Two weeks in a Camper in Oregon: A Perfect Itinerary
Mr. UR and I don't go tent camping much anymore. Actually, we didn't much anyways but we seem to have reached that age where sleeping on the ground isn't that appealing to us. So when planning a trip to Oregon for two weeks we thought about renting condos or staying in hotels but our friend came up with another idea. How about renting a camper for the four of us to travel around in? We could see how it plays out and maybe we'd like it so much a camper could become part of our retirement repertoire. Why not? So we set out to RV our way through some of the best that Oregon has to offer - which is pretty phenomenal!
Renting the RV
Our trip started by flying into Portland. We decided to spend one day in the city - we hung out downtown taking the tram for awesome views of Mt. Hood and Rainer and then indulged in some Salt n Straw ice cream and Voodoo Donuts - before picking up our camper rental. Early in the morning on our 2nd day in Oregon, we ubered to our rental facility where we met with the renters, signed the papers, looked over our RV and then got on the road. It was an incredibly easy process that took about an hour in total. The rental agents were fantastic, very helpful and I would highly recommend renting from them.
Rental Company: Cruise America - Mt. Scott Motors
(503)777-9833
Model: Standard, maximum 5 people including the driver
25 feet in length, includes shower, cooktop, refrigerator, two beds - double in back of camper and double over driver
Current Base Rate: $1499 for 10 days
Kitchen kit $110
Personal kit $60
We opted out of the Kitchen or Personal kits and instead drove straight to a grocery store and Walmart to outfit ourselves with the items from the kit. This worked out perfectly for us as we used everything we purchased and then mailed one box of things home to keep and donated everything else to Goodwill when we left.
The Kitchen kit includes a broom, all kitchen items such as silverware, bowls, tea kettle and coffee cups.
The Personal kit includes bath towels, pillow, and a sleeping bag.
It's really just personal preference but there were some items we wouldn't use on the list and some we wanted that weren't there such as camping chairs which really came in handy.
The Itinerary
After much discussion and research, the itinerary that we landed on covered the western half of Oregon. After picking up the RV in Portland,
We started at the delightful Cannon Beach and made our way down the coast, visited both of Pelican Brewing's coastal locations camping at Nehalem Bay State Park and again at Depoe Bay. Chowder and oysters were eaten, sand dunes were climbed and we saw a lighthouse or two. The coast is such a naturally beautiful place and I can't recommend it enough.
The second part of the itinerary had us driving to Crater Lake National Park which was unfortunately covered in snow so all entrances were closed except for the northern one. After an adjustment to the itinerary, we drove east stopping outside of Eugene on our way to the national park. Crater Lake is so blue, and snowy when we were there, that it didn't seem real.
It was on to Bend where we met up with friends who live there and completed the Bend Ale Trail. Lots of fun.
The next part of the itinerary had us heading north, after a stop at Smith Rock State Park, towards the Columbia River and our camping spot for the night was at a campground that's land was once part of the Oregon Trail. We then started our pilgrimmage west in Hood River and seeing all the wonders that the Columbia River Gorge offers.
We returned our RV and then got a rental car for a day and drove around the Willamette Valley visiting wineries. A perfect end to a perfect itinerary.
After much discussion and research, the itinerary that we landed on covered the western half of Oregon. After picking up the RV in Portland,
We started at the delightful Cannon Beach and made our way down the coast, visited both of Pelican Brewing's coastal locations camping at Nehalem Bay State Park and again at Depoe Bay. Chowder and oysters were eaten, sand dunes were climbed and we saw a lighthouse or two. The coast is such a naturally beautiful place and I can't recommend it enough.
The second part of the itinerary had us driving to Crater Lake National Park which was unfortunately covered in snow so all entrances were closed except for the northern one. After an adjustment to the itinerary, we drove east stopping outside of Eugene on our way to the national park. Crater Lake is so blue, and snowy when we were there, that it didn't seem real.
It was on to Bend where we met up with friends who live there and completed the Bend Ale Trail. Lots of fun.
The next part of the itinerary had us heading north, after a stop at Smith Rock State Park, towards the Columbia River and our camping spot for the night was at a campground that's land was once part of the Oregon Trail. We then started our pilgrimmage west in Hood River and seeing all the wonders that the Columbia River Gorge offers.
We returned our RV and then got a rental car for a day and drove around the Willamette Valley visiting wineries. A perfect end to a perfect itinerary.
