Oregon → Washington · Interstate 5
Few highway segments in the country deliver the visual payload that defines the run between Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington: roughly 276 km (172 miles) of natural overlooks, mountain descents, preserved coastline, and bays seen from Interstate 5. The drive rewards calm pacing — budget 2h 38m plus a buffer to stop at two or three viewpoints. Pulling out of Portland (the largest city in Oregon and Pacific Northwest cultural and freight gateway), the road eventually opens onto Seattle (the Pacific Northwest tech hub and largest city in Washington State). Fuel use sits near 25.1 liters (6.6 gallons) of regular unleaded, costing about $23.09. Corporate reimbursement on the outbound leg, even on a scenic corridor, follows the standard $0.43/km tariff and totals $118.68. Pair the technical visit with company-mandated travel and log the primary business purpose on the Clara receipt. Attach to the same PDF any toll receipts, meal invoices, and tourism-area parking stubs — internal audit accepts those supporting documents as long as the visit justification appears in the observations field. Professionals who run scenic corridors with a commercial agenda typically use the drive to mentally rehearse client presentations, dictate field-report audio memos, or listen to specialized industry podcasts, turning the leg into productive preparation time rather than dead transit.