The central route down I-5, while definitely the quickest, is BORING. In addition, you can read detailed information about the restaurants in the section titled 5 Best Restaurants On The Way From Seattle To San Francisco. Grab a freshly baked bagel from Los Bagels,a crepe from Renatas Creperie and Espresso oran ice cream from Arcata Scoop(or all of the above!). eat at Voodoo Doughnuts Pigeon Point Light Station is a lighthouse located on the coast of northern California near Pescadero. Let us know, wed love to hear from you! Seattle to San Francisco Road Trip! Adventures and Waterfalls We have lived, collectively, in exactly three cities. What an amazing road trip! The guide below is written with a two week trip in mind. Its just outside of downtown Hood River, on the Washington side. Searching for an inexpensive and nice inn in Napa area The Ultimate San Francisco To Seattle Road Trip: 55+ Stops You Need To With a 2020 population of 737,015, [2] it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest . The Pacific coast highway is one of the legendary road trip routes that follows highway 101 through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Ashland is a cool little town known for hosting the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. It helps if you put your mirrors in to go through the tree. If youre planning on doing this drive in the winter, avoid snow and tricky road conditions by going the coastal route on the famous Highway 101, which is amazing in its own right. or Sydney, and get inspired for your dream trip around the world. Photo Credit: Bigstock. United States. Best Car for This Road Trip: Convertible or SUV. Traveling with a dog or cat? There are many excellent hotels during your Seattle to San Francisco road trip. Stay charged anywhere you go, with access to our global charging networks. If you're aiming to spend most of your time at the beach, this might be the best time to do the trip. We know the city like the back of our hands, and hope we can give you some of the inside knowledge you need to make your trip to Seattle a memorable one. If you're in the mood for something more extravagant, you can enjoy a cocktail in the Lobby Lounge before taking a dip in the gigantic swimming pool. A road trip along New York state's Women's Heritage Trail, 9 stops on a Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail road trip, A cross-country road trip to U.S. presidential libraries, A road trip to filming locations featured in 'The Goonies', The top things to do on an Extraterrestrial Highway road trip, Pay Tribute and Reflect at These US Monuments and Memorials. See here for our top things to do in San Francisco. With a fourth day, wed add Rainier (with a stop in Eugene between Portland and Redding). This article shares the 15 top tips that turn your San Francisco trip into an unforgettable journey. From here, you can either take the coastal highway HWY 1 or the HWY 101 directly to Santa Rosa for the night OR if you feel as though you can continue driving, drive to Santa Cruz. Here are our favorite places to visit at these locations. Just 15 minutes from Monterey, youll find a variety of cheaper hotels. Roseburg. Youll immediately gasp at the size of these Red Wood trees! Drive Time from Seattle to San Francisco: approximately 10 hours. Next: See how to edit the route San Francisco to Seattle Road Trip Itinerary Advice 1512650 [9] Website. Agreed! San Francisco to Seattle Road Trip Itinerary Overview Stop 1: San Francisco, California (2-3 days) Stop 2: Wine Country: Napa/Sonoma (1-2 days) Stop 3: Mendocino/Fort Bragg (1 day) Stop 4: Lassen/Mt. It's one of the most spectacular road trips in the USA. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Continue south, stopping in Humboldt Redwoods State Park to drive the Avenue of the Giants, one of the most scenic drives in all of California. Its a beautiful place to visit while on your road trip. Required fields are marked *. This would give you a slower paced trip and allow more time to take everything in. Read Next: A Locals Guide to the Best Gluten Free Restaurants in San Francisco. So, it would be perfect if you shared your experience with other travelers who want the same experience. This section lists our five restaurant recommendations for you to eat on your road trip from Seattle to San Francisco. What makes summer an appealing time to visit The Golden City are the mild climate and the abundance of amazing events. Break the budget! Driving Directions from San Francisco to Seattle The Fastest Route The easiest way to get on the road to Seattle from San Francisco is via Interstate 5. Route 2: San Francisco to Seattle via 101 N and I-5 N Featuring some of the best road trip attractions in Northern California, including Humboldt County, wine country, beaches, and redwoods Eugene and Portland, Oregon (Tillamook, Seaside, Cannon Beach, Astoria are optional) Olympia in Washington Morimoto Read Next: The 19 Best Airbnbs in Seattle. Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA. Traveling with a dog or cat? One thing to keep in mind along this route is that the coast can be rather windy, potentially making the drive difficult (not to mention less scenic) on a rainy day - be sure to keep close tabs on the weather and plan your stops accordingly. Elliott Bay Books for the best local bookstore in Seattle. The Willamette Valley is home to some of the best Pinot Noir in the world and youll find more than 500 wineries surrounding this region. McMinnville. You can also compare the travel time if you're flying or driving Where to stay on the San Francisco to Seattle drive? 