Self-Launched Pacific Northwest & West Coast Road Trip: Seattle to San Francisco
15 days · USA West Coast (Seattle to San Francisco)
A self-launched 15-day version of DERTOUR's Seattle-to-San Francisco west coast tour, following the same route down the Pacific Northwest: Seattle, Olympic National Park, Olympia, Portland, the Oregon Coast, Crater Lake, the Redwoods and Sonoma to San Francisco. Instead of a private coach and 3-4* hotels, you'll hire a compact car (or use Amtrak + local buses for the city legs), stay in hostels, motels and budget guesthouses, and book park entrances, Alcatraz and wine tastings yourself. Costs are rough per-person estimates for two people sharing, excluding international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Seattle
Seattle, WA
Land at SEA airport and take the Link Light Rail downtown (~$3/£2.40, 40 mins) rather than a taxi. Check into a hostel or budget hotel near Pike Place or Belltown, then walk the waterfront and get your bearings. Pick up a hire car today or tomorrow morning from a downtown location — collect it on day 3 if you want to save two days' rental and parking.
🚌Link Light Rail from SEA airport ~£2.50
🛏Hostel or budget hotel, Seattle (Green Tortoise Hostel or similar, £30-45 dorm/private)
- →Link Light Rail to downtown
- →Waterfront walk
- →Pike Place Market area orientation
Seattle sights
Seattle, WA
Full day exploring on foot and by bus. Space Needle observation deck tickets are ~$35/£28 if you want the view (or skip it and head to Kerry Park for a free skyline shot). Chihuly Garden & Glass ~$32/£25. Pike Place Market is free to wander — grab lunch at a food stall for ~£10. MoPOP ~$30/£24. Seattle Day Pass on King County Metro/ORCA ~$8/£6.
🚌ORCA day pass ~£6
🛏Hostel or budget hotel, Seattle
- →Space Needle (book ahead, ~£28)
- →Chihuly Garden & Glass (~£25)
- →Pike Place Market
- →Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)
- →Kerry Park viewpoint (free)
Seattle to Port Angeles via Bainbridge Island
Port Angeles / Olympic Peninsula, WA
Pick up your hire car (book ahead on Discover Cars or Rentalcars from ~£35-45/day for a compact). Drive to the Bainbridge Island ferry (~$10/£8 car + passengers, 35 mins) — a scenic alternative to the highway. Detour to Sequim's lavender farms (bloom July-Aug) and up to Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park for mountain and strait views ($30/£24 per vehicle park entry, valid 7 days). Overnight Port Angeles.
🚌Hire car pickup + ferry + ~85 miles driving (~£12 fuel)
🛏Budget motel, Port Angeles (~£50-65)
- →Bainbridge Island ferry crossing
- →Sequim lavender farms
- →Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park
- →Short ridge trails
Port Angeles to Olympia via Hoh Rain Forest
Olympic National Park / Olympia, WA
Take your time on this one — it's a long driving day (~250 miles). Head west to Lake Crescent for a swim or short trail, stop at Forks (Twilight fans will recognise it), then hike the Hall of Mosses in the Hoh Rain Forest (1.1 miles, free with your park pass). Optional stop at Lake Quinault. Drive south to Olympia for the night.
🚌Hire car, ~250 miles (~£28 fuel)
🛏Budget hotel or motel, Olympia (~£55-70)
- →Lake Crescent
- →Forks
- →Hoh Rain Forest — Hall of Mosses trail
- →Lake Quinault
Olympia to Portland via Mount St. Helens
Portland, OR
Drive north-east to Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument (~2hrs). The Johnston Ridge Observatory side offers the best eruption views and short trails — check road status before setting off (often open May-Oct). Then continue south to Portland (~£28 fuel for the day in total). Check into a hostel in the Pearl District or downtown.
🚌Hire car, ~230 miles
🛏Hostel or budget hotel, Portland (~£35-55)
- →Mount St. Helens viewpoint and trails (park entry ~£8)
- →Johnston Ridge Observatory
Portland food and gardens
Portland, OR
A no-car day. Portland is famously bikable and walkable — rent a Biketown bike or use TriMet (~$5/£4 day pass). International Rose Test Garden is free; the Japanese Garden next door is ~$22/£17. Spend the afternoon on the food truck scene (expect £12-15 for a big feed) and a microbrewery or two. Powell's City of Books is a must, free to browse.
🚌TriMet day pass ~£4
🛏Hostel or budget hotel, Portland
- →International Rose Test Garden (free)
- →Portland Japanese Garden (~£17)
- →Food trucks on Hawthorne or Alberta
- →Microbreweries
- →Powell's City of Books
Portland to Seaside via Ecola State Park
Seaside, OR
Drive out to the coast (~80 miles) via the Columbia River Highway if you want the scenic route. Ecola State Park (day use ~$5/£4) has dramatic coastal views and rainforest trails through moss-covered spruce. Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock are 10 minutes away — catch sunset there. Overnight in Seaside, a classic Oregon coast beach town.
🚌Hire car, ~90 miles
🛏Budget motel, Seaside (~£60-75)
- →Ecola State Park
- →Rainforest trails
- →Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock sunset
Seaside to Newport on Highway 101
Newport, OR
A leisurely coastal drive with constant photo stops. Cannon Beach galleries, Tillamook Creamery for free self-guided tours and cheese/ice cream (~£8), Cape Lookout State Park, then Lincoln City and Yaquina Head Lighthouse (entry ~$7/£6). Finish in Newport with fresh Dungeness crab from a dockside shack (~£18-22).
