This summer has been one for the books. We’ve just entered our last six months here on the West Coast and decided to take advantage of our summer vacation time by exploring the Pacific Northwest! Mark spent a small amount of time at the JBLM military installation, but the rest of us were completely new to both Washington and Oregon. This trip’s goal was to be intentional with our time together as a family and to soak in the beauty of the PNW as much as possible. Below I’ve done a recap of our nine day journey–sharing our favorite pockets in some of the most gorgeous states I have ever seen.
You can also do a full catch-up in my PNW Instagram Highlights HERE and HERE. I saved a help Q&A and additional links to our travel and hiking gear. If you have any additional questions or need help planning, please feel free to leave a comment below or shoot me an email. We didn’t use any travel agent; if I am being transparent, we sat down with a map and a list of places.
DAY #1: AMTRAK TRAIN RIDE
We started the trip with a bang by taking the Amtrak Coast Starlight train from Salinas, California (a short drive from where we live in Monterey) to Seattle, Washington. You can see a mini vlog of it in the video below. The train route runs daily between Los Angeles and Seattle. Mark booked us a family bedroom sleeper car for our journey. There is a tour of the room itself in my PNW Instagram highlight. There was plenty of space for our family of five to both sleep and get comfortable during the day. Amtrak also offers discounts for military families. Children under 2 (like Xander) ride for free. From where we got on, we spent the next 24ish hours on travel. The total train ride from LA is said to be 35 hours. The train makes several short stops along the route to let passengers on and off. Unfortunately, we didn’t get off at any point.
We got on the train at about 7 PM, settled, and made our way to the Dinner Car onboard. The cost of meals was included in our booking, so we were able to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner (twice) while onboard. You can look at the different dining options and dinner menus HERE. We opted for traditional-style seated dining. Listen…my expectations for the food were pretty low. I thought they’d have burgers, fries, and some variation of TV-style dinners. I was genuinely impressed by how tasty the food ended up being. Looking back, this was probably my favorite part of the entire experience. It was like being in a good restaurant with an ever-changing breathtaking view. My personal dinner recommendation is Amtrak’s Signature Flat Iron Steak. You also can’t go wrong in the dessert department. We usually got dessert wrapped up to enjoy in our family car. Adults also get a complimentary alcoholic drink with dinner.
As for time spent on the train, the majority of it is spent inside your room. There was a very cool Observation Car with lounge seats facing massive window-lined walls. We found that it was difficult to find seating for all of us in this car. People tended to settle in there for hours at a time. It was still an entertaining way to take in the views when we did snag seats. The train also had a Cafe below the Observation Car, but that was more of a snack bar. So you could snag microwave meals, drinks, chips, etc.
Let me say this—with three kids under 6, it was CRITICAL that we were prepared with activities for them. Don’t get me wrong; the kids were very much caught up in the novelty of the train itself. We also loved escaping the hustle and bustle and having the chance to slow down and chat as a family, but I don’t think it would have been as smooth of a trip overall if I hadn’t prepared for independent play. So that goes for this introverted mom, too, haha.
Everyone brought books to read, plenty of coloring supplies, and age-appropriate activity pads. I’ve linked these items and other Essentials for Traveling With Kids HERE. Each kiddo had their own little backpack of activities, snacks, a water bottle, and a stuffed animal. Xander loved playing with his toy cars, walking through the passenger cars to say hello, and showing us all the sights outside the window.
When it was time for us to go to sleep, our attendant converted the seat into beds for us, and again, I was impressed with the level of comfort here. We had packed sleeping bags for another part of our trip, but all clean linens and pillows were included. There were two bathrooms and two shower/dressing rooms right outside of our room. Both were clean and relatively comfortable.
We arrived in Seattle a little over 24 hours after leaving California and picked up our rental van. We planned to enjoy the coastal views and then drive back to enjoy the rest of our stops.
Day #2: SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
We settled in at The Westin Seattle, which I can’t recommend enough. The accommodations and location were phenomenal. We had the most breathtaking view of the water and Space Needle from the 45th floor.
We started our first full day in Seattle with breakfast at Portage Bay Cafe, which was yummy. They had great coffee, but slow service. I liked the ability to book a table the morning of. I recommend getting the biscuits and gravy—SO GOOD! I also want to add that I had great coffee literally everywhere we went in Seattle. It’s such a vibe with everyone and their coffee cups and rain shoes. Adorable.
