A two-week road trip through the Pacific Northwest, mixing misty forests, alpine hikes, coastal sunsets, and brewery stops. From Olympic National Park to Crater Lake and down to Monterey, here’s how we explored nature, chased starfish, and tasted the best local beers. Travel notes from a road trip done in September 2025.

Itinerary:

Day by day

Day 1: Saturday, Sept 6: Arrival to Seattle and drive to Olympic

We landed in Seattle on Saturday, Sept 6 around 10:00 AM. After a long wait for luggage and a rental car mix-up, we grabbed Panda Express near by the airport and tried to buy bear spray at REI (no luck, but staff said it wasn’t needed). We then started our road trip and by 4:00 PM, we arrived in Port Angeles, checked into our Airbnb. 

At 5:30 PM, we walked along the coast in Port Angeles, not much to see and we quickly stopped at Barhop Brewery for a flight. Not the best beer, but good vibe. We continued our short walking visit and picked up a mixed 4-pack at Angeles Brewing Supplies & Taproom where the beer selection was more interesting. Overall we didn’t really enjoy Port Angeles, maybe due to foggy weather, so we grabbed groceries at Safeway, and had dinner at the Airbnb.

Day 2: Sunday, Sept 7: Rainforest and Tide Pools

Jet lag woke us early. We left the Airbnb at 5:30 AM, heading to Hoh Rainforest and nearly hitting deer in town. On our way to Hoe we did a short coffee stop at Shot in the Dark in Forks around 7:10 AM where the raspberry white chocolate scone was really good. 

We arrived at Hoh Rainforest around 8:00 AM. Did the Hall of Mosses and Spruce Trail — easy and beautiful. Then hiked the Hoh River Trail to Mineral Creek (8.9k, 65m elevation – AllTrails link). The waterfall wasn’t huge, but the mossy trees and small bridge nearby were magical. It was everything we wanted to do in this area and we left to go back to forks for lunch. Going out of the Hoh area the traffic jam to get in was impressive. You need to arrive early!

We arrived in Forks by 12:30 PM, none of the restaurants looked great so we grabbed a blueberry scone and watched the US Open in the car while eating some sandwiches. We then drove toward the south west coast of the park. 

We stopped at the Tree of Life for a quick picture. The beach was nice (not amazing) and the Tree of Life is not as picturesque as it was a few years ago. We then stopped by the ranger station  just south from the Tree of Life and the ranger recommended Beach 4 because it’s less crowded (it was great advice). There are some stairs to go down to the beach and after a 10-minute walk north on the beach, we found tide pools full of bright anemones, starfish, a pelican, and a seal. I was not sure what to expect but the tide pool at low tide are really magical. 

Our last activity of the day is Rialto Beach to walk up to Hole in the Wall (5.3km Alltrails link). We arrived around 5:45 PM. Fog blocked the view at first, but as we walked toward Hole in the Wall, the rock formations appeared. This was an impressive scenery that we really enjoyed. The tide was starting to go up but we still saw some nice starfish and anemones. We wanted to have a drink watching the sunset but there was too much fog so we just walked back along the sea enjoying our drink. We reached the parking lot around 7:45 PM just after sunset and drove back to Port Angeles. This walk at sunset and low tide in Rialto beach was one of the best moments of our trip and is highly recommended. Check with the rangers for the tide time. 

Day 3: Monday, Sept 8: Hurricane Ridge and Sol Duc

In Port Angeles we had an overcast sky but some forecasts were announcing sun in Hurricane Ridge. We trusted the forecast and left Port Angeles arround 7:10am. In our way to Hurricane Ridge we grabbed coffees at Fogtown (white chocolate honey latte). The road was foggy, but the parking lot was right at the cloud line.

We walked the Cirque Rim Nature Trail, saw a young elk, and enjoyed views of the sea of clouds. It was a good short hike and was perfect with the cloud line.

We then took the 8-mile unpaved road to Obstruction Point Trailhead. The road itself was great as we saw marmots, deer, lagopus, and chipmunks. The trail felt too remote and with too many cougar signs so we returned to Hurricane Hill.

In Hurricane Hill we did the Hurricane Hill via Hurricane Ridge trail (5.5km, 252m elevation Alltrails link). This is a paved and scenic hike with great views and some wildlife (deer, lagopus). The sea of clouds started to clear, revealing the base of Mount Olympus.

