Day 7: Crater Lake.....An Absolute Gem

After all the driving that we did the day before it wasn't hard to fall asleep and be ready to go again early the next morning.  This was another ambitious day of driving but what lay ahead of us today was something that we were very excited about seeing....Crater Lake.  

The Drive to Crater Lake National Park

View on the way to Crater Lake National Park

Ok....here was another drive that looked like it should be shorter when viewed on a map than what it really was.  We decided to make the long drive the day before to put ourselves as close to Crater Lake as we could get to make it a little easier drive to get there the next day.  Springfield, OR was about as close as we could get and still have a "real" hotel.  If you check the driving distance it is approximately 132 miles from Springfield to Crater Lake....however.....it takes about 3 hours to actually drive that 132 miles!!  I will say that it was worth every mile of the trip!  The Park is really in the middle of nowhere so make sure that you plan your travel accordingly.  We fueled up before starting out and packed up some snacks to take on our way.  

View on the Way to Crater Lake National Park

The drive itself is not a difficult one but is mostly 2 lane roadways.  The scenery varies but there is a section where you travel near a river.  That part is absolutely gorgeous and we just had to stop and take some pictures along the way.

Not all of the drive was this beautiful but it was more interesting than most of the drive around Olympic National Park so the time actually passed pretty quickly.

Crater Lake National Park

With an annual snowfall of 44 feet, it is surprising to find that the park is actually open year round.  The problem is that you can't get very far into the park most of the year!  Much of the year the North Entrance Road and the Rim drive are closed to cars.  They usually close for the season around November 1 or earlier if there is a significant snowfall. Crews begin plowing the roads in April but opening dates vary.  The North Entrance Road and West Rim Drive tend to open in early June.  The East Rim Drive typically opens in early July.  Highway 62 is open year-round.  The road to Rim Village is also open year-round except for heavy snow storms.

We arrived at Crater Lake National Park on June 29th....and there was still a whole lot of snow around!

Our Son standing by the plowed snow next to the roadway!

Never in my life had I see that much snow....especially at the end of June!

Snow covered hills surrounded the area.

The roadways were clear but evidence of the heavy snows remained.

One of the strangest things that happened to us on our trip happened at this point on the roadway.  Remember those snacks that we picked up before we left Springfield?  Well it included a bag of Ruffles Potato Chips.  As we entered the park and started climbing in elevation we heard a really odd noise coming from the back seat.  My son soon announced that the bag had blown up and looked ready to explode!  Obviously the change in air pressure affected the chip bag!

Chip Bag expanding with the altitude!

And the Pretzel Bag too!

Yep...the pretzel bag blew up too!

As we drove around a little further onto Rim Drive we came closer and closer to the lake itself.

Some quick facts about Crater Lake

1.  This is the deepest lake in the United States.  The depth is 1,943 feet.  

2.  The lake is fed by rain and snow but no rivers or streams.  It is therefore considered to be the cleanest large body of water in the world.

3. The water is exceptional for it's clarity and intense blue color.  Believe me it was the bluest water I have ever seen.

4.  The lake is 4.5 to 6 miles wide.

5.  The lake rests inside a caldera formed approximately 7,700 years ago when a 12,000 foot tall volcano collapsed following a major eruption.  Later eruptions formed Wizard Island which is a cinder cone.

6.  There isn't a bad view of this lake and it is absolutely breathtaking!

Welcome to Crater Lake

This was the first view that we had of Crater Lake.  There are many pullouts along the way and no two are alike.  The water really is that BLUE!  The first thing that we noticed when we stepped out of the car was,.....nothing.  It was so quiet....so peaceful that you heard nothing!  The lake is calm and looks like glass!

Here are some pictures of the views around the lake.....they will speak for themselves....

The water is bluer than blue!

Panorama of the beautiful view!

Wizard Island

Just a beautiful, beautiful place

Even the birds match the water!

Rim Village

As we made our way around the drive to Rim Village, we made a stop at the village for a restroom break.  As well as restrooms, they have a gift shop and cafe where you can buy lunch (prices are pretty steep here but there really is NOTHING else around).  There is also a lodge here where you can stay.  The gift shop was large and had lots of items to look at and spend some time.  The snow here was pretty amazing also.  Again....it's the end of June!!!

