Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Pacific Northwest: Seattle, Olympic, the Oregon Coast and Portland
9 days from Seattle to Portland: two nights in Seattle, Hurricane Ridge and the Hoh Rain Forest in Olympic National Park, two nights at Cannon Beach and two in Portland with the Columbia River Gorge.
9 days · Seattle to Portland · up to 12 guests
Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach, Oregon Photo: Euthman, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Haystack_Rock,_Cannon_Beach,_Oregon,_USA,_14_Aug_2025.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 9 days, 8 nights
- Start and end
- Seattle to Portland
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Moderate
Daily walks of 2 to 6 km on park trails, beaches and city streets, mostly flat. Hurricane Ridge sits at about 1,600 m, and its meadow paths are short and mostly level. Beach walks at Ruby Beach and Haystack Rock cross sand and wet rock. The longest drives are about four hours, on days 4 and 5, split into legs of two hours or less, and any walk can be shortened or sat out, with an easy and an active choice on the park and coast days.
- Meals included
- 8 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 2 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 1,035 (estimated price)
- Season
- Late May to September
Highlights
Why this trip
- Pike Place Market as the stalls open, then the Space Needle on a timed ticket
- The ferry across Puget Sound with the Seattle skyline behind you
- Hurricane Ridge in the afternoon, looking across to Mount Olympus
- The Hall of Mosses in the Hoh Rain Forest before the midday queue at the gate
- Sea stacks and driftwood at Ruby Beach, and a night by Lake Quinault
- Two nights at Cannon Beach, with Haystack Rock at low tide and Ecola State Park
- The Columbia River Gorge from Vista House to Multnomah Falls, with lunch in Hood River
- Two nights in Portland: Powell's, the Lan Su Chinese Garden and the food carts
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 1,035 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Seattle
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to your hotel in central Seattle
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Seattle
Fly into Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), about 25 km south of downtown. We meet arrivals at set times through the day and drive you to a central hotel; the pick-up windows come with your final itinerary. If you land early, the city is easy on foot: walk down to the waterfront on Elliott Bay, where the ferries come and go below the hills, or look at the totem poles and old brick buildings of Pioneer Square, where the city began. At about 6 pm your See Sight Tours guide meets the group at the hotel for a short briefing on the week ahead: how the days are paced, what to pack for rain in the Hoh and wind on Hurricane Ridge, and how the tides decide when we walk the beaches.
Evening
Then we walk to a welcome dinner nearby, with salmon, oysters and other Pacific Northwest food on the menu. Tomorrow starts at Pike Place Market as it opens, a few minutes from the hotel.
Included
- Pick-up at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Welcome dinner in Seattle
Free time: Free until the evening briefing
Pike Place Market and the Space Needle
Pike Place Market, the waterfront and Seattle Center
- Breakfast
- Stay in Seattle
- Drive about 30 min
Afternoon
We walk into Pike Place Market at about 9 am, as the produce, flower and craft stalls open and before the midday crowds, which are heaviest on cruise-ship days. The market has run above the waterfront since 1907: your guide takes you past the fish stalls, through the lower levels and out to the viewpoints over Elliott Bay, then down to the rebuilt waterfront promenade. Lunch is your choice in the market, where the choice is wide. In the early afternoon a short van ride takes us to Seattle Center, built for the 1962 World's Fair, and up the Space Needle on a timed ticket: the observation decks at about 160 m look over Lake Union, the Olympic Mountains you will cross to tomorrow and, on a clear day, Mount Rainier. The rest of the day is free. Chihuly Garden and Glass is next door, the Ballard Locks have salmon in the fish ladder from about July, and the Olympic Sculpture Park runs down to the water a short walk away.
Included
- Guided walk through Pike Place Market as the stalls open
- The Seattle waterfront
- Space Needle observation decks on a timed ticket
Optional experiences
- Chihuly Garden and Glass
- The Ballard Locks and fish ladder
- Museum of Pop Culture
Free time: Afternoon and evening free in Seattle
Activity: About 3 km on foot in the morning, with some steep streets and stairs between the market and the waterfront.
