Autumn: A grand time for a trip West 11/9/2008 4:42 PM
Photo by Susan Elder
By SUSAN ELDER Guest writer
Snow-capped mountains, rocky cliffs overlooking the blue Pacific, and valleys covered in perfect rows of grapevines as far as you can see - there is no shortage of vistas on the West Coast. That and the recently devalued dollar abroad (climbing again, thanks to economic commotion) are two good reasons to make Washington, Oregon and northern California a fall travel destination.
You can't get much farther from Aiken and stay in the continental United States than the seaport city of Seattle. The closest direct flights are from Atlanta or Charlotte and take four or five hours, but the views are certainly worth the climbs.
Though the city of Seattle has been inhabited since the Ice Age, the first European settlement didn't begin until 1851, 14 years after the city of Aiken was chartered. It was the Klondike Gold Rush in 1896 that put Seattle on the travel map, and it's been there ever since. Great restaurants, cool weather and an entrepreneurial spirit that brought companies like Microsoft, Amazon and Starbucks there to live make Seattle an exciting first stop on our journey, headed south.
Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle is a combination farmers' market, restaurant and over-the-top souvenir shop where you can find inexpensive bouquets of flowers, fresh fruits and vegetables, and be entertained by the famous salmon tossing fishmongers of Pike Place Fish. A visit to Pike Place is a must, as is the Space Needle, built for the 1962 World's Fair and symbol of the city. You can ride the monorail from downtown to "The Needle" as the locals call it, which stands at Seattle Center, home to many of the city's cultural organizations, sports teams and other entertainment facilities.
If your traveling pleasures are somewhat more serene, take a ferry out to one of the nearby islands. Named in July 2005 by CNN/Money and Money magazine as the second-best place to live in the United States, beautiful, hilly Bainbridge Island is the perfect place for lunch. On your way home, take a look at the view across Puget Sound at the spectacular view of Mt. Rainier.
Early the next morning, hop aboard a train at Seattle's handsome old train station next to the snazzy new Qwest Field, and head south to Portland, Ore., on the Amtrak Cascades, a clean, modern train, that originates in Vancouver, British Columbia, and goes on to Eugene, Ore. Through lush farmland and scenic waterways, the train ride is an adventure in itself, and you step off the train wishing the U.S. had more places accessible by rail.
Portland is a clean, beautiful city set near the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette rivers. There are dozens of good restaurants and micro-breweries to sample, and be sure to make time for a visit to the International Rose Test Garden.
Next stop, scenic view No. 4 - Mt. Hood. It's a two-hour ride east of Portland, so you must rent a car here to take you on the rest of the trip. The Mt. Hood Loop intersects parts of The Oregon Trail and runs along the Columbia River in some of the territory explored by Lewis and Clark. Stop at the Timberline Lodge and have lunch while you watch the clouds dance around Mt. Hood's peak.
Next morning, head west. Today you'll be looking down instead of up. Unlike the gradual decline that takes us down the coastal plain to the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific coastline drops off abruptly. Rugged cliffs along the Three Capes Loop overlook the blue ocean with some of the most majestic views imaginable. The coast of Oregon is 363 miles long, and Highway 101, which runs along it, can be quite circuitous and the trip slow. Once you think you just can't absorb one more awesome overlook, turn back east and head to Interstate 5 and into California.
"I consider the evening twilight on Mt. Shasta one of the grandest sights I have ever witnessed," Theodore Roosevelt said. We arrived too late to see the evening twilight on Mt. Shasta, but we were able to see the morning sun cast a pink glow onto its rocky face, and the sight was equally grand. The second highest peak in the Cascade Range, Mt. Shasta, is a destination in itself for hikers, golfers and other outdoor lovers. For us, it was a stop along the road to our next destination, the Napa Valley.
We'd heard more than once that wine tastings had become more expensive and more touristy than they were 25 years ago when we last stopped at a winery. The town of Calistoga is at the northern end of the Napa Valley and is considered a little more rustic than its neighbors to the south. The best part of this stop was the aerial tram ride that took us to the hilltop Sterling Winery, from which we could see panoramic views of the surrounding Napa Valley. I've never been to Provence, but it can't be any more beautiful than this - perfect rows of grapevines in shades of green and red and yellow, neatly mowed fields, lush vegetation - and while you're there you can taste Sterling's wine.
On into San Francisco to finish our trip. San Francisco is Charleston on steroids with hills. Cable cars and buses take you everywhere you want to go, and there's great shopping, great restaurants, parks, museums and our last great view, seen from across the bay in the Marin Headlands - the Golden Gate Bridge. Completed in 1937, it was then the longest suspension bridge span in the world. It no longer holds that title, but perhaps can claim to be the most photographed bridge.
If you go West, take advantage of online deals on hotels, airline and train tickets. We did and our trip went off without a hitch. Early fall is a great time to be there. The temperatures are mild and there's less chance of rain.
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Comment Title: Visiting Mt. Shasta
Susan, I’m Renee and I live on the slopes of Mt. Shasta. Thanks for mentioning Mount Shasta, there is so much to do here. We’ve got lakes for fishing, kayaking, sailing, swimming and beach play; rivers with world class fishing and rafting; the Pacific Crest Trail and wilderness for hiking and backpacking and the list goes on and on. We live in an area with vast and varied natural beauty. Your readers can learn more about it at http://www.visitmtshasta.org.
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