Where to Stay
We chose to stay in campgrounds - public and private - for all of our nights, as opposed to boondocking (staying for free with no facilities such as Walmart parking lots), but one where we stayed at a marina that was recommended by a friend. I thought that all of them were fantastic with great facilities and quiet evenings.
Some of our favorites were:
Nehalem Bay State Park on the coast just south of Manzanitas - We watched the sunset on the ocean from the sand dunes and enjoyed a windy walk on the beach. Horseback riding is also available on the beach.
Sea and Sand RV Park in Depoe Bay - This is a private campground so it was much pricier than the state parks but we paid for front row docking to catch a beautiful sunset. Very nice bathroom facilities.
Deschutes River State Recreation Area near The Dalles - fantastic state park with camping spots along the Deschutes River. Spent an evening in camping chairs along the river. One of my favorite spots.
We chose to stay in campgrounds - public and private - for all of our nights, as opposed to boondocking (staying for free with no facilities such as Walmart parking lots), but one where we stayed at a marina that was recommended by a friend. I thought that all of them were fantastic with great facilities and quiet evenings.
Some of our favorites were:
Nehalem Bay State Park on the coast just south of Manzanitas - We watched the sunset on the ocean from the sand dunes and enjoyed a windy walk on the beach. Horseback riding is also available on the beach.
Sea and Sand RV Park in Depoe Bay - This is a private campground so it was much pricier than the state parks but we paid for front row docking to catch a beautiful sunset. Very nice bathroom facilities.
Deschutes River State Recreation Area near The Dalles - fantastic state park with camping spots along the Deschutes River. Spent an evening in camping chairs along the river. One of my favorite spots.
The Takeaway
We had a very positive experience renting the camper but as with all experiences there were pros and cons. Here's the takeaway:
Pros:
The renting process was extremely easy.
No hassle of booking hotels - only one day on the way in and one on the way out for a 12 day trip.
If you want a snack or meal, it's right there to enjoy even while driving down the road.
All the campgrounds we stayed in were great. Campground life was pretty awesome.
Lots of space for luggage and additional items. No cramped quarters in a car.
Cons:
We didn't use the propane heater or shower as we weren't sure how much it would cost. We ended up using about $4 worth of propane so we could've used both the heat and shower instead of walking to the campgrounds. If I did this over again, I would definitely use both more.
It's not easy to drive. I didn't drive - both Mr. UR and his friend took turns driving - but it wasn't easy to drive or park. Especially in tight places.
Gas is a bit pricier in a camper than a car. But then you already knew that.
Now who's ready to rent a camper and hit the open road?
How about you? Have you ever rented a camper for a trip?
Linking up with: The Weekend Wanderlust Weekend Travel Blog Party and My Corner of the World!
We had a very positive experience renting the camper but as with all experiences there were pros and cons. Here's the takeaway:
Pros:
The renting process was extremely easy.
No hassle of booking hotels - only one day on the way in and one on the way out for a 12 day trip.
If you want a snack or meal, it's right there to enjoy even while driving down the road.
All the campgrounds we stayed in were great. Campground life was pretty awesome.
Lots of space for luggage and additional items. No cramped quarters in a car.
Cons:
We didn't use the propane heater or shower as we weren't sure how much it would cost. We ended up using about $4 worth of propane so we could've used both the heat and shower instead of walking to the campgrounds. If I did this over again, I would definitely use both more.
It's not easy to drive. I didn't drive - both Mr. UR and his friend took turns driving - but it wasn't easy to drive or park. Especially in tight places.
Gas is a bit pricier in a camper than a car. But then you already knew that.
Now who's ready to rent a camper and hit the open road?
How about you? Have you ever rented a camper for a trip?
Linking up with: The Weekend Wanderlust Weekend Travel Blog Party and My Corner of the World!
It sounds like you all had a great time! I could 'camp' like that, in fact Hubby and I have talked about it. You got some great pictures of a beautiful part of the world. Thanks for linking up to My Corner of the World!
ReplyDeleteIt was definitely my favorite kind of camping! Thanks for the link-up - and thanks for visiting, Betty!
DeleteI'm ready. This sounds like such a fun adventure. The scenery looks beautiful. We did a lot of camping when I was a kid, but I haven't done much as an adult. I remember loving all of the sounds and smells of campgrounds in the morning and at night. I'm a bit jealous as Salt n Straw is on my ice cream bucketlist
ReplyDeleteGet yourself to Salt n Straw soon - it is definitely bucket list worthy! And I love the early morning and late evening sounds and smells of the campground, too. It's some of the best part of camping. Thanks for visiting The Unpaved Road!
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