Pacific Northwest Coastal Road Trip
You know that feeling when you cross a dream destination off your bucket list? That’s how we felt having finally completed our long-awaited Pacific Coast Highway road trip exploring all the way up the West coast. Driving California’s Pacific Coast Highway from LA, stopping through Oregon and Washington is one of the most iconic road trips in the U.S. This post covers everything you need to know including where to eat, drink, and explore- and all the places we stayed throughout our trip up the beautiful coast.
CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
LA was our first destination, and our first big stretch of driving from Tucson, Arizona. So we got in late afternoon and only had time to explore a little before grabbing dinner and drinks. Then the next morning we picked up some coffee, had brought our own quick breakfast and were on the road again! We’ve included restaurant recommendations from others that we will be trying in the future this fall when we visit again. LA is such a huge city, there are endless amounts of things you can do for fun! Enjoy!
EAT:
Petit Trois- French amazing-ness that’s highly recommended. “This place is a treasure. Very small and intimate. Perfect for dates. “
Jon & Vinny’s- Italian and wood fired PIZZAS
Son Of A Gun- Seafood, sandwiches, salads & more!
Gjusta- This place has been recommended many times, lots of food options! Gjusta is a California deli, bakery, café, and market influenced by traditional East Coast Delis, European Markets, and Parisian Bakeries.
Osteria Mamma- This place has some amazing Italian food. We’ve visited Italy and these pasta’s came pretty damn close to the good stuff. I enjoyed the Bigoli Cacio e Porcini and Zach had the Tagliatelle Bolognese. They were both super delicious, and went perfectly with our Rubesto Montepulciano d’Abruzzo vino. We would definitely recommend this place if you’re in L.A.
Milk- Dessert city. Ice cream sandwiches, bakery, and other sweet & creamy treats- MMM!
DRINK:
Lono Hollywood- A unique tiki bar. ”The coolest and most unassuming tropical oasis in a smattering of Hollywood bars!”
Perch- An awesome rooftop bar!
Birds & Bees- This place is a nice little basement bar with craft cocktails.
Good Times at Davey Wayne’s- This place was recommended by a few friends who live near and have visited through- and we would pass the recommendation right along after hanging at this awesome speakeasy dive bar. I love the vibes of this bar. First off, to enter and find this secret groovy bar, you enter through an old refrigerator with a Miller beer neon sign above it. Uh, FUN! Once you enter, this bar is throwing it back to the 70’s with shag rugs, lots of wood walls and deliciously fine drinks. This indoor/outdoor bar has comfy hammocks and other outside seating, all different sorts of cute 70’s decor, and live music most nights. They also have a surprisingly great old fashioned cocktail ON TAP! Can I get one of these at my house? Plus many other reasonably priced drinks + happy hour booze and snacks. You can make reservations to reserve tables for larger parties for a deposit $$$, or just do what we did and walk in! Good Times at Davey Wayne’s is definitely a place to have a GOOD TIME!
COFFEE:
Groundwork Coffee
Joe Coffee
Steeple House Coffee
LaB Coffee and Roasters
PLAY:
Check out The Broad Museum- You can reserve tickets ahead of time online to skip the line and this museum is FREE!
Stroll through the Los Angeles County Museum of Art- $15 a person
Hop on a BIRD scooter and explore the city!
Taste your way through the Museum of Ice Cream- a museum that’s definitely on my bucket list. $38
Hike up to the Hollywood Sign- 6.4 miles roundtrip
Wander around the LA Arts District
Take a stroll down Hollywood Blvd. Maybe find your favorite celebrity's gold star. 🌟
Walk around and people watch all the interesting LA folks!
SAN FRANSICO
In a town full of so many things to do, places to eat, and things to see, it can be overwhelming choosing which to pick! I’ve narrowed it down to a few of our favorites and recommendations we we’re told to visit in the gloomy, but beautiful San Fran.
EAT:
Eight AM- The perfect little breakfast place!
Good Mong Kok Bakery- “Ask Chinatown neighbors about their go-to dim sum, and the answer is either grandma's or Good Mong Kok.” Located in Chinatown. There will be a line here, but it moves quickly and it’s worth the wait!
