Must See Places on the West Coast of America

Thinking of a small road trip along on the West Coast of America. Well, we done it twice and here is my list what can you see while driving there and why is it worth to visit. It was definitely one of most favorite road trips that we did in United States. Our journey was started from Monterey, California till Seattle and back. 

1. Redwood Forest National Park, California State: 

California is definitely beautiful. Every single city or parks must be on your list to visit.Of course, we couldn't skip the famous Redwood Forest National Park. Before you go to any National Parks, make sure to visit the official page to see if the park is open, their current conditions and roads. The website for all parks in US is https://www.nps.gov/index.htm.

Beside of gorgeous gigantic trees, you can drive through the legendary Shrine Tree & Chandelier Tree. Our favorite was Chandelier because it is still healthy and beautifully alive. I definitely advise you to take a drive on the Avenue of the Giants and stop along the way for some nature walks. Our favorite trail was around Founder's Grove. It was short, but we were in awe of the incredibly huge trees as walked among them. 






2. Eureka and Trinidad, California State:  We enjoyed short stops at these wonderful cities. Eureka has a beautiful old town with victorian style houses where you can also buy Redwood tree seeds and saplings. It is a great place to grab some lunch or dinner before you go back to the road. One of things you should definitely visit is a Carson Mansion, if you love architecture. Sadly, it was closed when we got there. In Trinidad, we were able to see only the recreational lighthouse, a small beach, and fishing pier, that I found quite beautiful.

Eureka

Trinidad


3. Horsfall Beach, Oregon State: When you will get to Oregon State. I am advising you to stop for some beach break or even other nature activities at the Horsfall recreational area. You will find a lot of cool stuff such as towering tunes, fishing, horseback riding or even camping. Since, we didn't have so much time and briefly visited the beach before driving to Oregon Dunes. 



4. Oregon Dunes National Recreational Area, Oregon State:  We spent over an hour hiking to the beach. It was so much fun to walk through the dunes, then take a trail through the forest, before finding the ocean. When we got to the beach, we got lucky that no one was there. It was quite tough to hike up the dunes on our way back to the car, but it was definitely an awesome place. I would love to go back there in the future when we have kids.





5. Big Four Ice Caves, Washington State: This place is incredible, dangerous and mystical. I first asked my husband to visit the Ice Caves a while ago. After the tragic death of a young girl, the government actually closed the trail, but a year later, it was opened again to the public. I really wanted to go there in the winter season, but bad weather can make this a hazardous journey. That being said, my dream came true and we finally got there. If you are in Washington State, and plan to visit this place, please be careful! Read the signs, and don't climb or go inside of the cave. Several people have died doing this!




6. Cannon Beach, Oregon State: We actually visited the cute towns of Astoria and Seaside on the way to Cannon Beach. Due to the heavy rain and cold weather. I was able to take only a few photos at Cannon Beach. After Cannon Beach, we spent the night in rustic Rockaway Beach town. 




7. Crater Lake National Park, Oregon State: I have seen many things in my life, but this was truly something outstanding. The deep blue color, water clarity and just knowing that this lake was formed by a collapsed volcano blows your mind. Just so you know, it is the deepest lake in United States. If you plan a small family vacation, it is a must-visit place!




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