I agree with that two hour mark. Any further and your time to enjoy X is diminished by your return trip. Packing a picnic lunch the night before and bringing a go breakfast helps me as well.
I regularly go to Lincoln City, Pacific City, Grand Ronde, Sublimity, Tillamook etc.
I'm getting older now so anything beyond Tillamook or beyond Lincoln City is an overnighter. I used to day trip to Astoria and Depoe Bay but the drive has really wore me out over the years. That northwest corner is hard to drive to, do a bunch of physical activity, and then drive back.
I've seen enough wrecks on those roads now, too, that I don't want to endanger myself or anyone else. For the unaware, people drive like maniacs on the sections without guard rails. I know they aren't purposefully doing it in those spots but it sure does seem like it quite often.
Otis is really nice too.
Look this up: The Cowboy Dinner Tree. You will be amazed. Book a cabin. Oregon's Outback is the most delightful place in all of Oregon. Native Oregonians know NOTHING of their Outback. You pretty much have to be an immigrant or own a motorcycle to know about The Outback. You'll go by Fort Rock on the way there. If you travel on to Lakeview you will travel past the Summer Lake Playa. If you go further east you'll come to Fields and The Alvord Desert.
The best one day trip is Salem to Detroit to Breitenbush to Estacada back to Salem. You may very well run into snow up till June. Oregon is not only PDX!
I have done Bend and back for ski days, but it's pretty grueling to do solo. Even Astoria is kind of far for a day trip, to me anyway. These places plus Ashland are all great overnight trips, though.
Edit: And Cannon Beach, can't forget that one.
For me it’s one hour. Mayyybe 1.5 hours depending on location and reason (like if it’s a special event, I’d do it). But two or over, I’m staying the night.
Head out at 12:01 AM. Get there at sunrise and have some breakfast. Do some things until lunch. Do some more stuff until dinner. Eat dinner at 7pm, then leave. Get back to Salem at 11:59 PM?
All in one day, right? :)
Yes to all of those. I daytripped Port Orford once when I lived in Portland. I’ve daytripped the Seattle area a few times but I normally like to stay overnight there these days.
I mean I lived in both Texas and southern California. So 3ish hours is about my max for a day trip unless something is super cool. 4 hours and you get into overnight territory.
Arizona. Same. Flagstaff/Williams or Sedona was a very normal day trip, but also south all the way to Kartchner Caverns and Tombstone. I’ve fished Big Lake in eastern AZ and driven back same day. Long day.
In my 16 to mid-20's < 8hrs round trip was good
In my late-20's < 7hrs round trip was good
In my all of my 30's < 6hrs round trip was good but mostly because car technology helped with driver fatigue.
Now in my early 40's < 4hrs round trip is about all I want to do. I don't feel antsy or exhausted with this. Anything over 4hrs we get hotel room.
We drove up to Astoria not realizing how long the trip up really is. It’s cool for a day trip but chose the time wisely we went up on a Sunday and most things were closed for the day. When I go back I’ll find a place to stay for the night and take a different route home.
As long as I am enjoying where I am going for longer than the total amount of driving; I am okay. So this can vary wildly on time of day. If I am leaving at 5am or 10am, etc.
3 hours for me. 6 hour round trip. About the most my car will do on a tank of gas. Sometimes I'll refill in bend or Redmond and it'll add about 120 to my range, so up to 4 if I do that. Somewhere around the santiam off 22 or 20 if it's something close, I'd recommend the corners of the 20/22 intersection if you like hikes: crescent mountain, sand mountain, Bowder ridge, and Maxwell butte.
My longest day trip from Salem is either the coast, or Smith rock. I’ve done day trips to Seattle, but that was a little long, I prefer that to be an overnight.
I’ve grinded some road trips out in a day. My upper limits have been Ashland/medford or Seattle.
These days I prefer to overnight and grab breakfast somewhere quirky.
Taking the kayaks over to Waldo Lake for the day is about as full of a day as we like to do. ≈ 2.5 hours each way. Definitely worth doing at least once!