Kaisen Don- Sushi anyone?
Marufuku Ramen SF- Ramen’s the answer, what is the question?
Tony’s Pizza Napoletana- Yummy wood fired pizza! Tony’s is always a good choice.
Dumpling Kitchen- This is where we went for dinner. They have the absolute best soup dumplings in town! You’ll most likely have to wait for a table, but not for long. You can put your name on the wait list through their website or through Yelp. They give you complimentary Oolong tea, and the food is delicious! We left very happy and FULL.
DRINK:
Holy Water Cocktail Bar
Bourbon & Branch- Hidden speakeasy that requires a reservation.
Wilson & Wilson- Hidden speakeasy that requires a reservation, receive a secret passcode ;)
The Pawn Shop
Linden Room
Cellarmaker Brewing Company- Beer, beer, and more beer.
House of Shields- This is a cocktail bar that used to function as an speakeasy prohibition bar.
COFFEE:
Andytown Coffee Roasters
PLAY:
Explore Chinatown & eat all the foods.
Fisherman’s Wharf- Always has lots of street performers, live music, and more.
Maggie McGarry's- Always has live music at nights located in North Beach area.
Anchor Steam Brewery- Tour this brewery if you’d like, you can book online ahead of time.
Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge.
Mosey around the Musée Mécanique- A night museum that you can drink at. #winning
REDWOODS - W/ THE GENTLE GIANTS
SCOPE THE ELK 👀
The Redwoods were definitely a huge HIGHLIGHT of our entire trip. We absolutely love camping, and this was a dream campsite. We fell in love with these gentle giants. We were lucky enough to have some elk friends join us one morning, they ended up staying through us cooking breakfast. The elk were chill as a cucumber, just hanging calmly with us as we sipped our coffee. IT WAS SO COOL! The hikes around us were amazing. Our kayaking adventure was everything, see more details on that below. A few days here is all you need just relaxing + hanging at your campsite, hugging all the humongous trees, and hiking all around while exploring. ❤️
*sighhhhhhhh, let’s go back.*
Our Campsite: Elk Prairie Campground
Trails + Hiking Area:
Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park
Jedediah Redwoods State Park- The park we stopped at in the middle of our kayak adventure
James Irvine-Miner’s Ridge Loop
Boy Scout Tree Trail- One of our favorites!!
Lady Bird Johnson Grove
Redwood Creek Trail
Another big HIGHLIGHT:
Kayaking through the Redwoods!
We used the company Redwoods Ride, who offer all kinds of other rentals and guides. We chose to rent single kayaks for about 4 hours at $50 bucks a person. They gave us tips on hikes to stop at, which rapids to look out for and more! The scenery was gorgeous, serene and just magical. It was also a great workout! It was so much fun and we definitely would recommend this to anyone visiting the amazing Redwoods.
Redwoods Ride: Bike, SUP, Kayak Rentals and Guides
Call or online booking here
707-951-6559
SANTA CRUZ
We decided to stay in Santa Cruz because we wanted to be close to Big Sur, but didn’t want the price tag that came with it. Santa Cruz is just a short 30 minute drive to the beginning of Big Sur, which worked for us. We also got to check out this beach town a bit too! Win, win!
EAT:
Harbor Cafe- Great spot for breakfast!
Linda’s Seabreeze Cafe- Another solid breakfast choice.
The Point Market- More breakfast! Come here for their Breakfast Burritos.
Poke House Santa Cruz- We grabbed a quick + healthy dinner here. It’s a make your own poke bowl joint. Fresh and delicious!
Miyako Japanese Restaurant- Best sushi in town.
Betty’s Burgers- Can’t go wrong with a good burger! Try the Basic Betty with Sweet Potato Fries.
Los Gallos Taqueria- Might not beat Tucson Tacos, but mmmm tacos!
Lago Di Como- Bon appetito! Dacci tutta la pasta e il vino!
Penny’s Ice Creamery- Stop by for a scoop… or five. 🍦
DRINK:
99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall- A beer lovers dream.
