[Pegger]

Planning to ride from S Cal up into Washington along the coast and burn back home on interstates. Have no time in CA, OR or WA to speak of. Please make me smart on what I am to do and what I should avoid. Time frame is from Sunday to Sunday. Looking at May/June 2020. Thanks for your input.

 

[kwthom]

If it's your first time, you'll never see it all in a week. It takes too long to see stuff - plus, you have the two to three days of travel to get back home.

https://kwthom.blogspot.com/2008/07/first-out-of-state-tour-california_18.html

Believe me, I could do this trip a little better than I did a decade ago.

 

[MountainRider]

Highway 101 all the way North is pretty scenic and easy. Watch the weather! 101 up the Cali coast can experience landslides if there's enough wet weather. Along the Oregon and Washington coast you can encounter rain and wind. Watch the forecast and try to time your trip accordingly and you'll have a beautiful trip. Long beach and Westport in Washington are great for whale watching, and further North in Forks, you'll find the entrance to Olympic National Park. In Oregon, if you take a detour from the coast going inland, Crater Lake is a beautiful side trip. A week is cutting it a bit tight for much more than riding and watching the scenery go by. Good luck and ride safe.

 

[kevincaron]

I like North to South on the 101.

Puts the pull offs on the right side to take in the views without having to cross traffic.

 

[revrunt]

Any way you can reverse the trip? The 101 is much better from N to S as the views next to the water are much better and pullouts are much easier to negotiate...

You’re going to have a great trip!

:thumbup:

 

[Bopropucope]

We are on 101 as I type. Heading south from Cannon Beach to rent 4x4 and S by S at Riding Dirty in Oregon . Very scenic ride with thousands of places to visit, eat and drink so far. Eat at Tom's Fish and Chips for good fish and burgers in Cannon Beach.

 

[glarson3]

1 and 101 are different roads. I would advise starting north to south if possible. At least in southern California the 1 will be slow moving, and some portions will take you a bit inland through traffic. Some spots are best to hop on a freeway to get about 10 miles north to get back to the coastal route of Pacific Coast Highway(1). 101 is a faster ride as it is intrastate, but not nearly as scenic until you get into the redwoods.

 

[CAWing]

Pack your rain gear and don't have it too far down in your saddlebag. :grin2: How many miles do you plan on riding in a day? So much to see but will be hard with your limited time. Coast travel can be slow at times due to the tourists. Safe travels and just try to make the most of every day. :wink2:

 

[Retired guy]

Expect lots of slow traffic on 101 in Oregon. California and Washington are not so bad.

 

[kwthom]

My estimate would be, for a first time trip, it would take seven days...not counting the time to get to the road, then the two or more days to get home, if doing it south to north.

The southernmost point? Santa Monica, certainly. Point Mugu area has been used for decades for automotive commercials.

 

[winger63]

I like North to South on the 101.

Puts the pull offs on the right side to take in the views without having to cross traffic.

:agree:
Almost all pull outs are on the west side of the road. I have ridden north and south from central California to Tacoma and vice-versa. Going north to south is much easier.