From there, we went down to check out the action at Pike Place. Friends—this is an absolute must. I LOVED the entire vibe of the place–a historical open-air marketplace right in the heart of town. There were many shops and vendors, but my favorite was the rows and rows of fresh flowers–particularly the peonies. I know I took at least a dozen photos, as I just loved how picturesque it all was. We snagged flowers for the hotel room, fresh mini donuts from The Daily Dozen, and a fun Christmas ornament from one of the shops on the lowest level. This is a tradition Mark and I have done since our days traveling and living in Europe pre-parenthood.
We stopped by the iconic Pike Place Fish Market to see them throw the fish across the counter. I vividly remember seeing this spectacle on the Food Network sometime during my childhood–so it was pretty cool to see it in person. So I had lunch at Lowell’s Restaurant in the market, and while it has incredible reviews, Mark and I thought it was okay. The kids DEVOURED the fish and chips–so maybe it was just the fish tacos that were underwhelming.
If planning a trip to Seattle, don’t forget to make your way to the Gum Wall(s) in Post Alley. It’s the most glorious and disgusting display of chewed gum-covered brick walls. It’s a sea of rainbow nastiness. A sight to see for sure. While you’re there, grab a coffee from Ghost Alley Espresso—SO GOOD!
We walked around a bit more and took in the architecture before heading to checkout The Space Needle. Once we got there, the girls were immediately drawn to the Artist’s at Play Playground, that’s located in the plaza between the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) and Seattle Center Armory, just north of the Space Needle Monorail station. We ended up not going up into the Space Needle and opted for some time in the sunshine in what was undoubtedly one of the coolest playgrounds ever!
One of the things we love to do as a family is finish a day of exploring by trying out a local ice cream shop. We even do a family CHEERS before digging in. While in Seattle, we went with Molly Moon’s Ice Cream, and man, was it a treat. Their menu offered plenty of traditional and non-traditional options, and the waffle cones were fresh and delicious.
Dinner was at Phở Bắc, which was a block from our hotel. They had generous portions, which all five of us devoured.
Day #3: SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
This day was Xander’s second birthday! We had planned to celebrate the week before with a Two Infinity and Beyond party but had to cancel due to a family quarantine. It was heartbreaking, so I really wanted to spend the day soaking in our little guy. It also got cloudy, with periods of light rain, this day.
We started the day by walking to brunch at Bacco Cafe, which ended up being the hearty deliciousness we didn’t even know we needed. From there, it was back to Pike Place to have a look at the very first Starbucks. So you know, there is always quite a bit of a line to get inside. So while Mark waited with the stroller, the girls and I popped into Le Panier, which was a couple of doors down. It legitimately smelled like the bakeries in France with all of the fresh baked bread, coffees, and pastries. So we picked up a baguette (compliments of my bougie daughters), an assortment of french macarons, and a London fog for mom. All incredible. I highly recommend stopping by.
We walked up to the AMC Pacific Place Theater to take the kids to see the new Lightyear movie. It came out the same day as Xander’s birthday–totally meant to be. All five of us liked it–Mark and I more than we’d expected. After the movie, we were met with rain, so we decided to pop into Nordstrom downtown. My girlfriend Danielle lived in Seattle for about six years, and she mentioned to me during my planning that this store gets a ton of traffic, as it was the very first Nordstrom store. It’s like what Macy’s is to New York. It was beautiful, of course, and everyone there was helpful and kind.
We walked back to the hotel for late naps and a coffee for Mom and Dad. Xander’s birthday dinner was at Duke’s Seafood, which was on the water. We sat inside, but it had a colossal waterfront patio that was gorgeous. The food was fantastic. Make sure you snag a reservation online, as it was a busy spot. Xander kept saying, “ice cream, ice cream,” so I scratched my original plan to get him a cupcake, and we went back to Molly Moon’s. We even stuck his birthday candles into his scoop to sing to him. We walked along the harbor a bit and let the kids spot the ducks out there. We ended the evening all snuggled up watching the original Toy Story, in bed, with a perfect view of the Seattle skyline.
Day #4 PORTLAND, OREGON
This was, in large part, a travel day for us. We woke up slowly, had breakfast, packed up the car, and then stopped into Target for a few toiletries and road trip snacks. The road to Portland was charming. We tried to take more of the back roads, in order to take in the scenery, and all of the lush greenery.
Once arriving into town, we went directly to get on the Portland Aerial Tram, before it closed down for the day. Someone from my IG community suggested it as a quick and low cost way to see the city. I highly recommend this for any age. It was a maybe 10 minute journey roundtrip, and you get beautiful views of both the city and Cascades, on a clear day. There is also a viewing platform at the top where you can take photos.