Front & Cooper- A lovely craft beer and cocktail joint in the Abbot Square.
Jury Room- A classic dive bar with pool, darts, and more!
Capitola Wine Bar- Proven fact: Wine is good for the soul.
Vino Locale Wine Bar and Tapas- Another great wine bar located on the Santa Cruz Wharf with some great ocean views if you snag a table by the window + live music!!
Beer Thirty Bottle Shop & Pour House- Pour your own beer bar. Grab a wristband, scan in, pour, and drink up!
PLAY:
Be a true tourist, and visit the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. Note: it can be very busy, and parking can be hard to find.
Walk through the Santa Cruz Wharf
Visit downtown Santa Cruz
Go Kayaking Monterey Bay
Chardonnay Sailing Charters- We booked this sailboat cruise on our last evening there and it was great! This company offers several different styled sails, champagne brunch, pizza and brewery collab, winery and cheese collab, etc. We purchased a pizza beer night and had unlimited wine, beer, and pizza on our afternoon cruise. Definitely worth it and recommend to others passing through Santa Cruz! Check out their website here.
BIG SUR
If you’re looking for a California road trip, you HAVE TO add a drive through Big Sur to your list! It has some of the most breathtaking parts of the California coastline found on Highway 1. Pray that the sun is out (the colors pop like crazy!) and explore this beauty up and down as much as you can. Make sure to read up on my tips below before visiting. We will definitely be back, Big Sur!
Bixby Canyon Bridge
BIG SUR, CA.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO - ESSENTIAL BIG SUR TIPS
The most popular time to go is from April to October. The weather is the nicest but it’s also the most crowded.
There is no service in Big Sur, so plan ahead and download your google maps before you get there so you can have offline access, or grab an old school map like we did!
Everything in the area is pricey from gas to food to hotels. If you want to save money, you can pack some snacks, gas up before, and stay nearby in Carmel By The Sea, Santa Cruz, Monterey, or even better camp someplace close! (Book camping at least 6 months ahead, yes- it gets crazy full!)
Big Sur Travel Stops:
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park- Tons of trails inside this state park. You can access many of them without going through the main entrance and paying. I.E. McWay Falls, Partington Cove, Tan Bark Trail.
Partington Cove- This was our favorite hike in Big Sur with a beautiful ending of waves crashing and a lovely cove. Definitely a must hike!
Bixby Canyon Bridge- This bridge is iconic! This place can get very busy with people pulling over to take pictures, but it is a beautiful sight.
Pfeiffer Beach- Home of the purple sand, accessible by a one lane road. This beach is a must see. Beach can be a bit hard to find. If you’re heading south, it is the second road after Pfeiffer State Park on the right.
McWay Falls- It’s a quick walk from the parking lot and you get amazing views of the small waterfall. The water is so blue and beautiful! You can either pay 10 dollars to park in the parking lot, or park on the side of the road and walk like we did- for free!
Point Sur Lighthouse- This lighthouse stands on beautiful, volcanic rock just offshore in Big Sur. It still helps guide ships along the Pacific coast. We wanted to check out this beauty, but the road to it was unfortunately closed when we were there. Sad day.
EAT + DRINK:
Big Sur Bakery- Good place to stop for snacks and a small bite.
Big Sur Deli- Located in the same center as the bakery and taphouse (see below)
BIG SUR TAPHOUSE
Big Sur Taphouse- An awesome place for a drink and lunch! We stopped here for some local beers and wine and a couple sandwiches. Super delicious! They even have a bottle shop where you can pick up wine or beer for your hike, picnics, or to take home with you.
Rocky Point Restaurant- If you’re looking for a little nicer sit down restaurant. This place has some amazing views, but it does come with a bit of a price tag!
OREGON
NEWPORT
We ♡ Newport. Yet another little town we fell in love with. The people are so friendly. It’s an adorable little fishing town. The food is outstanding. The outdoors are beautiful and there is so much to do there! We hope you fall in love with this city too.