Across Puget Sound to Hurricane Ridge
Seattle to Bainbridge Island by ferry, then Port Angeles and Hurricane Ridge
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Port Angeles
- Drive about 3.5 h
Morning
After breakfast we board the Washington State ferry at Colman Dock for the 35-minute crossing to Bainbridge Island, with the Seattle skyline behind and Mount Rainier to the south on a clear day. From the island we drive about an hour and three quarters over the Hood Canal Bridge and along the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Port Angeles, the gateway to Olympic National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal in town. In the afternoon, when the morning cloud has often lifted, we climb about 27 km to Hurricane Ridge at around 1,600 m. The view runs across a deep valley to the glaciers of Mount Olympus and the Bailey Range, and the meadows below the road hold black-tailed deer and Olympic marmots, which live nowhere else. We walk the short meadow paths together before heading back down.
Evening
The evening is free in Port Angeles, on the water.
Included
- Seattle to Bainbridge Island ferry across Puget Sound
- Sit-down lunch in Port Angeles
- Olympic National Park entry
- Hurricane Ridge viewpoints and meadow walks with your guide
Easier option: Stay on the flat meadow paths near the Hurricane Ridge parking area, about 1 km in all.
More active option: If the road beyond the Hurricane Ridge parking area has reopened, walk the paved Hurricane Hill trail, about 5 km return with about 200 m of climbing, for a view over the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Vancouver Island. That road was closed in 2026, and walking it to the trailhead adds about 5 km, too long for the afternoon; if it is still closed, your guide leads a longer loop on the ridge paths instead. We confirm the road status at booking.
Free time: Evening free in Port Angeles
Activity: Hurricane Ridge can be cold and windy even in summer. The day lodge burned in 2023, so only basic facilities are open at the top, and only when the road is; in summer 2026 there was no drinking water at the ridge. We carry water in the van; bring a warm layer and a snack.
The Hoh Rain Forest and the Olympic coast
Port Angeles to Lake Crescent and the Hoh Rain Forest, then Ruby Beach, Kalaloch and Lake Quinault
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Lake Quinault
- Drive about 4 h
We leave Port Angeles at 7 am, with a short stop by the deep blue water of Lake Crescent in the early light, and reach the Hoh Rain Forest entrance at about 9:15, two hours on the road, ahead of the queue that builds at its single gate in summer. The Hoh gets several metres of rain a year, and it shows: Sitka spruce and western hemlock rise from fallen nurse logs, and bigleaf maples hang with thick curtains of moss. We walk the Hall of Mosses and the Spruce Nature Trail with your guide, watching for Roosevelt elk in the river valley. Then it is under an hour down to the coast. At Ruby Beach a short path drops through the trees to sea stacks and piles of bleached driftwood, and we picnic near Kalaloch, where a Sitka spruce known as the Tree of Life clings over an eroded gully. The last leg to Lake Quinault is about 45 minutes, so the day's four hours of driving come in short pieces.
Evening
Dinner at the lake is included, since there are few places to eat out here.
Included
- Lake Crescent
- Hoh Rain Forest: the Hall of Mosses and the Spruce Nature Trail with your guide
- Ruby Beach
- Picnic lunch on the Olympic coast near Kalaloch
- Dinner at Lake Quinault
Easier option: Walk only the Hall of Mosses, a flat loop of about 1.3 km, and skip the steep path down to Ruby Beach.
More active option: Walk out along the Hoh River Trail for about 3 km and back while the group finishes the nature trails.
Free time: Evening by the lake
Activity: About 5 km on foot in all, on flat forest trails and soft sand. The Ruby Beach path is short but steep and can be muddy. The 7 am start is what gets us into the Hoh before the queue; if you would rather sleep later, ask for a boxed breakfast to eat in the van.
Over the Columbia to Astoria and Cannon Beach
Lake Quinault to Aberdeen and the Astoria-Megler Bridge, then Astoria, Fort Clatsop and Cannon Beach
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Cannon Beach
- Drive about 4 h
Start with a short walk on the Quinault Rain Forest Nature Trail by the lake at about 8 am, while the forest is quiet, and leave at 9. This is one of the two longest days, about four hours on the road in all, so we break it into short legs. About 45 minutes brings us to Aberdeen, then the road follows Willapa Bay, with its oyster beds and tidal flats, and a coffee stop on the way. About two hours later we cross the Astoria-Megler Bridge, which carries the road some 6.6 km over the mouth of the Columbia River into Oregon.
