Vancouver BC to the California border and back. This is my Oregon EV Road Trip Plan
For the first time since picking up my first Tesla Model Y in 2020, I will be heading south of the border! As I found on my recent impromptu road trip, planning EV road trips are largely a thing of the past if the areas you are travelling in are well covered with chargers. This will certainly be the case heading south.
Still, having an Oregon EV road trip plan will allow me to be as efficient as possible. This means searching out accommodations with charging options and activities with nearby chargers along the way. Plus it forces me to look a little closer at what there is to see and do in the areas I will be passing through.
With that in mind, here is my Oregon EV road trip plan along with expected costs and charging times.
Leg #1 – Vancouver to Long Beach, Washington
On day one I will depart home with a 90% charge and make my way south. After a quick stop for dumplings at Pel Meni Dumpling Tzar (it’s been too long!) and saying hi to the troll in Seattle’s quirky Fremont neighbourhood, I am heading to the coast via Aberdeen. If that town doesn’t sound familiar, it’s the birthplace of Seattle grunge God, Kurt Cobain. I will stop in to see his childhood home and the memorial park and bridge where he use to hang out.
From there it’s a short stretch to Long Beach. Unsurprisingly, Long Beach is known for its 28-mile stretch of sand. I have been a couple of times and even ran a fun run on the beach where they serve you chowder at the finish line.
The other highlight of Long Beach is that you can drive on the beach! Again, I have done this before but never in an EV! I’m looking forward to getting some interesting shots and hopeful that the weather cooperates.
Last but not least, my accommodation for the night is at the hip Adrift Hotel. I am hoping to get there in time to enjoy the barrel sauna and sample the onsite distillery! The hotel also has cruiser bikes and there are plenty of beachside paths to take in so again, hoping the weather cooperates. If not, the hotel looks super cosy and a great place to recharge, both for myself and the car as there is EV charging on site.
Leg #1 – Planned Charging
Punching all stops into ABRP, I initially got a Supercharger stop north of Seattle and at an Electrify America station in Aberdeen since I have a CCS adaptor. I will change this (and others as required) to the Aberdeen Supercharger as I have Supercharger credits to use up. Good to know the Electrify America stations are an option and that they are cheaper.
Leg #2 – Long Beach to Seaside, Oregon
Day two of this Oregon EV road trip is a short one as I am only going as far as Seaside, 33 miles away. This will give me a little more time to enjoy the Adrift hotel and drive on the beach. There’s also the quirky Marsh’s Free Museum, home of the Aligator Man. 😂
The next stop is just across the mouth of the Columbia River in Astoria. Northwest Oregon was heavily featured in the 1980s classic movie, The Goonies. I am going to stop in at the home used for filming then make my way to the Astoria Column, a 125-foot column overlooking the city and river.
After grabbing fish and chips at Ship Out (rated best in the area) I am going to check out the Wreck of the Peter Iredale then check in at Ashore, my seaside hotel for the night. This is a sister property of Adrift and has similarly cosy amenities. They also have EV charging. 👌
Depending on the time of day, I will likely head to Cannon Beach for some sunset photos and take a hike if the weather is good. There are plenty of trails in the area so if you have a suggestion let me know!
Leg #2 – Planned Charging
Straightforward day, door to door.
Leg #3 – Seaside to Bandon Dunes, Oregon
If I don’t get to Cannon Beach the day prior I will be stopping in for some early AM photos. From there it’s on to Tillamook where I will most definitely be picking up some cheese at the Tillamook Creamery. After that I am going to check out the WWII-era blimp hangar turned air museum.
After checking out Tillamook I will be taking it slowly along the coast, stopping at vantage points along the way. My stop for the day is at the incredible Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.
Leg #3 – Planned Charging
Another easy day with minimal charging. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort has Tesla destination chargers as well as J1172 chargers onsite.
Leg #4 – Bandon Dunes to Fortuna, California
After a night at the resort, I am teeing off at the world-famous course of the same name, Bandon Dunes. This course is, in their words, “Golf as it was meant to be.” Thanks to its link style and scenery, it truly looks like Scottland. I very much look forward to getting out of the car for a bit and taking in this stunning course…and losing a ton of balls.