Side note: MOST restaurants in Oregon allow you to bring your own bottle of wine for a corkage fee of 10-20 bucks. We learned this quickly and took advantage of this steal! Arizona needs to jump on the band wagon. CHEERS!
EAT:
Cafe Stephanie- Great breakfast spot, close to the NYE beach and they give you complimentary homemade blueberry scones. YASSSS.
The Coffee House- Their omelets are killer! The serve their coffee in big ass beer mugs, so CHUG UP.
Mo’s West Restaurant- Their known for their homemade chowder in a bread bowl, YUM. There are many Mo’s locations but this one is the one the go to!
LOCAL OCEANS SEAFOODS
Sharks Seafood Bar and Steamer- Recommended by a local!
Ocean Bleu at Gino’s- Another recommendation!
Ove Northwest- Another fine dining gem on the Oregon coast!
Fine Dining
TRUFFLE + CRAB MAC N CHEESE FROM CLEARWATER RESTAURANT
Local Oceans Seafoods- The meal we had here was some of the freshest seafood we had the entire trip! It was absolutely delicious. We devoured the Fishwives Stew and Crab Cakes. We enjoyed this entire meal with a lovely bottle of Pinot Gris. We chatted with an older couple next to us for a bit who were also visiting through. They had left, as we finished up our meal. We went to pay and our server told us that the lovely couple who was sitting next to us sneakily picked up our entire check (queue the CRYING!) Our favorite meal was definitely not a night to forget. Thank you to the random couple we met if you ever read this LOL, we heart you and appreciate you. You made our night!
Clearwater Restaurant- Another amazing seafood restaurant that has ocean views… and SEA LION VIEWS. What more could you ask for? Their pastas are to die for, and their desserts are even better. Try their homemade truffle and crab mac and cheese and their peach and blackberry cobbler. You’re welcome.
Georgie’s Beachside Grille- A beautiful oceanfront restaurant located close to the Hallmark Resort, which is a great place to stay so we’ve heard!
DRINK:
Rogue Ales & Spirits Brewer’s on the Bay- The original Rogue brewery. You can take a tour everyday at 1pm or 3pm and it’s definitely worth it! We loved it.
Flying Dutchman Winery- Located right by Mo’s West and the Devil’s Punchbowl Natural State Park. This winery has a lovely patio with awesome views. Enjoy a glass, bottle, or whatever your little heart desires.
Bier One- Pub, brewhouse, and pool hall.
Nana’s Irish Pub- You can never go wrong finding a drink at an Irish pub!
Seadogs- A great place to grab a drink, and they serve food here too!
PLAY:
Kaquina Head Lighthouse- Cool lighthouse and a nice walk down to Cobble Beach an awesome area full of tide pools! We saw a couple seals swimming around and saying hi, so cute!
Oregon Coast Aquarium- Newport classic!
Devils Punch Bowl Natural State Area- Be sure to see it from above, but also walk down to the beach area of Devil’s Punch!
Newport’s Farmer Market on Saturdays
NYE Beach- Walk the beach and enjoy the ocean views
Bike Newport- Rent a bike and explore the town!
Go Crabbing- Rent from www.embarcaderoresort.com/en-us or find a local tour!
Rogue Brewery- As mentioned above, you’ve gotta check out this brewery. All of their beers are super delicious! Give the brewery and distillery a tour for 5 bucks, everyday at 1pm and 3pm.
Boiler Bay State Park- Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint is a great little area, about 20 minutes away from Newport that you must check out!
Otter Rock, Oregon- Another must see, a cute little nearby town.
Small Stops on Our Way to Astoria ↓
TILLAMOOK
DAIRY HEAVEN. Tillamook is a cute little town, but what’s their main attraction? Tillamook Creamery, duh!
