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Destination request, western/northwestern US; 20th anniversary edition

mosk — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:33:44 -0800

We're celebrating our 20th anniversary this summer (yay!) and we're trying to find a place to stay for a week in the western/northwestern US to celebrate this milestone. The catch is that this destination needs to be some place new to us. A few other particular requirements below the fold. The kids will be with the grandparents, so this trip is just for us. Looking for a little peace and quiet, some quality time with each other, and also some opportunities to fish, hike, and lay around.

We're from Northern California, so we've seen a lot of NorCal, and I think we've visited many/most of the obvious choices. We'd like to try another western state. A preliminary search has given us some promising leads in eastern Oregon and southern Idaho. It looks like there are some cool places in Montana, too, but I think that may be too far to travel. Similarly intrigued by the Ruby Mountains in Nevada, but I don't think we can make it there and back and still have enough time left over to make it worthwhile.

We'll have about 8 days total, including travel time. We're willing to invest a solid day of travel on each end, but no more than that.

Here are our requirements:

1. In the Western US, within a single day's travel from the SF Bay Area. Prefer to drive, but flying is OK if all other requirements are met. If driving, this could be up to 12 hours of travel time.
2. As stated, this must be some place we haven't visited before. Tahoe and environs are out, NorCal wine country is out, central CA coast is out, Ashland and Oregon's Lake of the Woods are out. Yosemite is out. Some parts of Sequoia and Kings Canton Nat'l. Parks are out. We've visited other places, too, but those are the ones that come to mind.
3. Must be near great natural beauty and good hiking possibilities.
4. Must be near good fishing -- I strongly prefer to fish for bass, but trout would be acceptable. I have a small aluminum fishing boat that I'll bring if I can (hence the preference for driving).
5. Accommodations must be nice to very nice, where nice = clean and comfortable, and very nice = a little luxurious. This is our 20th anniversary, so no cheap motels, though a rustic cabin at a resort or lake is OK as long as it's reasonably clean. A hotel or resort with some spa facilities (or something nearby), a nice pool or lake, etc. is what we're looking for.
6. No camping this trip.
7. At least one very good restaurant within a 30-ish minute drive.
8. Off the beaten path would be an added bonus.
9. This will be in early August, so heat is a consideration.

Thanks for what ever suggestions you can pass along!

Where is the real life Rancho Relaxo?

lilnublet — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 18:07:06 -0800

My 40th birthday present to myself is to run away for several days by myself to indulge in restful solitude, nature walks, spa treatments and room service. I live in Oregon and am considering the coast, but could also be talked into Washington/California, or places other than the beach. Price is no object, but would prefer it to be within driving distance of Portland. Requirements and preferences within... In a perfect perfect world, I would like a solitary space - I'd rather a cabin than a hotel room - close enough to the ocean to hear the waves, but secluded from other people. Actually, I'd love not not to have to see or speak to a single human being the whole time, but will make exceptions for the purchase of goods and services. Things like: healthy meals, bottles of wine and icecream sundaes delivered via room service. Mud baths, facials and massages; saunas and whirlpools. Good places to run, or access to a yoga class(?). I want a fireplace in my room or a personal firepit outside it. And/or a jacuzzi. Preferably and. Beautiful nature if I feel like walking around outside, lots of stars if I just feel like sitting, and a soft fluffy bed if I don't feel like doing either. Bonus if I'm not subjected to other peoples' romantic getaways or conversations with other tourists. Suggestions?

Dogs on the I-5

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 10:32:04 -0800

Traveling from Seattle to Southern California with three dogs... looking for places along the road where we can stop and play! I am going to be driving with three pretty well-behaved dogs; my own and two puppies I am delivering to their new home in SoCal. I've done this before but never with dogs, so I'm looking for rest stops, parks, hotels, etc along the way (I-5) that are good places for dogs... off-leash parks not too far from the freeway would be ideal, but on-leash areas are OK, especially if they are large and/or pretty (instead of a token bit of dead grass).

