Oregon Coast and Redwoods Trip

Here is the recap of our trip:

June 3-Cape Perpetua, OR
Stopped at Mo's (for chowder and a stomach ache - their food used to be so much better), Devils Punchbowl, Devils Churn, and the Cape Perpetua Visitors Center. The visitor's center is fantastic and the hosts are really great. Saw some Grey whales and their calves heading north.


For any 'Point Break' fans, this is where they filmed the final scenes!


Devil's Churn. The seas were too calm for any excitement. Come when the tide is coming in for the most action!


Our campsite

June 4-Sunset Bay SP, OR
Stopped at Ocean Picnic Beach, Haceta Head to play at the beach (the lighthouse is currently closed due to renovations), Sea Lion Caves (saw lots of Sea Lions as well as more Grey whales in pairs, and Orcas following them), stopped in Florence for lunch, and then finished the drive to Sunset Bay SP. Rain was pretty torrential all day, but we also checked out Shore Acres Botanical Garden and Cape Arago.


One of Oregon's most haunted houses! This is the Haceta Head Lighthouse.


Inside the Sea Lion Cave

June 5-Prairie Creek Redwoods SP, CA
After torrents of rain, cold showers (although free!), burnt toast and cold coffee, my car broke down and I limped back to Coos Bay. It was determined I had a bad cylinder coil and there were no parts in the area. Called in a huge special favor of my mom, and she picked up the part I needed and drove it down to us (4-hours round trip...she is a saint!). After we got the part, gave some really big hugs, and stopped at Walmart to use the bathrooms (I am not sure who had worse bathrooms, to be honest...the mechanic or the store), we were off again! Stopped at various points on the road to stretch legs, but just kept driving until we made it to Prairie Creek Redwoods SP.


Our campsite. Drying everything out after the rain.

June 6-Prairie Creek, CA
Visited the Elk Meadow down the road (outside of the Prairie Creek) and Trees of Mystery in the morning, a hike around the campground and a visit to the visitors center in the afternoon. Just kept the day low key after the long haul and rough previous day. Had lots of visitors that night as well as some much needed kid time for the lad!


Elk. I thought of Evan, Lena and, Katie a lot this trip!


Trees of Mystery. You HAVE to stop here. Question is, can you run it faster than a 4.5 year old?

June 7-Humboldt Redwoods SP, CA
Had a short walk to the 'Big Tree' near the Prairie Creek campground. Then did most of the Cal-Barrel Road scenic drive. No trailers or RVs, so make sure you unhook and drive it. It is amazing! I wanted to head to the coastal side, but the road was flooded more than I was comfortable driving through and passed it up. Went back to pick up Dottie, and drove to Humboldt Redwoods SP. Were going to stay at Hidden Springs campground, but switched to Burlington (flatter for bikes with no brakes and very few people and Mosquitos!). Spent a bunch of time in their awesome visitors center and drove a good chunk of the Avenue of the Giants.


Along the Cal-Barrel drive


Burlington Campground, Humboldt Redwoods State Park

June 8-Petaluma, CA
On the drive to Petaluma we stopped at the One-Log House and Confusion Hill. Loved both and each were worth the stop. Lots of fun, especially Confusion Hill. You feel like you have gone back in time. The drive through Richardson Grove was amazing. Stayed the weekend with family and Mick met us there for a couple of days since he was in San Fran for the week on business anyway. That was great! 


One-Log House


Confusion Hill

June 10-Patricks Point, CA
Drove all day to get to Patrick's Point with stops in Myers Flat to check out the Shrine Drive-through tree (the 5' wide Camp-Inn's don't fit, but I think the 4' wide ones will!) after having lunch with several chapters of the Hells Angel's at Lumberjacks in Willits. The Redwood Run was that weekend and folks were heading home at this point. I have never seen so many Harleys in my life! Laddy loves the ones with the flames best. Made it to Patricks Point a bit late, and I am assuming that is why the folks were so grumpy...they had had a long day too. We were a day early, but luckily our spot was available. Tucked in, made a quick dinner, and called it a night.


The Shrine Drive-Thru Tree


Our campsite at Patrick's Point. Super private and beautiful.

June 11-Patricks Point, CA
Had a leisurely morning, taking our time with breakfast. Then hopped in the car to go see Trinidad. It is a pretty little bay. Headed back for a small lunch and snuggled the lad in for a much needed nap. In the afternoon, we checked out the Sumeg village, a replica of a traditional Yurok tribal village, to show what things would have looked liked for their people. Laddy liked that more than I thought, and we hung out for a while, while the inmate work crew continued clearing brush next tour camp site. Got to teach the Lad about prison...goody. After the village, we headed over to Wedding Rock and had a good look around. Laddy climbed to the to of it, and then down again, and we admired all sorts of beauty there. What a special place that is. Headed back, made pizza in the Dutch oven, had a few marshmallows and took the most expensive, cold showers we have ever experienced. We didn't have good luck with hot showers. Others said they had hot showers there, so we must of come at the wrong time. Bundled up to warm ourselves, and snuggled in for the night.


