Exploring the Pacific Northwest via Rental Van with Outdoorsy
Have you ever thought about renting a van and exploring the open road?
My friends and I recently spent a week on the road in a rental van exploring the Pacific Northwest and it was AMAZING. In fact, it was so amazing that I decided to share the day to day details of our rental van experience with the hopes to inspire someone else to go out and enjoy the beauty of van-life themselves.
To give you the full perspective, my friends and I decided that we wanted to explore Olympic National Park for a trip together. When we were doing research about how to best explore the park, we stumbled upon the idea of renting a van. We had played with the idea of renting a car in Seattle, but we were concerned about the inflated cost of rental cars recently. That plus the cost of lodging every night for a whole week for three people would have been likely a lot of money. Renting a van sounded like a real adventure and a smart financial decision to achieve the kind of trip we were looking for.
We found Outdoorsy, an online RV Rental Marketplace and quickly found a van we liked using the search by location feature. After reaching out to the owner with a few questions about the rig, we decided it was the right one for us. We ended up choosing a 2021 Winnebago Solis 59PX. This van slept up to four people plus it had a kitchen and a bathroom. The most important thing that sold us on this specific van was that it had unlimited mileage. We reserved the van easily through the Outdoorsy app and just like that, it was ours.
Our Pacific Northwest road trip was loosely planned when we arrived to Seattle. We had all collaborated and discussed major places and stops we wanted to see. From there we made a list which was our guide as we went throughout the week. We never knew where we were going to be sleeping exactly, and for the most part, we didn't know what we were doing next. This spontaneous week was incredibly refreshing because we were truly living and experiencing everything in real time, without concern for the outside realm, aka anything outside of us and our van.
Here’s how our trip went:
Saturday - travel day to Seattle, WA
My friends and I flew in from different locations around the USA. We met up at the airport and stayed at a hotel within walking distance to the airport.
Sunday - Pickup Day 1
Early the next day, we woke up to catch a bus to take us to the van. We met the bus at the Airport terminal and it only cost us around $4 dollars to go all the way south to Tacoma.
Our rental host was kind enough to offer to pick us up in the van from the bus stop. He drove us back to his home so we could safely park and showed us everything we needed to know about using the vehicle. He even gifted us a bottle of red wine as a welcome. As soon as we finished the key exchange for the rental agreement on the Outdoorsy app, we hopped in the van and we were off!
Our first stop was a nearby grocery store where we bought enough food to last us for the first several days. The van had plenty of storage for food and other items. The refrigerator was small, yet large enough to hold a reasonable amount of food, especially for three people. We also purchased water; we started out with at least 4 gallons of drinking water for drinking and cooking.
WE MADE IT!
Next we were back on the road with our navigation set to the Visitor’s Center on the east side of Olympic National Park. This was the only open Visitor’s Center in the park at the time. We made sure to document our arrival by taking lots of pictures with the large Olympic National Park Sign.
After we finished at the Visitor’s Center, we drove further down the 101 and entered the park. We stopped at the Crescent Lake Lodge parking lot to get a good look at Crescent lake. We got out to walk around and take some photos while we relaxed and made some fresh cups of coffee.
Path along Crescent Lake
Learning how to use the coffee maker, very important!
Photographers in their natural habitat
Crescent Lake
The sun was quickly setting by this point. We needed to find a spot to pull off and camp for the night so we whipped out our phones and began searching for free campsites on a website called freecampsites.net. There was a pull off along Beaver Lake which was just 20 minutes down the road from where we were. We drove along the 101, curving around the bends of Crescent Lake, until we reached our turn which took us to our campsite for the night.
Once we decided on a safe and flat spot to park, a heavy and steady rain settled in for the evening and provided a nice ambient sound for us to cook dinner. We covered up the front windows and windshield with the blackout security covers and zipped up the window covers in the back. We made ground beef tacos that night using the propane stove and kitchen tools provided in the van. Afterwards we washed our first round of dishes in the sink, trying desperately to remember to turn the water off between rinses. We relaxed and planned out our itinerary for the next day for the rest of the evening.
When we were finally ready for bed, we popped up the top bed area of the van (which was really cool) and let the Murphy bed in the back of the van down. I slept in the pop up part of the van that night and was lulled to sleep by the sound of the rain and some chirping frogs in the distance.
Our first dinner in the rig, only set off the fire alarm twice.