I am getting a couple of guide books on travels with pets from AAA etc but if anyone can suggest a particular place that's worth a stop, I'd love to hear it!

New Year Renewal

lunasol — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:29:24 -0800

I'm looking for a mediation/yoga retreat in the Pacific Northwest or Northern California. I would like to take a weekend in January to go on some retreat. I'd like to go somewhere surrounded by natural beauty, where I can rest, unplug from the internet, and do some meditation and yoga. I'd like to do the whole thing for less than $500.

I was originally planning to go to Expanding Light - but between the flight to Sacramento ($200), renting a car to get there (probably around $70 plus an hour drive each way) and the cost of staying there ($180 in a shared room, $300 in my own room), it's seeming expensive and a bit more travel than I'd like.

So I'm hoping you all can help me with some alternatives. What I'd like:

- Located within 5 hours of Seattle (I'm willing to fly if it's a short flight, but in that case, I'd rather a place that's easier to get to from the airport).
- More focus on retreat and relaxation than intense meditation or yoga. I'm not very practiced in either, but I'm interested in a weekend oriented around them because I find them excellent at clearing my mind and refreshing me.
- A nice community and an opportunity to interact with other people (ie, no silent retreats.
- Would prefer a place without TV or internet access, at least in the rooms.
- Total cost (between transit, room/board, and any classes) under $500.

I would also be open to a rustic hostel/lodge type place with a friendly vibe and the opportunity to take yoga classes in lieue of a structured retreat center.

Help us fill in the blanks on our road trip from Seattle to San Francisco

desjardins — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 10:28:13 -0800

West Coast Road Trip! Mr. desjardins and I are flying into Seattle in early September, renting a car and driving to San Francisco. What do we do in between? We want places to stay and things to do. Amazing scenery is a priority. We want to car camp most of the way and do some light hiking. We'd like to see the ocean AND the mountains and take lots of pictures. Recommendation for a kayak rental place would be great, too. mr. desjardins is very outdoorsy and can handle the backwoods. It's just me and him, no kids or pets.

I'd like to get a sense of Seattle and Portland, but we're not terribly interested in spending lots of time in cities; I've seen SF a bunch of times and done all the touristy things. I have never been to Washington or Oregon and the mr. has only been to Yakima. We've driven up Hwy 1 from SF to Fort Ross so we know what we're getting into as far as driving on the coast. What's the weather like that time of year? Bugs?

Here's our very loose itinerary. The only thing we've already booked is the airfare, so we're flexible on everything else:

Friday, September 2 - fly into SeaTac late at night, stay at hotel near airport
Saturday - pick up rental car, then spend the day in Seattle (doing what?). Camp somewhere in the general area?
Sunday - Might visit friends in Bremerton, drive to ??, camp
Monday (Labor Day) - camp somewhere??, drive to Portland?
Tuesday - Spend day in Portland (doing what?)
Wednesday - Leave Portland, drive to ??, camp
Thursday - camp ??
Friday - ??, drive to SF, stay in or near San Francisco
Saturday, September 10 - drop off rental car, fly back from San Francisco (SFO)

Where should I explore on the west coast?

youcancallmeal — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 20:09:17 -0800

One month. Three states. Countless options. One girl, one dog. Where to go? I've been considering moving to the west coast for years and it seems like this is the best timing that I'm going to have.

Starting in Seattle at the end of July, I've got a month to make it back to MD for my job if I'm coming back here, so... if you were trying to find an amazing place to live for a while (say 3-5 years) on the left coast, where would you go?

I'm open to CA, OR and WA, but I've never been to any of them. I'll have some time to find a job beyond the month since I'll be on unemployment, but will be on a budget, so I think SF and LA are out but feel free to prove me wrong on that. Are there cheap hoods in SF like there still are in NYC? (I lived in East Williamsburg before it got fancy and was fine with it.)

