Read about the ultimate route which leads you through the best views, cities, and parks that the pacific coast of the United States has to offer.

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📍- West Coast, USA

There is no shortage of amazing things to see on the Pacific coast of the United States. From bountiful national parks, to vibrant and welcoming cities, to peaceful mountain getaways, the west coast is as diverse as it is fun to explore.

My husband, Drew, and I recently drove up the western shores of the US, finding sights to amaze our eyes, food to invigorate our taste buds, and communities that brought us back to our natural love of travel. Throughout the journey, it became increasingly evident why so many tourists flock to the Pacific Coast and why more and more people add a west coast road trip to their bucket list every year.

In fact, there are so many amazing spots to explore between California and Washington State, that the hardest part about planning such a voyage is deciding what stops you’re going to include. After all, most of us only have a limited number of vacation days to invest in such an adventure.

That’s where we come in to help. We’re your best traveling pals who you didn’t even know you had. We just finished our full west coast road trip, and while we didn’t hit every stop along the way, I would argue that we hit the best ones that this side of the country has to offer. Looking back on this drive, I can honestly say that we wouldn’t change a single thing about our Pacific Coast journey, and now we’re here to share it with you so that you may also experience the west coast road trip of a lifetime.

Interested to learn more? Keep reading to find your full west coast road trip itinerary!

If you really want to start your road trip off with an epic bang, Sequoia National Park is the place to do it. For a nature lover like myself, walking beneath the canopy of the largest trees in the world took my breath away and solidified memories that I will remember with fondness for the rest of my life. Centered in the aptly named Giant Forest, General Sherman, the sequoia tree famous for being the largest living organism in existence, impressively stands to greet you into the otherworldly landscape that feels like it is something out of a Star Wars movie. Drew practically had to tear me away from this national park I loved it so much, and if that weren’t enough for you, it’s adjacent to the lesser known Kings Canyon National Park which makes this location a two-for-one national park experience! 

For travel tips and a complete weekend itinerary to these parks, be sure to check out our Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park guides right here.

I’m not confident that I have the verbiage to describe the pure majesty that waits for you in Yosemite National Park. As one of the most famous national parks in the world, people come from all over the planet to walk between the towering granite cliffs of Yosemite Valley, steal a glimpse of the inspiring half-dome rock formation, and feel the mist of the highest waterfall in North America: Yosemite Falls. From the moment you step foot on the valley meadows, you will sense the sacredness of this place and find an instant appreciation for the artistry that Mother Nature is able to create. There are endless opportunities here that could keep you entertained for weeks on end, but my favorite view that we were able to claim during our stay here was the celebrated Glacier Point which rewards you with a sweeping view of the entire Yosemite Valley landscape in the midst of a challenging 10-mile trek. It’s a challenge worth completing if you’re interested in working up a sweat.

You can also check out our personal recommendations on the best things to see in Yosemite before you go.

Any wine lover who is headed through the rolling hills of Northern California should make sure to stop at Napa Valley, otherwise known as the wine capital of America. Having arrived at this destination a complete wine novice, I left with a newfound appreciation for the nectar of the gods which comes out of this precious valley. Just driving through the wine region, with the density of vineyards that occupy the space between the Napa Valley Mountains, is enough to peek the interest of anybody who has any taste for adult beverages.

The wine tastings here are elevated above and beyond the types of experiences that you will receive anywhere else in the country, and with a fully developed culinary culture to go along with it, this stop at Napa is your ideal chance to pamper yourself in between the otherwise more rustic stops along this trail. And if you’re heading into this stop as a total Napa newbie as we did, be sure to read our Napa for Dummies guide before your first tasting.

The Northern Californian Redwoods completed the impossible by showing me a wood I loved even more than the Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park. This lesser visited national park along the rugged coast of Humboldt County has something for everybody. Here you can find sandy beaches to dip your toes in the ocean, rugged shorelines to meet the sunset, lighthouses to serenade you with their gentle warning chime, fields full of elk and meandering black bears, and the tallest trees in the world which remain its star attraction. Remaining foggy and moody all year long, the trees which grow in the Redwood Forest literally disappear into the heavens, sure to make your neck ache from hikes spent looking upwards. The land is also densely vegetated with a ferny understory, creating a vista with contrasting burnt oranges and vibrant greens that make you feel like you’re wandering through a fairytale. 

