The Pacific Northwest, or PNW, is one of the best regions in the United States (and Canada) for road tripping. From California's redwood forests, to the Oregon coastline, to the mountainous landscapes of Washington and British Columbia, the PNW is home to some of the nation's best scenery.

Now that you know you want to want to plan a road trip, you're probably asking yourself, "where do I start?" Luckily for you, we've got all the stops planned out. For the purpose of this blog, I'll be writing the stops out in the order in which we took them. We started in California but it would be just as easy to change up the order based on what works best for you.

Lake Tahoe, California

The first stop of our road trip was an easy choice for us, Lake Tahoe! Since Nico and I previously lived in Tahoe, this stop was great for us to catch up with friends and do some of the activities we love. If you want to know more about what to do in the Tahoe area, I recommend reading this winter post and this summer one that I wrote.

We did our road trip in the summer so we spent a lot of time out on the water or hiking. The best Tahoe activities to try are:

Take a boat out on the lake

Renting a boat always seemed like it would be an expensive activity to me but it's really not that bad if you split the cost between friends. We had a blast jetting around, riding the tube, and drinking beers in the sunshine.

Hike the Rubicon Trail

The Rubicon Trail, located between Emerald Bay and D.L. Bliss State Parks, is one of my favorite Tahoe hikes. It's not too strenuous and has continuous views of beautiful Lake Tahoe.

Take the dogs for a swim at Thunderbird Beach

I'm still not one hundred percent sure that this beach is called Thunderbird Beach. It's located on the Nevada side of the lake, just south of Sand Harbor. It takes about 20 minutes to hike down to the sparkling blue-green water, where its a nice place to have a picnic, relax in the sun, or take your fur babies for a swim.

Raft down the Truckee River

I've been rafting down the Truckee River since I was a little kid and it's definitely one of the best things to do in Tahoe. Make sure you come in the early Summer because the river can't be rafted when the water is too low. Looking for more challenging rapids? Try rafting down the American River. We opted for a challenge this trip and took a ride through class 4 and 5 rapids down the Middle Fork of the American River. Ironically, I fell out of the boat on a class 2 rapid but managed to stay in on a 5.

Watch the sunset at Cave Rock

This is the best place to watch sunset if you're staying in Southlake or on the East side of Lake Tahoe. You most likely won't be the only ones there for sunset but there's plenty of room to spread out.

Kayak from Sand Harbor

Sand Harbor is one of the best spots to put the kayak in and go out for a paddle. The water is clear and turquoise here with views of giant rocks below and above the surface. From here, it's easy to kayak to many of the tiny coves and beaches hidden on Tahoe's East shore.

Visit Emerald Bay

Probably the most iconic Lake Tahoe view is Emerald Bay. You can admire the bay from above or hike to the beach below. This is also a great spot to go kayaking on the lake and stop at Fannette Island.

When in Tahoe, you'll need to know the best restaurants to fuel up after a day of hiking and swimming. In Southlake, get some tacos and a margarita at Azul or try the lemon chicken at Lotus Pho. If you're in the Kings Beach/Incline Village area, get some tapas and a cocktail at Bite or chow down on Italian comfort food at Lanzas. The jury is still out on where to find the best burger so you may as well try both Char Pit and The Grid and then get back to me about which one you prefer. Finally, in the Truckee area head to The Drunken Monkey for some great sushi and Asian fusion food or try Pianetta to enjoy a nice glass of wine with great atmosphere.

Portland, Oregon

The second stop on our road trip was Portland, Oregon. It would have made more sense logistically to stop in Bend or Crater Lake next but we were trying to be in Bend when our friend who lives there was available. Like I mentioned before, the order of this trip can be altered to best fit your needs.

So, what's there to do in Portland, you ask? Well, for me and Nico the answer was mostly to eat all the food and drink all the beer. We did take a day, though, to work off all those extra calories by visiting the Columbia River Gorge.

