We are back in Washington this week for work (specifically Will’s work). But we just wrapped up driving 3000 miles on the west coast through California, Oregon, and back to Washington. And some of the spots we camped were amazing and some we don’t want to go back to (I am thinking of you Southern Oregon). Obviously, some of what we didn’t like is definitely related to the p*andemic. But we thought we would share the places we loved.
California
I personally LOVE California, so heading back to our home state immediately made me happy. But this time, we saw places we hadn’t really been to before, which is hard to do when you’ve lived in California for 40 years. One place we visited that we really loved was actually a section of Del Norte County coast, just before Crescent city. This is way up in Northern California where the coast is colder and the Redwoods grow. We found a beach picnic area on iOverlander that you can park overnight in and we camped there on the way down and on the way back up. We slept fantastically to the sound of the waves crashing against the shore. There is no bathroom at that spot, so it’s good for people who have an RV or van build that includes a bathroom.
Another place in California we visited was the city of Petaluma. We stayed at the KOA there and it was someplace we had never been before. It was kind of a drive-through spot to get to Sonoma. But the town of 60k on a river was actually really pleasant. The Koa was nice too. KOA stands for Kampgrounds of America. Some people say KOAs are too expensive but when you’re in a van, you can book the cheaper tent site. And all of the amenities were perfect for work/living. We did our laundry, took showers, and used the wifi. We also had plenty of sun for our solar panels and it still wasn’t very hot. Will rode his bike through farmland to the city’s cafes while I was working.
Oregon
Crater Lake was somewhere Will camped as a kid with his aunt and uncle. He wanted to stop there on the way back. And after staying at a meh RV on Rogue river for work, we were looking forward to the National Park. Will said he remembered it being beautiful, but he wasn’t sure if it would be like his 10-year-old mind remembered. When we first arrived it was hazy with smoke from nearby fires and we really thought about leaving. But when we woke up the next day, the skies were blue and the lake was gorgeous. A lot of people I know have never been to Crater Lake and it’s not in a convenient stopping place along the 5 freeway, but it’s worth the visit.
Another place in Oregon we went through that we liked was Astoria. All the way over on the Northwest tip of Oregon, Astoria is most known for the Goonies movies being filmed and set there. You can go to the county jail with the jeep Cherokee parked out front. We stopped there for coffee on the way to Washington and really liked it. We debated looking for a place to sleep there because it was so nice. But we ended up trying to make some of the distance through Washington up so we crossed the bridge to Washington. Astoria is a small town but its waterfront area has a lot of character. A lot of historic buildings and they even still have a running trolley through town.
There are more places that we enjoyed along the coast including on the Mendocino coast, but these ones stand out as being the best. Next week, we are back on the road and likely heading east. Any recommendations??