Depending on the time I get away from the Bandon Dunes, this Oregon EV road trip will dip into northern California for a night so I can check out the Avenue of the Giants. I am planning on staying at the Redwood River Walk hotel in Fortuna which has EV charging on site. The other draw to this hotel is the Eel River Brewing Company is steps away 😉
Leg #4 – Planned Charging
I’m starting to see a trend…
Leg #5 – Fortuna to Medford, Oregon
From Fortuna, I will be spending the day touring the Avenue of The Giants. This 32-mile stretch of road takes you through towering cedars, literally. At the Shrine Drive-Through Tree, you can actually drive through a giant cedar.
After hopefully getting some interesting photos I will take a hike or two before turning around and heading north. Initially, this west coast road trip was going to take me as far south as Santa Barbara but I wanted to ensure I had some time to explore rather than just drive. As is I am already packing a lot in. I am also waiting for the Tesla Fremont factory to start its tours again before heading that way.
The other reason for this trip was to pick up my brother. He has a small aeroplane that he parks in Arizona for the winter. Picking him up was a good excuse for a road trip. I will be meeting him in Medford and likely stay there for the night as he gets in late.
Leg #5 – Planned Charging
This route has me backtracking…which I hate to do. I may look at alt routes through the interior once down there.
Leg #6 – Medford to Eugene or Bend, Oregon
After picking up my brother we are heading inland to Bend. At this point, I am still unsure if we will make it to Bend in one day or stop in Eugene. The reason for this is I am wanting to visit Crater Lake National Park and this is dependent on road conditions. There are frequent closures in the area so will be playing this day by ear. Charging options are not great along the way so, with colder climates and elevation changes, range is a concern. There is a destination charger at the park so will likely require an hour+ to top up there to be safe.
If we do make it to the park we will also stop at Toketee Falls as my brother claims they are one of the nicest falls he has ever seen. Will see.
Leg #6 – Planned Charging
I took a suggestion from a Pacific Northwest Tesla Facebook group and punched in a route through Klamath Falls and, even though it is out of the way, the trip is much less daunting. I am guessing it is much flatter going this way. Will be interesting to see which route I will go. For planning purposes, I will include the stop in Klamath Falls.
Leg #7 – Bend to Hood River, Oregon
I am really looking forward to visiting Bend for the first time. My brother raves about it so we will be spending two days there. I have no firm plans other than to take in the coffee culture and check out some breweries. Again, suggestions are most welcome!
We will be staying at the super hip Campfire Hotel. As the name suggests, there is a massive 10-foot campfire pit on site complete with acoustic guitars which sounds just perfect.
Depending on how late the jam sessions go, we will either head to Hood River through Portland or direct on highway 26. I love Portland but have been several times so don’t feel the need to detour. The main reason I would go out of the way is to stop in at the postcard-perfect Multnomah Falls. There is a shorter detour that avoids Portland but goes by Hood Mountain. This is likely more scenic but, depends if I get my winter tires on in time.
Similar to Bend, I have nothing specific planned for Hood River other than coffee and a brewery or two. We are staying at the Hood River Hotel which looks super cool and may just spend some time enjoying it.
Leg #7 – Planned Charging
For planning purposes, I will include the detour through to Multnomah Falls.
Leg #8 – Hood River to Vancouver, BC
The last day of this Oregon EV road trip is subject to change. I factored in a buffer day in case we want to head into Seattle or elsewhere on the way to Vancouver. As of now, I am planning on going home via Levensworth, the American town that thinks it is German. I have never visited but am assuming it will be a great place to find some schnitzel.
Leg #8 – Planned Charging
The last day is also the longest so breaking it up might be a good idea.
Total Estimated Charging Cost & Time
Without factoring in some of the unknowns I have purposely baked into this trip, I am looking at roughly 2,136 miles (3,438 km) door-to-door. Not including overnight charging at hotels along the way, there will be 2.5 hours of charging stops and an estimated total charging cost of $156.45 USD.
Oregon EV Road Trip – Real-World Results
As always, be sure to check out my actual results from this plan. I have shared all the details on my Oregon road trip along with how my concerns with cold weather and range played out in central Oregon.
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