1st Time In Oregon

A friend suggested that we go from Portland to Bend on our way to Crater Lake (the following day). What is Bend like? Would this be a good place to stop and spend the night? Or we can just spend the night in Portland and drive to Crater Lake the next day. Any suggestions? Thanks

1st Time In Oregon

What time of year are you planning to visit?

The north entrance to Crater Lake is closed by snow until about mid June.

1st Time In Oregon

Where are you planning on going after Crater Lake? I would assume you are not planning on making it round trip in one day.

Bend is an excellent place to stop. Lots of entertainment options in the area.

If you could give us some more details on your itinerary, traveling with kids or not, etc. we can give you some more specific advice.

Another vote for the Bend area, lots to see and to do; try not to ';short it';.

Oregon, Central/Bend Area

http://www.visitbend.com/

What time of year are you planning to visit? Bend is a good stopping place - good restaurants and lots to do and see. Very outdoor-oriented town, year-round.

Thanks for everyone%26#39;s help. We will be in Oregon the second week in September. This trip started with us going to the Ducks game on Saturday. We thought if we were headed out west we needed to see a few things.

It was suggested that we fly into Portland (cheaper flights), drive to Bend the first night, spend two days at Crater Lake, then head up to Eugene for the game... back to Portland on Monday. I would have loved to seen the Oregon coastline but was told that Bend would be a better desitnation. No kids are going on this trip... we love the outdoors and are excited to see a part of Oregon. We have a 1 1/2 days to get to Crater Lake and I wanted to make the best of it.

A friend even suggested Mt. Hood and the Casades on our way to Crater Lake. Is this on the way to Bend? Would you suggest staying at the Timberlake Lodge or in Bend? Thanks for your help!

With a short time in oreg I would not spend two days at Crater Lake. It is a beautiful lake, but you can see it in a half day or less. I would spend two days in bend though. McKenzie Pass, Newberry Crater, Cascade Lakes. All worth seeing,

But why not go to the coast? Not sure of your experience with coast lines but only coast close to Oregon coast in US is Big Sur. It has ruggec headlands, big beaches, big bays, harbors, and Eugene is close to coast. Suggest you spend two days there. maybe Lincoil City to Reedsport then inland.

If you have another day drive up the Columbia Rive Gorge to at least Hood River.

September is a very good time of year to see the Oregon coast. But you wouldn%26#39;t have time to see much of it! Still, from Portland you could head west and then down the coast to Florence, then back over to Eugene.

I agree that you really only need 1/2 day at Crater Lake. You could leave Bend and be there by noon, spend the afternoon at the lake, and stay back down in the valley where accommodations would be cheaper and easier to come by (I-5 corridor). From there it%26#39;s an easy drive to Eugene.

Bend (like much of Oregon) is something of an outdoors mecca. You will find lots of opportunities including hiking, paddling, mtn biking, and so on. All within 30 minutes (or less) from downtown.

Is the coast close to Portland? Can you drive there on our way to Bend? Florence, is that a coastal town?

What if we went from Portland to the coast to Florence to Crater Lake then to Eugene?

Or, Portland to Ben, to Crater to Eugene (spend the day driving to the coast and back to Eugene).

Do you want to see as much as possible? Or spend a couple days in one area and really get a feel for it? Oregon is a large state with very different regions. It sounds like you are only here for four days, and you run the risk of feeling rushed and spending the entire trip driving around if you try to see too much.

Yes, Florence is on the coast. It%26#39;s pretty much due west from Eugene and a 1.5-2hr drive as well. Florence isn%26#39;t a typical ';beach'; town though - it%26#39;s more well known for the dunes and is popular with ATV riders.

From Portland, it%26#39;s about a 1.5-2hr drive to the coast (depending on where you go) - opposite direction from Bend. (There is a town ';North Bend'; on the coast - which often causes confusion!)

Bend is SE of Portland in Central Oregon, and it%26#39;s about a 3-3.5 hr drive. You can either head east over Mt Hood then south through Warm Springs and Madras -OR- south to Salem and east over the Santiam Pass (preferred).

Yachats (just north of Florence on the coast) might be a nice day trip from Eugene, but it%26#39;s about a 2hr drive one way. Crater Lake to Eugene is a LONG drive, plan on 4-5 hours.

A few words about Oregon geography. Most of the large cities are located in the Willamette Valley / I-5 Corridor (Portland, Salem, Eugene, Medford). To reach the coast you have to drive over the Coastal Mountain Range, usually from one of these larger cities. Similar idea goes for heading east to Central Oregon - you have to cross over the Cascade Mountain Range (which includes Mt Hood and Crater Lake). Just figured it would be good to mention this, since driving routes are limited to highways on the mountain passes. I would NOT recommend trying to take Forest Service roads over either of these mountain ranges ANY time of year, despite what Google Maps and other route planning tools might tell you...