The Pacific Northwest, with its diverse landscapes and captivating scenery, has served as a backdrop for some of our favourite classics.
The Oregon Coast is famous for its jaw-dropping sea stacks, coastal adventures, and incredible beaches. There are 363 miles of dramatic coastline to explore. Before heading to the coast, you may want to explore the city and enjoy Portland’s distinctive hipster scene. You’ll be spoilt for choice, with spots all over the city for alternative dining.
Visit Astoria, where you can visit the Oregon Film Museum, which is housed in the old County jail from The Goonies. The museum is across the road from the Flavel House Museum, which is also featured in the film. You can also visit the Astoria Column for epic views.
What to do along the Oregon Coastline? There are loads of places to stop along your coastal tour. Ecola State Park is a great place to explore. Mountain hikes offer phenomenal views, and beach hikes show off the mighty sea stacks. Check out the tidepools and diverse birdlife at Haystack Rock on Cannon Beach, one of the most iconic sights along the Oregon Coastline, or explore an otherworldly landscape of shifting sands in the dunes near Florence. Additionally, visit Shore Acres State Park for a calmer pace, where the waves put on quite the show as they crash against the rocks.
Click here to view our Road Trip Itineraries that explore The Oregon Coastline…
Oregon Coast
Take note of the ‘Vampire count’ signs and the small mythical nods as you drive to this small US town, hopefully on a grey and drizzly day. It is well known for being the setting of Stephenie Meyer’s ‘Twilight’ Series.
One of our favourite movie locations in the Pacific Northwest is Olympic National Park. Forks is a little town you can pass through as you drive the Peninsula of Olympic National Park.
Whilst this isn’t a tourist town with many attractions, if you are a die-hard fan of Twilight, it’s undoubtedly worth the slight detour. Popular movie locations here include the Hall of Mosses Trail, First Beach (referred to as La Push in the books) and Forks High School.
Olympic National Park is in the Northeast corner of Washington State and protects 922,651 acres of wildlife and breathtaking scenery. This national park is home to three entirely different ecosystems: temperate rainforests, the rugged coast and the glacier-topped mountains. Where else can you pay a visit to all three?
Click here to view our Road Trip Itineraries that explore Olympic National Park…
Olympic National Park, Washington
Another of our favourite Pacific Northwest movie locations is Seattle. Iconic locations such as Pike Place Market and the Space Needle are featured in the 1993 film Sleepless in Seattle. Get a feel for Seattle’s iconic boat houses and bustling restaurants, such as Athenian Seafood Restaurant & Bar, in Pike Place Market.
What will you see on your visit to Seattle? For spectacular city views, visit the observation deck at the Seattle Space Needle. Hopefully, the weather will be on your side as a clear day gives you views over the whole city and Mount Rainier. Chihuly Garden and Glass can be found just next door, and you can get a combination ticket to both attractions.
Another great way to see the city is to take the Washington State ferry to Bainbridge Island for around $10 per person.
Pike Place Market is full of vibrance and buzz. Visiting first thing can be magical as the city awakens, or visiting a little later in the afternoon will avoid the hassle and bustle and give you a chance to explore. For on-trend restaurants, stylish indie and vintage shops and craft breweries, visit Ballard, a quirky little neighbourhood along the waterfront!
Famous TV productions based in Seattle include Grey’s Anatomy, Twin Peaks and Frasier. Why not treat yourself to some in-flight reading with best-selling novels such as The Art of Dancing in The Rain, Where’d You Go, Bernadette and Firefly Lane, which are all based in Seattle, too!
Click here to view our Road Trip Itineraries that explore Seattle…
Pikes Place Market, Seattle waterfront, Washington
Set in Timberline Lodge, the 1980 horror film ‘The Shining’ is based on Stephen King’s Novel. While it’s not an accurate depiction of the lodge or the beauty that surrounds it, it’s a little bit of fun. Just 90 minutes from Portland, Mount Hood is the highest point in Oregon.
Rest assured, Timberline Lodge is not haunted and is a gorgeous place to stay – they even have gorgeous resident St. Bernards named Heidi and Bruno!
Mount Hood, Oregon, Pacific Northwest
This 2014 film, starring Reese Witherspoon, features an 1100-mile solo hike across the Pacific Crest Trail. In this film, we see the main character cross ‘The Bridge of the Gods’ in The Cascade Locks, connecting Washington and Oregon. This famous bridge once stood as a natural land bridge but was rebuilt in 1926.
Crater Lake National Park is another one of our movie locations in the Pacific Northwest and is another iconic backdrop you can see in the film.
Where is Crater Lake? Crater Lake is in southwestern Oregon, specifically in the Cascade Mountains. Crater Lake is a 4-hour drive from Sacramento and 6.5 hours from San Francisco.
What to do at Crater Lake? Skiers flock here to test their skills on the three-day loop around the Lake’s rim, but the slopes aren’t just fit for the pros. Take a ranger-led snowshoe trek beneath the sunny snow, or wrap up before a roaring fire with hot chocolate in the park lodge. As the ski season ends and the park warms up, it will reveal the clearest Lake in the world. With clear water and even clearer skies, you may be in for a night under the starry skies as you road trip through Oregon!
Click here to view our Road Trip Itineraries that explore Crater Lake…
Crater Lake, Oregon
If there’s a bit of screen time you could get in before your road trip adventure, now you know what to watch!
Talk to one of our road trip experts today, and let’s get you out on the road. It just takes a quick chat to start the engine on your self-drive in the USA.
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