PNW Road Trip: Forest Highways, River Roads and a Twilight Twist
It all started with a 13th birthday. My daughter wanted to see the Twilight filming locations – the real places: the house, the diner, the beach, even the parking lot scene. So we built a weekend around it.
What I didn’t expect was how good the drive would be. Once we mapped it out, it became clear that the filming spots aren’t near Forks at all. Instead, they sit along a beautiful Pacific Northwest loop outside Portland, with scenic stretches beside the Columbia River, a push west toward the Oregon coast, and small towns that feel relaxed instead of rushed.
It didn’t feel like a fandom pilgrimage. It felt like a genuinely well-built road trip that just happened to have a story woven into it. We did it in a long weekend, but you can pick and choose the locations to create a trip that fits in your time and interest.
The Route at a Glance
This is a paved, easy-to-run Pacific Northwest loop built around:
- Forest highways outside Portland
- Columbia River stretches with open views
- A westward push to the Oregon coast
- A handful of small-town stops
- Several recognizable Twilight filming locations
You can make it a day trip, run it in two days or extend into a long weekend. We originally wrote about this on our blog site specialneedstravelmom.com, there were so many requests for more details that we put it all together in a printed booklet on Amazon, or by instant download here.
Twilight Filming Locations Itinerary Highlights
Bella’s House and “Port Angeles” Scenes – St. Helens, Oregon
A quick, simple stop in a quiet river town. Ht the filming locations, or stay for lunch and explore a bit. It’s a cute little town right along the Columbia River. Check out Bella’s house first, you have to park and walk up to it. Then drive to 1st St , the main street in town. The alley where Edward rescued Bella is a good place to park and walk to the dress shop and explore from there. The alley features the mural painted by the Twilight crew for the movie. Walk down the street to Columbia View park, and grab lunch at one of the brew-pubs along the way.
“Mimi’s School of Dance” – Portland, Oregon
The scene in Twilight with the final confrontation between Edward and James takes place at the ballet studio from Bella’s childhood: Mimi’s School of Dance. In the movie this is set in Arizona, but the exterior shots for the movie were filmed at the Yale Union Laundry Building building in Portland. It’s a quick drive-by, fun for Twilight fans, but not essential to your road trip.
Carver Café – Oregon
One of the most fun stops on the loop. Still operating and instantly recognizable from the film. Grab breakfast or lunch, sign the Twilight guest book and let the trip slow down for a minute. We loved the chocolate chip pancakes and bacon! Be sure to check out the times on their website though, because when we visited they closed at 2:00pm.
16471 Southeast Highway 224
Damascus, Oregon
Columbia River Drive
Twilight Prom Scene and Vista House at Crown Point
I-84 on the Oregon side of the Columbia River is an incredible drive – amazing views and great stops! The first stop is the location of the Prom Scene. Unfortunately, the Inn that hosted it burned down and is being rebuilt. The views remain, of course, so for any Twilight fan, it’s fun to see. But don’t miss the cooler stop on the way up to it. Just before you reach the Inn, the road y’s – E. Larch Mountain Road takes you to the Twilight location, but stay to your left and continue down the wooded Historic Columbia River Highway and you’ll end up at the most specular view point, and amazing connection to our past: Vista House at Crown Point.
40301 E Larch Mountain Rd
Corbett, OR 97019
40700 Historic Columbia River Hwy
Corbett, OR 97019
Multonomah Falls
From the Vista House, stay on Historic Columbia River Highway and continue through the beautiful forest to Multnomah Falls. Along the way you will see other falls and trails that you might just want to stop at, or investigate for another trip. Multnomah Falls is the backdrop for a couple of scenes in Twilight – look across the river from there and you an see the general area of the baseball scene. At Mutlnomah Falls you’ll find hiking trails, lodge with a Visitor Center, restaurant, gift shop, snack bar and restrooms open to the public. It’s the most visited natural recreation site in the Pacific Northwest, so weekends are especially busy. Reservations are required to visit Multnomah Falls from late May through early September daily from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Bridge of the Gods and Cascade Locks
Get on I-84, or back on the Historic Columbia River Highway, to Cascade Locks and the Bridge of the Gods. Stop at the Eastwind Drive Inn for burgers and shakes and head right down to Marine Pavilion Park and breathe in the Pacific Northwest air.
“La Push” Scenes Filming Location – Indian Beach – Oregon Coast
A long way from the real La Push beach, you’ll find the Twilight filming beach location in Cannon Beach, Oregon! Wind through the giant trees to Indian Beach at Ecola State Park. A short walk delivers dramatic Pacific coastline and a popular surf spot. Even without the movie connection, Cannon Beach is always a fun visit. The park has a $12.00 entrance fee and some paid parking.
Ecola State Beach
Cannon Beach, Oregon 97110
Filming Location for “Forks High School” – Kalama, Washington
This is a super fun stop because it looks exactly like the movie, be sure to take your iconic photos here. Kalama is a cute little town right off I-5 along the Columbia River in Southwest Washington, with some fun shops and the classic Columbia Inn diner. It’s a great place to plan a rest stop.
Kalama High School
548 China Garden Rd
Kalama, WA 98625
Make This Trip Easy: Get the Twilight Filming Locations Road Trip Guide
We originally wrote about this on our blog site specialneedstravelmom.com, there were so many requests for more details that we put it all together in a printed booklet on Amazon, or by instant download here.
FILMING LOCATIONS + NEW PHOTOS + SAMPLE ITINERARIES + TRIP JOURNAL
- 11 Must-Visit Filming Locations: Discover the real-world settings that inspired the Twilight movie.
- Detailed Maps and Itineraries: Plan your adventure with our easy-to-follow maps and customizable itineraries.
- Insider Tips and Tricks.
- Quick Links and QR Codes: Access Google Maps with just a click for effortless navigation.
- Trip Journal: Document your Twilight adventure and create lasting memories.
- Full color on quality paper