Next was checking in to the Portland Marriott Waterfront, which is a great property across from the Willamette River. We got settled in and walked a few blocks to dinner at The Ramen House PDX. I’ve had better ramen, but it was good, and nearby. After dinner, we decided to walk across from our hotel to the South Hawthorne Waterfront Park, and down the public dock. I loved seeing all of the boats, one particularly stuck out to me, as it had a little vase of fresh flowers right by the entry. The kids fed the geese, and we walked down to Little River Cafe for ice cream, before calling it a night.
Day #5: CANNON BEACH, OREGON
I was determined to make it to Coastal Oregon on this trip. So many friends from my IG community suggested it, and I knew it would be worth the 1½ hour trip from Portland to Cannon Beach. Our plan was to spend the majority of the day there before driving home for dinner and bedtime. The drive there was stunning. I recently told my mother-in-law that it felt like we were in a summer snow globe. Rows and rows of Christmas trees lined the horizon, and it was pure joy taking it all in.
I cannot say enough how precious Cannon Beach was. It truly was the most charming stretch of beachside, and we didn’t even explore it all. We, of course, made our way right to the beach after parking. Which, in hindsight, was probably a mistake. I, for some reason, thought the kids would stay dry with rolled up sleeves and pant legs.They did not. I wasn’t planning on it being warm enough for swimming, but the girls got completely drenched in the tidepools surrounding Haystack Rock. With that being said, it was totally worth the new souvenir Cannon Beach hoodies and sweatpants I snagged–haha.
Hackstack Rock is a stunner. Seeing it online, you think “okay, cool rock sticking out of the ocean,” but it’s truly breathtaking. I’ve never seen anything like this beach before, and I’m not sure I can even explain the beauty. The sand is fine, and walking along, splashing in warm puddles, was thoroughly refreshing. When we arrived, the tide was low, and it was so fun to explore all of the sea life. Long story short, Cannon Beach is a must!
The nostalgic town by the beach was my favorite. There was plenty of shopping, markets, restaurants and specialty stores. The buildings are so classically coastal, and I loved all of the flower baskets and patios. Mark and I grabbed coffee from Island Grinds Coffee, which was delicious, and very much needed. We ended up stopping into Driftwood Restaurant and Lounge for lunch. 10/10 recommend that place–the food, drinks, and service were great.
After lunch, we explored a bit more, and popped into Geppetto’s Toy Shoppe to let the kids each get a new toy/activity to enjoy on the drive back to california. It was a very cute toy store, with plenty of fun options. I also suggest stopping into Bruce’s Candy Kitchen. It’s a very busy, very beachtown candy shop with literally anything you can ask for. Mark and I went with the dark chocolate turtles, to enjoy back at the hotel–so good.
After stopping into a few more local shops, we ended our day at Cannon Beach with ice cream, of course, at Schwietert’s Cones and Candy.
MOON RIVER FARM
Before heading back to Portland, we made a 30 minute detour to Moon River Farm in Nehalem Oregon. The small woman-owned veggie farm isn’t typically open for touring, but I happen to know one of the owners, Kayleigh. As a matter of fact, she was my very first college roommate, turned bridesmaid and forever friend. I can’t tell you how thrilled I was to be able to see her, and her home, after too many years.
This is still one of the biggest highlights of our trip, as the kids were VERY impressed that their mom knows a real-life farmer. We got a tour of the farm, and the kiddos got to pick, and taste, carrots, japanese turnips, and snap peas! Yall, I thought Zarie was going to turn into a carrot. She had at least 10 while there, and 10 more in the car headed back.
If you’re local to the Oregon coast, Moon River Farm produce is available through their 100 household CSA, the Manzanita Farmers Market, and at select local restaurants. To get details on what’s in season, where to buy our produce, recipes, and farm happenings, sign up for their newsletter here.
Day #6: PORTLAND, OREGON
What a busy and beautiful day this was! We got up bright and early for a breakfast reservation at Slappy Cakes. It’s the cutest little restaurant with actual griddles right in the middle of the tables so guests can make their own pancake creations. In addition to DIY pancakes, they offer a full menu of breakfast entrees. Yall, these were the best pancakes I have ever had in my entire life, which should say a lot because I am a self-proclaimed pancake connoisseur. They were incredible, and the restaurant was a total vibe—my favorite breakfast of our entire trip. I highly recommend making online reservations if you’re in town. They also happen to have a second location in Maui, HI!
After breakfast, we got in the van and headed out for a family hike to Multnomah Falls. It is about 30 mins east of Portland or Oregon’s highest waterfall. Since our family hiking trip to Yosemite, we’ve been waterfall chasers. We could find parking quickly at the entrance/base of the Wahkeena Falls. The hike to Multnomah Falls was a good length to do with kids, but it’s not paved and includes some inclines. Mark wore Xander in our hiking pack, and both girls did great on this hike. If you just want to sightsee, there is an option to park right at the base of Multnomah Falls.
