle to San Francisco. Theres really only one choice here. Second at Rialto Beach to do the hike out to Hole in the Wall (one of our favorite hikes in Olympic National Park). If you want to always have your drink with you on the road trip, discover the latest, Video: San Francisco Road Trip 10 Things to Do, 7 Best Hotels On The Way From Seattle To San Francisco, 5 Best Restaurants On The Way To San Francisco From Seattle, 3 Places To Visit On The Way From Seattle To San Francisco, 7 Best Hotels On The Way To San Francisco From Seattle, 5 Best Restaurants On The Way From Seattle To San Francisco, Seattle To Tucson Road Trip: The Beautiful Route, Seattle To Zion National Park Road Trip: The Ultimate Guide, Oregon To San Francisco Road Trip: The Ultimate Guide, Denver To Yellowstone Road Trip: The Ultimate Guide, Denver To Mount Rushmore Road Trip: The Ultimate Guide, With ideal traffic and weather conditions, the road trip takes approximately, If you want to make the Seattle to San Francisco road trip by. Beach Street Inn and Suites. (17 answers). restaurants around Portland: Sign up receive our monthly newsletter with updates and new in-depth guides. If youre really feeling it, why not take a helicopter to Post Ranch Inn (a very fancy resort) in a helicopter, starting at $4000! Its like the Society Hotel in Portland in that they have room options that have dorms and shared bathrooms so that you can save a little money in one of the most expensive cities in the country. Pok Pok Restaurant They remembered my mum right away and we chatted with them about their lives. Arrive in Portland and stay either Kex, the Hotel Grand Stark, or the Jupiter NEXT Hotel (read our full guide on the best places to stay in Portland for more of our recommendations weve been to Portland numerous times and are planning on relocating there at some point in the near future).