Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from San Luis Obispo to Portland. If you're planning a road trip to Portland, you can research locations to stop along the way. Make sure you check road conditions to double check the weather. Traveling with a dog or cat? Find pet-friendly stops. Camping along the way? Search for RV campgrounds. Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the most talked about places recommended by Trippy members.
9:00 am start in San Luis Obispo
drive for about 3 hours
11:56 am Big Sur
eat at Nepenthe
stay for about 4 hours
and leave at 3:56 pm
drive for about 1.5 hours
5:20 pm Santa Cruz
stay for about 2 hours
and leave at 7:20 pm
drive for about 2 hours
9:30 pm Napa
stay overnight at Bardessono
leave the next day around 8:00 am
day 1 driving ≈ 6.5 hours
find more stops
8:00 am leave from Bardessono
drive for about 2.5 hours
10:31 am Red Bluff
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 11:31 am
drive for about 3 hours
2:16 pm Ashland (Oregon)
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 3:16 pm
drive for about 1.5 hours
4:53 pm Wildlife Safari
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 5:53 pm
drive for about 1.5 hours
7:18 pm Eugene
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 8:18 pm
drive for about 2 hours
10:15 pm arrive in Portland
stay at Ace Hotel Portland
day 2 driving ≈ 10.5 hours
find more stops
Big Sur (203 answers)
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park (22 mentions)
McWay Falls (16 mentions)
Pfeiffer State Beach (9 mentions)
Pfeiffer Beach (6 mentions)
Andrew Molera State Park (5 mentions)
restaurants around Big Sur:
Nepenthe
Post Ranch Inn
Big Sur Bakery and Restaurant
Coast Gallery & Cafe
Big Sur River Inn
questions about Big Sur:
Whats the best hike in Big Sur? Best beach?
First-come, first-serve camping sites in Big Sur?
how far is the drive to sequoia national aprk
Santa Cruz (85 answers)
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk (20 mentions)
Natural Bridges State Beach (4 mentions)
The Mystery Spot (4 mentions)
Santa Cruz Beach (4 mentions)
Seabright State Beach (3 mentions)
restaurants around Santa Cruz:
Gayle's Bakery & Rosticceria
Marianne's Ice Cream‎
questions about Santa Cruz:
Activities during reunion in santa cruz
What are some must places to go to in Santa Cruz, CA
Are there any good restaurants in Santa Cruz?
Names of beaches that aren't so crowded
Best Things To Do In Santa Cruz?
Napa (85 answers)
Domaine Carneros (14 mentions)
Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin' BBQ (11 mentions)
Artesa Vineyards & Winery (9 mentions)
Napa Valley (9 mentions)
Oxbow Public Market (6 mentions)
restaurants around Napa:
ad hoc
Domaine Chandon
Redd
Morimoto
Pine Ridge Vineyards
hotels around Napa:
Bardessono
Embassy Suites Napa Valley
Cottages of Napa Valley
questions about Napa:
Other foodie things to do besides wine tasting
Searching for an inexpensive and nice inn in Napa area
Restaurants in Napa for girls outing?
Limited time in Napa, help with my itinerary!
Sightseeing in Napa?
Red Bluff
Ashland (Oregon) (29 answers)
Ashland (15 mentions)
Oregon Shakespeare Festival (3 mentions)
Lithia Park (2 mentions)
questions about Ashland (Oregon):
Best free things to do in Ashland (Oregon)?
Spas in the Ashland area?
Wildlife Safari (3 mentions)
Eugene (16 answers)
questions about Eugene:
What is your favorite restaurant in Eugene?
Are you going straight to a hotel, or looking for a vacation rental or Airbnb?
The best resource on neighborhoods, areas, and hotels is the Trippy page on where to stay in Portland.
If you're looking for a quick answer, you can check out Ace Hotel Portland, which was mentioned 8 times on Trippy.
Here are some more hotels people talk about:
Want to research more popular hotels in Portland? Click the blue button below.
Need some recommendations on somewhere to get food?
Trippy members suggest Voodoo Doughnuts, which was mentioned 27 times.
Here are some more restaurants people talk about:
Want to research more popular restaurants in Portland? Click the blue button below.
This section could be endless, so rather than trying to suggest every local activity or attraction, we'll leave it open-ended.
These are some of the places people talk about on Trippy:
Of course, Trippy is the perfect place to ask questions because there's an entire community of travelers talking to each other and sharing tips and advice. Trippy is where you can get answers personalized for your tastes, budgets, trip dates & more!
For example, here are some questions people have asked about Portland. Click on any question to see answers from the community!
Katie from Los Angeles asked:
What is your favorite restaurant in Portland? (29 answers)
Matt from Atlanta asked:
Mid July: 1 week with wife and kid - what should we prioritize? (12 answers)
Beverly from San Luis Obispo asked:
Best coffee shops in Portland (10 answers)
Beth from Maryland asked:
Visiting in July for 5 days with my boyfriend, where and what must we do? (9 answers)
Marilyn from Vancouver asked:
Artsy area with fun little shops (8 answers)
Click the button below to explore more questions and answers related to Portland.
Yes, even this step is optional, because if you're on vacation who wants the trip to end? It's okay, you can start planning your next trip!
Want to plan the trip back? Get the reverse directions for a Portland to San Luis Obispo drive, or go to the main page to plan a new road trip.
You can also compare the travel time if you're flying or driving by calculating the distance from San Luis Obispo to Portland. Or get a full San Luis Obispo to Portland flight plan.
Don't forget about exploring your own hometown with a staycation. You can also find some cool day trips or get away for a weekend. Maybe try typing in a faraway location like London, Hong Kong, or Sydney, and get inspired for your dream trip around the world.
And if you know San Luis Obispo well, please help your fellow travelers and answer their questions about San Luis Obispo!