The gift shop at Rim Village

The snow piled up as high as the roof!  Would have been a great place for a Christmas Card Picture!

After our stop at the Village we continued on our way and still there were more sights to see....

Wizard Island

Our last view of Crater Lake

Boat Tours

Just a quick note on the boat ride across the lake.  The boat ride had it's first day of operation the day that we were there. We chose not to do the tour as there is a huge walk to the boat area and back.  The Cleetwood Cove Trail is the only legal access to the shore of Crater Lake.  The hike is steep and strenuous.  It drops 700 feet in elevation in 1.1 miles.  Going down would be ok but going back up is the equivalent to climbing 65 flights of stairs!  If you are in good shape and feel that you can make the walk, tickets can be purchased over the phone, from automated kiosks at the gift shop and lodge.  Tickets go on sale exactly 24 hours in advance.  The boat tour takes approximately 2 hours.  They do sell 74 tickets per day to visit wizard island.  The 9:30 AM and the 12:30 PM boats are the only ones that stop at the Island.  The stay is 3 hours at the Island before your return.  Boat Tours run between the end of June - the first of September.  

Thoughts about Crater Lake

My final thoughts on Crater Lake is that is very well may be the most beautiful place I have ever had the privilege of seeing.  It is so quiet and peaceful and just awe-inspiring.  It is a bit of a drive to get there but the pay-off is huge.  I know the park is open year round but I think it would be a shame to miss being able to go around Rim Drive. As it was, the entire drive was still not open when we were there but the majority of it was.  If you can plan a trip here during the summer months, I think you would be able to see a whole lot more than during the winter months.

Back to Portland

After taking our tour of Crater Lake National Park, it was time to head back North to Portland.  This was another 5 hour drive.  So all in all it was another long driving day.  Our stop for this evening was at the Embassy Suites Portland Airport.  This was a very nice hotel.   Wonderful lobby and beautiful suite.  The only thing I will say is that, like all Embassy Suites, this one was extremely crowded and loud on a weekend.  We ate at the hotel restaurant for dinner.  It was so busy that the servers were noticeably frazzled.  Our food was good and service was good considering how busy it was.  This Embassy Suites was the traditional set up with the lobby in the center and the floors going around the lobby.  The noise carries terribly in these set ups.  It's not usually a problem during weekdays when it's business travelers but it is very, very loud on weekends when large families invade the hotels.  We had children running around till around midnight going from floor to floor and hiding outside the rooms from each other.  The room was comfortable and once the noise quieted down we had a great night's sleep.  The employees were friendly and very helpful.  

Our King Size master bedroom at the Embassy Suites Portland Airport

Dining area in our suite

The lobby of the hotel...after it had cleared out a bit!

The best feature.....lots of outlets!!! No fighting for outlets to charge our electronics!

One of the things that we enjoy at the Embassy Suites is the hot, made-to-order, breakfasts buffets that they offer.  Well this one was extremely stressful.....all those large families invaded the free breakfast area at one time.  It was packed.  The poor employees couldn't keep up with the food and drink required.  I have never seen a feeding frenzy quite like this one.  We were able to get some food but it was not a relaxing situation!  

I honestly believe that this hotel would be a much better experience on a weekday and would try it again if in the area.  

Coming Next:  Things to see on the Drive back to Seattle

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Day 9: Seattle in a Day

Our last day of our summer adventure had arrived.  This always brings a bit of sadness as well as some anxiousness to get home.  So with mixed emotions we headed out to tackle the city of Seattle in a day!  We had booked the redeye home so we didn't have to be at the airport till about 9:00 PM for our flight which left at 11:30 PM so we were able to maximize our day.  (More about redeye flights later!)

Stop 1:  Pike's Market

Pike Place Fish Company

No trip to Seattle is complete without a stop at Pike's Market.  The main attraction is the Pike's Place Fish Company...the inspiration for the book Fish!  This is a "must stop" at the market just to see them toss the fish around!  It's also a great place to purchase fresh seafood to take with you.  They will pack it in containers that will keep it cold for your flight home and that are approved to carry on your flight.  You can also choose to ship the seafood home.  Shipping is a bit pricey but is a flat rate so the more you buy the better the deal!

