Plan a 4 Day Drive

Hey! A road trip up the West Coast is a total bucket list move. Driving from San Diego to Whidbey Island is about 1,300 miles, so we're going to have some high-mileage days to make this work in just 4 days, but the scenery is unbeatable. I've mapped this out to hit your must-sees while making sure you end each night at a Hilton property.

4days
12stops
Day 1: The Central Coast Push
3 stops
San Diego (SAN)
08:00
Santa Barbara
12:30
San Jose
17:30
Day 2: Golden Gates & Giant Trees
3 stops
San Francisco / Golden Gate Bridge
08:30
Avenue of the Giants
13:00
Eureka
17:00
Day 3: The Oregon Greenery
3 stops
Redwood National Park
09:00
Eugene
13:00
Vancouver, WA
18:00
Day 4: The Sound & The Island
3 stops
Mount St. Helens (Castle Rock)
09:30
Mukilteo Ferry Terminal
13:00
Whidbey Island (Deception Pass)
15:00
Heads Up
  1. Download your maps for the Northern California/Oregon border area; cell service can be spotty among the giant trees!
  2. Day 1: 6.5h drive driving — plan rest stops
  3. Day 2: 6h drive driving — plan rest stops
  4. Day 3: 7.5h drive driving — plan rest stops

Plan a 4 Day Drive

Hey! A road trip up the West Coast is a total bucket list move. Driving from San Diego to Whidbey Island is about 1,300 miles, so we're going to have some high-mileage days to make this work in just 4 days, but the scenery is unbeatable. I've mapped this out to hit your must-sees while making sure you end each night at a Hilton property.

San Diego → San Jose → Golden Gate Bridge → Eureka (Redwoods) → Vancouver → Whidbey Island

  1. The Central Coast Push

    Let’s get an early jump from the airport area to beat the LA traffic. We’re heading north on the I-5 and then cutting over to the 101 for a much better view.

    • San Diego (SAN)

      Let’s get an early jump from the airport area to beat the LA traffic. We’re heading north on the I-5 and then cutting over to the 101 for a much better view.

    • Santa Barbara

      Santa Barbara is a city and metropolitan area less than 100 miles (160 km) from Los Angeles but vastly different in pace from its huge neighbor to the south. With a temperate climate and lush natural environs, the "Riviera of the West" is a pleasant day or weekend trip from L.A.

    • San Jose

      There is more than one place which has San José as all or part of its name. San José is the Spanish form of the name. There are also places that use the English or French form; see Saint Joseph. You could be looking for:

  2. Golden Gates & Giant Trees

    We’ll skip the city traffic and head straight to the Golden Gate Bridge (Vista Point). It’s iconic for a reason—grab that photo before the fog gets too thick.

    • San Francisco / Golden Gate Bridge

      We’ll skip the city traffic and head straight to the Golden Gate Bridge (Vista Point). It’s iconic for a reason—grab that photo before the fog gets too thick.

    • Avenue of the Giants

      The Avenue of the Giants is a scenic highway in northern California, United States, running through Humboldt Redwoods State Park. It is named for the coast redwoods that tower over the route. The road is a former alignment of U.S. Route 101, and continues to be maintained as a state highway as State Route 254.

    • Eureka

      Eureka is a city in Humboldt County, California. With a population of slightly over 25,000, it is the largest coastal city on the West Coast of the United States north of San Francisco and south of Portland and the center of the California North Coast (Redwood Coast).

  3. The Oregon Greenery

    Since you wanted the redwoods, we’re doing a quick morning loop through Lady Bird Johnson Grove before crossing the border.

    • Redwood National Park

      Redwood National and State Parks is a United States national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the North Coast of the state of California. The park protects several groves of massive redwood trees, which can live for 2000 years, grow to heights of up to 367 feet, and be as wide as 22 feet at the base of the trunk.

    • Eugene

      Eugene (population 173,000 in 2019) is a city in Oregon at the southern end of the Willamette Valley near the confluence of the Mckenzie and Willamette rivers. It is best known for being the home of the University of Oregon.

    • Vancouver, WA

      Vancouver is a city in Clark County, Washington, United States, located on the north bank of the Columbia River. It had a population of 190,915 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Washington.

  4. The Sound & The Island

    You can’t drive through Washington without seeing a volcano. We’ll stop at the viewpoint near Castle Rock to see the scale of the 1980 blast.

    • Mount St. Helens (Castle Rock)

      You can’t drive through Washington without seeing a volcano. We’ll stop at the viewpoint near Castle Rock to see the scale of the 1980 blast.

    • Mukilteo Ferry Terminal

      This is the fun part. You’ll drive your car right onto the ferry. It’s a short 20-minute crossing to Clinton on Whidbey Island. Keep an eye out for seals!

    • Whidbey Island (Deception Pass)

      We’ll finish the trip at the north end of the island. The bridge at Deception Pass is breathtaking—high cliffs, rushing emerald water, and total PNW vibes.