Planning a trip to Oregon -- I am stumped

[b2bailey]

People often say that planning a trip is part of the fun.
Not having fun on this one.
I am planning a trip to visit friends in Pacific Northwest. Earlier this year I made a similar trip to Seattle and Portland. While I was there, two other friends saw my FB posting and said "next time, come visit me". I said I would, and subsequently received offering of guest rooms. One friend lives in Eugene. No problem getting there. It's the one who lives in Brookings, OR that has me banging my head. On the Amtrak website it shows a train station in Brookings. I was planning to use that. Today I learned that station has closed due to Covid. (I do want to visit Brookings and see her retirement home.)

I'm looking at a flight from Seattle to Medford on 11/30. Rent a car, drive to Brookings. Then what?

Another caveat is that the Portland friend is not available until 12/5. Must return home by 12/09.

What would you do? Anybody willing to work on this Rubik's cube with me?

 

[isisdave]

Not sure what your problem is. Looks like one friend is in Brookings and a second in Eugene. What does Portland have to do with this and why fly to Medford? Oh, maybe there's a third friend in Portland?

Why fly to Medford 5 days before Portland friend is available, assuming you only want one day in Brookings? Are you going to be in Seattle anyway? If I lived in Santa Cruz and wanted to fly (which I wouldn't), I'd go San Jose to Portland and drive the rest. I'd drive Seattle to Portland, Covid or not, to avoid two airports.

Anyway, the drive from Brookings to Eugene, up the coast is beautiful but a little slow. You might want to drive to Grants Pass and then north.

 

[geist1223]

Rent car in Medford and drive to Brookings. Drive from Medford to GrantsPass. Take the Redwood Highway (HWY 199) towards Crescent City, CA. Turn North on 197 shortly after Hiouchi Visited Center to HWY 101. Drive north to Brookings. Drive from Brookings to Eugene. Fly out of Eugene.

 

[b2bailey]

Not sure what your problem is. Looks like one friend is in Brookings and a second in Eugene. What does Portland have to do with this and why fly to Medford? Oh, maybe there's a third friend in Portland?

Why fly to Medford 5 days before Portland friend is available, assuming you only want one day in Brookings? Are you going to be in Seattle anyway? If I lived in Santa Cruz and wanted to fly (which I wouldn't), I'd go San Jose to Portland and drive the rest. I'd drive Seattle to Portland, Covid or not, to avoid two airports.

Anyway, the drive from Brookings to Eugene, up the coast is beautiful but a little slow. You might want to drive to Grants Pass and then north.

First stop is Seattle, for Thanksgiving. Next stop 'should' be friend in Portland, but that's where her date of 12/5 complicates that plan.

It's funny because there have been a few times since 3/13 that I have felt "at risk" of Covid, none of those events were in an airport. Too bad there is no public knowledge of how many people who contracted Covid had been exposed at airport or in an airplane. I say that because there seems to be a lot of concern without facts to support. As for me, I have not been in any congested retail setting since this began.

 

[sue1947]

There is no train in Brookings, OR with or without COVID. The train from Eugene heads SE over the Cascades and then south to Sacramento; i.e. it doesn't go anywhere near the coast. The 'train' station in Brookings is really a bus stop. Taking a bus on those windy roads is not my idea of fun, so you aren't missing anything.
Geist's recommendation is good if you insist on flying to Medford. However, you run the risk of dealing with ice and snow on the road. I got turned around by compact snow and ice along that route in March one year. The weather can go either way.
My recommendation: forget Medford. Rent a car in Eugene and head down to the coast. It's about a 4 hour drive which is about 1.5 hours more than from Medford, but you'll spend more time than that dealing with the flight etc. The roads over the Coast range further north are at a much lower elevation and you shouldn't have to worry too much about snow or ice. The best road is Highway 38 down to Reedsport and then south on 101. The coast near Bandon (my favorite beach anywhere) and then again through Boardman State Park further south is spectacular so try to time your drive so you have time to stop along the way. Boardman was proposed as a National Park in the early 1900's and the scenery qualifies. It's pretty close to Brookings so it could be a nice day trip with your friend.
In Bandon, take a right at the south end of town on 11th St and head west until you can't go any further. There is a parking lot and stairs down to the beach or a paved path along the cliff top. Magnificent scenery either way. When you are ready to leave, back up a bit on 11th and then south on Beach Loop Road which will eventually lead you back to 101. Stop at Face Rock State Viewpoint for another good view/stairs down to the beach (or a good spot for a bathroom break; those are harder to come by these days). If you want to break up the drive, head down to Bandon in the afternoon and get a motel room along Beach Loop (Table Rock motel or sunset are my two favorites) and then have time in the morning for a walk and a leisurely drive south to Brookings with lots of stops along the way.

