An Autumn Family Road Trip to the Pacific Northwest

Road Trip From Napa to Vancouver

Some trips are built around one great idea: go to a wedding, then keep the adventure rolling. We planned ours that way. Before we ever left home in Napa, we knew Canada was on the agenda. The wedding in Bend, Oregon was the heart of it, but the long road north to Vancouver was the part we’d been talking about for weeks.
What followed was a glorious stretch of autumn travel through three places I’ll never forget: central Washington, Mount Rainier, and finally British Columbia. Here’s how it all came together.

Leaving Home and Settling in Klamath Falls

Napa is home, so that’s where the journey began. We loaded up and pointed the cars north, with our first real stop being Klamath Falls, Oregon, where we spent a few nights with a cousin. It was the perfect way to ease into the trip, catching up with family, slowing down, and shaking off the miles before the busy days ahead.

Those first nights set the tone. There’s something about starting a big trip surrounded by family that makes the whole thing feel grounded and right.

A Fantastic Wedding in Bend

From Klamath Falls, we continued on to Bend for the main event: a fantastic wedding weekend celebrating my younger niece Rachel and her groom, Bryan. Congratulations again, you two!

The weekend was everything a family wedding should be, full of laughter, dancing, and the kind of joy that pulls everyone closer. There’s something special about a celebration that brings family together from all over, and this one delivered in spades.

When the festivities wrapped up, the next chapter was waiting. My mom, my oldest niece Sarah, my sister-in-law Kathy, and I weren’t ready to turn around and head home. So we pointed the cars north again.

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An Incredible Drive Through Central Washington

The drive out of Bend turned into one of the highlights of the entire trip. We crossed through the middle of Washington, and the scenery just kept getting better.

The crown jewel was Mount Rainier National Park. If you’ve never seen Rainier up close, it’s hard to describe how massive and commanding that mountain feels. We slowed down, soaked it in, and took more photos than we needed. Autumn light on those peaks is something else entirely.

That evening, we all met up at Andreas Keller, a cozy German restaurant in Leavenworth. Leavenworth looks like a Bavarian village dropped into the Cascades, so a hearty German dinner felt exactly right. With the full travel crew together, the real adventure could begin.

Wenatchee, the Columbia River, and the Road to Seattle

The next morning, Mom and I started slow at Pybus Public Market in Wenatchee, where I had my morning coffee. I liked this space –  a repurposed steel warehouse turned into a lively market, full of local food, flowers, and that easy small-town buzz. A great spot to caffeinate before a big driving day.

From there, we wandered through the historic downtown and then followed the Columbia River as it carried us toward Seattle. The views were stunning, again. Honestly, every leg of this trip seemed determined to outdo the one before it. Big skies, big water, and the slow shift of the landscape kept us glued to the windows, especially me since I was the driver!

Crossing Into Canada

Then came the moment we’d been building toward: we crossed the border into Canada and made our way to our Airbnb in the Vancouver area. There’s always a little thrill in arriving somewhere new, and the four of us were ready to explore.

I didn’t waste any time. I slipped out that evening to meet my friend, Karen, who happened to be in town, of all the timing, on her way back home to New Zealand. We met near the famous steam clock in Gastown, then found a charming wine bar called Is That French?. We shared a few small plates, and I had a lovely Syrah from British Columbia, a perfect first toast to the trip.

When I got back to the Airbnb, I found Mom, Kathy, and Sarah comfy on the couch watching TV after having done some grocery shopping. The perfect low-key end to a long travel day.

A Full Day in Vancouver

We woke up ready to tackle the city, and we packed a lot into one beautiful day.

First stop: Stanley Park. Picture a huge green space wrapped in seawall, with towering trees, totem poles, and water views at every turn. The fall colors were just beginning to show, and it set the tone for everything to come.

