Looking to do an Oregon and Northern California road trip? This itinerary will take you down the coast of Oregon and Northern California with little to no additional planning!
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Whether you’ve done west coast roadtrips before or not, these are some gems in the coastal areas of Oregon and Northern California. If you’re anything like John and me, you like to have your trips completely planned out so you don’t have to do any research on the road.
You are going to learn Oregon road trip ideas, places to stop on the way to Oregon from California, and tips for a 101 roadtrip Oregon to California.
After reading this post, you’ll be able to hop on the road from Oregon to California or vice-versa and experience the beautiful Pacific Northwest in a new light!
5-Day Oregon and Northern California Road Trip Itinerary
John and I had so much fun on this trip with my sister and brother-in-law and I felt like I had to share it! If you’re looking to do a short road trip with lots of beautiful views and adventures, this itinerary is for you!
Day 1: Portland, OR

🏠 Where we stayed
Our home! If you’re traveling from out of town there are plenty of AirBnB’s that are worth checking out in the Portland area.
🤸 Things to do
- Powell’s City of Books, West Burnside location – This bookstore is HUGE. You will find something you like and you might get lost. Enjoy!
- Rocky Butte Natural Area – This overlook gives you a viewpoint of Portland’s most-known mountains. On a clear day this is a MUST-DO!
- Forest Park – There are a bunch of trails in forest park to hike and explore. Whether it’s sunny or rainy (or both), I recommend prioritizing a hike in Forest Park to get the full Portland experience.
- Pittock Mansion – This is a historical mansion that’s located in Forest Park and has a gorgeous view on clear days. If you’re looking for something to do and history is exciting to you, this is the activity for you!
- Cool places to visit within 1.5hr drive
- Multnomah Falls
- Hood River
- The Gorge White House
🍔 Places to Eat
- Absolutely recommend checking out a food truck pod while in Portland. Here are our favorites: Cartopia, Happy Valley Station Food Carts, BG’s Food Cartel
- Harlow – Really yummy vegan food.
- Eem – This is a Thai BBQ restaurant. It’s typically pretty busy so I only recommend going here if you’re in Portland on a weekday.
- Open Tandoor – If you’re as obsessed with Indian food as John and I are, you’re going to love this delicious Indian food restaurant!
- Nobel Rot – This is a great option if you’re looking for a fancy sit-down restaurant with a beautiful view of the city. It’s tasty and boujee American food. Be sure to book a reservation!
- Killer Burgers
- Hurry Back Ice Cream
🍸 Places to drink
- Three vibey cocktail bars:
- McMenamins Kennedy School – McMenamins is a local brand to Portland. They take old buildings and turn them into restaurants/bars. This location is especially eclectic so I only recommend this to people who are looking for a unique, somewhat strange, atmosphere.
Day 2: Newport, OR

🚗 THINGS TO DO ON THE DRIVE From Portland TO NEWPORT
- Deope Bay – Small coastal town where you can sometimes spot whales. (June – September is the best time to spot whales in this area.)
- Yaquina Head Lighthouse
🏠 Where we stayed
Inn at Nye Beach – The Inn at Nye Beach has private beach access, an infinity hot tub that overlooks the beach, and two beautiful fire pits that overlook the beach.
🤸 WHAT WE DID
Our hotel in Newport, OR was our splurge stay so once we got to the area we took advantage of the gorgeous view of the ocean and the great amenities.
🍔 WHERE WE ATE
Newport Chowder Bowl – Casual seafood restaurant
Day 3: Redwood National Park

🚗 THINGS TO DO ON THE DRIVE From Newport TO the Rewood National Park
- Thors Well
- Sea Lion’s Cave
- Oregon Sand Dunes
- Natural Bridges
- Stop for food and drinks in Cresent City because there isn’t much near the hotel outside of one casino that has a restaurant in it.
🏠 Where we stayed
Holiday Inn Express, Redwood National Park
🤸 WHAT WE DID
- Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
- Stout Grove – Park’s most famous grove
- Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
- You should be able to see a heard of elk early in the morning or at sunset at Elk Prairie Highway Signpost.
- Rewood National Park
- Stop at Thomas H Kuchel Visitor Center in Orick Tall Tree Grove to get maps and permits.
- Lady Bird Johnson Grove – This is a 1 mile hike. We did shorter hikes because my sister was pregnant, but you should be able to find hikes within the area that are longer if desired.
- Big Tree
🍔 WHERE WE ATE
We got food from Crescent City when we drove into town. John and I ended up getting some Chili in the Casino restaurant in the hotel after our hike that day. It hit the spot on the overcast day we got!
Day 4: Crater Lake

🏠 Where we stayed
🤸 WHAT WE DID
Because we went during off-season, we weren’t able to drive or hike around the lake. Regardless of if you can though, I absolutely recommend driving up to see the lake! The snow was about 10ft high at the top but they plow it – we drove a sedan and wore gym shows here and were fine. SUCH a gorgeous view.
If you’re able to go in the summer, I’d definitely check out some hikes on All Trails and the Umpqua Hot Springs. Wish we could’ve seen these!
🍔 WHERE WE ATE
Kla-mo-ya Casino – Besides some gas station food, this is the only place to eat near the hotel and was actually decent food with lots of options, especially after a long drive!
Day 5: Bend, OR

🏠 Where we stayed
Campfire Hotel – A cute hotel (with a motel vibe) that has a huge fire pit in the center of the hotel buildings and a nice bar and pool/hot tub area!
🤸 WHAT WE DID
- Smith Rock State Park – If you only get to to one thing while in Bend, this should be it! It feels like a national park with the beautiful and unique views. My favorite part had to be the smell though – it’s just so fresh and piney. Below are a few trail options to choose from. They are all equally gorgeous, so I recommend choosing based on how far you’d like to hike!
- Canyon Trial and Homestead Trail (2.3 miles) – considered easy
- Wolf Tree Trail (2.7 miles) – considered easy
- Smith Rock State Park Canyon Trail (3.3 miles) – considered moderate
- Crooked River Trail (4.5 miles) – considered easy
- Tumala Falls and Double Falls – We did not end up getting here but it was second on our list, and we most likely will be back to check it out.
- Old Mill District – This is a nice outdoor shopping district with lots of your basic mall stores. If you’re looking for somewhere to shop in the Bend, OR area, I definitely recommend going here before anywhere else!
🍔 WHERE WE ATE
We got lots of recommendations for places to eat in Bend, OR. We ended up going to The Lot but below is a list of options:
- Spork – World food
- Wild Rose – Thai food
- Sancho’s Tacos – Mexican food, including tacos (;
- The Lot – A food truck pod with multiple options + a brewery. I recommend the BBQ truck!
- There are also tons of wineries in the area that we didn’t get to but look so cute! When we go back I plan to do a post about everything we try in the area, so stay tuned for that!
Day 6: Home/Airport
On day 6 we drove back home!
Tips Before Hopping on the Road
- Download Google Maps offline for both, Oregon and California.
- Book your hotels on Booking.com. They have lots of affordable options and include all processing and cleaning fees within the preview price!
- Book your campsites in advance. If you decide to go the campsite route, book any that you can in advance so you don’t have to worry about them being full booked.
- Bring cash (small bills are best!) for campsites and parks that require paid day-passes.
This post is all about planning an Oregon and northern California road trip.
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