The Gorge is a National Scenic Area best known for its waterfalls. Some good ones to visit are Multnomah Falls, Horsetail Falls, and Fairy Falls. Multnomah Falls is likely the most famous falls in this area, made iconic for the picturesque bridge perched above the lower part of the waterfall. Horsetail Falls is a skinny waterfall that cascades outwards from the rock wall and into a pool below. This waterfall is unique because you can also walk behind it. Fairy Falls might have been my favorite because it consists of many branches of small waterfalls, gradually expanding wider as it goes down. I also liked the contrast of the water against the black rock.

While you're out visiting the Gorge, you could also make a stop in the town of Hood River. We enjoyed trying some beers at Double Mountain Brewery while we were here.

Now I'm sure you're dying to know about the food scene in Portland. Here's a list of all the restaurants and food trucks Nico and I tried with our thoughts:

Pok Pok

Having recently arrived back in the US from SE Asia, Nico and I were excited to give Pok Pok a try because we heard they had some very authentic Thai food. We shared an order of the Fish Sauce Wings (because it's a specialty) and Khao Soi (which tasted very similar to the soup we enjoyed in Chiang Mai).

Salt & Straw

This is some damn-good ice cream. Now with shops all over the west coast (including Washington and California), Salt & Straw originated in Portland and became famous for its unique but delicious ice cream flavors. Get ready to taste everything from Sea Salt & Caramel to Pear & Blue Cheese. This place is like a vacation for your taste buds.

Blue Star or Voodoo Donuts

If you're someone who enjoys adventurous flavor combinations as much as I do, Portland is the place to be. While you can find just a classic old-fashioned donut at either Voodoo or Blue Star, you might be curious to try a Blueberry Bourbon Basil donut or a Bacon Maple Bar. Having already tried Voodoo donuts in Denver, CO, Nico and I opted to try Blue Star this time around. I got a Lemon Poppy Buttermilk Old-Fashioned, which was delicious.

10 Barrel Brewing

10 Barrel is just one of many breweries to satisfy your beer craving in Portland. The original brewery is actually based in Bend but Nico and I enjoyed the Portland location's vibe as well as the tasty snacks they had to offer.

The Grilled Cheese Grill

Basically my version of heaven in a food truck, the Grilled Cheese Grill serves all kinds of gooey, cheesy sandwiches. You can even build your own! What's better than carbs and cheese?

Garden Monsters

After you've had a few grilled cheeses and beers, you might be thinking to yourself, I need to offset my delicious bad choices with some veggies. Lucky for you, there's a food truck for that. Garden Monsters offers tasty, hearty salads that will even satisfy someone (like me) who prefers salads as a side dish. The food truck we went to is located in a really nice area with other food trucks around so it's a great place to stop if you've got a group of people with different food cravings.

Fried Egg I'm In Love

The best way to start the day is with a yummy egg sandwich or breakfast burrito from this cute little food truck. With sandwiches like the Yolko Ono and Free-Range Against the Machine, Fried Egg I'm In Love serves breakfast with a healthy portion of puns, guaranteed to brighten up your morning.

Tacoma, Washington

While Tacoma was not exactly a destination on our PNW road trip, it was a great little stopover town on the way to Seattle. Nico and I stayed here at a friend's house in order to save money on a hotel. If you find yourself in Tacoma on your road trip, here are a few gems to check-out:

The Met

Why am I recommending a bougie grocery store? Because the Metropolitan Market is so much more than that! In addition to groceries, they offer prepared food, which is some pretty quality stuff. I had some penne alla vodka at like 11 pm because guys, this place is open 24 hours! Also, you have to get the cookie, it's bomb.

Art House Cafe

What better way to begin your day exploring Seattle than with a delicious brunch? Everything on the menu at Art House Cafe looked amazing but Nico and I tried the Quiche Lucia and the Bacon and Beechers Stuffed Biscuit. I recommend both (especially the biscuit) plus a mimosa.

Seattle, Washington

I had so many recommendations for things to do in Seattle before we went that we barely scratched the surface of possibilities. Here are a few things that we tried and liked to get you started:

Pike Place Market

This is probably the most touristy area in Seattle (think Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco) but still totally worth a visit. Here you can visit the world's first Starbucks (but don't bother waiting in the line here for a coffee, it's the same as everywhere else), take a stroll past the famous Gum Wall, or shop the market stalls. This is actually a pretty great place to buy fresh fish or flower bouquets. There's not much parking around this area. We parked at Target, which was free for a few hours as long as we made a purchase (which we needed to do anyways).