Since I am the only seafood lover in my family I purchased a small amount.  I chose to have it shipped since my carry on was...pardon the pun...stuffed to the gills!  I chose one of the King Salmon filets and a pound of the Alaskan King Crab legs.  I received them the day after I arrived home and they were fresh and very delicious!

Placing an order was easy...the employees are fun and friendly!  I would highly recommend making a stop and a purchase here!

Other Things to See at Pike's Market

There are several other things to see at the Market Place.  There are stores around the area as well as inside the market itself.  The shops inside the Market tend to be a little "flea marketish" with crafts, collectibles and beautiful flowers for sale.  (There are no better deals on bouquets of flowers than here at the Market!!!)  The stores around the area include the original Starbucks, Sur La Table, Cheese shops, etc....  It's a definitely a place to stop and spend a little time looking around.  

The Original Starbucks

Cheese being made at one of the local shops

A short walk outside will take you to the water....where there are lots of large Cruise ships coming and going as well as some outside vendors.

This day was a rainy day in Seattle.  It was a little more than the drizzle we had encountered before.  It was also cool.  This was the last day of June and it was in the 50's during the morning hours so always a good idea to dress in layers and have a warm weatherproof jacket!

Taking in a Game at Safeco Field

After our walk around the Market Place it was time to head to the ballpark.  We had purchased tickets as well as parking online when we were planning our trip so it was relatively easy to make to the ballpark.  Well actually...we did get lost for about 15 minutes.  You could see it from the Market Place but it was a little more difficult to actually get there!  For us though...this was "relatively easy"!  

This was a very nice ballpark.  It was still raining when we arrived so the roof was on.  This was really nice since you don't have to worry about weather and games being rained out.  It makes it much easier to purchase tickets in advance because you know the game will take place rain or shine.  

Safeco Field with the Roof On

Safeco Field before the game...roof on

We are season ticket holders at Progressive Field for the Cleveland Indians so we are used to ballpark fare.  I have to say that this ballpark had a much more diverse menu!  They offered seafood....clam chowder bread bowls...fish meals and it was all wonderful!  I love seeing and sampling the local fare at the ballpark!  

Right before the game, the skies dried up and they opened the roof.  Just seeing them open it was interesting!

Safeco Field...roof being retracted

Safeco Field Uncovered

Safeco Field Uncovered

This was a fun thing to do for an afternoon....if you are a baseball fan!  I will say that it was cold!  The roof is more protective from the elements but doesn't necessarily keep you a whole lot warmer.  Once the roof is off..it was pretty chilly.  The local fans were telling us that this was an abnormally cold day so perhaps it wouldn't always be necessary but I would definitely take a jacket to wear no matter whether the roof was on or off!

Space Needle

The Space Needle is also a "must do" if you are in Seattle!  Hubby and I had gone there back in October for dinner and felt we must take our son there to experience it.  Again, we made reservations well in advance so we could plan dinner after the ballgame and before we had to leave for the airport.  We arrived a few minutes early for our reservation but decided to head in and check out the gift shop before our reservation.  There is valet parking at the Space Needle.  If you are visiting I would recommend going with the valet parking as I really didn't see other lots around that were easily accessible.  I'm sure if you are more familiar with the area there are places to self-park but for just a quick visit, it wasn't worth looking all over to find.

We looked around a bit and decided to check in at the desk for our reservation.  It was still a little early but they were able to take us AND we were able to be seated next to the window!  Our service and meals were excellent.  It is a bit pricey to eat here but you are really paying for the atmosphere and the food was very good.  

Dessert at the Space Needle is the best!  You must order their signature Lunar Orbiter.  It has been a classic since the Space Needle opened back in 1960 for the World's Fair.  It is an ice cream sundae in a bowl with dried ice for an amazing effect!

The Lunar Orbiter

After dinner we took the short walk up a couple flights of stairs to the observation deck.  Took a look around the city and headed back down the elevator to the gift shop.

We still had a little time to kill so we walked around the area.  There is a beautiful botanical garden next to the Space Needle...the Chihuly Garden... that has glass sculptures both inside and out.  It looked really amazing but we didn't have the time to stop in for the tour.  There is an admission charge to get in.  I was able to take a few pictures from the outside.