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Get our latest blog posts, updates and deals. Looking to promote your product, hotel or service? Here are some of our favorite things to do in Hood River. (1 answer), Marsha-laine asked:Most Scenic Drive Down to San Francisco (2 answers), John asked:Seattle to San Francisco recommend route (1 answer). Since then, Matt and his wife Alysha have visited 18 national parks, spent three months in Europe and six weeks in Colombia, and have explored every corner of the Pacific Northwest, which is where Matt grew up. There you have it a complete guide to planning a road trip from Seattle to San Francisco. The 363 mile Oregon coast has cute towns, beaches and photo ops all along the way. California Redwoods. San Francisco to Seattle drive, or go to the main page to plan a new road trip. Here are a few of our favorite restaurants in Seattle, in no particular order. From there, visit Klamath and Shasta-Trinity national Forests, and consider doing an optional detour to Lassen National Forest. Mendocino is a largely unspoiled area of California that has beaches, valleys, and forests. Day 6: Continue your coastal journey by heading to Point Reyes National Seashore, another one of our favorite spots in California (and 30 minutes from where Alysha grew up). How to Plan an Amazing San Francisco to Seattle Road Trip We have five restaurant recommendations worth your attention. The drive's signature stops include the cities of Portland and Sacramento, Mt. If youre only going to do it once, do it right. Weve made this trip in one straight shot in just 12 hours when taking I-5. This road trip is 808 miles and takes about 12 hours and 30 minutes. Day 4: Get an early start and make a beeline for the California border. Distance from Seattle to San Francisco: approximately 575 miles. Then youll have the perfect San Francisco to Seattle road trip itinerary. Market Street Steakhouse Discovery Park: Get yourself ready for some longer hikes with an easy stroll out to the western edge of Seattle, where youll find yourself face-to-face with the Pacific Ocean. Tasty N Sons Navarro Vineyards and Roederer Estate are our favorites. And we dont recommend it. Or get a full Seattle to San Francisco flight plan. Day 1: Seattle, Washington (3 days) Day 4: Seattle - Willamette Valley (222 miles/357 km) Day 5: Willamette Valley - Pacific City (63 miles/101 km) Read that if you want the details beyond some of our recommendations. In our opinion, the two best areas to stay in Seattle are Belltown and Capitol Hill (though we also like South Lake Union). Saint Helens. Yes, even this step is optional, because if you're on vacation Drive to Port Angeles, with a stop at Nourish Sequim along the way for a delicious (and gluten free) lunch. Our favorites would be Becks Motor Lodge (close to the Mission) and Hotel Kabuki (in Japantown). Theres nothing worse than being 100 miles from the nearest toilet! Search for RV campgrounds. Theres really only one choice here. He writes super detailed guides to the places they visit, bringing together personal experience and historical context to help YOU plan an amazing trip. Are you going straight to a hotel, or Stop in Astoria to check out the Astoria Column and Fort Stevens State Park, then make your way to Ecola State Park for great views of Cannon Beach. www .seattle .gov. They remembered my mum right away and we chatted with them about their lives. Looking for the best coffee in a city known for amazing coffee? However a bit unsure about the timing, how is it in mid October there? Hike the short and sweet Trinidad Head Trail for amazing coastal views. Hood River also makes a great overnight stay, with plenty to do and see to occupy a day of your time. Early November is when the weather really starts to turn. If youre planning to visit San Francisco, you can check this video guide before your road trip. If youve got 3-4 days, sleep in Portland on night one, Redding on night two, and finish the drive to San Francisco on day three. San Francisco to Seattle Road Trip: A Trip to The Pacific Northwest + More who wants the trip to end? Not long after passing Wildcat Canyon Regional Park, drive the San Francisco - Oakland Bay Bridge and pull into San Fran. You can also visit the town of Fort Bragg, which has plenty of experiences to offer, both adventure-wise and when it comes to eating and drinking. San Francisco's hottest season is usually the fall, when the temperatures peak at around 70 degrees and there are plenty of residual tourists left over from the summer. Last time, we stayed at this Treehouse on Airbnb, which was also fantastic, but you probably want a hotel given youll only be in town for one night, and the Airbnb cleaning fee will make it more expensive. Sounds interesting right? The 808 miles of the road trip from Seattle to San Francisco takes around 12 hours and 47 mins of driving without stops. That could be more time than you have. We recommend Timber Valley Inn and Suiteswhich is conveniently located directly off HWY 5. Domaine Chandon Pike Place Market: Probably the most famous attraction in Seattle, Pike Place Market lives up to the hype and then some. on Amazon that will make travel fun for them. Road Trip Route Planner, Map and Trip Guides | Roadtrippers Start New Trip Trip Guides Sign Up Log In Start a trip by adding places Collect places for your trip by adding them. Recently, we have chosen to put down roots in Portland, Oregon, and look forward to exploring even more of the Pacific Northwest (Matt grew up in Seattle, so he knows it well). Seattle To San Francisco Road Trip (Day 1 &2) Since Seattle is the starting pointand five days is like a few minutes on this tripone should get to Seattle early enough. Visiting in July for 5 days with my boyfriend, where and what must we do? You made it to San Francisco! Check out the 5th St. Public Market for a combination of shopping, eating, and drinking with local vendors. Add anything that looks interesting! Seattle to San Francisco Road Trip The best things to see and do between Seattle and San Francisco. USA West Coast Road Trip Itinerary: Seattle to San Francisco Beach Street Inn and Suites. Highway 101 Road Trip. It's okay, you can start planning your If you road trip San Francisco to Seattle you'll cover at least 807 miles - that's if you do the aforementioned route and go straight down the I-5N. The Ultimate San Francisco to Seattle Road Trip Seattle to San Francisco - 7 ways to travel via train, plane - Rome2rio Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin' BBQ (11 mentions)