The best thing about road trips? You don鈥檛 have to plan every little detail. Pick a few highlights鈥攕ights you definitely want to see, towns you鈥檇 like to stay in for a few days, and maybe the highway听caf茅听with the best nachos鈥攁nd the rest can unfold naturally, wherever the route听takes you. In the Pacific Northwest, roadways lead up and down rugged coastlines, toward jagged mountain ranges, across vast stretches of volcano-filled wilderness, and into throwback fishing towns filled with oyster farms and coffee shops. All you have to do is decide what area听and type of activities you鈥檙e after.
For Mountain Bikers

Oakridge to Mount听Hood, Oregon
Mountain bikers love the Pacific Northwest for its dense, year-round trail networks that wind through old-growth forests. Start in central Oregon at the singletrack hub of Oakridge, an hour southeast of听Eugene. Stay at the eight-room听 (from $109), where the on-site Mountain Market has beers and sandwiches and a yoga studio. From the lodge, the shuttle service听 will take听you to the top of the 15-mile听. Next听hit up Bend,听two hours east by car, for its 277 miles (and counting) of mountain-bike trails, ranging from rolling cross-country to a听 on Mount听Bachelor.听 has all your bike-gear needs听plus trail beta. Or stay at听 (bunks from $50, private rooms from $110) for its on-site bike-demo fleet. For your third stop, the Columbia River Gorge, three hours north of听Bend near Mount听Hood, has a wide variety of trails, like the听 near the town of Hood River. All 41 rooms at the historic (from $99) have recently been restored.
For Surfers

Westport, Washington, to Tofino, British Columbia
Surfing in the PNW isn鈥檛 for everyone. You鈥檒l need a thick wetsuit and considerable听resilience for the coast鈥檚 hard-to-access beaches, cold temperatures, and wet conditions听in and out of the water. If you鈥檙e up for all of that, the Northwest has empty and world-class surf spots waiting for you. There are to choose from in Westport, on Washington鈥檚 Olympic Peninsula, where you can rent a board and a wetsuit from the surf shop听. Pick up clam chowder and a dozen oysters at, 30 minutes east, in Aberdeen, for your 125-mile drive north on scenic Highway 101, en route to the town of Forks. The (from $129) has cabins, tent sites, and rooms just a few miles from the reef break at听 From there听it鈥檚 a stunning eight-hour drive, which includes a one-hour ferry ride from Port Angeles, Washington, to Victoria, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, to reach听, an old fishing village that鈥檚 morphed into the Northwest鈥檚 premier surf spot.听 (from $127) has beachfront cedar cabins, where you can have a post-surf bonfire on MacKenzie Beach.
For Climbers

Smith Rock State Park, Oregon, to Squamish, British Columbia
, in central Oregon鈥檚 high desert, is a basalt gorge with rock spires that have long been a haven for sport climbers. Pitch a tent alongside others at the听, the walk-in, year-round campground inside the park, or stay in听 studio (from $72), a 15-minute drive south, in Redmond. In the adjacent town of Terrebonne,听 has gear, a massage studio, and beer and kombucha on tap. Don鈥檛 miss the pulled-pork nachos at nearby听, which is now owned by a couple of climbers. Hit the road northbound for five hours to North Bend, Washington, where you can climb 30 minutes from downtown Seattle at Exit 32 off Interstate 90, in an overhanging zone called听, before picking up sprinkled mochi doughnuts at the newly opened听 in Seattle鈥檚 International District. Beeline it four hours north and across the border into听, where you can find everything from easy-access bouldering to giant, multi-pitch walls. Stay in a cabin along the Cheakamus River at听 (from $86) or get a ski- or mountain-bike-themed room at the revamped听听(from $79), which opened听in October.
For Skiers

Crystal Mountain, Washington, to Revelstoke, British Columbia
Begin your winter road trip at听, a snow-drenched ski area two hours southeast of听Seattle under the shadows of Mount Rainier. End your day with nachos at the steamy听, below the Alpine Inn at the base of the mountain, and a soak in the pool-size听hot tub in front of your condo at听 (from $300). Next听it鈥檚 off to Washington鈥檚 low-key听, 200 miles north. The six-room听 (from $99) or the condos at (from $145), in the tiny town of Glacier at the base of the ski area鈥檚 access road, are next door to听, the go-to apr猫s-ski spot for a slice and a pint. It鈥檚 another 350 miles north to reach听, which is opening a new intermediate-friendly lift this winter called the Stellar chair听from the top of the gondola.听 (from $82) in town has a free breakfast spread and dog-friendly rooms.
For Trail Runners

Boise, Idaho, to Leavenworth, Washington
Find excellent trail running five minutes north of听downtown Boise听when you start at听 and head 1.5 miles to Hull鈥檚 Gulch Reserve. Stay at the听 (from $155), a restored property听with newly added apartments and a hip late-night cocktail scene in the city鈥檚 Linen District. In the morning, grab a coffee at听, owned by former pro skateboarder Lucas Erlebach and housed in an old auto-body shop. It鈥檚 a 450-mile haul from there to the Bavarian village of Leavenworth,听but you can stop en route for a run in the Wallowa Mountains of eastern Oregon. (The 10.5-mile听 into Eagle Cap Wilderness is a standout for its views.) Once you make it to Leavenworth, you鈥檒l find hundreds of miles of trails; after,听have a few steins of beer at听.听 (from $193) has lofted rooms and cabins that fit the whole family.
For Paddlers

Rogue River, Oregon, to Forks of Salmon, California
You cannot beat a four-day day float down Oregon鈥檚 Wild and Scenic鈥揹esignated Rogue River to kick off a road trip.听 offers guided adventures听from $1,095. Stay in a rustic riverside cabin at听 (from $129) before you put in. Afterward听enjoy a dramatic150-mile drive south through the Klamath Mountains to reach the tiny Northern California town of Forks of Salmon, located at the confluence of the north and south forks of the Salmon River.听 (from $2,490 for an all-inclusive stay and instruction) runs听a whitewater-kayaking school for everyone from rookies to kids to experienced paddlers. The lodge itself sleeps up to 14 and features听catered meals and a wood-fired sauna.