Afternoon
In Astoria we climb to the Astoria Column, built in 1926, for the view over the river mouth, and stop for a sit-down lunch in the old riverfront town. Fort Clatsop, a replica of the fort where Lewis and Clark spent the winter of 1805 to 1806, is 15 minutes away.
Evening
Then it is about 40 minutes to Cannon Beach, our home for two nights, by about 4:30 pm, with the evening free on the wide sand below Haystack Rock, about 72 m high.
Included
- Quinault Rain Forest Nature Trail
- Astoria-Megler Bridge across the Columbia River
- Astoria Column
- Sit-down lunch in Astoria
- Fort Clatsop, Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, entry included
Free time: Evening free in Cannon Beach
Activity: The Astoria Column has 164 steps to its top deck; the view from its base is good if you prefer not to climb.
Haystack Rock, Ecola and the north Oregon coast
Cannon Beach to Ecola State Park, then south to Oswald West State Park and Neahkahnie Mountain
- Breakfast
- Stay in Cannon Beach
- Drive about 1 h
This is the slow day on the coast.
Evening
We time the walk to Haystack Rock to the daylight low tide, which falls in the morning or evening depending on your dates, when the tide pools at its base show sea stars, anemones and crabs; volunteers on the beach often have scopes on the puffins that nest on the rock from about April to August. Just north of town, Ecola State Park looks down on Indian Beach, the headlands and the offshore Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, lit in 1881 and long out of use. Then a short drive south takes us to Oswald West State Park, where a forest path leads to the cove at Short Sand Beach, and to the viewpoint on the flank of Neahkahnie Mountain over the beaches of Manzanita. We are back in Cannon Beach for a late lunch of your choice, and the afternoon is yours: galleries, a beach walk or a long rest.
Included
- Haystack Rock tide pools at low tide with your guide
- Ecola State Park viewpoints and Indian Beach
- Oswald West State Park and Short Sand Beach
- Neahkahnie Mountain viewpoint
Easier option: Stay in Cannon Beach after the tide pools and skip the forest path at Oswald West.
More active option: Hike up Neahkahnie Mountain, about 5 km return with about 270 m of climbing, for the view down the coast.
Free time: Afternoon free in Cannon Beach
Activity: Tide pool rocks are slippery and barnacled; wear shoes that can get wet, and never turn your back on the waves. The road into Ecola State Park has closed for landslides in recent years; if it is closed on your dates, we go south to Hug Point and Arcadia Beach instead.
Through the Coast Range to Portland
Cannon Beach to Portland on US 26
- Breakfast
- Stay in Portland
- Drive about 1.5 h
Morning
A free morning on the beach, then at about 10:30 we drive inland on US 26 through the forested Coast Range, about an hour and a half to Portland, where we stay two nights.
Afternoon
After lunch on your own we set out on foot with your guide at about 2 pm. Pioneer Courthouse Square is the city's meeting place; a few blocks away Powell's City of Books fills a whole city block, and it is easy to lose an hour inside. We walk through the Pearl District, with its old warehouses turned into galleries and cafes, to Old Town and the Lan Su Chinese Garden, a walled Suzhou-style garden built by artisans from Portland's sister city and opened in 2000; tea is served in its teahouse. The walk ends along the Willamette River in Tom McCall Waterfront Park in the late afternoon.
Evening
The evening is free: the city's food cart pods are the easy way to eat well.
Included
- Drive from Cannon Beach to Portland
- Guided walk through downtown Portland, the Pearl District and Old Town
- Lan Su Chinese Garden entry
- Tom McCall Waterfront Park
Free time: Morning free in Cannon Beach, evening free in Portland
Activity: About 4 km on foot in the afternoon, on flat city streets.
The Columbia River Gorge
Portland to Vista House, Latourell Falls and Multnomah Falls, then Bonneville and Hood River, back to Portland
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Portland
- Drive about 3.5 h
We leave at 8 am on the Historic Columbia River Highway, the old road along the cliffs of the Gorge. Vista House at Crown Point, a domed stone rest stop finished in 1918, stands high above the river with the Gorge opening east. Latourell Falls drops about 76 m beside the road, a short walk from the van. We reach Multnomah Falls at about 9:30, ahead of most of the coaches: the water falls about 189 m in two tiers, and a short paved path climbs to Benson Bridge between them. Further east, Bonneville Lock and Dam has windows onto its fish ladders.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal in Hood River, where the river is busy with windsurfers and kiteboarders and Mount Hood rises to the south on a clear day.
