Lady’s Oregon Road Trip Itinerary

Today I want to share my Oregon road trip itinerary with you. The Pacific Northwest is a great part of the United States for driving, and the Oregon coast has some of the most spectacular scenery in the region.

Oregon Road Trip

Just when I think California has the most scenic coastline in the world, I cross the border into Oregon. Suddenly I find myself immersed in mist and surrounded by wildflowers, and I feel like I’m in a dream.

This state certainly rivals mine in beauty. My Oregon road trip is taking me up the coast and inland, and there’s more loveliness to come.

After visiting San Francisco, Yosemite, and Mendocino, I’ve traveled north with my boyfriend to the Oregon border.

We’re driving the coastal road as far as we can, then cutting inland to do some wine tasting and stay in Portland. From there it’s full-speed to Seattle, where our West Coast road trip concludes with a friend’s wedding.

Oregon Road Trip Itinerary

But back to the beginning of the Oregon road trip. As soon as we cross the state line, we can’t help stopping at every beach and vista point we see. The Oregon coast is legendary for its scenery for good reason.

Oregon Coast

We hike down to secluded crescents, teasing the waves with our feet as hulking boulders look on. Then we’re on high hills with views of rock arches dotted with pink and white flowers. From Whaleshead Beach to Ophir, we’re smitten.

Then we drive to quirky cafes in Lincoln City, where we have fish tacos in a garden full of fanciful kitsch. And that’s to say nothing of The Spoon cafe in Langlois, a perfect American diner with friendly service to match.

The Oregon coast is so colorful that it’s hard to tear ourselves away. But the state’s interior has just as much to tantalize our senses, so inland we drive.

Willamette Valley

The next stop on our Oregon road trip itinerary is the Willamette Valley. If our eyes were in awe of the beaches, our mouths are enamored with the wines.

This part of Oregon produces some of the best Pinot Noirs in the world, and wine tasting is a must while driving through.

Our first winery is Kramer Vineyards. We wonder if we’re lost as we drive down a narrow dirt road to find it, but soon we pull up to a rustic tasting room with tables among the vines.

It’s a great place to kick off the wine tour leg of our Oregon road trip.

Nearby Elk Cove Vineyards is our second Willamette Valley winery. With a big tasting room and lush gardens, it’s grander than Kramer but still maintains a friendly ambiance. And that’s to say nothing of the excellent wines.

Portland, Oregon

Back in our convertible, we hit the road for the short drive to Portland, the next stop on our Oregon road trip itinerary. The most famous city in Oregon, Portland is not only the hipster capital of America but also a great foodie city.

Travel Portland has put us up at the Hotel deLuxe for the night, and we’re happy with its central location and cinema-themed style. The check-in is seamless, and our room is both spacious and quiet.

From the hotel we head out to explore Portland. Our first stop is the Pearl District, one of the downtown’s most exciting areas. We make an obligatory pilgrimage to Powell’s City of Books, the multi-story bookstore I like to think of as heaven.

From there we wander up to Slabtown in the Alphabet District for cocktails at a local bar. Its semi-warehouse feel and big open windows are the perfect atmosphere in which to start a night out in Portland.

Dinner is at Andina, a Peruvian classic in the heart of the city. The food is every bit as good as we’ve heard, and continues to uphold Portland’s reputation as one of the world’s top culinary cities.

The next morning we’re off to explore two more mouth-watering highlights of Portland. The first is a coffee shop where we start our day with cappuccinos and pretty flowers.

Afterwards we visit the Portland Farmers’ Market, a Saturday morning special. Once again our eyes are on sensory overload as we take in everything from ripe cherries to fresh bread.

In between we give our noses a treat at the International Rose Test Garden in Portland. With blooms nestled among the dense green trees of Washington Park, it’s one of the most colorful places in the Pacific Northwest.

Portland to Seattle

There’s more to dazzle our senses, but Seattle calls and our Oregon road trip must continue.

I wish we could repeat the Oregon coast trip I did last summer, when I drove from Cannon Beach to Astoria. But time is moving faster than we are.

Pulling onto Highway 5, we cross the Washington border and start to miss Oregon as soon as we do. But we’ve brought with us minds full of memories and a bottle of Pinot Noir.

Oregon Road Trip and Beyond

It won’t be long before we revisit the state in spirit, and hopefully not much longer until we return in person.

If you get a chance to do a road trip in Oregon, I hope you enjoy the experience as much as we did. From the cities to the coast, there are a lot of places to love here.

Have you done an Oregon road trip? Where did you go?

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