The twin blue-collar cities of Longview and Kelso are sandwiched between I-5 and the Columbia River, approximately 40 miles north of Portland. With a long history in fishing and timber, this freeway stopover is a portal to the Long Beach Peninsula [1] 70 miles to the east. It is also a gateway to Mount St. Helens and Portland, Oregon.
Community Urban Bus Service (254 Oregon Way, 360/577-3399) provides local service in the Kelso-Longview area Monday–Saturday.
Getaway Express (360/636-5656, $70 one-way) operates shuttle van service between Longview/Kelso and Portland International Airport.
Amtrak (501 S 1st Ave., Kelso, 800/872-7245, www.amtrak.com [2]) trains head north from Kelso to Centralia, Olympia [3], Tacoma [4], Seattle [5], and points beyond, and south to Vancouver [6], Portland, and California. Service is four times a day. Catch a Greyhound (360/423-7380 or 800/231-2222, www.greyhound.com [7]) at the train station (501 S. 1st. Ave.) in Kelso.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/washington/olympic-peninsula-and-the-coast/long-beach-peninsula
[2] http://www.amtrak.com
[3] http://www.moon.com/destinations/washington/south-puget-sound/olympia
[4] http://www.moon.com/destinations/washington/south-puget-sound/tacoma
[5] http://www.moon.com/destinations/washington/seattle
[6] http://www.moon.com/destinations/washington/columbia-gorge-and-wine-country/vancouver
[7] http://www.greyhound.com