After the hike we drove down to Port Angeles and stopped at the visitor center for gifts. We then headed to Sol Duc to hike up to the waterfall. We arrived at the trailhead around 3:30pm and had to park along the road. The trail to the waterfall took us about 50 minutes walking fast but stopping for some photos. On the way back, we briefly visited Salmon Cascade, as I was intrigued by this stop. Taking a nice Salmon photo is challenging but if you are more patient than us you might be able to do it.

To finish the day we went back in Port Angeles and stopped at Mighty Pine Brewery. This brewery has a cool location with decent beer. 

Day 4: Tuesday, Sept 9: Seattle and Fremont Brewing

We left Port Angeles at 8:00 AM, to go to Seattle. We used the 10:25 AM Bainbridge Ferry to cross the Puget sound instead of driving around it. Even if the weather was not very good the ferry was a good experience as it provided a cool view of the Seattle sky line for a reasonable cost (about $23 for car + passengers). It also saved some driving time.

In Seattle we parked at our hotel near the Space Needle, and walked to Pike Place Market. We initially tried the original Starbucks but skipped it due to the long lines. For lunch we took a salmon sandwich and a Northwest chowder at Market Fish and they were both excellent. 

After lunch we continued walking in Seattle, exploring the piers and stopping by a few gift shops. This is a nice area to walk with a lot of tourists. We then went back to the hotel to check in and go Running to Fremont Brewing. We started running around 3:00 PM, and from the space needle it’s a 10K round trip (also stopping by the Fremont Troll). The Fremont Brewing beer garden was full of flowers and good beers and we enjoyed our stop.  

At 5:30 PM, we headed to the Climate Pledge Arena for a 7:00 PM WNBA game. We were a bit early as the doors only opened at 6:00 PM. The WNBA game was a great experience with a good atmosphere and good food / beer (expensive, as expected in any arena).  We also got our jersey signed between the practice and the game for a nice souvenir.

Day 5: Wednesday, Sept 10: Mount Rainier Sunrise

We left our Seattle hotel at 7:30 AM and stopped at the historical Pike Starbucks. Early in the morning the wait was only a few minutes. We then drove to Mt Rainier Sunrise, arriving around 10:00 AM. The final part of the road to access Sunrise is very scenic (advance booking for time entry may be required depending when you go). 

In Sunrise we hiked the Burroughs Loop Trail clockwise. The full hike is 15km and 800m elevation (Alltrails link) if you do the three Burroughs. On our side we stopped atthe second Burroughs shortening the hike a bit. The hike was very scenic, it started at the limit of the tree line, and hiked across meadows to arrive at a more desertic alpine landscape.  All along we had nice views of the summit with just a few clouds on top of it. And the picnic at the second Burroughs was the perfect spot to admire it. 

We finished the hike around 1:00 PM, and drove then to the Paradise area of the park. It was supposed to be a relatively short drive but due to road closure we had an additional 2 hours detour and arrived in Paradise only around 5:00 PM. The visitor center was still open so we went for some advice and souvenirs before checking into Paradise Inn. The Inn was in the cloud so no sunset views from Reflection lake.  But the common room was very cozy so we enjoyed our picnic dinner and beer from the wooden mezzanine.  

Day 6: Thursday, Sept 11: Sunrise at Myrtle Falls

We woke up at 6:00 AM to pack the car and do the check out before going hiking. We started walking around 7:00 AM and reached Myrtle Falls just in time for sunrise photos. There were few other people trying to get the same picture but we were able to have a few with no one on the bridge. We had breakfast at the waterfall, and we then hiked the Skyline Trail clockwise. 

The Skyline loop Trail is a 9km 550m elevation (Alltrails link) which similarly to the  Burroughs loop starts at the limit of the tree lines, goes up to grassy meadow and continues up to more desertic alpine landscape. The Skyline loop is even more scenic, with more beautiful meadows, more mammoths and some mountain goats that we were only able to see from far away in Sunrise. Being born and raised in the French Alpes we were impressed by how beautiful and accessible this hike was. There are certainly some areas in the Alpes that are as beautiful but they would not be as accessible as this hike. 

Back at the car by 10:00 AM, we packed up quickly and began the drive toward Portland. Not long into the trip, the rental car surprised us with a persistent alarm warning. We debated continuing, but given the long stretch of driving ahead, we decided to play it safe and detoured to the Portland airport to swap vehicles. The exchange was thankfully quick and efficient, and with a new car and some peace of mind, we continued into the city.