Places that I'm currently considering and would love more guidance on:
_ Seattle, WA
_ Olympia, WA
_ Portland, OR
_ Eugene, OR
_ Humboldt County, CA
_ SF / Bay Area, CA
_ San Diego, CA

Things I like:
_ farmers markets / farms
_ walkable neighborhoods
_ good dive bars / cocktail bars
_ fancy pants coffee
_ quirky art stuff (think burlesque troupes and acrobats, not museums)
_ bike friendly places
_ trees (both the kind you smoke and the kind you climb)
_ good, cheap foodz
_ mild summers, cold winters
_ places to hike / swimming holes

What neighborhoods should I be checking out? What cities am I missing? What are the things I should be doing in each city to convince me that it's awesome?

Gimme dem points

Anonymous — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 09:14:38 -0800

Starting a new traveling sales job. At what hotel chain should I throw all my business to? I will be spending most of my time in major metro areas within the following states: Washington, California, and Colorado.

My employer will be taking care of all my bills, though I get to keep the rewards points. I would like to pick one specific hotel chain in order to maximize my return.

I have to pick from the following for each city I visit: Hampton Inn, Marriott Courtyard, Holiday Inn, and Fairfield Inn.

Curious (for those who travel often) which has the most bang for your buck regarding facilities and rewards points.

Also, should I place my orders through Hotels.com, or the hotel's website itself?

Weather along the west coast in March?

sharding — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:50:41 -0800

In late March, I'm going to drive from Seattle to Los Angeles via 101 and 1 (hugging the coast as closely as I can while staying on highways). Are there any spots along that route which have the potential for bad weather? I'm talking about freak snowstorms and the like, not just rain. I've looked at the terrain maps on Google maps, but it's pretty hard to get a sense of what the actual altitudes are through the entire route, and altitude isn't the only factor anyway.

I've driven various parts of the route over the years, but not the whole way (I've always used I-5).

Road trip USA for Aussie noob

b33j — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:09:17 -0800

International Travel novice: What do I need to know that I don't know that I don't know? I'm Australian (from warm Queensland), meeting a friend from the Netherlands in the USA (Florida) in February 2010 for a two month road trip that will go through Canada (via Texas, California, Washington and many other places - itinerary mostly not set in stone yet) with the aim to concentrate on mutual internet friends, natural beauty and historical places. Tourist attractions (like Disneyland), not so much.

I know that I need airline tickets (but when do I book?) and a passport (what about visas?). What else do I need to know? Tips on packing (buy my winter stuff there?), on flight luggage, changing currency, paying for things over there (travellers cheques? Will my debit card work? What about my Mastercard? Will I have to pay fees for exchange of currency?). How much will it cost? How much would you set aside per day for living expenses if you were doing it cheap? What about powering my battery charger for my camera - should I be the converter here or there? Storage for my photos?

What should I have asked in this question that I didn't think to ask? Books and websites much appreciated as well as personal anecdotes.

You can't say that!

parmanparman — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 15:54:01 -0800

trying to find on-camera job interview training in either the Washington, DC metro area or the San Francisco Bay Area. Numbers and contact info helpful!

Where to (indie) rock on the west coast?

ludwig_van — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 11:51:02 -0800

My east coast tour is ending. That means it's time to start booking the west coast tour. Please suggest cities and venues for a touring indie rock band to hit in NV, CA, OR, WA, and AZ. We're looking to plan way ahead for this one, so I'm thinking we'll hit the road in late September or early October. The tentative plan is to begin in Las Vegas, head to the CA coast, go north up to Seattle, then do something in eastern WA and work our way back down through northern CA, NV, possibly hit AZ, and then end up back in Vegas.

We're looking for small to medium sized indie rock clubs. We'd like to avoid really tiny places, no-name bars, places not known for music, and anywhere we aren't likely to find a receptive audience and make money - but we'd also like to keep travel distances in the 300 miles or less range.

Of specific interest - places between LA and San Francisco? Places in northern CA? Places in eastern OR and WA? Anywhere in NV besides Las Vegas?