We had what felt like a perfect trip to this secluded national park, and if you want to read about everything we did there, you can do so right here.

There are few things as magical as a volcano, except of course that volcano has collapsed into itself and has since formed one of the largest, bluest, and cleanest lakes in the United States. Crater Lake is the unique remnants of Mount Mazama, a compound volcano whose caldera imploded during a cataclysmic eruption over 7,000 years ago. Seen by the Klamath Indians at the time, the enormous depression of land began to fill with water and became sacred to the native tribes who passed down stories of the eruption for centuries to come. 

Being fed by only rainwater, Crater Lake is one of the cleanest bodies of water in North America and radiates a vibrant blue to all who venture toward its edge. Even more brilliant than the water itself is its trademark Wizard Island, a cone-shaped, solitary island that seemingly floats at the center of the lake, a reminder that Mount Mazama is reforming to one day awaken.

Portland was one of those cities that I had always dreamed of visiting. With its quirky vibe, vibrant art scene, and plentiful restaurants that can keep you busy all year, its unique nature called to me all the way from my home state of Pennsylvania. Stitched together over the Williamette River with a collection of mismatched bridges, Portland is just as weird and welcoming as I ever imagined it would be. It’s stationed right next to The Columbia River Gorge, a National Scenic Area known for its majestic waterfall hikes and spectacular viewpoints, making Portland a fun destination for city goers and nature lovers alike. It also holds the trophy as the foodie capital of the United States, a title it takes seriously. This is a city for food lovers, and as two amateur cuisine aficionados, we took every opportunity during our stay here to make sure the city was worthy of such a prestigious title. After all that research, I can honestly tell you, that yes. Yes, it deserves it. I gained a few pounds at this destination, but I would absolutely do it all again.

If you’re planning on fitting in Portland during your trip, it can be pretty easy to be intimidated by the sheer amount of restaurants in the city. That’s why we made an easy guide to teach you about the best places to eat during your time in Portland.

While not as famous as its southerly big brother of Yosemite, I would argue that Mount Rainier is just as beautiful as some of the more well-known landscapes in the United States. Not to be missed, the impressive snowy dome of the Mount Rainier volcano is surrounded by a vibrant landscape that the mountain breathes life into all summer long. Its southerly border, literally named Paradise, is a haven of glacial-fed waterfalls, fields bursting with waterfalls, and running foxes, squirrels, and the occasional black bear which thrive within the meadows. If you’re an early riser, you can even catch Mount Rainier glowing as it catches the light from the rising sun in the first moments of dawn.

Mount Rainier is a powerful force of nature that literally feeds life into the land around it. And as an active volcano overdue for an eruption, it’s equally as terrifying as it is beautiful. While it ran up against some stiff competition, I hold Mount Rainier National Park as my favorite park on this entire trip.

Just as we started, we’re going to end this amazing road trip on a high note. The city of Seattle sits on the Puget Sound and is cultural hub with no shortage of entertainment options or iconic backdrops. As a bonus, it’s also only a short ferry ride from Olympic National Park. Home to the Space Needle, the first Starbucks, Pike Place Market, and the grossly intriguing Gum Wall, Seattle is a fun stop to finish off this tour. While you’re there, be sure to watch the Ballard Locks in action, a set of complex water locks that help water through the canal to give cargo ships safe passage into this port town, take a leisurely ride around The Seattle Great Wheel as you take in the sights of the city skyline, and sample the flavors at Pike Place Chowder, a humble eatery known to serve up the most delicious chowder in the country.

When you’ve had enough of the city, hop aboard a ferry, and cross the Puget Sound to the Olympic Peninsula where the rainforests, mountain views, and rugged coastlines contained within the immensely diverse Olympic National Park awaits you. You could easily spend several days exploring the depths that this natural wonder has to offer. Because of its size, it can take 8 hours to drive around the entire thing!

While we didn’t make it to any of the following stops, these are a few of the destinations that we would have added to our road trip if we had had the time. Feel free to look them over and add any of them to the above itinerary to make your journey your own.

Joshua Tree National Park

Monterey, California

Los Angeles, California

San Fransisco, California

Big Sur, California

Lassen Volcanic National Park

North Cascades National Park

We hope you enjoyed reading this complete west coast road trip through the United States. If you have any questions or perhaps think there was a destination that I missed, please leave a comment below so that we can help future travelers together!

Thank you for joining us at Discovery Detour, where the destination is always unknown.