Evening
We drive back to Portland on the interstate, about an hour, for a free late afternoon before a farewell dinner together.
Included
- Historic Columbia River Highway with your guide
- Vista House at Crown Point
- Latourell Falls
- Multnomah Falls and Benson Bridge
- Bonneville Lock and Dam fish ladders
- Sit-down lunch in Hood River
- Farewell dinner in Portland
Easier option: View Multnomah Falls from the plaza at its foot and skip the climb to Benson Bridge.
More active option: Climb the switchback trail from Multnomah Falls to the viewing platform at the top, about 3.5 km return with about 250 m of climbing.
Free time: Late afternoon free in Portland
Activity: About 3 km on foot in all, on paved paths; the Benson Bridge path is short but steady uphill. Breakfast is from about 7 am for the 8 am start; if you would rather sleep later, ask for a boxed breakfast to take in the van.
Rose garden morning and home from Portland
Portland to Washington Park, then Portland International Airport (PDX)
- Breakfast
- Drive about 45 min
A last walk before you fly.
Morning
At about 9 am we drive up into Washington Park, in the hills just west of downtown, to the International Rose Test Garden, where thousands of rose bushes flower from late May into the autumn and the terraces look out over the city to Mount Hood on a clear morning. Entry is free and the garden is quiet at this hour. Back at the hotel by about 10:30, you have time to pack and check out, and then it is about 25 minutes to Portland International Airport (PDX), where we drop the group at about noon. Your guide sees you to departures and checks your flight before saying goodbye. Book a flight leaving after about 2:30 pm. If you are staying on in Portland, we can leave you at the hotel instead, and the light rail runs from downtown to the airport when you are ready to go.
Included
- International Rose Test Garden in Washington Park
- Drop-off at Portland International Airport (PDX)
Easier option: If your flight leaves before about 2:30 pm, we take you to PDX straight from the hotel in the morning.
Activity: Book a flight leaving after about 2:30 pm.
- Seattle2 nights
- Port Angeles1 night
- Lake Quinault1 night
- Cannon Beach2 nights
- Portland2 nights
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: July to September is the driest stretch, with Seattle and Portland often in the mid-20s C, while the coast stays near 15 to 18 C and is often foggy in the morning. Hurricane Ridge can hold snow into June, and the Hoh gets rain in every month. Look for Olympic marmots and black-tailed deer at Hurricane Ridge, Roosevelt elk in the rainforest valleys, tufted puffins on Haystack Rock from about April to August, and harbour seals and bald eagles along the coast.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers who want mountains, rainforest, beaches and two cities in one unhurried week
- Walkers who like 2 to 6 km a day on good paths, with a harder option on the park and coast days
- Anyone who wants park entries, the ferry, lunches on long days and airport transfers settled in one price
- Solo travellers and couples who prefer hotels and lodges to camping
Not for you if you want
- Travellers who want the Redwoods, Crater Lake or San Francisco on the same trip
- Hikers looking for long trail days or overnight backpacking in the Olympics
- Those who want guaranteed sunshine: rain and coastal fog are part of the Pacific Northwest
- Travellers who need step-free access at every stop (Ruby Beach, the tide pools and some viewpoints have steep paths or rocks)
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
8 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Seattle2 nights
- Port Angeles1 night
- Lake Quinault1 night
- Cannon Beach2 nights
- Portland2 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 8 nights: 2 in central Seattle, 1 in Port Angeles, 1 at a lodge or inn on Lake Quinault, 2 in Cannon Beach and 2 in central Portland
- Hotels and lodges of a 3-star-plus standard with private bathrooms; we name each one when we confirm your dates
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and drop-off at Portland International Airport (PDX)
- A private air-conditioned van with seats for 14, for at most 12 guests, and a professional driver
- The Seattle to Bainbridge Island ferry across Puget Sound
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide for the whole trip, who leads and narrates rather than drives
Activities
- Guided walk through Pike Place Market and the waterfront (Seattle)
- Space Needle observation decks (Seattle)
- Olympic National Park entry, including any surcharge for non-US residents where it applies
- Hurricane Ridge viewpoints and meadow walks (Olympic National Park)
- Lake Crescent, the Hoh Rain Forest Hall of Mosses and Spruce Nature Trail (Olympic National Park)
- Ruby Beach and Kalaloch (Olympic coast)
- Quinault Rain Forest Nature Trail (Lake Quinault)