Drive the car back up to Eugene and take the train up to Portland, or drop the car back off in Portland and then fly home from there on the 9th.
If you build in an over night stop, you might also look at a side trip out of Coos Bay to Shore Acres State Park which is an old estate from the 20's with a wonderful garden. They do a nice Christmas light show there.

Here's the S Oregon coast: first in Boardman State Park and then an area along the highway south of Gold Beach.

 

[DaveNV]

I think @sue1947 has it dialed in. There is much more to enjoy along the coast at that time of year, than along the I-5 corridor. Brookings, Bandon, and all the towns along the southern Oregon Coast are fun to explore. The main street in Coos Bay has some very cool shops. If the weather cooperates, there is a lot to see.

Dave

 

[b2bailey]

There is no train in Brookings, OR with or without COVID. The train from Eugene heads SE over the Cascades and then south to Sacramento; i.e. it doesn't go anywhere near the coast. The 'train' station in Brookings is really a bus stop. Taking a bus on those windy roads is not my idea of fun, so you aren't missing anything.
Geist's recommendation is good if you insist on flying to Medford. However, you run the risk of dealing with ice and snow on the road. I got turned around by compact snow and ice along that route in March one year. The weather can go either way.
My recommendation: forget Medford. Rent a car in Eugene and head down to the coast. It's about a 4 hour drive which is about 1.5 hours more than from Medford, but you'll spend more time than that dealing with the flight etc. The roads over the Coast range further north are at a much lower elevation and you shouldn't have to worry too much about snow or ice. The best road is Highway 38 down to Reedsport and then south on 101. The coast near Bandon (my favorite beach anywhere) and then again through Boardman State Park further south is spectacular so try to time your drive so you have time to stop along the way. Boardman was proposed as a National Park in the early 1900's and the scenery qualifies. It's pretty close to Brookings so it could be a nice day trip with your friend.
In Bandon, take a right at the south end of town on 11th St and head west until you can't go any further. There is a parking lot and stairs down to the beach or a paved path along the cliff top. Magnificent scenery either way. When you are ready to leave, back up a bit on 11th and then south on Beach Loop Road which will eventually lead you back to 101. Stop at Face Rock State Viewpoint for another good view/stairs down to the beach (or a good spot for a bathroom break; those are harder to come by these days). If you want to break up the drive, head down to Bandon in the afternoon and get a motel room along Beach Loop (Table Rock motel or sunset are my two favorites) and then have time in the morning for a walk and a leisurely drive south to Brookings with lots of stops along the way.

Drive the car back up to Eugene and take the train up to Portland, or drop the car back off in Portland and then fly home from there on the 9th.
If you build in an over night stop, you might also look at a side trip out of Coos Bay to Shore Acres State Park which is an old estate from the 20's with a wonderful garden. They do a nice Christmas light show there.

Here's the S Oregon coast: first in Boardman State Park and then an area along the highway south of Gold Beach.
View attachment 27476

View attachment 27475

This is EXACTLY what I needed!
I truly had forgotten the possibility of snow.
Booking a SEA to Eugene ticket today.

 

[b2bailey]

There is no train in Brookings, OR with or without COVID. The train from Eugene heads SE over the Cascades and then south to Sacramento; i.e. it doesn't go anywhere near the coast. The 'train' station in Brookings is really a bus stop. Taking a bus on those windy roads is not my idea of fun, so you aren't missing anything.
Geist's recommendation is good if you insist on flying to Medford. However, you run the risk of dealing with ice and snow on the road. I got turned around by compact snow and ice along that route in March one year. The weather can go either way.
My recommendation: forget Medford. Rent a car in Eugene and head down to the coast. It's about a 4 hour drive which is about 1.5 hours more than from Medford, but you'll spend more time than that dealing with the flight etc. The roads over the Coast range further north are at a much lower elevation and you shouldn't have to worry too much about snow or ice. The best road is Highway 38 down to Reedsport and then south on 101. The coast near Bandon (my favorite beach anywhere) and then again through Boardman State Park further south is spectacular so try to time your drive so you have time to stop along the way. Boardman was proposed as a National Park in the early 1900's and the scenery qualifies. It's pretty close to Brookings so it could be a nice day trip with your friend.
In Bandon, take a right at the south end of town on 11th St and head west until you can't go any further. There is a parking lot and stairs down to the beach or a paved path along the cliff top. Magnificent scenery either way. When you are ready to leave, back up a bit on 11th and then south on Beach Loop Road which will eventually lead you back to 101. Stop at Face Rock State Viewpoint for another good view/stairs down to the beach (or a good spot for a bathroom break; those are harder to come by these days). If you want to break up the drive, head down to Bandon in the afternoon and get a motel room along Beach Loop (Table Rock motel or sunset are my two favorites) and then have time in the morning for a walk and a leisurely drive south to Brookings with lots of stops along the way.

