Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 12:19:20 -0700
Reply-To: Trevor Reid <skylight@HOME.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Trevor Reid <skylight@HOME.COM>
Organization: @Home Network
Subject: Re: Trip Advice Needed: Oregon, Wash., B.C.
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I just came back from my holiday from L.A. to Port Coquitlam (near
Vancouver), British Columbia, Canada. We spent a little more time than
you have planned in Oregon. Oregon has the BEST state parks- very
inexpensive, coin operated showers (bring quarters). We followed the
"light house" route and stayed at State Parks near many beautiful
lighthouses. There are many stretches of beach winding high way where we
saw many Westys parked- many who were windsurfing. If you are into
shopping, there are factory outlet stores in Lincoln City. Just north is
a little town Neskowin where hundreds of stumps that have emerged from
the sandy beaches due to the effects of El Nino. They were still there
when we went through on the 4th of July. Cape Kiwanda has a new beer
brewery- great beer too- So in short, there are many beautiful sights
and campsites along the way.
If you are going to tour the Vancouver Island for a few days- a really
interesting trip is up to Port McNeil and taking a ferry to Alert Bay on
Cormorant Island. There are many artists on the island that will sell
their work for wholesale prices. I have bought beautiful carvings and
prints I have seen for sale in Granville Island shops for two - three
times as much. Tour all the islands with your car (ferry ride is about
10.00). Often on the ferry and from shore you can observe killer whales
- and dolphins. You may want to try salmon fishing in Campbell River,
famous for their sockeye king salmon. Really neat and inexpensive trip
(and considering the Canadian buck:) you can probably bring back some
interesting souvenirs, too. If your around Port Coquitlam- pop by for a
coffee!
Trevor Reid
1984 Westy
http://members.home.net/skylight/
Frank Grunthaner wrote:
>
> Just about to pack up wife, kid (age 10), two dogs, three bikes, tent and
> Westfalia for a multiweek vacation in the Pacific Northwest. We have a planned
> route in mind and would greatly appreciate any proffered advice as to
> campgrounds and particular routes to travel. We will add the side tent only
> when
> staying at one site for several days.
>
> We will start from Southern California and first overnight near Tracy. We will
> then proceed up into Oregon, diverting from Interstate 5 to the Oregon Coast
> at
> Eugene. We plan our next overnight near Astoria. We will then go on to the
> Olympic National Park trying to stay in one of the rainforest campgrounds for
> several days, then moving on to the Heart of the Hills CG. The next leg will
> involve crossing to Victoria from Port Angeles, a tour of Vancouver island,
> (possible overnight), then crossing to Vancouver at Namiano, and several
> overnights with access to Vancouver for touring the vicinity. We will then go
> on
> to Banff and possibly Jasper for a week stay. We may want to stop along the
> way
> at Yoho or? In the last phase, we leave Banff and rapidly go down to Salem,
> OR.
> and divert back to the Oregon coast going south. Plan to overnight around
> Cresent
> City. Then proceed via Redding to the Sacramento delta to camp for a few days,
> then home.
>
> Again, all advice sorely appreciated.
>
> Frank Grunthaner
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