Our first campsite next to Beaver Lake
Monday- Day 2
After a refreshing night’s sleep, we woke up and snacked for breakfast. We pulled the roof pop up back down and secured it as well as the murphy bed before we pulled out of our camping spot. Today was my friend's birthday and she wanted to do a hike to celebrate.
We decided we were going to drive back towards Crescent Lake to do the Mount Storm King Hike. We found the Mount Storm King Hike on the Alltrails App, and it sounded appealing. It was 5.3 miles out and back with over 2,000 feet of elevation gain. To be honest, this hike kicked all of our butts. The elevation gain was steep and rough, but the views were amazing and inspiring enough to keep us moving forward.
At a certain point, the maintained trail ended and there was a sign saying proceed with caution, that the final portion of the summit was unmaintained. We really wanted to summit, so we decided to carefully keep going. There were a series of climbing ropes anchored to tree trunks and other secure points to help you get up and down some super sketchy parts.
After a major hauling, we finally summited Mount Storm King. From the top you could see the crescent shape of Crescent Lake. We took lots of photos until all of a sudden the sun came out and revealed two rainbows, which caused us to take even more summit photos. Once we were satisfied, we turned around and began our descent of Mount Storm King.
Walk to the trailhead
We're getting higher!
Misty pines
End of the maintained trail
Ropes for safe sends
We made it!
Picture time
#views
Top of Mount Storm King
Double rainbow!
We could see our rig from here!
The timer on the iPhone camera is 🤌
After we returned to the van at the trailhead, we had some food and quickly hit the road to catch the last pool session at Sol Duc Hot Springs.
Sol Duc Hot Springs did not disappoint. We paid a pool session fee to enter their outdoor hot spring pools (you can also opt to stay overnight in a cabin at their resort). The pool session fee gave us access to their locker room, showers, and 4 different pools. Three smaller pools were hot springs, ranging from temperatures in the 90’s to 100’s and the one large pool was crisp room temperature of like 40 degrees-yikes.
Sol Duc Hot Springs
Cooking our sore selves
After soaking our sore bodies, we followed the Sol Duc River back out to the 101 with our eyes set for Forks, Washington. After a quick and pleasant drive to Forks, which wasn’t more than an hour long, we arrived just past 8:00pm. We stopped at a gas station for gasoline, more water, snacks and we asked the clerk for local food recommendations. We were surprised to learn that there weren’t many food options in Forks, let alone that everything closed by 9:00pm or even earlier. After nearly catching a hot meal at a local restaurant (we were turned away at the door), we decided to just find our camp spot for the night and cook dinner with the food we already had there.
We used freecampsites.net again to find a spot, only the first spot we tried to locate was blocked off by a closed road. After not finding many other good options, we decided to pull off and make camp in a little spot not far from the main road in Forks. After cooking and cleaning up dinner, we sang happy birthday to my friend and we spent the evening outside of the van, resting in the three camping chairs our rental host provided.
Tuesday - Day 3
The next morning we woke up and made a hearty breakfast of eggs and potatoes. Once we packed up the rig, we drove from Forks down to the coast towards the Quiluete Tribe area. We parked along the beach parking lot and began walking along the rocky coast of Rialto Beach.
Rialto Beach was absolutely beautiful, unlike any other beach I had seen before. There were large rock formations along the shore and the beach itself was made of pebbles and rocks. There were lots of people walking around with their heads down, so we asked one of them what they were looking for. The kind men described and showed us the shiny and reflective agates that they were looking for so that we could keep an eye out for them too.
As we walked down the shore, we saw a bald eagle flying just along the tree line of the tall pines. There were also thousands and thousands of other birds flying over us in large V formations, which was really cool to witness.
After walking a few miles down the beach we made it to a rock formation known as Hole in the Wall. We passed in and out of the hole itself, but we were more excited to see and explore all of the tide pools surrounding the Hole in the Wall. We got to see all kinds of shelled creatures and anemones in the tide pools before we turned around to head back towards the van.
Bald eagle sighting!
Pines lining the beach
My friends <3
Tide pool creatures
Rialto Beach
More creatures
Hole in the Wall
Stoked to be here
Seagull & Rialto Beach
Once we got back to the van we decided we were going to head back to Forks and continue south along the 101. We ended up stopping at a pizza shop in the town of Forks for a quick glass of happy hour wine. We made friends with the woman who was our server, asking her questions about the town and surrounding areas.
