Multnomah Falls is beautifull, and there is a hike you can take to the top if you want.

Definately go to the coast, from Portland you have basically 2 choices,

1- take HWY 30 to Astoria and then take HWY 101 south as far as you wish.

2- take HWY 26 to the coast it comes out between Cannon Beach and Seaside. Then head North on HWY 101 or South on 101

It depends on what you enjoy and what you can afford as to what I would recommend for coastal activities.

If you want super romantic and don't care about cost I would go to Cannon Beach and stay at The Stephanie Inn.

Basic recommendations, if staying at a hotel try and get an ocean view, there are lots of reports on here so dig around :).

Otherwise just pick a nice cheap but clean place like Microtel in Seaside.

There is also the option of B&B's there are cute ones in Astoria, and Seaside, not sure about the ones in Cannon Beach, I haven't checked into them.

As far as how far I would recommend far south you go on the coast, I wouldn't suggest further than say Lincoln City/Newport area. Newport has just an awsome Aquarium I suggest to everyone.

But one day for the Falls and Portland and 3 for the coast would work.

It is about 2 hours from Portland to the Coast.. either way you go.

If you want specific advice please ask! :)

Multnomah Falls is gorgeous, great choice! I would check out Manzanita, Cannon Beach, Seaside and Astoria. What are your interests? We have homes in Seaside and Astoria, so we don't need lodging, but I would definitely check out the Cannery Pier Hotel or the Hotel Elliott in Astoria. The Cannery Pier will give you gorgeous views of the river, we toured the property in Feb and were VERY impressed. It has received great reviews here, also.

The Hotel Elliott is downtown, right across from Schoone'rs 12th St. Bistro where like to dine. It is also right across from the Columbia River Day Spa if you enjoy frequenting the spas on vacation. (The Cannery Pier Hotel also uses them but I checked the spa menu prices and they are a bit higher at the CPH.)

Clementine's is right down the street from us and I highly recommend giving them a call. Judith Taylor is an excellent chef and the property is very pretty. Britta's Inn is also another one to check out, fairly new and two nice rooms to choose from.

In Seaside, my first choice would be the Inn of the Four Winds, a very nice property located down by the quieter end of the prom. They have a nice website. I admire the property on my daily bike rides down the prom when we stay at our beach cottage.

Another place I would recommend would be Manzanita, a cool little coastal town that is a bit less touristy than CB and Seaside. We have also enjoyed stays at the Gilbert Inn in Seaside, not on the beach but a very nice B&B about a block from the ocean.

You may want to pick up some issues of Oregon Coast to help you with your travels and planning. For Astoria and Seaside, here some informative websites:

www.oldoregon.com I have photos posted of Astoria under the Reivew Section here that may be of interest to you.

www.seasideor.com for Seaside. I don't know how far south you want to go, but I would also recommend the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport. Phirl could give you more info on this area. The OCA really is quite a nice facility tho, and very much worth the time and effort to see it.

Any further quesitons, just ask! We will be spenidng the majority of the summer in the Seaside-Astoria area. Happy travel planning! :)

On mroe thought is the quiet little coastal town of Gearhart, just a few minutes away from Seaside. There a couple of nice places to stay there and many beach rentals. If you're looking for relaxation and peace, this is a great place on the Oregon Coast to just kick-back and relax. They also have a great restaurant where we're regulars in the summer, the Pacific Way Bakery & Cafe. Hope this helps! :)

Multnomah Falls is great like the others already mentioned. There is a paved path to the very top and it is only about a mile. It is somewhat steep, but definitely not difficult. The Lodge has a nice brunch that you might consider.

Before I suggest anything else to do, what are your interests? Are you traveling alone, with children, etc?

Syrahgirl--So glad that you are enjoying the Pacific Way Bakery that mistletoe recommended to you! Wasn't that nice of him:)

One thought would be to stay in Portland and do day trips up the gorge and to the coast. As Rivergallery says, the coast is less than two hours away, and the gorge area is closer yet. And staying in Portland gives you a lot more options for filling your days.

The other best option would be to split time between Portland and the coast. If this sounds more like what you'd like, and you're planning the trip for this summer, you should make reservations soon, especially if you're looking for beachfront, higher end accommodations. I'd recommend staying in one place on the coast, and it wouldn't be Astoria (not really on the coast anyway) or Seaside (geared towards a teenage crowd). Manzanita is nice, but less convenient to most of the sightseeing I expect you'd want to do. Gearhart is a cute little town too, but mostly residential, so lodging and dining options there are limited. Cannon Beach has been my favorite north coast town for ever since I can remember. I'd bet you'd like it too.

But, as Mtngrl says, we could be more helpful if we had a better sense of your interests - hiking, cultural, shopping, wine tasting, etc. - and your budget.

Hi wyndycty and welcome to the forums..

I agree with mistletoe, I like Çannon Beach but think a stay in Portland taking the beaches and falls as day trips would be a more full trip.

IMO :)

Sorry just have to jump in. We prefer the Central Oregon Coast. Depoe Bay to Yachats and on to Reedsport. I could give you the reasons, but won't, Cause I have to agree with N Coasters in 4 days, they have better ideas. because day in Gorge is a must.

If you jump that to 5 days might try.

Thank you all for your advice!! I am a bit overwhelmed as I am a newbie to this.

My husband and I will be traveling by ourselves. We love outdoor activities, hiking, biking, etc... and also we love anything to do with animals, so we definitely want to check out the sea lions on the coast. Also, we heard about the sand dunes near Florence, but I was not sure if we could fit that into the itinerary. Then there's the scenic byway to Mt Hood which I have been told could fit in after the falls???? So much to see, so little time to see it all.

We had planned on staying outside of Portland for the 4 days since we'll already have been there several days prior for a wedding we're attending. We would prefer nicer accomadations with a view of course. I will continue searching through all the other posts as well for more info. I am truly amazed with the wealth of info on these forums - my thanks to all of you!

Since you're an animal lover, don't miss the Oregon Zoo in Portland. It's great fun, crowded in the summer but still very fun. Have a great trip! :)

Okay... Since you'll have already spent time in Portland, I'd suggest one more night so you can do the Columbia River Gorge - Mt. Hood loop.

Then, if it's sea lions and dunes you want to see, the central coast is where you should go. It's a longer drive to get there, but as phirl implies, every bit or more scenic than the north coast. I think Yachats would be a good base, not too far from Newport or Florence. We stayed in Overleaf Lodge there last summer. Literally just a few steps from the beach; sounds like the waves are crashing right out your door. It was nice last summer, and they've completed a remodel since.

I'm sure phirl and dengay will have a lot of sightseeing and activity suggestions.