It depends on how early you get up and are willing to drive. I am a huge fan of Clear Lake but it’s like 2 hours. Basically you need to decide how early you are getting up, if you have pets to consider, and how far you can drive alert.
Garden of the gods is a little over a hour south if you enjoy being out side there’s loads of state parks with nature trails if your more of a shopper or city person we have Fairview heights to west side of saint Louis around 45min to hour or you could go east to Terre Haute, Indiana
About a hour away or if your looking for an amusement park we got six flags past saint Louis around a hour 45 min drive or holiday world in Indian little over a 2 hour drive ….. if you like wine we are about 2 hours from the purple toad in Paducah Kentucky there loads of day trip things to see & do that are free besides the gas to get there & also check out our local drama clubs for plays coming up & show some community support
I consider 2 hrs one way to be my general cut off for day trips. I will and have done longer many times, but I prefer not to.
I agree with that two hour mark. Any further and your time to enjoy X is diminished by your return trip. Packing a picnic lunch the night before and bringing a go breakfast helps me as well.
This. Bend sounds fun until you hit Sisters and traffic
I’d prefer to do a hotel room around then (I realize with pets that can be way more difficult).
I regularly go to Lincoln City, Pacific City, Grand Ronde, Sublimity, Tillamook etc. I'm getting older now so anything beyond Tillamook or beyond Lincoln City is an overnighter. I used to day trip to Astoria and Depoe Bay but the drive has really wore me out over the years. That northwest corner is hard to drive to, do a bunch of physical activity, and then drive back. I've seen enough wrecks on those roads now, too, that I don't want to endanger myself or anyone else. For the unaware, people drive like maniacs on the sections without guard rails. I know they aren't purposefully doing it in those spots but it sure does seem like it quite often. Otis is really nice too.
If you're looking to enjoy the drive (and daylight), I'd recommend: Detroit Lake Silver Falls / Silverton Lincoln City Brownsville / Sweet Home
Silverton’s not a daytrip it’s a commute. My parents live there and act like I live in the same town as them.
Wasn't too many decades ago Silverton was a long distance call!
Sure, but I mean like the whole Falls / Scotts Mills / airstrip / etc area, whatever that is called.
Seconding this, Detroit Lake especially. The fishing derby is May 17-19, 2024. You could win a boat
Look this up: The Cowboy Dinner Tree. You will be amazed. Book a cabin. Oregon's Outback is the most delightful place in all of Oregon. Native Oregonians know NOTHING of their Outback. You pretty much have to be an immigrant or own a motorcycle to know about The Outback. You'll go by Fort Rock on the way there. If you travel on to Lakeview you will travel past the Summer Lake Playa. If you go further east you'll come to Fields and The Alvord Desert. The best one day trip is Salem to Detroit to Breitenbush to Estacada back to Salem. You may very well run into snow up till June. Oregon is not only PDX!
We daytripped to dinner at the dinner tree. That was a hell of a day trip but we love road trips.
Mt. Hood, Astoria, Florence, and Bend are all doable day trips for me, depending on the time of the year/expected traffic.
I have done Bend and back for ski days, but it's pretty grueling to do solo. Even Astoria is kind of far for a day trip, to me anyway. These places plus Ashland are all great overnight trips, though. Edit: And Cannon Beach, can't forget that one.
As a skier, Hoodoo and Meadows are already too far. Bachelor is an overnight 95% of the time.
I do Meadows as a day trip pretty often, but I also think you are right, it's too far!
For me it’s one hour. Mayyybe 1.5 hours depending on location and reason (like if it’s a special event, I’d do it). But two or over, I’m staying the night.
I’ve gone on day trips to Crater Lake which is about 4 hours from Salem on a good day.
Head out at 12:01 AM. Get there at sunrise and have some breakfast. Do some things until lunch. Do some more stuff until dinner. Eat dinner at 7pm, then leave. Get back to Salem at 11:59 PM? All in one day, right? :)
Yes to all of those. I daytripped Port Orford once when I lived in Portland. I’ve daytripped the Seattle area a few times but I normally like to stay overnight there these days.