Drive the car back up to Eugene and take the train up to Portland, or drop the car back off in Portland and then fly home from there on the 9th.
If you build in an over night stop, you might also look at a side trip out of Coos Bay to Shore Acres State Park which is an old estate from the 20's with a wonderful garden. They do a nice Christmas light show there.

Here's the S Oregon coast: first in Boardman State Park and then an area along the highway south of Gold Beach.
View attachment 27476

View attachment 27475

Thanks to your tips, this worked out better than I had imagined. 1. Booked flight 2. While on
Alaska Air website, followed rental car link and found best price -- with a drop off point of Salem.
3. The person I'm calling Portland friend, actually lives in a sweet little town called Dundee, which is 30 minutes from Salem. Close enough to pick me up after rental car return. ( I wouldn't have asked her to drive as far as Eugene.)

Hey! It's fun again, thank you.

 

[sue1947]

Thanks to your tips, this worked out better than I had imagined. 1. Booked flight 2. While on
Alaska Air website, followed rental car link and found best price -- with a drop off point of Salem.
3. The person I'm calling Portland friend, actually lives in a sweet little town called Dundee, which is 30 minutes from Salem. Close enough to pick me up after rental car return. ( I wouldn't have asked her to drive as far as Eugene.)

Hey! It's fun again, thank you.

Sounds like a nice trip. Don't forget to come back and post some photos.

 

[lockewong]

There is no train in Brookings, OR with or without COVID. The train from Eugene heads SE over the Cascades and then south to Sacramento; i.e. it doesn't go anywhere near the coast. The 'train' station in Brookings is really a bus stop. Taking a bus on those windy roads is not my idea of fun, so you aren't missing anything.
Geist's recommendation is good if you insist on flying to Medford. However, you run the risk of dealing with ice and snow on the road. I got turned around by compact snow and ice along that route in March one year. The weather can go either way.
My recommendation: forget Medford. Rent a car in Eugene and head down to the coast. It's about a 4 hour drive which is about 1.5 hours more than from Medford, but you'll spend more time than that dealing with the flight etc. The roads over the Coast range further north are at a much lower elevation and you shouldn't have to worry too much about snow or ice. The best road is Highway 38 down to Reedsport and then south on 101. The coast near Bandon (my favorite beach anywhere) and then again through Boardman State Park further south is spectacular so try to time your drive so you have time to stop along the way. Boardman was proposed as a National Park in the early 1900's and the scenery qualifies. It's pretty close to Brookings so it could be a nice day trip with your friend.
In Bandon, take a right at the south end of town on 11th St and head west until you can't go any further. There is a parking lot and stairs down to the beach or a paved path along the cliff top. Magnificent scenery either way. When you are ready to leave, back up a bit on 11th and then south on Beach Loop Road which will eventually lead you back to 101. Stop at Face Rock State Viewpoint for another good view/stairs down to the beach (or a good spot for a bathroom break; those are harder to come by these days). If you want to break up the drive, head down to Bandon in the afternoon and get a motel room along Beach Loop (Table Rock motel or sunset are my two favorites) and then have time in the morning for a walk and a leisurely drive south to Brookings with lots of stops along the way.

Drive the car back up to Eugene and take the train up to Portland, or drop the car back off in Portland and then fly home from there on the 9th.
If you build in an over night stop, you might also look at a side trip out of Coos Bay to Shore Acres State Park which is an old estate from the 20's with a wonderful garden. They do a nice Christmas light show there.

Here's the S Oregon coast: first in Boardman State Park and then an area along the highway south of Gold Beach.
View attachment 27476

View attachment 27475

Face Rock is beautiful. Don't forget an ice cream cone at the Umpqua Creamery or bring her friend cheese from the cheese factory. A stunning drive down 101.