This is a free self-guided tour where you get to see how their family history began, how they take care of their cows, and overall how their products are made with love! Also did someone say free samples? Oh yessssss, you can have all the cheese you want once you finish the tour. After touring the entire place and trying out their cheeses, I am pretty sure we left with about 10 pounds of fresh cheese to take home from their Tillamook shop. They have specialty cheeses, meats, ice creams, wines, chocolates, clothing, gifts and more in their big ass store. I could spend an entire day there, just dreaming of all their cheeses I should eat. They also have a order and sit down cafe that serves some amazing dishes! We enjoyed their creamy tomato soup, with a grilled cheese, and garden salad + cheese all over it. DELISH. Once you finish your meal, what’s of course your next course? Dessert! Ice cream from their creamery shop is a requirement. First sample as many as you can, then make the hardest decision of your life choosing a couple scoops to indulge in! We were definitely in heaven visiting this place- and you will be too! Cheese lovers visit this site!
CAPE LOOKOUT STATE PARK
This was another one of our camping spots up the beautiful coast. Picture a peaceful forest that meets beach. We had some bits of rain showers on and off at the beginning of our stay, but when it was sunny out it was absolutely gorgeous. Be sure to grab a blanket, some brews, and enjoy the beach with whom you’re with. This beach is nice and secluded, there are hikes nearby, and the camp spots are pretty rad! The drive there is absolutely beautiful, we had to pull over every couple turns to check out the views. Doing so, we came across some fresh, perfectly harvested flowers that were calling for us to create a small bouquet to enjoy at our campsite. I couldn’t help myself. No idea who did this, but they made my day.
CANNON BEACH
Oh, the famous Cannon Beach… where of course The Goonies filmed parts of their movie here. Walk this beautiful beach, and check out the cute little beach town surrounding this icon. Enjoy!
NEAHKANIE MOUNTAIN
An amazing moderate hike that’s super close to Astoria located in Manzanita, Oregon.
This hike was our absolute favorite of our entire trip! About 6.4 miles round trip. The summit was worth every moment, see the pictures for yourself. Be sure to pack some sandwiches or snacks to enjoy with the views at the top.
ASTORIA
This little town of Astoria was one of our favs. Lots to see, do, eat, and drink. We spent two days in this charming little town, and here’s what we did!
EAT:
Bowpicker Fish and Chips- Best beer battered fish in town!
Colombia Café- Great for Breakfast.
Pier 39 Restaurant
Fort George Brewery- Brewery with some really great food! Wood fired pizza on the top floor, burgers and other pub food on the bottom. And of course, delicious beer and wine.
Clemente’s Cafe and Public House- Lovely spot for lunch, their known for their chowder!
The Fishmongers- The best fish tacos on Oregon’s coast!
Grab Dessert at Peter Pan Market- This was a great find after talking to locals. The market is in a neighborhood and sells groceries, necessities, sandwiches, and desserts, but make sure you try the carrot cake! The locals go crazy over it.
COFFEE GIRL W/ VIEWS
DRINK:
Pelican Brewery
Rogue Brew House: At Pier 39
Coffee Girl: At Pier 39
Fort George Brewery
WineKraft: Great place for wine and beers
Buoy Beer: Brews with views!
Astoria Brewing Company
PLAY:
Astoria Column: is a popular attraction along the Oregon coast. It is covered in a hand-painted spiral frieze that gets you 600 feet above sea level to give you a stunning view of the bridge and the town. 164 steps for a panoramic view of this charming city. Pro Tip: There is a $5 parking fee that needs to be purchased from the gift shop.
Visit the famous Goonies house!
Kayak or SUP in the bay:
Fort Stevens State Park
Astoria Sunday Market
Bikes & Beyond- Bike rental and explore the town!
Check out Downtown- Shop around all the antique and thrift shops downtown. It’s all very walkable!
Morning trip to hike Neahkanie Mountain
Wanna nerd out even more with all the Goonies sites in Astoria? Read this quick article!
PORTLAND
We absolutely fell in love with Portland. The city, constant street art, the open people, bomb coffee, funky bars, dog friendliness, a genuine food capital - what’s not to love?! We could easily spend a week here and never run out of things to do or explore. Here are some places we checked out and many that were recommended that are on the list for our next visit!
Check out all their awesome breweries!
Self Bike and Brew Tour:
Rent a bike and hit as many breweries as you can. Bikes are everywhere around town, just download BikeTown app. Beers + Bikes = Great time.
