Help me plan my trip out NW please!

[sdoyle]

We have been given an awesome opportunity to drive an RV from LA up the California/Oregon/Washington coast and then drive across the northern part of the country and back cown to Kansas City with my parents. We will have DD (4) and DS (2) with us. The problem is there are so many AWESOME places to see that it has been tough to narrow it down.

Any advice on what you would definately not miss that is kid friendly? We will have 2 weeks and have pretty much not been anywhere in that part of the country so we are wide open.

TIA for any advice!

Stacy

[bluestarfish18]

There was a recent post on this topic just a few months ago in the Everything-But-Disney section...here it is:

http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin...d.php?t=363623

Have fun and let us Coasters know how we can help!

[bubbaray]

When are you taking this trip? Because if you are thinking now, um, well, good luck with the Oregon coast. Those campgrounds book up months in advance. Ditto the ones in WA -- we booked our WA RV trip at Christmas (you can book 9m in advance and the sites go within seconds).

If you can wait until September, you should be fine.

If you can't, you might have to take what you can get.

Cape Lookout is my all-time fave OR coast campground. LOVE it. Have RVd and tented there, very very cool, very kid friendly. The Jessie Honeyman one is HUGE, you might have better luck there. Right near the dunes. Fort Stevens is nice, as is Nehalem Bay. They are on the northern coast. I can't remember the names of the others we stayed at further south. DH and I have RVd on the coast a few times, we have tented many many times.

http://www.oregonstateparks.org/searchpark.php

North of Portland into WA state there is a nice campground called Battleground WA. http://www.parks.wa.gov/parks/?selec...0Ground%20Lake Its on the way from Portland up to Olympia/Seattle

We have RVd at many campgrounds in WA. Too many to really recall, though DH might have a list.

Steamboat Rock near the Grand Coulee Dam is a LOVELY area -- if you can stand the fricken fracken HUGE, monster bugs. FYI, they spray the campground for bugs at night, into your tent or RV. With no warning. We are pretty outdoorsy and the bugs were seriously insane. They were biting through thick denim, it was nuts. Unfortunately, we will never return -- its too bad, as the area is really cool. Definitely swing by the dam though. No bugs there, RV parking is fine.

Lake Chelan is really nice. The RV sites are really close together, but the lake is pristine -- so clean. Perrygin Lake is further north, by Winthrop and very nice. If you want to go before mid-September, Perrygin Lake is out unless you can grab a cancellation because once vacation season is over, its then fishin' season and the hunters are out there. Osoyoos Lake is nice too.

We've stayed at most of the WA state parks in the north sound area. Deception pass is the most famous and very cool. VERY noisy if the naval jets are doing flybys, though.

Lesser known, though more "wild" than the OR coast is the WA coast. The Olympic Peninsula is so breathtaking. We have camped at many places on the Peninsula. Port Townsend is really cool, so if you go up the long way and around, its worth a look. You can camp right at Fort Warden, though it is very busy in the summer.

In the east, Spokane WA and Cour D'alene ID are close together. Sandpoint ID is beautiful, but if you are going now, you are unlikely to find anything there. I haven't camped in Montana, but DH has (he's asleep right now though).

GL.

[sdoyle]

Thanks for your replies. We will not be going for a few weeks but being the sole family planner- it is stressing me out! My dad actually has been living in the RV and working on a job north of LA which is why we are at the mercy of the end of the job to plan our trip. I will start working on campground reservations right away!! Thanks for the tip!

Stacy

[tmphilo]

There are many neat things to see, but a couple we enjoy are the Newport Aquarium in Newport, OR (just south of Lincoln City) and the Tillamook Cheese Factory and Ice Creamery in Tillamook, OR (further north).

[StantonHyde]

My absolute favorite vacation planning resource is www.fodors.com Check out their forums--you narrow down by US and then state. Tons of info in there. I search first to see if my topic is covered, draw up a rough idea or itinerary and then ask for feedback. I will also ask for lodging and eating and activity reccos. I have planned many trips solely off that board including a week in France!

[rlu]

If you are looking to stop in the Santa Cruz (CA) area, there are three state beaches (with campgrounds) that I can speak to. Note that CA allows reservations 7 months in advance and they generally go quick, but if you are looking for a single night during the week, you may get lucky.

use this link to find CA state parks and to link to make reservations. http://www.parks.ca.gov/parkindex/

generally - you need to watch for rip tides; showers (not sure if Seacliff has any) are .25/2 minutes (quarters only); rvs are definitely allowed but hookups not always available and size limitations may apply; not sure if dump stations at Seacliff or Sunset

Sunset - this park hasn't been updated recently - there is one bathroom (2 stalls and 2 showers per sex) per campground loop (about 30 sites per loop) which leads to lines for showers morning, afternoon and evening (hit mid morning or early afternoon for shortest wait) - very hilly campground so great for kids to ride scooters (scooters outnumbered bikes 10 -1 when we were there last week) - must hike over dune to get to beach (kids love this, parents may not enjoy lugging kids who get tired) and nearest restrooms are on other side of dune from ocean - very windy at beach itself, good for kites and kids don't care - lifeguard on duty

Seacliff - basically a parking lot on the beach, haven't stayed there myself but we often walk from New Brighton to Seacliff to see the Cement Boat (very cool especially when I was young and could still go onto boat) - not sure about hookups, but you can't get closer to the water without camping on the sand itself - not sure about lifeguard, don't think there is one - restroom on beach.

New Brighton - camping on the bluff above beach - some sites have hookups - dump station at park - trail down to beach is a killer and would not recommend with young kids but there is a beach parking lot that connects to a gently sloping paved road you can walk down - restrooms located on beach - surf area tends to be either pebbly or seaweedy - cliffs to one side can be explored if child accompanied for safety (tides can cut off area) - no lifeguard - near Capitola if you rather not go to beach