- The Astoria Column and the Astoria-Megler Bridge (Astoria)
- Fort Clatsop, Lewis and Clark National Historical Park entry (Astoria)
- Haystack Rock tide pools at low tide (Cannon Beach)
- Ecola State Park, Oswald West State Park and the Neahkahnie Mountain viewpoint, with state park fees (north Oregon coast)
- Guided walk through downtown, the Pearl District and Old Town, with Lan Su Chinese Garden entry (Portland)
- Vista House, Latourell Falls, Multnomah Falls and Bonneville Lock and Dam (Columbia River Gorge)
- International Rose Test Garden (Portland)
Meals
- 8 breakfasts
- 4 lunches: sit-down in Port Angeles, Astoria and Hood River, and a picnic on the Olympic coast
- Welcome dinner in Seattle, dinner at Lake Quinault and farewell dinner in Portland
Not included
- International flights to Seattle and from Portland
- ESTA or US visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Lunches on days 1, 2, 6, 7 and 9; dinners on days 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7
- Drinks
- Tips for your guide and driver (optional; guidance sent with your booking)
- Optional activities such as Chihuly Garden and Glass, the Ballard Locks or the Museum of Pop Culture
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 1,035 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Eight nights in hotels and lodges, 8 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 3 dinners, airport transfers at SEA and PDX, a private van with a driver, the Puget Sound ferry, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, Olympic National Park entry, the Space Needle, Fort Clatsop, the Lan Su Chinese Garden, state park fees and every visit in the day plan.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests in a van with seats for 14, so there is room for day packs and rain gear, and everyone can hear the guide on the forest trails and at the viewpoints.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group for all 9 days, with a separate professional driver so the guide can talk rather than drive. We name your guide when we confirm your dates.
How fit do I need to be?
Moderate. Most days have 2 to 6 km of walking on forest trails, beaches and city streets. The hardest optional walks are Neahkahnie Mountain, about 5 km with about 270 m of climbing, the trail to the top of Multnomah Falls, and Hurricane Hill when its access road is open. Every day has an easier choice, and any walk can be sat out.
I am travelling solo. Do I pay a single supplement?
Only if you want a room of your own, which is from CAD 1,035 more. If you would rather share, ask when you book and we will try to pair you with another solo guest at the twin-share price. Solo travellers get the same seat, meals and guide as everyone else.
When is the best time to go?
Late May to September. July to September is the driest stretch, with warm days in Seattle and Portland and cool, often foggy mornings on the coast. Hurricane Ridge can hold snow into June, and puffins nest on Haystack Rock from about April to August.
How long are the drives?
No day is over about four hours on the road. The longest are day 4, Port Angeles to Lake Quinault by the Hoh Rain Forest, and day 5, Lake Quinault to Cannon Beach by Astoria, each split into legs of two hours or less with walks and lunch between. The Seattle to Bainbridge crossing is a 35-minute ferry.
Why does the trip not include Crater Lake or the Redwoods?
Both are several hours' drive from this route, and adding them means long driving days on the road rather than time in the Olympics and on the coast. We use those days for two nights at Cannon Beach and in each city instead. A private trip can add them as an extension.
Will it rain in the Hoh Rain Forest?
It might, even in summer: the Hoh gets rain in every month, which is why the moss grows so thick. The trails are short and well made, and the forest looks its best damp. Bring a waterproof jacket and shoes with grip; the summer months are the driest.
Do I need a visa?
Canadian citizens need only a valid passport. Most visitors from Visa Waiver countries need an approved ESTA before flying, and others need a US visa. We do not arrange these, so apply well before you travel.
Can I fly into Seattle and out of Portland?
Yes, and you should: the trip starts at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and ends at Portland International Airport (PDX), with transfers at both ends included. Book an open-jaw ticket, landing in Seattle by the afternoon of day 1 and leaving Portland after about 2:30 pm on day 9.
How does booking work, and can we choose our own dates?
Pick a small-group date and request to book: we confirm within 24 hours and take no payment until then. Hotel names, airport pick-up windows and the day plan come with your confirmation. For your own dates, choose the private trip, or ask from the dates section for an independent quote.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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