I'm looking for venues to book, not general advice on how to tour, but lay it on me if you think it's really good. If you know someone who books at a venue, that'd be double-plus good. Link to music is in my profile, but the live show falls closer to the rock side of the spectrum than the album.

on the road again

luriete — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 14:57:06 -0800

In late May, I'll be driving with a bunch of friends in an RV from Sacramento CA to George WA and back for the Sasquatch Music Festival. I've only driven as far north as the Oregon border before, so I'm looking for recommendations of interesting places to stop - your favorite diners, pie shops, waterfalls, hot springs (improved or not) and other oddities of northwest highway culture. I'm familar with many Northern California hot springs (I really like the one in Sierraville), and would love to find other very inexpensive and informal places like that.

Why not buy Californian?

Cardinal Fang! — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 13:28:03 -0800

I'm thinking about buying a new car. I'm also thinking about moving to Washington State. Is there any reason NOT to buy a car in California - any reason that waiting and buying it in WA would be preferable?

Roadtrip from San Francisco CA to Vancouver BC, not along the coast or I-5

Emanuel — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 19:01:42 -0800

I'm looking for route ideas and places to stop for a week-long driving trip from San Francisco CA to Vancouver BC, that stays east of I-5. I want to do some back country hiking and hit some hot springs along the way. My wife, dog, and I will be have a little over a week to drive from San Francisco home to coastal B.C. (the dog won't be driving - he always has that annoying "no thumbs" excuse). I've seen much of the coast of WA, OR, and northern CA (hwys 101 and 1) before, and have been along the I-5 corrider plenty, so I'd like to see some of the rest of these three states.

We particularly enjoy back-country hiking and would like to spend a significant portion of time in the mountains. We'll be driving an AWD Subaru Justy, so rough roads are fine, although nothing you'd need a real 4x4 for. I'm also very interested in knowing about relatively undeveloped natural hot springs (best if they require a hike to reach) that are along the way.

Also interested in generally interesting stuff in the "rest" of these states that is worth considering planning our route around - weird attractions, stunning scenery, odd communities of nomads, etc. Recommendations for places to stay would be great too - somewhat off the beaten path, allows dogs, and not too expensive. Good places to camp would be appreciated as well.

I'm thinking of crossing the border back into B.C. at Osoyoos and taking Hwy 3 (Crowsnest Pass) back to the coast, but that's not set in stone.

Like the movie Road Trip, but with less Tom Green.

vernondalhart — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 20:06:47 -0800

So we're thinking about a road trip south from Vancouver to (maybe) LA... A few classmates and I are considering (well, depending on vehicle considerations) taking a jaunt down south this coming week, in the time-honored tradition of doing crazy, reckless things on your spring break.

The plan is pretty vague, which I'm fine with: Leave Vancouver and start driving south along the coast, and just to end up where we end up. If we make it as far as LA, that's cool. If not, we'll find somewhere else to be.

My question is this though: Is there anything along that drive (that is, along the pacific coast through Seattle, maybe via Portland, etc) over the next week (that is, beginning around the 12th) that you would consider an A++ two thumbs up thing to see? Are there any particular restaurants or hostels you'd reccomend? Any shows, clubs, pubs, museums or art galleries?

I realize this is a pretty open-ended question, but really, we don't have any fixed plans and it'd be nice to have at least a few ideas of what to see along the way, since none of us have been down that way (well, not since I was 9 years old, in my case).

Thanks a lot.

road trip advice going through San Francisco and Seattle

bakiwop — Sat, 07 Aug 2004 15:29:25 -0800

On a whim, I'm driving from Milwaukee to San Francisco to Seattle and back to Milwaukee again. I'll be going through WI, IL, IA, NE, CO, UT, NV, CA, OR, WA, ID, MT, WY, SD, and MN and am looking for some tips on sights I shouldn't miss. Any suggestions? I also forgot to ask, anybody know of any free wifi hookups in any of those states? It would be nice to access the internet from my own laptop. Muchas gracias!