Ballard Locks

The Ballard Locks allow boats to navigate between Lakes Washington and Union and the Puget Sound while maintaining the water level of the freshwater lakes, which are both above sea level. It's fascinating to watch the boats sit in what I thought of as a water filled elevator that rose to lift the boats from Puget Sound and lowered to move the boats from Lake Washington. There's also a fun viewing area that allows you to look underwater and view the salmon ladder that allows migrating salmon to travel between the sound and the lakes.

Kerry Park

This park has the perfect view over the city and the Space Needle. When we visited, the sky was pretty smoky from all of the forest fires happening nearby, but we could see how this would be a great spot to hang out on a clear day.

Golden Gardens

This park is the perfect place for a summer BBQ on the beach. Located in the Ballard area, Golden Gardens has hiking trails, volleyball courts, and bonfire pits. There were plenty of people at the beach when we visited even though the weather was a little too chilly in my opinion (hey, I'm used to California sun, what can I say?).

Metsker Maps

I'm not sure if this is much of a universal interest but I'm going to put it here anyway because I loved this cute little map shop! They sold maps of all kinds and from many different time periods. Maybe a love for travel and a love for maps go hand in hand. Someone please let me know I'm not the only one with this obsession.

Umi Sake House

There are probably a million sushi restaurants in Seattle and because of its prime coastal location, you're likely to find a lot of good quality fish. We only tried Umi, as it was recommended to us, and both Nico and I thoroughly enjoyed our experience there! Visit during happy hour for great deals on both the food and drinks.

Deception Pass State Park, Washington

This next stop is not an overnight location but it's a beautiful place to pull over and admire the scenery, snap some pictures of the bridge, and hangout before continuing on the drive to Canada.

Vancouver, Canada

Ahh, Vancouver... this place was the perfect mix of city meets wilderness. Plan to stay a few nights here (or more) to make the most of your visit. We stayed in an airbnb a little outside the downtown area so we drove everywhere but the city could definitely be more walkable if you find a place closer to the center.

Capilano Suspension Bridge Park

This is a very popular activity for visitors to Vancouver but don't let the crowds discourage you from going! It was a very cool experience to be walking high up in the trees and along the ridge of a rock wall. This park offers an entirely unique perspective that you must see for yourself to fully appreciate!

Stanley Park

I love a good inner city park and Stanley Park was amazing! There's so much to see and do here, you could spend a couple days exploring the park alone. We really enjoyed hiking around and getting lost on some beautiful trails. I suggest checking out some of the trails near Beaver Lake.

Granville Island

Check out this touristy-but-in-a-charming-way little island in the middle of Vancouver. Browse some of the quirky shops - such as the broom workshop (?!) or have a bite to eat. We tried some tasty little pies from Laurelle's Fine Foods. Check online before you go to find out about art shows, farmers' markets, and other events happening on the island!

Gastown

This is the main downtown or center of Vancouver and it's a cute neighborhood to explore. This area is famous for its old steam powered clock, where you'll always find a crowd gathered on the hour. Take a walk down the cobblestone streets, go shopping, and check out some of the restaurants and bars we tried...

Flying Pig

This was a cute and delicious little restaurant. Nico and I split one of the specials they had that night but everything on the menu looked tasty.

Meat & Bread

Meat & Bread is an awesome little sandwich shop with a few locations around Vancouver (and I believe a few other cities as well). They have a really tasty mustard that they sell by the bottle too. Nico got the porchetta sandwich and I got a grilled cheese.

Dinesty Dumpling House

This restaurant also has a few different locations. It's a great place to visit if you're a dumpling lover (like us). There were so many different types to choose from but the soup dumplings were very popular.

North Cascades National Park, Washington

After a pretty straight run of city living, we headed to North Cascades National Park for a bit of camping (which is one of the best parts about road trips). North Cascades is a very underrated national park. This is what makes it such a great spot because it's not too crowded, there's cheap camping, and the scenery is awesome!