Looking across the bay at Trinidad.


Sumeg Village

June 12-Harris Beach SP, OR
We decided on the drive down, that we would stop at Ocean World in Crescent City on the way back up North. After a quick stop in Prairie Creek to pick up a walking stick medallion (I decided to start collecting those half way through the trip and now it looks like I am going to have to go back to several places to see if they have them), we stopped there. What a neat place. The have several rescue animals that they take care of. Right now they have 3 harbor seals (one of them is 35 years old, which is very elderly in seal life) and 1 3-year old sea lion. They put on a little show with the seals and sea lions. Laddy asked if he could have one as a pet. Then you get to go and pet starfish and anemones in their tide pools. After that they show you the tanks of sharks and rays and other sea life. At the end, you get to pet 2 different kinds of sharks. It was well worth the stop and we still have all of our fingers! We made the rest of the drive to Brookings and pulled into our campsite. We got set up, then ran to town for a few groceries for dinner. After eating we took a nice walk and then settled in for a little movie night (one of the first nights we had power the whole trip!). 


The beach at Harris Beach State Park. Loved it here!

June 13-Harris Beach SP, OR
The next day was spent looking in the tide pools (sadly they were empty) and playing on the beach. We also got to see a lot of a guy named Chet and his wife Sue (although, more of Chet). He really took a shining to Dottie, so hopefully we will eventually see him on the forum! We gave the showers a go, and they were lovely and warm and free and laddy couldn't stop telling everyone how nice the showers were! We were so sleepy after that, we tucked in for the night.

June 14-Cape Perpetua, OR
We started north again. I wanted to stop at the Prehistoric Gardens, right near the Arizona River. Laddy wasn't as impressed as I was. They have all of these life sized dinosaurs, set in an amazing rainforest. You feel like you have gone back to the Mesozoic era and are walking around with these guys. The lad ran it in record time (did the same thing with Trees of Mystery). Hopped back in the car and headed for Bandon, for lunch. Decided on DQ, since ice cream sounded good, and I have never had such excellent service at a fast food place! Seriously, they were so amazing! Laddy got his first soft serve ice cream and became an instant fan (we seldom eat at fast food, so this was a big treat). Along the way, we also made a stop at Cape Blanco, and were able to go to the top of the lighthouse. The tour was very interesting! After, we made out way to our campsite. We were supposed to stay at Carter Lake, but pulling in, there were several things that didn't feel right to me, so I opted to get back in the car and move to a place I knew. We headed back up the coast to Cape Perpetua, and had a lovely night there, with dinner in Yachats (for folks coming through there, it is pronounced Yah-hots...they know you are from out of state if you say it in a way that rhymes with hatchets...just FYI).


Prehistoric Gardens. It was beautiful here.


Cape Blanco Lighthouse

June 15-Cape Lookout SP
We got up and I wanted to see if the visitor center had the walking stick medallions, so we headed back up the hill. They don't sell them anymore, but the host offered to take the one off his stick for me (seriously nice people there). I declined saying I would be back, and hoped to find them then. We hung out for 1.5 hours while laddy played with the kids section, and I had a good chat with the folks. I learned about more of the plant life in the area and more about the volunteer programs. This couple has been doing it a while. If you are in the area, stop in! We got back in the car heading north. Stopped a Pig and Pancake for some brunch in Newport, and so I could buy a newspaper. It was the day I heard about my boss, and I wanted more info. We rolled into Cape Lookout around 3:00, and got set up. I had to suffer an hour and a half of "when are they going to be here?" For the last 2 nights of the trip, a friend and her son were camping with laddy and me. They rolled in around 5:00, as traffic out of Portland was a nightmare. This was the first full campground we came across, and had me pining for my other locations. We made dinner, had a visit and called it a night.


Cape Lookout State Park Campground


June 16-Cape Lookout
The next morning, we got up, had breakfast and loaded up the car to head to town. When in this area, a must stop is the Tillamook Cheese factory. The production lines were in full swing, and so were the ice cream lines! We got our fill of both before heading out. We popped into the Chambers office to ask if we cold go into the lighthouse at Cape Meares, but due to vandalism, it was closed to the public. We decided to head back, have a rest, and then get in some beach time! While the campsite left little to be desired (in my opinion), the beach was amazing there.


