You can make Seattle to Cannon Beach in about 4.5 hours, but the people who love this drive never do it in one straight shot. At around 255 miles on I-5 and US-26, it is short enough to start after breakfast and long enough to earn a night somewhere memorable close to the park gates.
Open this route in XCRSNLeaving Seattle
Aim to clear Seattle before the morning rush, or after it, never in it. Fill the tank on the edge of town where prices usually drop, set the playlist, and settle in for the first 55 miles to Olympia.
The headline stop on this route is Washington State Capitol in Olympia. Leave real time for it; it sets the tone for the whole trip.
Olympia
Olympia sits about 55 miles in. It makes a good spot to stretch, eat something that is not from a gas station, and swap drivers.
Nearby, Powell's Books in Portland is worth the short detour if the day is going well.
Portland, the last stretch
Portland sits about 177 miles in. It is the natural place to stop for the night: hotels are plentiful, rates beat the big-city ends of the route, and you wake up with the hardest miles already behind you.
Rolling into Cannon Beach
The final 78 miles always go faster than you expect. Save a little energy for Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach; it is a fitting finish.
By the end you will have seen Washington State Capitol in Olympia, Powell's Books in Portland and Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach, and you will understand why this corridor is a classic.
When to go and how to pace it
One night is the sweet spot. Portland or Cannon Beach, OR is where most people stay, so book ahead on summer weekends.
Check live gas prices along I-5 and US-26 before you go; they can swing a lot from one state or county to the next. XCRSN prices every leg for your exact car.