The falls were just as beautiful as I’d heard from so many people. We ended up hiking up to the viewing bridge, which was cool. We even spotted a rainbow which made me immediately emotional. I would say this is a must-do if you’re visiting the area. We really enjoyed it.
After hiking back to the car and making the drive back to Portland, it was time for lunch. We had the most delicious tacos from Por qué no Taqueria. The in-person line is only for eat-in patrons. If you want to order to-go, it must be done online. So we got an assortment of tacos, and the fish tacos were my favorite. So we snagged our order and took it with us to the Rose Garden Children’s Park in Washington Park. This was huge and age-appropriate for all three kids. We let them play for close to two hours before heading over to the Rose Garden. As you can imagine, I was in heaven. We admittedly didn’t get through most of the gardens, as we had two kiddos who badly needed naps. It really was a sight to see, though, and a great free activity option in Portland.
After resting, we went down to Powell’s Books, the world’s largest independent bookstore. It was several floors high and filled to the brim with any book you could imagine. The girls kept referring to it as a library, as that’s the feeling you get walking in. So we left that place with a stack of new picture and chapter books for the kids. Mark also snagged a copy of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark for the next leg of our trip.
A pizza shop called Sizzle Pie is right across the street from Powell’s. They had delicious slices, beer, and service. We sat outside to eat, and I would return there in a heartbeat. We had to end the day with a new local ice cream shop. We walked a few blocks down to Cool Moon Ice Cream. Yall, I ventured out and tried the Thai tea ice cream, and it was so so so good. We finished the night washing our clothes back at the hotel and getting packed up for the next day.
Day #7: CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK, OREGON
This was another big travel day, and we got a later start than we’d wanted. I think our bodies all just needed the extra rest. After checking out of the hotel, we made one last stop in Portland at Blue Star Donuts for hot coffee and an assortment of the most delicious homestyle donuts. So we made a pitstop along the way to pick up some camping essentials, snacks, our family-sized tent, and ice for our cooler. We packed most of our camping materials in a huge duffle that had been sitting in the back of our rental van until now.
Crater Lake was another must-see destination as we were planning our PNW trip. It was created from a volcano that erupted and then collapsed on itself, giving the appearance of a giant crater. It is the deepest lake in the entire country. As a military family, with an America the Beautiful pass, we have free access to all U.S. National Parks. You can learn more about the different kinds of access passes HERE. So we used it for the first time for our trip to Yosemite National Park, and I think it’s an incredible offering.
Mark booked us a cabin inside the park, at the Mazama Campground. The space was actually very comfortable. It consisted of two beds, a small Keurig, and a clean bathroom. There was no TV, wifi, or air conditioning. I believe they also had both RV and tent campsites available. So if you want a closer look, there is a short tour in my Instagram highlight. We would absolutely stay there again. The location was a short walk away from a restaurant (where we enjoyed dinner) and a gift shop.
Our kids spent hours playing in the campgrounds. They couldn’t get over the huge mounds of snow that they played in a while wearing shorts. The weather was amazing. They also ended up meeting buddies at neighboring cabins, which was nice. I, of course, had to set up a mini Occasions Bin™ for the cabin with all of our adventure-themed goodies. You can snag our collapsible bin here, and the adventure themed party items here. You can also check out Xander’s One Wild Adventure birthday party, if you’re looking to use this theme for an actual party.
We spent the remainder of the night telling ghost stories and making shadow puppets in the lantern light.
Day #8: CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK, OREGON
What a gorgeous day this was. We slept well in the cabin and packed up the van before heading to the Crater Lake Lodge for breakfast. This lodge sits right at the rim of Crater Lake and has both beautiful views and quick access to trails. I imagine this is a great option if you’re looking for a less rustic lodging option. I will say that breakfast wasn’t great there. It was affordable, and the service was excellent, but it was a buffet-style meal that just wasn’t my favorite.
After breakfast, we decided to hike part of the rim of Crater Lake. It’s quite impossible to explain the pure grandeur that is Crater Lake. It’s not only colossal, but the water is the most pristine color of blue. According to the Department of Interior’s website, “the lake’s water comes directly from snow or rain — there are no inlets from other water sources. This means no sediment or mineral deposits are carried into the lake, helping it maintain its rich color and making it one of the cleanest and clearest lakes in the world.”