🚌Hire car, ~80 miles
🛏Budget motel or hostel, Newport (~£55-70)
- →Cannon Beach
- →Tillamook Creamery tour (free)
- →Cape Lookout State Park
- →Lincoln City
- →Yaquina Head Lighthouse
- →Dungeness crab dinner in Newport
Newport to Coos Bay: Cape Perpetua and the dunes
Coos Bay, OR
Short hops down Highway 101 with the best stops: Cape Perpetua for Devil's Churn and Thor's Well (best at high tide/storm swell), Heceta Head Lighthouse for the postcard view. In the afternoon, rent a dune buggy at Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area (~$45/£36 for a shared ride) or just hike the sand. Overnight Coos Bay.
🚌Hire car, ~90 miles
🛏Budget motel, Coos Bay (~£55-70)
- →Cape Perpetua overlook
- →Devil's Churn and Thor's Well
- →Heceta Head Lighthouse
- →Oregon Dunes buggy ride or hike
Coos Bay to Medford via Crater Lake
Medford, OR
Long driving day (~250 miles) but worth it. Crater Lake National Park entry is $30/£24 per vehicle — Rim Drive is spectacular and the water really is that blue. Stop at Rim Village and walk part of the Cleetwood Cove or Discovery Point trail. Arrive Medford in the evening.
🚌Hire car, ~250 miles (~£28 fuel)
🛏Budget motel, Medford (~£55-70)
- →Crater Lake National Park
- →Rim Drive scenic route
- →Rim Village viewpoint
Medford to Eureka via the Redwoods
Eureka, CA
Cross into California and hit Redwood National and State Parks (~200 miles). Entry is free. Walk the Stout Grove or Boy Scout Tree Trail near Crescent City — old-growth redwoods, no crowds. Stop at the Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center for trail maps. Overnight in Eureka's charming Old Town, full of Victorian architecture and a decent craft beer scene.
🚌Hire car, ~200 miles (~£22 fuel)
🛏Hostel or budget motel, Eureka (~£50-65)
- →Redwood National and State Parks
- →Stout Grove trail
- →Eureka Old Town
Eureka to Sonoma via Fort Bragg and the coast
Sonoma, CA
The long, spectacular one (~280 miles): Highway 1 through Mendocino, a stop at Fort Bragg (Glass Beach is free), then down through Bodega Bay — Hitchcock's The Birds territory. Arrive in Sonoma for the night. Fuel is the big cost today; pack a picnic lunch to keep food spend down.
🚌Hire car, ~280 miles (~£32 fuel)
🛏Budget motel or guesthouse, Sonoma (~£65-85)
- →Fort Bragg Glass Beach
- →Mendocino coast
- →Bodega Bay
Sonoma wine country to San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Morning wine tasting in Sonoma Valley — book a couple of tastings direct with smaller wineries (~$25-40/£20-32 each; skip the big-name estates for cheaper pours). Then drive into San Francisco (~50 miles) and drop the hire car off at the airport or downtown — you won't need it in the city. Check into a hostel in North Beach or the Mission.
🚌Hire car, ~60 miles + car return
🛏Hostel, San Francisco (~£35-55 dorm/private)
- →Sonoma Valley wine tastings
- →Buy a bottle to take home
- →Drive into San Francisco, return hire car
San Francisco on foot and cable car
San Francisco, CA
Classic SF day. Walk the Golden Gate Bridge (free), explore Golden Gate Park and the Japanese Tea Garden (~$10/£8), ride a historic cable car (~$8/£6.50 single), and eat your way through Chinatown, Little Italy and Fisherman's Wharf. Pre-book Alcatraz with the official City Cruises/Essential Trip audio tour (~$45/£36) — it sells out weeks ahead. Sunset from Twin Peaks (bus 37 or a cheap rideshare).
🚌Muni day pass ~£5
🛏Hostel, San Francisco
- →Golden Gate Bridge walk
- →Golden Gate Park and Japanese Tea Garden
- →Cable car ride
- →Chinatown, Little Italy, Fisherman's Wharf
- →Alcatraz with audio tour (pre-booked)
- →Twin Peaks sunset
Last morning in San Francisco and departure
San Francisco, CA
Grab breakfast in North Beach, wander Haight-Ashbury or Union Square for last-minute shopping, then take BART to SFO for your flight (~$10/£8). If you have a late flight, the de Young Museum or SFMOMA are good rainy-day options.
🚌BART to SFO ~£8
🛏N/A — departure day
- →North Beach breakfast
- →Haight-Ashbury or Union Square
- →BART to SFO airport
Self-launched vs. DERTOUR
| This itinerary (self-launched) | DERTOUR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,150 | £1,150 |
| Duration | 15 days | 15 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £0 per person (0%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more DERTOUR-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,150
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Pacific Northwest & West Coast Road Trip: Seattle to San Francisco cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,150 per person for 15 days in USA West Coast (Seattle to San Francisco). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with DERTOUR?+
Yes — DERTOUR charges around £1,150 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,150 — a saving of roughly £0 (0%) per person.
How long is the USA West Coast (Seattle to San Francisco) trip?+
This itinerary runs 15 days, covering 15 day-by-day stops through USA West Coast (Seattle to San Francisco).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a road-trip, adventure, hiking trip through USA West Coast (Seattle to San Francisco), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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