Outside the Chihuly Garden

Here is a link for more information on these interesting gardens:  Chihuly Gardens Seattle

Back to the Airport

Our day in Seattle was winding down as was our Summer Adventure and it was time to head back to the airport.  As I said before....I am not real fond of SEA-TAC airport but it was better on the return.  At least we knew where to return the rental car and how to get the shuttle back to the airport itself.  We checked in and had time to head to the United Club for awhile before our flight departed.  There are two United Clubs in the airport.  One that was located nearer our gate but closed earlier and one that was open later.  We chose the one that was open later so we had more time to sit inside and charge our devices.  It was extremely small and didn't have a whole lot of windows.  It also didn't have a restroom....you had to walk across the hall and be buzzed back into the lounge upon return.  It was comfortable however.  If you chose this one and your flight leaves nearer the other one......make sure you have your walking shoes on.....it is a HIKE to your gate!  It took us about 15 minutes to walk from the United Club to our gate.  Once we got to the gate listed it said it was a flight to Anchorage!  No worries.....they just didn't bother to change the gate info to Cleveland!  Anchorage......Cleveland....same difference right?  Like I said....it's just the little things at this airport that drive me nuts!!

Our flight did depart on time however and we did have a non-stop back to Cleveland.  I am really torn on the Redeye flights.  They certainly give you an extra full day where you are to take in the sights but you are exhausted when you return and then you still have to drive home from the airport!  If you do any amount of west coast to east coast flights, you will soon see that there are not any really good options for times to arrive due to the time difference so the redeye flights are often the best choice.  No matter what the flight....

What a wonderful adventure-filled vacation we had!

Coming Next:  Final Thoughts and Tips on Our Alaska, Washington and Oregon Trek

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Day 6: Olympic National Park

This was a really long day!  It is very easy to forget how large the western states are and how many miles there are between cities and attractions.  This was one of those days that we probably miscalculated the length of the road trip!

Road to Olympic National Park

There a couple ways to get to Olympic National Park from Seattle....one is to take the Ferry and the other is to drive.  We opted for the driving method since we were heading through the park and then on down to Springfield, Oregon for that evening so we would be close to Crater Lake the following day.  Now if you look on a map it doesn't seem like that the park is all that far from Seattle, especially the southern part of Seattle where we stayed.  Well.....it took us about 2.5 hours to get there! Add to that the drive time from Seattle to Springfield, Oregon of a little over 6 hours and the time to drive around the park itself and you get a long day of driving!

We weren't sure how many gas stations/places to eat that we would encounter on our venture around the park so we made sure to fuel up and grab a sandwich and snacks to take along with us.  There are a few more places to stop along the way than most National Parks but it certainly didn't hurt to have stopped ahead of time and stocked up!  

Olympic National Park is nearly 1 million acres but there are relatively few roadways through the park. It is unique because it has three distinct ecosystems, Coast, Forests and Mountains.  Our approach was from Rt. 101 from Seattle so we started on the East side of the park and made the loop to the west and then back south again.  Our first stop was at the Visitors's Center.  We made a quick stop to look around and use the restrooms.  A ranger advised us to head up Hurricane Ridge early as the weather was expected to disintegrate as the day progressed.  So we headed up the roadway and took the road to Hurricane Ridge.

Hurricane Ridge

View from Hurricane Ridge

Hurricane Ridge is in the Mountain section of the park and was the most beautiful of the areas that we saw.  The road to get there is insane! It is a winding road and the increase in elevation is amazing.  The views are equally amazing!  This is a definite must see area!!  The mountains were beautiful and the valleys so green.  It made you almost feel like you were ready to burst into music from the Sound of Music!  

When you get to the end of the drive, there is a nice gift shop and restrooms.  We went through the gift shop and stepped outside to take some pictures of the area.

Views from Hurricane Ridge

Views from Hurricane Ridge

As we were leaving this area to head back down to the main route, we were treated to the sight of some of the black-tailed deer that are in this area.  They were so gentle and very unafraid of the people and vehicles around!