Next, we headed to Granville Island Market, which quickly became a favorite. The stalls overflowed with fresh produce, baked goods, and crafts, and the energy was contagious. We grazed our way through lunch, and yes, I finally had real poutine. Fries, cheese curds, and gravy might sound simple, but eating the genuine thing in Canada seemed right.

In the afternoon we tried Flyover Canada, a flight simulation ride that swoops you across the whole country with wind, mist, and breathtaking visuals. 

That evening, since we were already at Queen Elizabeth Park, we treated ourselves to dinner with a view, watching the city lights flicker on as the sky deepened to autumn blue. For dessert? Nanaimo bars, naturally. If you’ve never had one, they’re a layered no-bake treat that’s basically Canada in chocolate form.

I did have one mission I couldn’t complete. I tried hard to talk Mom into a seaplane ride with me, soaring over the harbor and mountains. She would not budge. So that one’s going on the list for next time.

A Stunning Day on the Sea to Sky Highway

If day one was about the city, day two was all about the scenery, and British Columbia delivered.

We drove the famous Sea to Sky Highway, a road so beautiful it almost feels unfair. Ocean on one side, dramatic mountains on the other. Sarah was driving, so I got the advantage of really taking in the views all around us. 

Our first stop was Shannon Falls, a striking waterfall tumbling down the rocks and framed by fall color. From there, we rode the Sea to Sky Gondola, climbing high above the landscape for views that left us speechless.

We had lunch along the Squamish River, which gave me a little thrill. If you watch Virgin River, the area might look familiar, the restaurant used for the exterior of “Jack’s Bar” sits nearby. Kathy and I, both fans of the show, geeked out just a tiny bit.

The road carried us on to Whistler, charming even in the off-season, and then to Green Lake, with its almost unreal turquoise water. Day two was, in a word, magical. Sarah was an excellent guide for this day since she had done this route and been to Whistler. 

The Day of Little Mishaps

Every good trip needs one slightly chaotic day, and this was ours.

We started at the Olympic Experience in Richmond, a fun nod to the 2010 Winter Games, before going in search of lunch. We landed near Gastown at a spot that had great reviews, but once we sat down and dug in, we all quietly agreed it just wasn’t for us. No hard feelings, sometimes a place that works for everyone else simply isn’t your style, and that’s okay.

Then came the real adventure. We needed to catch a ferry, so we Ubered over, only for me to realize I had to go repark the car. What should have been a quick errand turned into a full wandering expedition, and I got completely lost trying to find the ferry.

But getting lost has its perks. On my accidental tour, I spotted the Blue Drop sculpture, the Olympic cauldron, more gorgeous fall color, and city views I’d never have caught otherwise. Stressful in the moment, kind of perfect in hindsight.

One small note: the only Mountie I saw the entire trip was at the Mountie gift shop. No red-coated officers in sight. Maybe that’s a good thing.

A Perfect Last Night

We closed out our Vancouver days with dinner at Trattoria back in Burnaby, and it was the ideal ending. Good food, good wine, and the easy laughter that only comes after days of shared adventure. It more than made up for that nearly inedible lunch earlier in the day. We swapped stories about the mishaps and the highlights and how glad we were that we’d planned to keep going north.

Looking Back

What began in Napa and rolled through Klamath Falls and a wedding in Bend grew into an unforgettable family journey all the way to Vancouver. A few favorites I’ll carry with me:

• The drive itself: Mount Rainier, the Columbia River, and the slow reveal of the Pacific Northwest in autumn.
• The togetherness: family nights in Klamath Falls, Bend, dinners in Leavenworth and Burnaby, plus all the laughs in between.
• The little surprises: a wine bar reunion by the steam clock, a getting-lost tour of the city, and so much fall color.

We saw waterfalls and mountains, ate poutine and Nanaimo bars, got hopelessly lost, and made fun memories I know we’ll be talking about for years. If you’re planning your own Napa to Vancouver route, build in extra time and let the detours surprise you.

Canada, you were everything I hoped for. And next time, Mom, I’m getting you on that seaplane.