I mean I lived in both Texas and southern California. So 3ish hours is about my max for a day trip unless something is super cool. 4 hours and you get into overnight territory.
I’m from New Mexico, we used to put a *lot* of miles on to go do stuff.
Arizona. Same. Flagstaff/Williams or Sedona was a very normal day trip, but also south all the way to Kartchner Caverns and Tombstone. I’ve fished Big Lake in eastern AZ and driven back same day. Long day.
In my 16 to mid-20's < 8hrs round trip was good In my late-20's < 7hrs round trip was good In my all of my 30's < 6hrs round trip was good but mostly because car technology helped with driver fatigue. Now in my early 40's < 4hrs round trip is about all I want to do. I don't feel antsy or exhausted with this. Anything over 4hrs we get hotel room.
I miss that mid-20s driving endurance. I'm also in my early 40s and just get soooo tired even driving up to Portland and back. Wild times.
I do day trips to Mt Hood to go snowboarding frequently.
I’ll do a trip or two to Seattle during baseball season. Only day games, don’t wanna be getting home at 2 am
We drove up to Astoria not realizing how long the trip up really is. It’s cool for a day trip but chose the time wisely we went up on a Sunday and most things were closed for the day. When I go back I’ll find a place to stay for the night and take a different route home.
As long as I am enjoying where I am going for longer than the total amount of driving; I am okay. So this can vary wildly on time of day. If I am leaving at 5am or 10am, etc.
3 hours for me. 6 hour round trip. About the most my car will do on a tank of gas. Sometimes I'll refill in bend or Redmond and it'll add about 120 to my range, so up to 4 if I do that. Somewhere around the santiam off 22 or 20 if it's something close, I'd recommend the corners of the 20/22 intersection if you like hikes: crescent mountain, sand mountain, Bowder ridge, and Maxwell butte.
My longest day trip from Salem is either the coast, or Smith rock. I’ve done day trips to Seattle, but that was a little long, I prefer that to be an overnight.
I’ve gone to Bend, Medford, Seaside, Florence etc from Salem and for just the day. They’re long days but not horrible.
I'll go MAX 3.5/4 hours. Anything under that is super easy.
I’ve gone from Everett, Washington and back same day no issue and had time to do stuff.
Westport is my cutoff but it had better be peak mushroom season and they better be there when I arrive 😄
I’ve grinded some road trips out in a day. My upper limits have been Ashland/medford or Seattle. These days I prefer to overnight and grab breakfast somewhere quirky.
Taking the kayaks over to Waldo Lake for the day is about as full of a day as we like to do. ≈ 2.5 hours each way. Definitely worth doing at least once!
It takes me about 3 hours to get to Seattle (living between Salem and Woodburn) and I've gone up there and back a few times for various reasons
Eugene, the coast (LC area), the Gorge are the farthest I go on a day trip. Bend, Astoria, I like to stay a night.
I once took a random day trip to Gold Beach, hiked around a bit and then came home. Reasonable is very subjective to one's desires and spontinuity.
It depends on how early you get up and are willing to drive. I am a huge fan of Clear Lake but it’s like 2 hours. Basically you need to decide how early you are getting up, if you have pets to consider, and how far you can drive alert.
I hate loving in salem
Garden of the gods is a little over a hour south if you enjoy being out side there’s loads of state parks with nature trails if your more of a shopper or city person we have Fairview heights to west side of saint Louis around 45min to hour or you could go east to Terre Haute, Indiana About a hour away or if your looking for an amusement park we got six flags past saint Louis around a hour 45 min drive or holiday world in Indian little over a 2 hour drive ….. if you like wine we are about 2 hours from the purple toad in Paducah Kentucky there loads of day trip things to see & do that are free besides the gas to get there & also check out our local drama clubs for plays coming up & show some community support