Black-Tailed Deer at Hurricane Ridge

The deer were unfazed by people!

Black-tailed deer by the side of the parking lot

This was not a long stop but a very beautiful one!  We headed back down the roadway back to the Vistor's Center and then continued on Rt. 101 around the park.

Lake Crescent

We drove quite awhile before seeing anything to stop and check out further.  The road goes through some small towns and there were some small local restaurants if you were looking for a bite to eat.  However, there were several parts of this drive that really weren't all that scenic.  Again, just different than most National Parks.  Finally we passed a beautiful lake....Lake Crescent.  We stopped long enough to take a few pictures along the way.

View from the shores of Lake Crescent

Lake Crescent

Lake Crescent

Forest

We drove awhile again and entered the Forest area....this is a rain forest ecosystem and believe me it didn't disappoint....it rained the whole way through!  Not a whole lot to see here as it was so rainy and unless you drive down a side road and head to the Visitor's Center in the Hoh Rain Forest, you really don't see much along the highway.  The highlight of this area was that we passed through Forks, WA which was the inspiration for the Twilight movies and some of the filming was done there.  Since I haven't seen the Twilight movies it didn't mean as much to me as it might a fan of the series but it was interesting nonetheless.  The other interesting thing was that we were stopped on the roadway for awhile and all of a sudden a truck came by with a sign flashing to follow it:

Interesting development in the rain forest!

Never know what you might see....

You can tell that we were in the rain forest by the large raindrops on our windshield!!  We thought the road was under construction or they were taking us on a detour.  Nope....just a truck on the side of the road trimming some tree branches!  A little anti-climatic...but interesting!

Coast

Ok...if the rain forest was disappointing the coast was even more so.  By this time it had begun to rain pretty hard so we decided to skip the addition drive out to Mora (maybe that would have been nicer) and elected to stop at the upcoming beach areas labeled....Beach 4, Beach 3, Beach 2 and Beach 1.  Really?  They couldn't come up with a name???  We stopped to take a quick picture of one of the beach areas.

Coastal area of Olympic National Park

Final Thoughts

This was an interesting National Park.  I have to admit it does not rank in my favorites.  The Hurrican Ridge Area was beautiful as was Lake Crescent but the drive around was very long (took about 5 hours or so) and the scenery didn't change much in several of the areas.  The rain (and it is common...it is the Pacific Northwest after all) really didn't help the look of things.  I must say that the trees and grass were very green but most of the scenery once you passed the mountain area really wasn't that impressive!  

If I were to go again, I would limit the trip to the Hurricane Ridge area.  I'm sure there are people who love this park and maybe if we were more interested in hiking and had more time, it may have been a different experience.  

Happy we went and saw it....no real desire to make a return trip.

Driving to Oregon

So by this time we had driven to the park, 2.5 hours, around the park..5 hours and still had a 6 hour drive ahead of us to get to our hotel in Springfield, Oregon!  Hubby did all the driving and I don't know how he ever did it!  It was a very long drive and probably NOT the best way to see anything.  However, we really wanted to get to Crater Lake on this trip and it was the only way to make that happen.  I would not suggest that anyone take this route to Oregon!!

Hilton Garden Inn, Springfield, Oregon

Our stop for the evening was the Hilton Garden Inn in Springfield, Oregon.  Keeping with our Olympic theme for the day...the Olympic Trials were being held for the US Track and Field team in nearby Eugene, Oregon and many of the potential olympians were staying at our hotel as well as all the area hotels.  This was pretty exciting!  We were so tired by the time we arrived at the hotel we ran out quickly to grab something to eat at a local Outback and then were done for the night.  

This hotel was very nice.  Our room was fantastic (especially after our experience the evening before).  Everyone was friendly and the place was very clean.  They had a pool and business center and small restaurant in the hotel.  We didn't get to experience this because of our late arrival and early departure the next day but they looked very nice!

The quality of the Hilton Garden Inns is always very consistent and you just can't beat their beds for comfort!!

Hilton Garden Inn Springfield, Oregon

Hilton Garden Inn, Springfield, Oregon

We got a great night's sleep and were really looking forward to the next day at Crater Lake!

Coming Next:  Crater Lake...An Absolute Gem

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