Cascade Brewing Barrel House- My personal favorite brewery, with a sour beer specialty.
Bridgeport Brewing
Long Look Brewery
Great Notion Brewery
Upright Brewery- A basement tasting room.
EAT:
BREAKFAST
Tasty n Alder- Recommended by our friends, great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Fried Egg I’m In Love- They had me at their name.
The Tin Shed- Our favorite breakfast joint recommended by a local. We may or may not have eaten here twice it was SO good. Try the Good Dog and their bacon bloody mary. They also had Tuesday night dog lovers night where all dogs are welcome, I mean c’mon! A must eat.
Blue Star Donuts- Donuts are life. (See desserts below!)
LUNCH
Pine State Biscuits- Worth the wait! Biscuit heaven. Try their Shrimp and Grits.
Pine Street Market- The perfect place for lunch, they’ve got a little bit of everything.
Nong’s Khao Man Gan- Thai food city!
Cheese and Crack Snack Shop- Snacks, cheeses, meats and more!
DINNER
The 1904- We stumbled upon this bar because of their live music. They ended up having amazing cocktails, a great happy hour, late night pizzas by the slice, and an amazing jazz band playing. We fell in love, we came back a second night to see who was playing. A great spot for dinner!
4 CHEESE TRUFFLE PIZZA SLICES + CAPRESE AT THE 1904
Nostrana- Italiano for dinner.
Saucebox- Modern sushi and asian restaurant with a great happy hour. Hand rolls for less than 5 bucks are always a yes in my book.
Shigezo Izakaya- Ramen, Japanese styled pub food
Eem- A great cocktail bar with delicious Thai food!
DESSERT:
Blue Star Donuts- Our favorite donut shop in town! Try a classic maple bacon or maybe get crazy with a basil bourbon blueberry donut.
Basil Bourbon & Blueberry + Maple Bacon at BlueStar
Salt and Straw- This place has some really unique flavors! Trust me, we tried them all.
What’s the Scoop- Give us all the ice cream…
Voodoo Doughnuts- Expect a line, it’s definitely more touristy, but the donuts are fun!
FOOD TRUCKS:
For a taste of Portland's legendary food-cart scene, stop by these collections of carts. Portland’s selection of more than 600 food carts, most grouped in “pods,” will have you making the hardest life choice of your life- WHAT WILL YOU CHOOSE TO EAT! My advice? Come hungry and order small plates from many trucks!
Killingsworth Station Food Truck- Check out what foods are here.
Cartlandia- Over 32 Food Trucks and live music! Find what trucks live here.
Alder Street Food Carts- The largest downtown collection of Portland’s famed food carts is located between Southwest Alder and Washington streets.
Third Avenue Pod- Most carts are open extended lunch hours on weekday afternoons.
Fifth Avenue Pod- Most carts are open extended lunch hours on weekday afternoons; a few serve breakfast.
Mississippi Marketplace- Located on one of our favorite streets to roam!
COFFEE:
Case Study Coffee- Our personal favorite coffee shop we stumbled upon. Bomb pour overs, chai, and espresso!
Upper Left Roasters
Heart- Our bff’s personal favorite coffee shop in town, another great choice!
Coava Coffee Roasters
Barista
Courier Coffee Roasters
Stumptown Coffee Roasters- Take a tour of their roastery or head over to HQ for free coffee tastings at 3pm daily.
DRINK:
Multnomah Whiskey Library- Over 300 different whiskeys, this place is a gold mine. To be sure to grab a table, make a reservation.
The 1904- Once again, a great place with a nice patio + live music.
Bible Club- All the speakeasy feels, look for the green light window when approaching the hard to find building.
The Box Social- A romantic cocktail bar, perfect for date night.
Departure- A Portland rooftop bar.
Sidecar 11- Great cocktail place with an awesome happy hour. We enjoyed an old fashioned and other bubbly cocktails here.
SIDECAR 11
Clyde Common- Handcrafted cocktails.
Revolutionary Hall- Rooftop bar with great reasonably priced drinks, happy hour, and yummy small bites! Definitely recommend, this place has some awesome views of the city.
