Washington, Oregon, and California comprise the West Coast of the Lower 48, and all are known for their creative and free-spirited vibes. Unlike the East Coast, the landscape of the West features a motley of geographic gems; you can see white sand beaches, lush valleys, and giant forests of Redwoods across a single day.
Part One of this three-part guide covered the Northern Expanse of the United States from Chicago to Seattle: http://tinyurl.com/j2uhud4.
Part Two will focus on Oregon and California, particularly the cities of Portland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
This was our itinerary for Part Two of The Road Trip Across America, days 13 through 25:
Day 13 - The Oregon Coast Day 14 - Portland Day 15 - The Oregon Interior Day 16 - Northern California Day 17 - San Francisco Day 18 - San Francisco Day 19 - Mount Tamalpais and Point Reyes Day 20 - San Francisco Day 21 - Pacific Coast Highway Day 22 - Pacific Coast Highway Day 23 - Los Angeles Day 24 - Los Angeles Day 25 - Los Angeles
Driving straight south from Olympic National Park toward Oregon, you'll cross the Astoria-Megler Bridge, which spans the mouth of the Columbia River. At 21,474 feet across, it's the longest continuous truss bridge in North America. There will be a pull-off area right before the bridge if you would like to stop and take photos.
Built in 1926, the Astoria Column is on the National Register of Historic Places, and the mural on its exterior depicts 14 major events that shaped Oregon's history. A free guide to each section of the mural is available in the gift shop. Entrance to the observation tower is also free, although parking costs a small fee.
Before climbing the 164 steps to the top of the tower and taking in the view of the Columbia River, spend a dollar or two on a toy glider at the gift shop. These wooden planes can be launched from the top of the Column, and it's a delight to watch them wend their way down through the trees, even if they become lost in the wilderness.
"You can throw these wooden planes from the top of the Astoria Column."
"View of the Columbia River and Astoria-Megler Bridge from the Astoria Column."
"The intricate murals of the Astoria Column depict Oregon's history."
The entrance to Ecola State Park is a long winding road, but the elevated views of the beaches at the park overlooks are worth a rough drive. Take a forested two-mile hike on the Indian Beach Trail or dip your toes in the sand along the beach. There is a $5 entrance fee.
"Overlooking Crescent Beach at Ecola State Park - Oregon"
Pittock Mansion is the 46-room estate of former newspaper publisher Henry Pittock. Touring the historic interior of the mansion has an admissions fee, but you can gaze out at the backyard view of the Portland skyline at no charge.
"The view of Portland from Pittock Mansion."
A Portland staple, Powell's City of Books is the largest independent bookstore in the world, comprising over 68,000 square feet. The store is so huge that they provide a map of the different sections. Its enormity is the draw, not the architecture, but Powell's is still a must-see for book lovers.
"Found Ursula K. Le Guin's signature on the wall at Powell's City of Books!"
With a slogan of "Keep Portland Weird," it's no surprise that this city is bursting with quirky sights and stories (never mind that Austin, Texas and other cities share the same mantra). The pay-what-you-feel Secrets of Portlandia Walking Tour is a fantastic way to learn the character of the city in the span of a few hours.
The tour begins at The Pioneer Courthouse Square, an outdoor event space known as "Portland's Living Room." From there, the guide will share tidbits about Portland's love of food trucks, the presence of "bubblers" (water fountains) across the city, the controversy over the Portlandia Statue, hotel ghost stories, and the history of Voodoo Doughnut.
On the walking tour, you'll hear all about Mill Ends Park, the smallest park in the world and home of leprechauns. Take a stroll around the park and enjoy the welcoming presence of nature in this urban area.
Voodoo Doughnut captures the very essence of Portland's novelty and weirdness. With over a hundred imaginative flavors, from the cereal-inspired to the ever-popular Maple Bacon, Voodoo has something for everyone. The signature doughnut is the Voodoo Doll, a chocolate-coated monster that you can stab with a pretzel stick to make the raspberry jelly ooze out.
To avoid the out-the-door lines, visit their secondary location on the other side of town, Voodoo Too. Both stores are open 24 hours. Another highly popular (and perhaps classier) doughnut chain based in Portland is Blue Star Donuts, which are made from a French brioche recipe and involve more gourmet flavors.
"The cashier said the purple one is Grape Kool-Aid flavored."
Voodoo is known for its attention-grabbing pink boxes and wildly inappropriate doughnut themes. The company once sold a hangover doughnut dipped in Pepto Bismol and topped with crushed Tums.
The Portland Japanese Garden is a treasure. The garden is divided into five sections that take about an hour to fully explore. The traditional Japanese temples, statues, and trees will transport you to another time and place. From the Pavilion, you can see a distant view of the city skyline.
Public tours are offered at noon each day and are included with admission. The garden also hosts a number of festivals and tea ceremonies throughout the year, so be sure to check the event calendar. The fall colors here are said to be stunning. For another immersive cultural experience, visit the Lan Su Chinese Garden to the east.
"Visiting the Portland Japanese Garden reignited my former longing to immerse myself in Japan's culture and language."
Near the Japanese Garden, you can almost smell the fragrant flowers of the International Rose Test Garden, which contains over five hundred varieties, many of which are hybrids. It's no wonder Portland is known as the City of Roses. There's even an annual Rose Festival in May and June that attracts over two million visitors.
When we visited in late May, the roses were in full bloom, and we were astounded by the vast array of colors and shapes. It is the perfect atmosphere for romance.
Entrance is free, as are the public tours offered in the afternoons. Forest Park, the largest urban forest in the U.S., is located just north of the Rose Test Garden.
"The International Rose Test Garden is simply incredible. The colors! The aroma!"
Obviously, this list is not exhaustive, especially when it comes to California. For instance, we are not wine drinkers, so we did not stop in Napa Valley, even though it was on our route. San Diego, San Jose, Sequoia, Yosemite, Death Valley—you'd have to add at least a week to the trip to scratch the surface of those places.
While in Los Angeles, we really regretted not attending some kind of live performance. We wanted to see a cheap improv comedy show at the Upright Citizens Brigade or snag tickets to Ellen DeGeneres. We even got tickets for a live taping of Celebrity Family Feud (studio audience tickets are usually free for any show), but we decided not to go because it would be an all-day affair of waiting in line without phones or cameras; you also have to adhere to a certain dress code. Still, it would've been a fun experience, and I urge other travelers to give it a shot so that I may live vicariously.
There is endless beauty in the United States, both in urban life and natural wonders, and traveling down the West Coast is an experience unlike any other.
See The Road Trip Across America Part Three: The Interior for the final installment of this cross-country adventure at http://tinyurl.com/hwl9ond.
BONUS, our trip around the coast of Florida: http://tinyurl.com/j3an9te