When we were ready we hopped back in the rig and drove south of Forks, heading to see a natural wonder known as the Tree of Life. We parked at the Kalaloch Campground Beach Parking Lot and walked down to the beach. While we were there we saw the Tree of Life, a tree that somehow is still living and thriving even though the soil has been completely washed away from its trunk and roots. Somehow it remains suspended in the air; it was quite the sight to see. We also played around walking along driftwood logs and took photos as we watched the sun set fall below the horizon on the ocean.
Exploring the beach
Sunset
Views from the walk back up to the parking lot
Tree of Life
We tried to take another jumping photo...
Next we began looking to see where we should camp for that night. Unfortunately there weren't many options on the freecampsites.net site, so instead we opted to pay a small fee and spend the night at Kalaloch Campground, the same campground right along the beach where we already were. That night we learned how to empty our grey water and refill our water tank for the first time.
Tank refill time!
Kalaloch Campground
Beachfront views
Wednesday - Day 4
The next morning before heading back on the road, we dumped our grey water again and refilled our water tank at the beach campsite. Once us and the rig were ready to proceed, we drove back up the 101 a few miles to head towards the Hoh Rainforest.
The Hoh Rainforest was like a dream. This place was a fairytale forest filled with sparkling green moss and tall trees everywhere. We slowly hiked the two short trails in the rainforest, stopping every few steps to take photos. This was by far the rainiest day we had so far, which was fitting since we were deep in the rainforest itself.
One of my favorite photos from the trip!
Mushrooms on a log
Giant mossy trees
More giant mossy trees
More moss
More trees
Beautiful green ferns
Hey thats us!
Closeup of the moss
On our way out of the Hoh Rainforest we stopped at the Hard Rain Cafe for a hot meal. We all got burgers and they were really REALLY good. Once we were all gassed up on food, we continued driving south towards our next destination- Oregon.
We decided to cut the drive to Oregon in half so we could get to a campsite for the night at a reasonable time. We found a promising spot at a fishery along a river on the freecampsites.net site.
Thursday - Day 5
The next day we woke up and met an old fisherman who was parked near us. He said he was leaving because nothing was biting and he insisted on taking our photo for us (of course we couldn’t say no).
Thanks for the pic, kind fisherman guy
Back on the road
Bloodies from our stop in Castle Rock
We made it to Oregon!
Once the rig was packed up and ready, we continued driving south along the 5 towards Oregon. We stopped for brunch in a really cute town called Castle Rock which happened to be near the base of Mt. Saint Helens.
Next we were back on the road and quickly passed the border into Oregon. We saw Downtown Portland from the highway, and continued east to Multnomah Falls.
Multnomah Falls were so beautiful. We decided to hike to the top of the falls via the 11 switchback hike. It was really cool to see the falls from the top. You could also see a great view of the Columbia River and surrounding areas.
Multnomah Falls
View from the top of the falls
Hiking up to the top
Views of the Colombia River
We were nearly blown away
Once we descended back to the base of the falls we went shopping for souvenirs in the gift shop and stopped for a snack at the restaurant upstairs so we could decide where we wanted to go next.
After glancing at a map I noticed we were just minutes away from the Bridge of the Gods in Cascade Locks, Oregon. Several years ago I had read Wild by Cheryl Strayed, and ever since then I had always wanted to see the Bridge of the Gods. I described the place to my friends and they were instantly sold. Thanks to an app called The Dyrt, we were able to quickly find a campsite along the Colombia River, right in the town of Cascade Locks. Once we paid the fee and claimed our camping spot, we drove the rig back out to the main road so we could stop for groceries at the single grocery store in town.
Cascade Locks!!!
Our campsite right by the river
After we got everything we needed for the final two days of our trip, we returned to the campsite to park for the night.
Earlier we had noticed there were several breweries along the main road that looked enticing. We decided to venture on foot to grab dinner and drinks at one of the breweries. Much like Forks, the majority of businesses in Cascade Locks were already closed by 8:00pm, but luckily there was one still open- Thunder Island Brewing Co. We had a delicious dinner there with lots of beer and wine. After our bellies were full we walked back home to the campsite and played cards for the rest of the evening.
Friday - Day 6
The next day we grabbed our cameras and walked out to Thunder Island, a small island stuck right in the middle of the Colombia River. We walked out to the tip of the island to get a great view of the Bridge of the Gods. I set up my tripod so we could take some photos of all three of us.
Bridge of the Gods
One of my favorite photos from the trip :)
Then we walked back to the van and we checked out of our campsite. We drove along the main road and parked the van in front of the brewery where we had dinner at the night before. We graciously used their bathroom and got ready for our next adventure of the day- to hike a section of the PCT.