We camped at Colonial Creek Campground, which is a first-come-first-served site for $16 per night. We didn't have any trouble getting a spot here and the camp was so nice! It's located right near the shores of Lake Diablo and our campsite had views of the bright turquoise water.

Be sure to take a drive up to Diablo Lake Overlook. This is an amazing viewpoint of Diablo Lake and the surrounding mountains. Unfortunately, it was super smoky when we were visiting so we didn't get the epic views we'd hoped for but I will definitely return someday!

For a short and easy day hike, be sure to check out Thunder Knob. This 3.6 mile trail located just off highway 20 weaves through the forest and rewards you with views of Lake Diablo at the top.

Another quick photo spot is on the Diablo Dam. We enjoyed stopping here to take photos of the waterfall cascading down the rocks.

Olympic National Park, Washington

After North Cascades, head on over to one of the other national parks in Washington, Olympic. It can sometimes be tricky to get camping here (compared to a few others on this list) due to the popularity of the park. Nico and I spent our first night at Klahanie Campground, which is technically located in Olympic National Forest. It was a super beautiful place to camp, however. Everything was very lush and moss-covered.

The next place we camped was Mora Campground, located on the coast near the town called Forks (made famous by Twilight lol). The campsite was in a very nice forest setting but was only a short walk to the beach.

Another cool place to camp is Hoh Campground, located inland. It's central to the Hoh Rainforest, which is super green and moss-filled. Even if you don't camp here, it's worth a visit because there are plenty of hikes and things to see in this area.

Some other activities to do in Olympic National Park are:

Ruby Beach

This beach is not so much a lounge around in my bikini and play spikeball with my friends kind of beach but more of a rugged, beautiful example of Washington's dramatic coastline. We went on a foggy morning and had fun checking out tide pools, playing in the drift wood, and admiring the crashing waves.

Hurricane Ridge

This activity was another one that was tainted by the wildfires in the area when we visited, but we still got an idea of how cool an area it was! Take a short hike up Hurricane Hill and enjoy sweeping views of the surrounding mountains (that is, if it's not smoky when you visit). You can also catch a view of Canada on a clear day.

Olympic Hot Springs

These hot springs are pretty popular and not too hard to find. There are many different pools located along the trail and down by the river. When we visited, it was an easy drive followed by a 2 mile hike but the road is currently closed due to a wash out and the pools aren't as easily reached. If you're still keen to visit, be prepared to hike (or bike) 11 miles each way.

Cannon Beach, Oregon

Any Pacific Northwest road trip should include a drive along the Oregon Coast. There are lots of pretty overlooks and beaches to stop at. One of the better known beaches is Cannon Beach. This beach is recognized by its large rock formations just off the coast. Bring a beach blanket with you and a snack and relax while watching kites bob in the sky on a windy day.

Another great stop along the Oregon Coast is the Tillamook Creamery. Take a tour of the factory, taste some cheese, and buy an ice cream. Not to sound cheesy, but this place is too gouda pass up.

Bend, Oregon

Located towards the center of Oregon, Bend is an adventurous little town known for its beer and its many options for outdoor activities. Luckily for us, we timed our visit perfectly with Bend Brewfest, an annual beer tasting festival located in town. You get a mug and some tokens and then make your way around the tents trying all different kinds of beers local to Oregon, many being brewed right in Bend!

For a beautiful walk, head to Devils Lake. The trail is approximately 1.6 miles each way and has nice views of the lake and surrounding forests.

One activity that is very popular for locals and tourists alike is to float the Deschutes River. You can rent a tube from Bend Park & Float for $16 for two hours.

Be sure to visit a few breweries while you're in Bend. We really liked Sunriver Brewing Co. (great food) and Deschutes Brewery (free tasting).

Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

For our final stop of the road trip, we visited Crater Lake. We just stopped here to take some photos and admire the scenery but other popular activities in the area include driving the Rim Drive, taking a boat to Wizard Island (a volcano inside of a volcano), or hiking up Garfield Peak.

Pacific Northwest Road Trip Itinerary