We have traveled about 2800 miles since leaving Michigan, not quite half way through our trip. Happy to say everything has gone very well and our advanced planning has paid off.

Moving on from Glacier National Park in Montana, we headed south from West Glacier along Highway 93 and met up with I-90. Heading west to our next stop was Coeur D’Alene, ID.

Coeur D’Alene is located in northern Idaho, just east of Spokane, WA on Coeur D’Alene Lake that spans 25 miles in length. Surrounded by mountains, it is known as a popular northwest vacation destination.

There is a lively downtown area with shops, brew pubs, and restaurants. Reminded us a little of Ann Arbor.

We stayed at Blackwell Island RV Park where the Spokane River meets Coeur D’Alene Lake. A very nice park with full hookups, a nice beach area with boat and kayak rentals available.

Continuing west on I-90, our next stop was east of Seattle, near Falls City, WA and the Snoqualmie area.

We stayed at Tall Chief RV Park; a park well off the beaten path with camping spots spread out among the tall pine and maple trees.

Snoqualmie Falls is one of Washington’s most popular scenic attractions. Most of the Snoqualmie River is diverted into power plants, but there is still a good amount of water coming over the 268′ falls. There are viewpoints both on the upper and lower level.

We decided to go into the City of Seattle and visit the popular tourist spots – Space Needle and the Pike Place Market.

Since the Space Needle has been around since 1962, they wrapped up a major renovation in 2018 that included expanding the 360-degree views of the Puget Sound and a rotating glass floor at the 500-foot level. It was our first visit to the Space Needle and am glad we went.

The Pike Place Market is probably best known for the fish markets and produce stands, but the large complex also includes prepared food stands, restaurants, retail stores, and a large craft market.

An interesting place to walk around and we located the original Starbucks across the street from the market, complete with a long line around the block. A fun day in Seattle.

Our next stop is one of a couple destinations I built the trip around. I really wanted to spend some time on the Oregon coast and found the Sea Perch RV Resort in Yachats, OR along the central coast.

Sea Perch is situated right on the ocean off the Pacific Coast Highway, and I made this reservation over a year ago. With only 29 full hook up sites, it is a popular spot that books up well in advance.

During our week long stay, we were able to take day trips north and south along the Pacific Coast Highway visiting numerous state parks, overlooks, lighthouses and towns along the way.

The Yaquina Head Lighthouse near Newport was quite a site. Completed in 1873 it stands 93′ tall (tallest on the Oregon coast) with the light 161′ above sea level. With numerous updates and renovations over the years, it has been in continuous use currently operated by the Coast Guard and US Bureau of Land Management. Normally it is open for tours, it remains closed due to COVID restrictions.

The weather here has been a little cooler than I expected and there is usually a strong breeze coming off the Pacific; but the sunshine and blue skies make up for that! Mornings are the best time for beach walks with less wind.

Really enjoyed visiting the town of Newport and the Nye Beach area. Numerous small shops, cafes and restaurants; we had lunch at the Chowder Bowl – excellent.

This area is a good get away; with the rugged coastline and small towns, there isn’t much commercial development and I found it very refreshing and beautiful. Sunsets were a nice perk too!

A very nice break here before heading south to California; Redwoods, Yosemite and Death Valley National Parks are on the agenda. We made one more change in our plans; we are not going to make the trip to Crater Lake National Park. This is another area that has experienced wildfires resulting in a lot of smoke and poor air quality. Also, the forecast for snow in the mountains there persuaded us to adjust the itinerary and stay on the coast until we get farther south. This will give us a couple extra days in northern California near Redwoods National Park.

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