Take a Road Trip from Seattle to Portland in 4 days

Road Trip!

It’s that time of the year for me again… girls vacation! Each year me and my girlfriends from Grad school take a long weekend getaway without the kids and the husbands. This is our time to reconnect, relax and take care of ourselves. This year, we traded fun in the sun for exploration of the Pacific Northwest. We visited Seattle and Portland in 4 full days, leaving 2 days to travel. There is so much to do and see in each state, that you really need a week in both places but you can do it in 4 days.

I have compiled a “must see and do” list that includes places to eat and where to see the the best views in each city.

Seattle… The Emerald City is diverse, eco friendly and filled with amazing food. Oh, and there is a Starbucks on every single corner. Literally! With only 48 hours in Seattle, here is what you need to see and do.

1. Visit the first ever Starbucks store across from Pike Place Market.
2. Have a coffee tasting at Starbucks only Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room in the world.
3. Have lunch at Pike Place Market.
4. Take a 2 hours walking tour that highlights the city.
5. See the best views of the Space Needle at Kerry Park.
6. Enjoy panoramic views of Seattle from Sky View Observatory.
7. Visit the love lock bridge across from Pier 52.
8. Take the ferry and have lunch and wine tasting on Bainbridge Island.
9. Have breakfast at Lolo’s, lunch at Serious Pie, seafood at Etta’s, Vietnamese food at Stateside in Capitol Hill at dessert at Hot Cakes.
10. The Kimpton Hotel is centrally located and offers a happy hour with complimentary wine and snacks for its guests each day.

Rent a car and take a road trip to Portland. Here is the route to take and places to stop and see along the way.

1. Head out for Portland early and stop in Olympia Washington for breakfast. Olympia is the capitol of Washington state and is a cute little town that reminds you of the movie “Twilight”.
2. Stop at Multnomah Falls and hike to the top for gorgeous views and photo ops.
3. Once you arrive in Portland, head straight over to Voodoo Donuts and wait in the long line for the best bacon maple donut that you will ever have.
4. If you are there on the weekend, walk from Voodoo over to the Sunday Market for street food. Treat yourself to a “Portland beenie” you will need it.
5. For the best views of Portland, walk from the market over to Capitol Grille and head to the top floor to have a drink and see Mt. Hood.
6. Visit a local brewery.
7. Have brunch at Tin Shed Garden Cafe.
8. Head out of Portland and drive up the Pacific Coast to Cannon Beach, where the movies, Twilight and the Goonies were filmed.
9. Visit Powell’s, the world’s largest bookstore.
10. Get a photo of the Portland sign as you cross the bridge into the city.

This was a great trip with my girls as always! We were all pleasantly surprised with all that Seattle and Portland had to offer. Coming from the East Coast and the South, the Pacific Northwest was a whole new world that we ended up falling in love with. It is so much to see and do right here in our own backyard of the United States of America. I can’t wait to go back!

#LiveLoveTravel

Alisha

Author: enchantedtravels

Welcome to my Travel blog! Some of you may not know that this is not my first rodeo on the blogging scene. I wrote an entertainment and lifestyle blog for an NYC based PR Firm back in 2011 before my business took off and got a little busy. I have traveled abroad and domestically at my leisure and for work since 2005 and I have many stories to share. I was first introduced to international travel by my parents. They took me along with them on a missions trip to Germany and halfway through the trip, I hopped on a bus by myself and crossed the border into France. I spent the weekend exploring Paris on my own back when solo trips were not popular. I was 25 years old with a YOLO attitude and just could not be that close to the "City of Lights" without making a visit. That is when the travel bug hit! I was recently inspired to start blogging again after my trip to Cuba, and this time, create a blog for myself. When I first started traveling on a more consistent basis and internationally, I was 25 years old, single and working full time as contract travel Occupational Therapist. I met my husband of almost ten years along the way and he said that one of the things that attracted me to him was my love for travel. He got himself a passport and we have continued to see the world since then, kids and all! View all posts by enchantedtravels