WA - San Antonio TX 5d
Route: Seattle→Olympia→Astoria→Cannon Beach→Seaside Driving: 420km, 5h30m on I-5/US-101
Day 1 · WA to Oregon Coast
Highlight: Astoria Column sunset. Note: Book Seaside hotel early.
Seattle start
Depart Pike Place, coffee at Original Starbucks
Olympia
Capitol dome and Tiffany chandelier tour
Astoria Column
Climb 164 steps for Columbia River views
Cannon Beach
Tide pools and sunset at iconic sea stack
Seaside
Oceanfront lodging, walk the 1.5mi promenade
Day 2 · Oregon to Redwood NP
Highlight: Fern Canyon Jurassic Park trail. Note: No cell service in park.
Seaside
Early departure north Oregon coast
Cape Perpetua
Devil's Churn and Thor's Well blowholes
Bandon
Sea stack formations and cranberry bogs nearby
Fern Canyon
50ft walls draped in seven fern species
Klamath
Redwood canopy gondola, riverside cabins
Day 3 · Redwoods to Sacramento Valley
Highlight: Avenue of the Giants drive-thru tree. Note: Fuel in Garberville.
Klamath
Morning redwoods canopy walk
Prairie Creek
Roosevelt elk herds in old-growth meadow
Avenue of Giants
Drive your car through a living redwood
Ferndale
Victorian village, Golden Gait Mercantile
Sacramento
Gold Rush waterfront, delta breeze evening
Day 4 · Central Valley to Tucson
Highlight: Biosphere 2 Mars habitat. Note: I-10 speed traps near Picacho.
Sacramento
Early departure south on I-5
Bakersfield
Basque lamb stew and chorizo breakfast
Mojave Preserve
Singing sand dunes, 45min hike to summit
Biosphere 2
Closed ecological system under glass
Tucson
Downtown adobe lodging, desert night
Day 5 · Sonoran Desert to San Antonio
Highlight: San Xavier del Bac white dove. Note: Kolaches in West TX.
Tucson
Depart via I-10 east
San Xavier
White Dove of the Desert mission church
Las Cruces
Chile rellenos at La Posta de Mesilla
Marfa
Desert art landmark, minimal West Texas
San Antonio
Arrive at Paseo del Rio, margaritas