Our first stop was Great Notion NW brewery, where we shared a pizza and some beer flights. Their menu leans into bold, creative flavors, and every beer—especially the fruit‑forward ones, and the IPA were excellent. It was the perfect reset after the unexpected car drama.

We checked into our Airbnb near Governor Park, dropped our bags, and headed out on foot toward Powell’s Books. Wandering through the endless floors and themed rooms felt like entering a maze you want to get lost in. After picking up a few books, we drove to the Imperial Bottle Shop & Taproom, a relaxed spot with a thoughtful selection of regional beers. The neighborhood felt much livelier than downtown, and it was a great place to end the day.

Day 7: Friday, Sept 12: Hood River, Multnomah Falls, and Arrival in Bend

We woke up early and headed to Voodoo Doughnut around 7:30–8:00 AM. There was no line at that hour, which made the stop quick and easy, though the number of people sleeping on the sidewalks around the area did not invite longer stops. We picked a small assortment of donuts and drove toward Washington Park to start our morning run.

We parked near the International Rose Test Garden and set off on a loop through the garden and up into the Arlington Heights neighborhood. The route climbed steadily toward the Redwood Deck Observatory, weaving past beautiful homes tucked into the hillside. On the way back down, we took our time wandering through the rose garden, stopping to smell a few varieties with surprisingly rich fragrances. Back at the car, we split one of the donuts as a post‑run treat. Altogether the run was about 7 km.

After a shower and packing up at the Airbnb, we left Portland around 10:30 AM and followed the Columbia River east toward Hood River. Our first stop was Multnomah Falls. Parking requires staying on the main highway (we first tried the old highway but it’s nearly impossible to park). From the highway parking, it’s just a short walk to the bridge overlook. The falls were beautiful and worth a stop even if they are too crowded.

We continued to Hood River for lunch at Pfriem Brewery, arriving just after noon. A ten‑minute wait gave us time to sample a beer in the taproom, browse some of their merch, and get a feel for the place. Once seated, we ordered the fish and chips, the wurst plate, and a six‑beer tasting. Everything was excellent — flavorful food, balanced beers, and a warm, inviting atmosphere. It’s absolutely a stop we’d recommend.

From Hood River we began the drive south and east around Mount Hood toward Bend. The road was scenic and relaxing, passing through stretches of forest and wide‑open landscapes. Upon arriving in Bend, we checked into our Airbnb and took a short walk around town, stopping briefly at Reflection pond with a nice wood pedestrian bridge.

As sunset approached, we made our way to Crux Fermentation Project. Their flights of four were only $10, so of course we had to order two while watching the sky turn orange behind the mountains. Bend immediately charmed us: food carts everywhere, a lively brewery scene, and a relaxed outdoor vibe. We wished we had more than one night to explore it all.

Day 8: Saturday, Sept 13: Crater Lake

We left Bend around 7:30 AM, stopping at WildRoots Coffeehouse for a quick coffee before heading south toward Crater Lake. The drive was peaceful, passing through open forest and long stretches of quiet highway. When we arrived, we learned that the East Rim Drive was closed until 4:00 PM due to a race, which meant we had to skip the cove hike and the chance to swim in the lake.

We started at the Watchman Overlook and hiked the short trail to the viewpoint. Even after seeing photos for years, the deep blue of the lake was genuinely striking. Afterward, we drove to Crater Lake Village and walked the Discovery Point Trail. The point itself isn’t remarkable, but the rim‑side trail offers great angles and open views of the water. We were lucky enough to spot an osprey.

Our final hike was Garfield Peak (5.8km 327m elevation Alltrails link), where the steady climb brings progressively wider views of the caldera. We had a picnic at the summit, enjoying the calm air and nice scenery despite a bit of wildfire haze softening the horizon.

Around 2:00 PM, we began the long drive to Crescent City. The road wound through forested gorges with plenty of curves, making the drive more interesting than the typical highway stretch. Arriving near Crescent City before sunset and seeing the first massive redwood groves was an impressive and memorable transition into the next part of the trip.

Day 9: Sunday, Sept 14: Redwoods and Sunset

We started our day by the Prairie Creek Visitor Center that we reached around 9:15 AM, making a quick photo stop along Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, where the morning light filtered beautifully through the tall redwoods.

Our first hike was the Big Tree via Karl Knapp and Cathedral Trees Loop (4.7km, Alltrails link), a peaceful walk through dense redwood forest. The air was humid, with a light drizzle that made the trees shine and the forest floor feel even more lush. After the loop, we continued south to the Kuchel Visitor Center for a quick stop before returning to the Prairie Creek area to complete the short Revelation Loop.

