United States tour, a variegated, passionate and endless choice.
East Coast, New England, Real America, Midwest, South West, California, the "old South" – as to quote the most "famous" regions – without mention Hawaii, Alaska and the USA "territories", among them the magic US Virgin Islands.
Then how not to mention some among the most charming historic roads of the country: impossible not to quote Route 66, US Route 1, Lincoln Hwy, the Great River Road, Hwy 61 et cetera.
Tour and road trips I've often written about on the pages of this blog.
This time I want to go beyond telling you about another very beautiful and unusual on the road, that one crossing the two main states of the Northern Pacific – Oregon and Washington State – and that – if you want – can be widened adding also a part of Northern California and Western Canada.
Why decide to set out on a journey throughout the Northern Pacific?
For the landscapes and the "wildest" and uncontaminated nature that right in these lands seems to have given its best.
For the roads straight down to the Pacific Ocean, the small towns along the coast, the lighthouses and the fishermen communities and at the same time for those ones of cowboys, farmers and lumberjacks of the inland, to go over the trail traced by pioneers – like the Oregon Trail – and find oneself in the middle of nothing to admire starred skies, dawns and sunsets otherwise unimaginable.
For the cultures of the local natives, so unique and charming and unlike the South West most famous tribes ones at the same time. And for the many movie locations tied to unforgettable TV series and cult movies.
For the National Parks and Monuments, downright nature wonders, like the Olympic National Park, Mount Rainier, the Painted Hills, Crater Lake and many other surprising places that – unfortunately or fortunately – are not present in the texts and in the suggestions of the most used tourist guidebooks yet.
Again another America. Very beautiful and surprising.
Find down here my travel itinerary throughout the Northern Pacific, with the indication in order of distance in kilometres of the places not to be missed together with useful links to further information, from Vancouver as far as San Francisco.
To do the complete tour (Canada included) reckon three weeks, 18/20 days if you decide to take into consideration only the road trip from Seattle as far as San Francisco.
You'll find all the stages divided into state.
Oregon: Astoria- Cannon Beach and a part of the Golden Coast – Portland – Sisters –Painted Hills – Crater Lake – Ashland. Please click here to get the complete itinerary with stages, distance in kilometres, tips and cues.
Northern California: Crescent City – Redwood National Park – Eureka – Mendocino – Bodega Bay – San Francisco. Click here to get the complete itinerary with stages, distance in kilometres, tips and cues.
They are locations and tours which can be done according to one's own preferences, the time of the year when you travel and the time – unfortunately always too less – available for the on the road.
My tip: reckon a daily distance in kilometres not over passing 300/350km and including at least a day of stop in the most famous and/or interesting places.
To enjoy a such tour at its best it is necessary – as a good part of the road trips throughout the United States – to take into consideration before all the travel aspects, above all reckoning the technical details (the rental car choice or a valid paper guidebook) and the necessary ones, like the health insurance.
I will never be tired of repeating it: always stipulate a valid travel insurance before leaving to the US.
Whether you decide to visit the big cities and the seaside locations or above all whether you decide to set out on a so long and complex on the road like the Northern Pacific one is.
Remember that the United States of America don't guarantee any free health insurance for the Italian tourists/travelers in case of need. So it means that when you really need it, the health care is totally on fee and very often the amounts of visits and eventual admissions increase by a stunning way.
Having with you a good health insurance at a health-care level mainly – but also in case of cancellation and eventual accidents – is a good manner which should be always observed. In order to leave then totally safe and enjoy more the journey, sure to be protected in any situations.
Another important aspect when planning a road trip is the choice of the car which will have to take us along the whole tour.
Please, click here and find the post with any necessary info, tips, suggestions and documents for the rental.
Once chosen the itinerary, it is important – above all if you travel in the high season – to select and book well in advance accommodations and eventual guided tours.
You can turn to your travel agency of reference or – if you are used to plan your travels totally alone – use a good online platform guarantying free cancellation for booking and included services like Wi-Fi, parking and breakfast, where is possible.
You won't have any problem to get info online about Canada, Washington State, Oregon and Northern California. However it's difficult being able to find Italian paper guidebooks exclusively dedicated to the Northern Pacific.
It's possible to get some specific sections inside guidebooks dedicated to the West USA, otherwise it's necessary to use English texts.
Hey Buddy!, I found this information for you: "United States tour: travel itinerary throughout the Northern Pacific, between Canada, Washington State, Oregon and California. Stages, tips and links to further information". Here is the website link: https://www.simonasacri.com/en/americas/united-states/northern-states/united-states-tour-northern-pacific-itinerary.php. Thank you.