We hiked the Discovery Point Trailhead. It is marked as easy, but I wanted to note that we needed to navigate quite a few slushy and/or steep snow mounds (our visit was in mid-June). The trail is also only partially paved. The girls did great! I was quite proud, as I think it was one of their most rigorous hikes, and there was no complaint. The best thing about this hike was that the views followed you the entire time. This was easily one of the loveliest places I have ever gotten to experience.
REDWOODS NATIONAL PARK
After our hike, it was back into the van for the trip to Redwoods National Park. We ended up reserving a campground at the Jedediah Smith Campground. Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park is the last in a long string of redwood parks that stretch up Northern California’s coast. A few miles inland from the ocean, the park is densely forested with giant ancient trees.
Our campsite was clean and perfectly nestled right under some mountainous redwoods. We were in heaven. Communal restrooms and showers were available, and the rangers were kind and helpful. Our biggest goal was to set up camp ASAP so we could enjoy some time at the river right near our campsite before it got dark. Everyone has a job when it comes to camping. We all help set up the tent, unpack the van, and organize things. I love that it’s a family effort that we all have to take pride in once finished.
We all changed into our swim gear and walked down to the shore of Smith River. This was another purely gorgeous site. The tree-lined river was peaceful and quiet. This pebbly shore was such a refreshing spot for us. The cool water felt amazing. Xander was in his life vest and mostly chilled by the shore to throw rocks into the river. Mark was trying to teach us how to skip rocks–which I still can’t do, by the way–haha.
The rest of our time was spent around the campfire. Mark and I got to sit still and chat while the kids played. We made hotdogs for dinner and all-you-can-eat smores afterward. We slept warm and comfortably–and woke up to the equally still and living sounds of nature. Mark and I agree that we totally could have spent another night there. I hope we get the opportunity to do so.
Day #9: REDWOODS NATIONAL PARK
Is there anything yummier than campfire bacon? The answer is no, friends. Something about that cast iron skillet sizzle is pure magic. We woke up slowly, made breakfast over the fire, and played a few games before packing up camp. If I could go back and plan this trip again, I absolutely would have added another camping day here. It was that peaceful and majestic.
Our plan was for this to be our day to travel back to Monterey, but not before making a really fun stop at the Trees of Mystery nature attraction, right in the heart of the Redwoods. This was a fun opportunity to get close and personal with the Redwoods. We were greeted with a massive statue of Paul Bunyan and his ox Blue. Many of the storytelling within Trees of Mystery is centered around tall tales, like that of Bigfoot.
The girls and I did the Redwood Canopy Trail, a series of aerial netted suspension bridges and platforms within the redwoods at the mid-canopy level. Mark and Xander met us at the end, as no carrying of kids or strollers is allowed, and Xander wouldn’t have been able to walk himself through. This was such a cool and unique way to experience these giant trees. There are also several traditional hiking trails within Trees of Mystery. The Brotherhood Tree, Candelabra Tree, and Cathedral Tree were sights to see.
We did the Skytrail, a ⅓ mile gondola ride through the forest tree tops. Again, how cool to experience these giant trees from a downward perspective. If you followed along with our trip to Lake Tahoe, then you know my kids LOVE to ride the gondolas. There is a viewing platform at the very top that boasts views of the massive coastal Redwoods Forest and the Pacific Ocean. Once at the base of the SkyTrail, we made our way through the rest of the exhibits and to the van for lunch. Note: There is a restaurant called the Forest Cafe across the street from Trees of Mystery, but it was far too busy for us to wait with three hungry littles. We got something on the road and made the late-night drive back home.
Thank you to everyone who followed along on the #PattersonPathtothePNW. We made so many core memories that I will treasure forever. I tried my best to include as many logistical details as possible here. If there is something I missed, or if you have any planning questions, leave them below, or shoot me an email.
8 Responses
I loved following along with your family on Instagram and reading about this trip makes it even more magical.
Thank you so much for coming along with us!
This is such a great travel guide. Thank you for providing so much detail!
You’re welcome! I hope it helps!
Never cease to amaze me. You had me wanting to plan a trip to some of the places y’all went and I only come to west coast for you hahaha
So many families will be blessed by your attention to detail and your willingness to share your family memories. West coast has looked amazing on ya’ll. If we make a pact all of us move back there, then I’ll allow you to stay 😉 Love you forever.
Great blog! I enjoyed following along on Instagram.
I love this! We are planning a very similar family vacay! Did you buy all of your camping gear (tent, grills, chairs, cast iron skillet, cooking tools, etc.) on the train or did you buy all of it once you got to the national parks? Did you have room for all of that in your luggage on the train?
we packed about 1/2 of it on the train with us, and the rest we purchased upon arrival