The trek up the Pacific coast from California to northern Washington never gets old. And to our delight, it continues to hold new finds.

Here are some of 2025’s highlights:

Making our way to the coast
We left Donner Memorial Park and drove south along Lake Tahoe, which is stunningly beautiful. We landed at a regional park called Rancho Seco, outside of Sacramento.

Well, this was kind of so-so as a camp spot. The advertised “lake view” features power plant cooling towers on the horizon, and though locals were splashing around, we decided to pass on a plunge.

It was a weekend, and the park was packed – overwhelmed, really. Regional parks on city outskirts tend to be crowded on weekends. No matter, it was only a short stay for us.

What makes this place mention worthy are the large, articulating solar panels powering the EV station. Something new to us. Welcome to energy-conscious California.

We continued west and hit the California coast near Bodega Bay. We hop-scotched our way north and paid a repeat visit to Hendy Woods State Park. This park is a favorite. The campsites are in the forest, and trails lead right from the camping loops into groves of giant redwoods. The trails are rarely busy, so it’s like having your own ancient forest.

When we’re asked about our favorite places to visit, the redwoods are always at the top of the five star list. Being among these giants is humbling and inspirational. Figuratively, and literally, it makes you feel small.

Shelter Cove
The “Lost Coast of California” is about 25 miles west of Garberville. The twisty, winding road to this little community is challenging. The last three miles have 180 degree switchbacks and an average grade of 10%, as the road quickly drops from about 500 feet to sea level.

At one time, Shelter Cove held the promise of a bustling resort. A thriving fishing industry kept the marina hopping. Housing and business development were on the drawing board. However, due to a number of circumstances, it didn’t take hold. What did catch, and what remains, is a small, tight-knit community (that isn’t scared of that downhill drive). The basics are here: a general store, a community center, a library, a few restaurants, a marina, and a number of inns.

The campground is in a grassy field by the water, near dramatic cliffs, black sand beaches, pelicans, and harbor seals.

The campground has a small cafe and the needed amenities.

There is an airfield, right next to the campsites, with frequent landings and take-offs. And a nine hole golf course surrounds the runway.

The “back door” of the campground leads to Gyppo, a local watering hole and restaurant. Gyppo is an old-time term for an independent logger. There’s usually a pick-up corn hole competition in play on the patio, and inside, some great fish and chips.

We loved the quirkiness of Shelter Cove. Everyone we met was friendly and welcoming. If time helps fade the memory of the white knuckle downhill drive, we will likely visit again!

Crescent City, California
Village Camper Inn has worked well for us as a base for further exploration of redwoods and the coast.

Several large, old-growth redwood groves are just minutes away. The campground is well-run, quiet, and safe. They get bonus points for having a great laundromat and shower house.

We hiked in the redwoods and found a few quiet trails.

The immensity and age of these trees continues to amaze us.

We hoped to see the Crescent City lighthouse, but it was fogged in. We also learned that its island can only be accessed during low tide, which, as you can see from the photo, would’ve required a bit more planning. Maybe next time?

Florence, Oregon
Florence is a sweet stop for tourists. A pretty waterfront, quirky public art, shops, and restaurants. We strolled and enjoyed the sights.

Looking for a nature hike, we stumbled upon a preserve just outside of town. A boardwalk trail that circled over a bog filled with Darlingtonia.

These bog plants, which look like little glass cobras, trap and digest insects. Their translucence confounds the bugs that wander up the red petal entrance. Once inside, the bugs can’t make their way back out.

Such an interesting find!

Newport, Oregon
We spent a few days in Newport – partly to have the van serviced at a good dealership that we found last time around, and partly to enjoy the coast. This was the 4th of July holiday weekend and camping reservations were scarce. We opted to drive on to Tillamook where we stayed at a favorite Harvest Host stop.

Tillamook is famous for its cheese and ice cream factory. Our advice? Skip the factory tour and go down the road to the Blue Heron French Cheese Company.

You’ll find a great selection of picnic foods in their deli, a wine tasting room, a lovely patio garden, and a petting zoo!

We’ve stayed here a few times and it’s always been fun.

This was our quiet 4th of July. No fireworks, but a relaxing evening with yummy deli treats.

Port Townsend, Washington
Near town, we stayed at old Fort Townsend State Park, which is on the grounds of the former 1860’s fort.

We hiked in the woods and discovered another horticultural find – ghost pipes.

These parasitic plants lack chlorophyll for photosynthesis. They get their nutrition from fungi growing on tree roots. Noted as a plant used by the Cherokee, it’s still a sought-after plant today for its herbal healing properties. Though they’re said to be edible (tastes like asparagus?), we were satisfied to just be observers and continue our trek.

The park has a long stretch of beach on Port Townsend Bay. Mt. Baker can be seen in the distance.

We spent a day in the town of Port Townsend which has street art, clever shops and eateries. Quimper’s Mercantile is a one-stop shop for just about anything. No big box stores here – all independent merchants.

Near the Port Townsend docks, we came across the Northwest Maritime Center, where volunteers were working to restore boats.

The center includes a shared workspace where folks can work on boats, take classes, observe, or apprentice. What a great opportunity for those who need a workspace and want to learn from experienced builders.

Whidbey Island, Washington
We took a ferry from Port Townsend to Whidbey Island. The ferry drops you at the southern end, in Coupeville, which is a charming destination.

From the dock boardwalk, you can see lots of wildlife.

The Pacific Northwest has a great climate for growing just about anything. There are gardens and flowers everywhere. Lavender is often used in landscape plantings, like we would use dwarf holly in the East.

We drove to the northern tip of Whidbey Island and crossed to Anacortes.

Anacortes, Washington

The Cap Sante Marina has undergone a major renovation and is now one of the snazziest urban campgrounds we’ve visited. The camping area is next to the city’s large, busy marina. Town is a short walk away, as are the harbor slips.

The city docks are at the far end of the marina. Here’s where the real commerce takes place. We watched fishing boats returning at the end of the day to have their catch weighed, sold, and shipped. Boat after boat. Quite an operation.

Another of the reasons we enjoy Anacortes is the Saturday Farmer’s Market. We reconnected with our acquaintance Su Jin, master kimchi maker. So many kinds. How to choose?

And so many flowers! I sniffed the hand bouquets of sweet peas and coveted the fabulous mixed flower bouquets. All these flowers come from one flower farm in Skagit.

Washington has amazing fresh fruits and vegetables. Photos don’t do justice to these raspberries. They were so fragrant and flavorful! And were devoured quickly, as you can imagine.

I thought this was kind of funny. You could buy cherries and pay with apples.

La Conner, Washington
We had one more stop before we crossed the border into Canada. As mentioned earlier, campsites at state parks were very hard to snag. So, this year, we stayed at a few marinas, which was fun and made for a different sort of experience: Darling’s Marina in Florence, Oregon; Cap Sante Marina in the Port of Anacortes; and La Conner Marina at the Port of Skagit.

La Conner Marina RV Park is managed by the Municipal Port. The campground was a little crowded, but was perfect for a quick stay and readying ourselves for a border crossing. (Hello passports. Bye, bye fresh veggies)

We walked into town, enjoyed fish and chips, and got a good night’s sleep before heading to the crossing at Surrey, British Columbia.

Our Canadian adventure will be posted soon. Stay tuned!