Tillamook Cheese Factory. I love a company that doesn't take themselves too seriously!


June 17-Home
Laddy and I slept so hard that night, we didn't even notice it was raining. I guess it rained really hard too! Thank goodness for my hard sides! We got packed up and we decided to head into town for breakfast before we headed home to celebrate Mick.

I will write up separate reviews of each of the campgrounds we stayed at. Fun trip, with lots of good memories!

 

Thanks!

Only 4 of the 14 days had rain, which for us in June, is incredible! Our "rainy" season ends, usually, around 5 July (other than the last 2 years). We had some really gorgeous days on the trip, and even wore shorts a couple of days! We try to be out and playing, even with the rain, but it can get hard. That energy builds, and then the kids just don't know what to do with themselves! That makes for trouble! The hardest part was doing it by myself, with laddy. I had no help, and that got really exhausting. But we had lots of fun! I would do it again in a heart beat...although, it is nice to be home for a bit and not driving.

 

Great story and beautiful pictures, Sarah! Thanks for posting. Over the past six years or so, we've visited a number of the spots you've mentioned but without the benefit of the TD or a four-year-old's point of view. Would love to go back and revisit. Bob and I agreed that it takes a very special parent to be able to pull off a trip like this with a preschooler and only occasional other-adult support - we're really impressed! (of course, your Lad is a very special little guy) Kathy

 

Great story and pictures looks like you had a fun trip.

 

Wow! I just looked up most of those places and placed them on a list for possiblities of stopping by on Sunday for our trip in July, what a coincidence and great review.

Disappointed to hear MO's is "not as good as it used to be". From reviews I thought it might be a good place for Jerry to get his fix on seafood.

Did you do the gondola ride at the Paul Buyan site?

We have been thinking of taking rt 20 out to the Oregon seacoast and then traveling down to IRG from there.

Tina & Jerry

 

Ah, the old haunts. Those pictures bring back so many good memories. Glad you have a grand time of it and thanks for sharing.

Where to next?

Camp On,

Sue

 

Thanks all!

Mo's is so iconic and is one of those places all Oregonians (and others) stop in at when they go to the coast (or at least everyone we know does). When she was alive, I think things were different. Or maybe I remembered things differently. Jenn popped into Mo's and also commented that she got better chowder in other places. There is plenty of wonderful seafood all up the coast. You won't have any trouble finding it!

Sue, in a couple of weeks we are camping with some friends at Stub Stewart SP for an OMSI star party. OMSI is our science center (for those who don't know). Folks go out to look at the stars, and friends invited us to tag along. Should be fun!

 

Ken, that was sheer luck. That kid moves fast! When I down loaded the picture I was shocked it turned out that way. He was headed (hahaha) straight for that door to see inside.

Jenn, I have a Nikon D80. It was a Christmas present about 8 years ago (or something like that). It was the only way I was going to switch from my film camera (another Nikon). My old lenses fit on this one, even though they are not digital, so that is why I stuck with a Nikon. I really like what Canon has put out there too. There are such great options these days. It is heavy, and I use my phone as a point-and-shoot these days.

 

Oh, look! He has a little halo. Those of us who have dealt with four and a half year olds know better.

Nah, really they are adorable little squeak toys; all smiles and wiggly toes... Everything is a wonder at that age. Enjoy that darling little boy.

Sue and Jim

 

I forgot to answer you Tina and Jerry! Sorry! We did do the gondola ride and it gave some great views. Sadly, they had the hiking trails closed though, so if you went up in the gondola, you had to come down in the gondola. It is all included in the price of admission.

Sue, don't I know it! He acts like an angel one day, and like something that crawled out from the underworld the next (little devil!). They are pretty fun though! Wouldn't give him up for anything!

 

Thank you Jenn! That is so nice of you to say!

 

Jenn's post confirming good parenting is wonderful to read. Well behaved kids are enjoyable to be around, and my hats off to parents who take their kids camping. Your children will thank you later in life.

 

True, Jean and Jenn, so true. The strongest childhood memories for both Jim and me are the times we went camping with out families. We were both lucky to have pretty darn good parents, too. Happy times together combined with good parenting is the making of good adults and the saving of society and I'll get off that soap box right now.

And Sarah, hope to see that little darling at IRG. We will hopefully be bringing our nine year old granddaughter with us and they can all play together (or get into mischief-whatever comes first).

Yes, Jenn, you get to meet Hailie. And she just loves that scorpion pin you bought for her.

Camp On,

Sue

 

We won't be at IRG this year. Laddy and I will be on a boat trip with my parents. I am hoping to come down for the next one though! It sounds like too much fun.

I think Evan and Lena will be there, so you might get Katie, and those girls would have so much fun together!