Muse Winebar- Winebar’s are my fav.
Loyal Legion- 99 different Oregon beers on tap, okurrrrrrrr.
PLAY:
Portland Saturday Market
Lan Su Chinese Garden
Rent Biketown Bikes and get lost!
International Rose Test Gardens
Portland Japanese Gardens
Alberta Arts District
Hawthorne/Division: vintage shops, boutiques and cafés
Portland's Historic Old Town
Mississippi Avenue
Pearl District to West End
Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade Bar
Pips & Bounce Pingpong Bar
Portland Art Museum
Portland Saturday’s Market
Powell’s City of Books
Need more things to do in Portland? Check out this website for local events happening!
Portland Day Trips
COLOMBIA RIVER GORGE
Pack and picnic and your hiking shoes and visit the must see beauty!
Hikes to check out:
Multnomah Falls
Wahclella Falls
Mount Tabor Park
WILLAMETTE VALLEY
Oregon wine country stole our hearts. Willamette Valley is known for it’s world class Pinot Noir. We took a private tour to wine country from Portland, Oregon for a day trip. A private driver, three wineries, and lots of vino! What more could you need?
It was a perfect day. David Hill Vineyard, Montinore Vineyards, and Colene Clemens were our three stops of the day. Each winery had very friendly and knowledgeable staff, unique wines, and beautiful sceneries. We left with our hands full of bottles of Rosé, Sparkling, and of course the popular Pinot Noir. We definitely recommend this tour to anyone who enjoys their wino! Here is the link for the tour we took.
MT. HOOD
We didn’t get the chance to drive up to Mt. Hood and check out some of the hikes they offer but we did drive near this beauty. Wanting to hike? Check out this site for some great recs!
BEND
Bend is such a cute little unique town. We made an appoint to travel inland a bit to check out this city because we’ve heard so many good things. It reminds me of Fort Collins, Colorado or a mini Tucson! It’s full of great breweries, amazing outdoors, it’s a music friendly city, and bike friendly too. There are dogs everywhere, so you know the people are awesome. It’s just a SOLID place to visit and should definitely make your bucket list!
EAT:
BREAKFAST:
Chow
Mother’s Downtown Kitchen
The Lemon Tree
Bad Wolf Bakery and Bistro
LUNCH/DINNER:
The Lot- Area with lots of food trucks!
Spork- Asian, Soul, Mexican food
Zydeco Kitchen & Cocktails
Citizen Bar and Kitchen
Boxwood Kitchen Supper Club
DRINK:
Deschutes Brewery- Deschutes is one of our favorite breweries! They have a taphouse where they only serve beer, as well as a brewery and pub where they have some delicious food too!
Immersion Brewery
Crux Fermentation Project- This brewery was our favorite! It had some great selections of tasty beers, has a huge open patio and FOOD TRUCKS! This is the perfect place to grab a beer and a bite to eat. We enjoyed dinner here after biking around from brewery to brewery.
10 Barrel Brewing- MMM, their beers are so good!
Velvet- An awesome cocktail bar! We came her during the week and there was some really great live music. Their cocktails were fresh, delicious, and reasonably priced.
VELVET, DOWNTOWN BEND
The Brown Owl- Another brewery we stopped by, had a great patio with more live music!
PLAY:
Walk around Downtown Bend!
Stroll along the Deschutes River on the pathway
Grab a bike to rent + brewery hop!
Explore the outdoors at the Deschutes National Forest
Newberry National Volcanic Monument & Lava River Cave
Pilot Butte- A volcano to hike up to see city views
Tumalo Falls- This hike ends with a beautiful 97-foot-high waterfall
WASHINGTON
SEATTLE
EAT:
BREAKFAST
Portrage Bay Cafe- Healthy and delicious options! They have amazing french toast as well. The best part is they have an epic do it yourself topping bar for your french toast, waffles, or pancakes!
Top Pot Donuts- Everyone loves donuts. Grab this as “pre breakfast” and enjoy some other restaurants as well.