My friend found the Dry Creek Falls hike via the PCT on the Alltrails App and it sounded awesome to all of us. It’s described as an easy hike, which gratefully it was (all of us were still sore from Mount Storm King). It was 4.4 miles out and back and had 885 Feet in elevation gain according to the app.
Dry Creek Falls
Sasquatch posein'
To find the PCT, we walked up the main road towards the Bridge of the Gods. There were PCT symbols which helped guide us past the roads, through an underpass, and finally into the woods. The trail was busy with volunteer PCT trail workers that were moving soil to help maintain and prepare the trails for the heavy hiker season. Everyone we saw on the trail that day was super happy to be outside in the woods. After just a few miles of really pleasant hiking, we reached the falls themselves. The waterfall was intense and beautiful, surrounded by so much green like the other waterfalls and places we had seen.
On our hike back out to Cascade Locks, I found myself quietly reflecting on the path we were taking. I was looking at the trees, the surrounding mountains, smelling the fresh overturned soil in the air, and I was thinking to myself how Cheryl Strayed had years ago walked along this same path, had seen the same trees and mountains, and smelled the same smells that I was experiencing.
After reading Cheryl Strayed’s story, Wild, I have always felt a connection with her. Five years ago I lost my father and for the past five years I’ve been living with the heaviest of grief on my shoulders. Cheryl’s grief of losing her mother took her to dark places, but she was able to walk herself thousands of miles along the PCT with her heavy pack, and her even heavier grief on her shoulders. She survived her grief and her story has been inspiring me for years.
When we made it back to the trailhead, I was touching the PCT trail markers along the trees and the underpass, imagining that Cheryl had touched them too. It was a surreal experience to have walked that portion of the trail, to have seen that section of the PCT where so many thru hikers have been and will continue to pass through and experience, each on their own self-seeking journeys.
The PCT marker!
Along the PCT
More PCT
Trekking along
And more PCT!
After our lovely hike, we went to another brewery on the other side of town and got another delicious hot meal. Then we returned to the van and it was finally time for us to drive across the Bridge of the Gods. There is a small toll to drive across the bridge but it was totally worth it. We even got to wave hello to a thru hiker who was walking across the bridge while we were crossing.
Now back in Washington, we drove just a little bit east towards Carson Hot Springs. The first hot springs were so relaxing that we needed more hot springs! Carson Hot Springs was a neat little resort and golf course hidden in the woods. These hot springs had indoor hot spring pools, but they were still equally relaxing and fun. Afterwards we returned to the van and checked the freecampsites.net site for our final makeshift spot for the night. We traveled a few minutes west along the Columbia River and found a spot along an opening in the woods that worked for us. We had our final supper of kielbasa with potatoes, peppers and onions and lots and lots of red wine.
Carson Hot Springs
Our final overnight spot
Our final overnight spot
Carson Hot Springs Lobby
Saturday - Day 7 Drop off
Somehow our week in the van was nearly over. We woke up and began organizing our suitcases and cleaning out the van before beginning the drive north back towards Tacoma. We stopped at Taco Bell for a quick breakfast and we also detoured to an RV park along the 5 to dump our final gray water and waste. Traffic slowed us down on our way into Tacoma, but we made it back safely to our Host’s destination spot and successfully returned the van unscathed. After a Lyft back to the Seattle airport, we were back in the city and before I knew it, it was time for me to make my sad but inspired exit back to Southern California.
Exhausted and heartbroken that our trip was over :(
Back to LA!
If you couldn’t tell, my friends and I had a freaking blast on our week-long van adventure. Honestly, I never saw van-life as enticing beforehand, but I can happily say that I’m a changed gal. The van rental allowed us to be spontaneous yet safe while we were exploring the Pacific Northwest. It allowed us to cover so much ground, save money on accommodations, and spend so much intimate time together. It also kept us warm and dry in one of the wettest places. We loved our trip so much that we are already planning a van trip in Alaska for next summer. I’ve even started looking into the idea of purchasing a van someday myself. Yes- van life is that AWESOME and that LIBERATING.
If you’ve ever thought about renting a van and exploring the open road with your friends, this is your sign to do it. Outdoorsy was so easy to use and its search feature allowed us to find a van that worked for us and our plans. Our van rental host was incredibly kind, helpful, and thorough. Overall, the whole rental process through Outdoorsy was simple and straightforward and I would highly recommend it! Also if you've ever considered exploring the Pacific Northwest, just go do it already.
