Dates are flexible. This day-by-day plan is provisional until you choose exact travel dates.
For a practical start to this road trip, fly from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) to Portland International Airport (PDX), then pick up a rental car. Check current schedules for your chosen day; flights may involve a connection, so allow most of the day for airport arrival, flying, any layover, and baggage pickup. There’s no nonstop flight or arrival time assumed here—book the flight first, then plan the evening around when you land.
Reserve the rental car in advance, and confirm the pickup process and hours with the rental company. From the airport, allow roughly 20–40 minutes to reach central Portland by car, depending on traffic. If you prefer not to drive into town after flying, take a taxi or rideshare to your hotel and collect the car the following morning.
Keep the first evening easy rather than trying to fit in the gardens and house visit after a cross-country trip. If timing works, Stumptown Coffee Roasters downtown is an option for a quick coffee or snack; check the specific location’s current hours. For dinner, Screen Door on Burnside is a hearty choice, but check its hours and wait situation before setting out. Budget roughly $20–35 per person before drinks, and use a rideshare if you’d rather not navigate parking after the flight.
The following morning, you can start the Portland sightseeing day refreshed. Driving from Louisville instead would take roughly 34 hours of wheel time before stops, so it requires several overnight breaks and would not work as a same-day arrival.
Since you’re starting in Louisville, plan to fly to Portland first and stay overnight there; flight schedules and connections vary, so check current options and allow time to collect luggage and pick up a rental car. From Portland, drive to St. Helens via US-30, about 45–60 minutes in typical traffic. Budget roughly $8–15 for fuel, plus the rental-car cost. Allow extra time for rental pickup and traffic, and leave Portland in the morning so the day in St. Helens isn’t rushed.
Start at Swan House, the exterior used as Bella’s home. It’s a private residence, so view it from the public sidewalk and don’t enter the property or block the street. Then explore Olde Towne St. Helens on foot; keep some time free to browse and enjoy the historic streets.
Take a break at a local café or diner downtown for lunch. Expect about $12–20 per person. Afterward, head to Columbia View Park for an easy waterfront pause; it’s a short drive or a walk from downtown, depending on where you stop.
Set aside about an hour for the Columbia County Museum, but check its current schedule before you go. If it’s closed, spend the time wandering downtown instead. Finish with dinner at Dockside Steak & Pizza; budget roughly $20–40 per person. You’ll need the rental car to continue to the Oregon Coast the following day.
Since you’re starting in Louisville, plan this as a travel-and-check-in day rather than trying to fit in the coast’s main sights. Get to Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) with time for check-in and security. Fly to Portland International Airport (PDX); schedules and connections vary, so check the full itinerary when booking and leave a comfortable connection buffer. The flight itself is only part of the journey—allow time for airport access, boarding, any connection, baggage claim and the rental-car pickup.
Pick up a rental car at Portland International Airport and drive west on US-26 to Cannon Beach. Budget about 2–2.5 hours behind the wheel, plus time for traffic, a rest stop and rental-car formalities. Driving is the practical option for reaching Ecola State Park and the coastal stops on the following day; book the car ahead, and check whether your lodging charges for parking.
Check in at your Cannon Beach lodging and have a relaxed dinner nearby; casual meals typically run about $15–30 per person, while a sit-down dinner can cost more. Save Ecola State Park, Indian Beach and Haystack Rock for the next day, when you’ll have time to enjoy them without squeezing them around a cross-country arrival.
From Cannon Beach, drive to Forks via US-101 and the Astoria–Megler Bridge. Plan on about 4.5–5.5 hours behind the wheel, plus breaks for food and fuel; no ferry is needed. Stop for lunch along the way—allow roughly $15–25 per person—and top up the tank before reaching Forks.
Once you arrive, stop at the Forks Visitor Information Center for local maps and advice, then head to the Forever Twilight in Forks Collection at the Rainforest Arts Center. Allow around 45 minutes at the visitor center and an hour for the collection. Check current hours and access before setting out, as these can vary.
If you arrive with enough daylight, drive about 20 minutes each way to First Beach in La Push for a walk along the shore. October daylight is shorter, and coastal weather can turn quickly, so bring a warm layer and skip the beach if the drive runs late. Return to Forks for dinner at Pacific Pizza; budget roughly $15–30 per person.
No packing list attached yet.