Biscuit Bitch- Super popular breakfast and brunch place. This is the best biscuit joint in all of Seattle. The line may be out the door but the wait is definitely worth it.
Oddfellows Cafe- Another great local breakfast joint. Located in Capitol Hill Neighborhood
Tilikum Place Cafe- Great spot for breakfast + brunch.
LUNCH
Pestle Rock - Pad thai, drunken noodles, and more. Pestle Rock brings the flavors and dishes of the Isan region of Thailand.
Din Tai Fung- Dim Sum located in Pike’s Place.
HoneyHole Sandwiches- A little east of Pike’s Place in First Hill area. A little hole in the wall (no pun intended) that’s a definite gem! Yummy sandwiches for mid day or late night eats.
Paseo Caribbean Food- Amazing sandwiches and other unique dishes!
Serious Pie & Biscuit- Woodfired Pizza, recommended by many!
DINNER
Momij- Japanese, sushi bar and great happy hour!
The Pink Door- Burlesque. Cabaret. Trapeze. Music. Tarot. Surprises! Along with these awesome performances they serve surprisingly great Italian food, seafood and is also triples wine bar. Make a reservation!
Re:Public- An excellent American eats restaurant in South Lake Union.
DRINK:
Fremont Brewery
Westward- Not many places that have a patio by water. Check this place out!
Sam’s Tavern- Best Bloody Mary in town!
Perihelion Brewery
The Nest- Has some amazing views of the water above Pike’s Place area.
The Beer Junction
Pie Bar- Great place for dessert and cocktails.
Reuben’s Brews- This place has an awesome patio!
Speakeasies
Needle and Thread
Knee High Stocking
Bathtub Gin & CO.
Find the best speakeasies in town here and get the scoop where to find them!
COFFEE:
Elm Coffee Roasters
Slate Coffee Roasters
Anchorhead Coffee
PLAY:
Pikes Place Market: Explore! Be sure to hit up Beecher’s Cheese Shop for samples, Pike Place Chowder for a bowl, buy yourself some lovely flowers, and watch some fresh fish get thrown over at the Public Market.
Find the Gum Wall
Museum of Pop Culture- This museum is awesome! Worth the $28 bucks!
Visit the Space Needle
The Pink Door- Burlesque. Cabaret. Trapeze. Music. Tarot. And more!
Flatstick Pub- Mini golf, games, and drinks
Seattle Aquarium
Lagunitas Taproom and Beer Sanctuary
Seattle Coffee Gear- Free coffee tasting flights
Capitol Hill Neighborhood- Shops, nightlife, food
Gas Works Park- Park filmed in 10 Things I hate about you (The paint balling scene, duh)
Walk around Green Lake
Fremont Brewing Company- Close to Gas Works Park
Find a speakeasy, and get some fancy drinks. See links and descriptions below!
SNOQUALMIE
You gotta come here to check out the famous falls! There are three levels of lookouts to check out this beauty. Personally, we thought the highest top level was the best area for views. The lowest deck is a bit of a hike, easy going for the most part but has some incline to it at times- so make sure to wear good shoes when you visit.
After checking out all the water of the falls, doesn’t that make you THIRSTY?
So, wine tasting up next!
Snoqualmie Wineries
We came through here on a Tuesday and for some reason most of the wineries here were closed. So we decided to travel to Woodinville instead! 🍷
Mount Si Winery
Sigillo Cellars
Chateau Noelle
WOODINVILLE
Wine country, need I say more? Here are a few we wanted to checkout. Pack a picnic, cheeseboard, or snacks to snack on throughout your visits!
Woodinville Wineries
JM Cellars
Chateau Ste. Michelle- We only visited this winery (it’s huge!) because of time limit, but it was just lovely. We dabbled with some flights of wine and enjoyed a bottle of wine outside on their awesome lawn/outside sitting area. We came prepared with a cheese board with all the goods. SHOUTOUT to Trader Joes for their amazing charcuterie supplies, always.
Columbia Winery
Goose Ridge Tasting Room
Columbia Winery
Novelty Hill
“Travel, the only thing you buy that makes you richer. ”