Between hikes, we had a picnic at the start of Davidson Road, where a herd of elk was resting in the meadow. Watching such large animals so calmly grazing nearby was a great moment. 

Next, we drove the dirt-packed Howland Hill Road toward the Grove of the Titans trail. The narrow road winding through the giant redwoods was an adventure on its own, and the hike offered some of the most impressive trunks and quiet forest atmosphere of the entire trip.

We returned to the Airbnb for a short break before heading out again in the early evening. Around sunset, we drove about 45 minutes north to the Natural Bridges Viewpoint. We settled at a small overlook just south of the main parking area, enjoying a drink while watching the Pacific glow orange and pink as the sun dipped behind the sea stacks. It was a peaceful and memorable end to the day.

Day 10: Monday, Sept 15: Fern Canyon and Redding

We left Crescent City around 9:00 AM and stopped at Paragon Coffee for an espresso baklava latte and an earl grey–vanilla scone. After that, we drove about 1 hour 30 minutes to Fern Canyon.

We started the hike around 10:30 AM. A crew was removing the seasonal bridges, but with low Gore‑Tex shoes we still managed to do the full loop without getting wet. Fern Canyon was very impressive, with tall fern‑covered walls and a fun stream crossing. There were a few people on the trail, but not too many, going earlier would probably have been even better. It’s hard to capture the size of the canyon in photos but the place is impressive. We returned via the forest loop on the north side. (Advance reservation required for Fern Canyon)

The road was easy with an SUV. We also saw sedans making it through slowly, so it seems manageable for most cars in this seasons where streams are low. 

After Fern Canyon, we stopped at Trillium Falls for a short hike to the waterfall and back. It’s a small but charming waterfall, and there are some nice redwoods along the trail.

We had a picnic in the parking lot of the trail, then we began the drive to Redding for the night. The road follows a river for a long stretch, it’s long but very scenic, with places that looked like good swimming spots if we’d had more time.

Once in Redding, we went for a run around Turtle Bay Park. The area is very dry, but we enjoyed seeing people fishing right in the middle of the river. We returned to the Airbnb for the night. The city seems to have some cool bars, but the one recommended to us was closed on Monday.

Day 11: Tuesday, Sept 16: Lassen and Sonoma

We left the Airbnb around 7:00 AM and stopped at Old Shasta Coffee for a good coffee to start the day. From there, we drove toward the Lassen Cinder Cone Trail (7.6km 334M elevation Alltrails link). The last 6 miles are on a dirt road and took a little bit more time. The approach hike isn’t very exciting, but once the cone appears, it’s huge and impressive. The climb to the top is steep and sandy, so it’s a real workout, but the views from the summit are worth it. There was some wildfire haze, but we could still see the Painted Dunes and the surrounding lava fields. The best views actually came on the way down, with the colors of the Painted Dunes standing out more clearly.

Back at the car, we drove to the Lassen North Entrance and followed the scenic park road. We stopped at Summit Lake for a picnic, though it wasn’t the best spot — the lakes closer to Helen Lake would have been nicer.

Next, we hiked the Bumpass Hell Trail. It’s a cute, easy walk with bubbling pools and steam vents in the middle of nowhere. It’s interesting to see, though not nearly as dramatic as Yellowstone.

After a quick stop at the South Entrance Visitor Center, we started the long 4 hour drive to Sonoma Valley. For dinner, we went to Russian River Brewery. The food and beer were very good, and we especially liked their tasting flight with small pours of all 20 beers on tap. It was fun to try everything,  some beers felt a bit overrated, but their saisons were excellent.

Day 12: Wednesday, Sept 17: Sonoma to San Francisco

We started the morning with a short run in Sonoma, then enjoyed breakfast at the hotel before packing up. Around 10:00–10:30 AM, we left Sonoma and drove to San Francisco arriving by the Golden gate bridge. 

Since we had visited the city a few years earlier (link here), we didn’t plan any major stops. Instead, we walked along the piers and made our way to the Chase Center to pick up some Valkyries WNBA merch. After that, we headed back toward the waterfront and stopped at Fort Point Brewery for a break. It was a nice quiet moment to write postcards and pick up some bread from Acme Bread. .

By late afternoon, we walked to Atelier Crenn for our 5:00 PM dinner reservation. It was our first time dining at a three‑star restaurant, and the experience was incredible. The dishes were complex and beautifully presented, yet everything tasted balanced and memorable. 

