Thank you for the response to my previous post.
Here is a rough itinerary.
Traveling 08/22/13 to 09/08/13
Will have rental car
Arriving Seattle 3 nights then visit MT. ST.Helens
Then drive towards Florence OR.
Where would you suggest we stay over night
And what to do?
We like water and nature
End in Portland for 3 or 4 nights.
Tried to plan this my self but need some advice.
Thank You
Contributor 
43,637 posts
1,084 reviews Hi midon1, "water and nature" we can do :-)
Since you'll be stopping at Mt St Helens, you might want to spend the night around Astoria. Although it's not on the ocean, it's an interesting old town. There is an excellent maritime museum, the fun little trolley and you can climb all the steps to the top of the Astoria Column which is well worth it for the view on a clear day.
If you are interested in Lewis & Clark, there is a good interpretive center at Cape Disappointment in SW Washington, about 40 minutes from Astoria.
Okay, so that night plus Seattle plus Portland on the end accounts for 8 nights and I think you said in your PM that you have a total of 16? So that leaves about 8 nights "extra" for your trip.
Do you want to spend all of that time on the coast? Or perhaps see some high desert or mountains? Crater Lake? Redwoods in California?
What are your thoughts on what you'd like to see and do?
Thanks for the response half brit.
Have to go to seal cave in Florence.
Eugene worth a stop?
Think we would prefer to stay a long the coast.
Ideas suggestions appreciated
Thank You
Contributor
9,117 posts
195 reviews I think half-Brit will agree with me that the Sea Lion Caves (which are north of Florence, just below Heceta Head) are overpriced and odiferous. You can get closer to any sea lions that are in the area on the pier on Newport's bayfront.
Is Eugene worth a stop? Depends on your interests. It's the home of the University of Oregon, which has a beautiful campus, with fine art and natural history museums and a fine school of music. Botht the McKenzie and Willamette Rivers run through Eugene/Springfield. Great parks and bike and hiking trails. It's also Track Town USA, just in case you're a fan of track and field.
The Eugene Celebration will be held around the time of your trip...and it's quite a party.
However, if none of this interests you...stick to the coast.
Contributor
12,282 posts
132 reviews Hi, Midon
Water and nature we can do too. Try going out to the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Waterfalls close enough to drive by and look. Hikes, scenic vistas, many attractions Paddle Boat, Interpretive Centers. Multnomah Falls (at 620' and roadside it's known as the second tallest waterfall that runs year round in the US. But Fairy Falls, in Mt. Rainier is/was glacier fed and they have receded. Now it dries up in the summer.)
It's all east on I-84 from Portland.
Mrs O
Contributor
43,637 posts
1,084 reviews If you want to see the geological formation of a sea cave, then by all means visit the Sea Lion Cave. If all you want to see is sea lions up close, then go to Port Dock 1 on the Bayfront in Newport.
There will be a new 80 foot dock installed soon, thanks to the efforts and donations of local people and small businesses, and there are now "docents" to answer questions.
You can continue south on the coast to Crescent City area, then take Hwy 199 back to Grants Pass, then north on I-5 or some variation. That makes a nice circle route and you'll see a lot of the coast :-)
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