This guide forms part of our complete USA Travel Guide, featuring scenic road trips, iconic destinations, practical travel advice and honest first-hand travel experiences from across the United States.
This article is part of our 🚗 5-Day Pacific Northwest USA Road Trip series, exploring Washington and Oregon. Beginning at the Sumas border crossing in British Columbia, our 1,397-kilometre adventure takes us through historic coastal towns, spectacular beaches, iconic cities and one of America’s most famous volcanoes.. Read the complete itinerary here.
Day 1: Historic Bridges, Sea Lions & Astoria’s Waterfront ✅
Day 2: Haystack Rock, Puffins & Oregon’s Most Beautiful Beach ✅
Day 3: Shipwrecks, Cheese & Portland’s Weird Side ✅
Day 4: Volcanoes, Forests & The Mountain That Changed America ✅
Day 5: Small-Town Charm, Ferries & The Journey Home ✅
Exploring the Pacific Northwest
There’s something special about road trips.
The anticipation. The early morning coffee or tea! The excitement of not quite knowing what you’ll discover around the next bend in the road.
We are leaving British Columbia behind and setting out on our newest adventure: a 5-day Pacific Northwest road trip that will take us from Canada to the rugged Oregon coastline, vibrant Portland, the towering remnants of Mount St. Helens and the peaceful waterfront village of Union, Washington.
This won’t be an intense, check-every-box type of journey.
Instead, we’ve designed this trip exactly the way we love to travel: scenic, comfortable and full of opportunities to simply stop and enjoy the moment.
Over the next five days we’ll be sharing real-time stories, videos, photos and travel tips from every stop along the way.
If you’ve ever considered exploring America’s Pacific Northwest, this itinerary may inspire your next getaway.
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Day 1: Canada To Astoria, Oregon
Route: Sumas Border → Bellingham → Seattle (drive through) → Astoria
Approximate Distance: 510 km
Driving Time: 6 to 7 hours
Our adventure begins early at the Sumas Border crossing before heading south on Interstate 5.
We’ll make our first stop in historic Bellingham for coffee and a short stroll before continuing south.
Seattle will be a drive-through only on this trip. Although we’ve explored the city before, our destination today is the charming coastal town of Astoria, Oregon.
Situated where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean, Astoria is one of the oldest American settlements west of the Rocky Mountains and immediately feels different from other coastal towns.
Steep hills, Victorian homes and maritime history give Astoria tremendous character.
We’ll be looking out for:
- Historic downtown Astoria
- Famous Fish and Chips
- Columbia River Maritime Museum
- Astoria-Megler Bridge
- Trolls of Astoria
Historical Snapshot
Founded in 1811, Astoria was America’s first permanent settlement west of the Rocky Mountains and was named after wealthy fur trader John Jacob Astor.
Movie lovers may recognize Astoria from films including The Goonies and Kindergarten Cop.
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Day 2: Astoria To Cannon Beach
Distance: 42 km
Driving Time: 40 minutes
The next morning the drive is short but spectacular.
We’ll follow the Oregon coast south toward Cannon Beach and settle in for an overnight stay near one of the most photographed beaches in North America.
Cannon Beach offers a completely different vibe from Astoria.
Here, it’s all about slowing down.
Long beach walks, crashing waves and towering sea stacks create a picture-perfect setting.
We’ll be looking out for:
- Haystack Rock
- Coastal wildlife
- Boutique shops
- Oceanfront scenery
Historical Snapshot
The famous Haystack Rock rises 72 metres from the ocean floor and is one of Oregon’s most recognizable landmarks.
During low tide, tide pools reveal colourful starfish, sea anemones and tiny marine creatures.
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Day 3: Cannon Beach To Portland
Distance: 130 km
Driving Time: 2 hours
Next up, after a leisurely morning by the ocean, we’ll make our way inland toward Portland.
Known for its creativity, independent spirit and unique personality, Portland is unlike any other city in the Pacific Northwest.
We’ll be spending the night and exploring some iconic Portland institutions.
Must Visit Stops
Powell’s City of Books
Occupying an entire city block, Powell’s is the largest independent bookstore in the world.
More than one million books await inside. Even if you’re not an avid reader, this place is extraordinary.
Voodoo Doughnut
Yes, we’ll be indulging. Their quirky and over-the-top doughnuts have become legendary and are now a Portland institution in the USA.
We’ll be looking out for:
- Portland murals
- Historic buildings
- Food scene
- Downtown atmosphere
- Street photography
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Day 4: Portland To Mount St. Helens To Union, Washington
Route: Portland → Mount St. Helens → Union
Distance: 290 km
Driving Time: 4 hours
Big day today and may become one of the highlights of the entire journey.
We’ll head north toward Mount St. Helens for incredible viewpoints overlooking one of North America’s most famous volcanoes.
Historical Snapshot
On May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted catastrophically.
The eruption killed 57 people and forever altered the landscape.
Today, visitors can still clearly see the enormous blast zone created over four decades ago.
After exploring the area, we’ll continue to Union, Washington.
Nestled along the shores of Hood Canal, Union is one of those peaceful hidden gems that many travellers simply drive past.
We’ll spend the night at the Robin Hood Village Resort.
We’ll be looking out for:
- Volcano viewpoints
- Forest scenery
- Hood Canal waterfront
- Resort experience
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Day 5: Union To Canada
Route: Union → Sumas Border → Home
Distance: 275 km
Driving Time: 4 to 4.5 hours
Our final day will be a relaxing drive north through Washington State and back into British Columbia.
As always, we’ll stop whenever something catches our eye.
Sometimes the best memories come from the places you never planned to visit.
And that’s the beauty of road trips.
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