After dinner, we drove south to Monterey for the night.

Day 13: Thursday Sept 18: Monterey first day

The weather in Monterey wasn’t great that morning, so we decided to drive inland to Pinnacles National Park. We started hiking around 10:30 AM, taking The Condor Gulch Trail to High Peaks Trail Loop (8.7km 498m elevation, Alltrails link) . It’s a fun loop with narrow passages and great rock formations. We saw a few condors flying overhead, but they were too far away (or to fast) for good photos. At the parking lot there were smaller birds that were easier to photo. 

We finished the hike (including picnic at the summit) around 2:00 PM and drove back to Monterey.

In the afternoon, we walked along the northwest coastline of Monterey, following the bike path toward the aquarium. We parked a bit northwest of the aquarium in a free 2‑hour zone and continued walking along the water. We spotted several sea lions resting on the rocks, which was a nice surprise. The gift shops near the aquarium felt a bit touristy, but we did pick up a Monterey Starbucks mug with an otter on it.

We continued walking up to Alvarado Street Brewery, we ordered a flight and some calamari. It’s a great spot with good energy, though it can get busy. Afterward, we headed back to our lodge for a quiet dinner.

Day 14: Friday Sept 19: Monterey 2nd day

We started the morning with a run along the northwest coast of Monterey, following Sunset Drive and Ocean View Avenue. The coastline was quiet and fresh early in the day. After the run, we returned to the lodge for a shower and breakfast before heading to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

We stayed at the aquarium from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The otters were fun to watch, and some of the exhibits were really interesting. One of the best was the deep‑sea section.  It’s a great place for families, though a bit expensive for the amount of time we spent there. The gift shop was very nice.

After the visit, we went back to Ocean View Avenue for a simple picnic lunch by the water. In the afternoon, we drove to Point Lobos (entry fee $10) and walked a few of the coastal trails. We saw several otters floating in the kelp beds; they were hard to spot at first, but they were definitely there. We also tried one of the northern trails, though it wasn’t as scenic as the main coastal paths.

After those cool costal walks we had a quick break at our lodge. And to finish the the day we went for a sunset picnic on Sunset Drive, just enjoying the views over the ocean.

Day 15: Saturday Sept 20: Monterey 3rd and final day

It was the last day of our trip, and before leaving the lodge, we drove the 17‑Mile Drive in Pebble Beach (entry fee about  $12).  The morning fog made the scenery even more beautiful, with soft light over the ocean and the rocks. We ate a small snack breakfast while watching a few otters and seabirds along the coast. The calm atmosphere and the morning luminosity made it a great start to the day.

After this initial driving loop we went back to the lodge to pack and load the car, then drove south to Bixby Bridge, known from Big Little Lies. The road to get there is very scenic, with cliffs and wide ocean views. On the way, we noticed that Point Lobos was extremely crowded, much busier than when we visited on a weekday.

After Bixby Bridge, we returned to Monterey for our traditional In‑N‑Out stop of the trip. Once finished, we went back into the 17‑Mile Drive area and walked a short section of the coastal trails. The otters we had seen in the morning were gone, and the midday sun made the views a little harsher, but it was still a pleasant walk.

We ended the afternoon at the Lone Eagle Bar (17‑Mile Drive lodge bar), enjoying a cocktail while watching golfers and the ocean in the background. After that, we drove back to San Francisco for our red‑eye flight home.

Reflecting on the itinerary

Looking back, the itinerary involved quite a bit of driving, but it worked well. The long distances felt balanced with two drivers thanks to the variety of landscapes along the way. If we wanted a slower pace, one alternative could have been to stay mainly around the Seattle area, exploring the islands or North Cascades National Park. Another option would have been to skip Crater Lake and drive from Portland to the Redwoods along the Oregon Coast, which would have added more ocean views and fewer mountain miles.

In terms of national parks, Ariana loved Mount Rainier the most. The accessibility of those alpine meadows and panoramic ridges made the whole area feel almost unreal. Antoine’s favorite was Olympic National Park, largely because of its diversity: lush rainforest, dramatic coastline with tide pools, and high‑alpine viewpoints all in one park. Experiencing such different environments within only a few hours of each other was something truly special.

Overall, early September was a fantastic time for this road trip. The parks were noticeably less crowded, the weather was still great, with some late-summer warmth. 

Map

You can use the Map below to see the full itinerary!