u/Advanced-Stomach2679

Hi all! I’m interested in buying any spare grad tickets for 5/15 @ 6:00 pm. Pls let me know if you have any available.

My girlfriend and I would like to plan our first road trip up the Pacific Northwest. We are going to be leaving from the San Fernando Valley, CA and going up to Oregon. We’re not sure where we would like to end in Oregon, but we know we would like to sightsee along the way we’d like to dedicate 7 to 8 days for the entire road trip, but if necessary we can spend an extra day or two.

We’d like to sightsee as much as possible and hit as many landmarks as possible we’d like to definitely go through Big Sur and see Cannon Beach.

We’ve done some preliminary research and have asked ChatGPT to help build an itinerary. Since it’s our first trip we’d like to get opinions on the itinerary. Any insight is appreciated!

Here is the itinerary:

“
Day 1 — SF Valley → Big Sur / Monterey
Drive: ~5.5–7 hrs with stops
Stops: Santa Barbara, Pismo Beach, Morro Bay, San Simeon elephant seals, Ragged Point, McWay Falls, Bixby Bridge
Sleep: Monterey or Carmel
This is your Big Sur day. Leave early.

Day 2 — Monterey/Carmel → San Francisco
Drive: ~2.5–3.5 hrs
Stops: Carmel-by-the-Sea, 17-Mile Drive, Monterey Bay, Santa Cruz, Half Moon Bay
Sleep: San Francisco / Marin / Petaluma
Optional: Golden Gate Bridge overlook at sunset.

Day 3 — SF Area → Mendocino / Fort Bragg
Drive: ~4–5 hrs
Stops: Muir Woods or Point Reyes, Bodega Bay, Jenner, Mendocino Headlands, Glass Beach
Sleep: Fort Bragg or Mendocino

Day 4 — Fort Bragg → Redwoods / Eureka
Drive: ~4–5 hrs
Stops: Avenue of the Giants, Humboldt Redwoods, Trinidad, Fern Canyon if conditions allow
Sleep: Eureka, Arcata, or Trinidad

Day 5 — Redwoods → Southern Oregon Coast
Drive: ~3–4 hrs
Stops: Redwood National & State Parks, Crescent City, Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Corridor, Natural Bridges, Secret Beach area
Sleep: Brookings, Gold Beach, or Bandon
This is one of the most scenic parts of the trip.

Day 6 — Southern Oregon Coast → Newport / Lincoln City
Drive: ~4–5 hrs
Stops: Bandon, Face Rock, Oregon Dunes, Cape Perpetua, Thor’s Well, Devil’s Churn, Yaquina Head Lighthouse
Sleep: Newport or Lincoln City
Oregon’s Highway 101 is officially the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway, known for rocky headlands, beaches, tide pools, dunes, and coastal towns.

Day 7 — Newport → Cannon Beach / Astoria
Drive: ~3–4 hrs
Stops: Tillamook Creamery, Cape Meares, Cannon Beach, Haystack Rock, Ecola State Park, Astoria Column
Sleep: Cannon Beach, Astoria, or Portland area

Best “endpoint” in Oregon
For a romantic/sightseeing road trip, I’d make your Oregon destination either:
Cannon Beach — best iconic Oregon Coast ending, beautiful, romantic, easy sightseeing.
Astoria — best if you want historic/cozy Pacific Northwest vibes.
Portland — best if you want a city endpoint before heading home.

The return drive
Returning from northern Oregon to the Valley is long: ~15–17 hours if you take I-5. I’d split it:

Return Day 1: Portland/Cannon Beach → Redding or Sacramento
Return Day 2: Redding/Sacramento → San Fernando Valley

My honest recommendation
Do 8–9 days total if possible.
A 7-day trip works, but it will feel like you’re constantly moving. A better version is:

Day 1: SF Valley → Big Sur/Monterey
Day 2: Monterey → SF
Day 3: SF → Mendocino
Day 4: Mendocino → Redwoods
Day 5: Redwoods → Brookings/Bandon
Day 6: Bandon → Newport
Day 7: Newport → Cannon Beach/Astoria
Day 8: Start return, sleep Redding/Sacramento
Day 9: Drive home”