Coastal Oregon Explorer

Day One

Welcome to Portland! Your guide and motorcoach driver will meet you at Portland International Airport before heading east into the beautiful Columbia River Gorge. Pause at majestic Multnomah Falls, the tallest in Oregon. Enjoy the falls from the base or hike a short distance to enjoy the view from a walking bridge between the upper and lower falls. Continue east through the gorge and cross to the Washington side of the river to discover your resort for the next two nights, perched above the river in the quaint community of Stevenson, where all rooms have views of the Columbia River.

Day Two

Discover the rich scenery and agricultural lands of the Columbia River Gorge with a ride aboard the Mount Hood Railroad. A box lunch is included when you leave the train in Parkdale, with the option of enjoying a wine tasting onsite. Following your train ride, visit a family-owned lavender farm in the shadow of Mount Hood, where you can pick your own lavender to take home! In the late afternoon, choose to visit Bonneville Dam in nearby Cascade Locks or simply relax at the lodge. Tonight, dinner is included at the Columbia Gorge Hotel, an Art Deco gem in Hood River, overlooking the Columbia River and surrounded by meticulously maintained gardens with a gentle waterfall. (B,L,D)

Day Three

This morning, travel to historic Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood. The lodge was built under the Works Progress Administration between 1936 and 1938 and features an amazing history, along with beautiful architecture and works of art. After your arrival, travel
from the lodge to the top of the mountain aboard the Magic Mile Sky Ride, taking you to 7,000 feet in elevation. Lunch is available from several places at the lodge following the experience.

Next, travel to the town of Boring with a visit to the very unique North American Bigfoot Center, home to dozens of displays featuring a wide array of bigfoot evidence and historical artifacts. In the late afternoon, arrive on Oregon’s spectacular coast. Your home for the next
three nights is nestled above the shoreline of the mighty Pacific, with all ocean view rooms. (B)

Day Four

Begin your day with a visit to the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Home to creatures great and small, you’ll discover a new world living under the sea and along the coastline. Lunch is at your leisure along the historic bay waterfront followed by an educational cruise on Yaquina Bay aboard Marine Discovery Cruises’ m/v Discovery. Sealife from the bay is brought aboard the boat and shared by a naturalist, who provides information about the bay’s unique ecosystem. In the afternoon, an optional visit to the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural
Area and Lighthouse provides you the opportunity to visit Oregon’s tallest lighthouse and explore nearby tidal pools. Tonight, dinner is included along the wharf and overlooking the bay. (B,D)

Day Five

Lincoln City is widely known for its glass art. And today you are the artist! With the assistance of seasoned glass blowers, create your own work of beautiful glass art. Lunch is a unique Oregon experience at The Pines Dine, a vibrant food truck village with 12 unique food trucks. In the afternoon, return to your hotel and enjoy a walk along the beach or choose to stay in Lincoln City a while longer for shopping at the Lincoln City Outlets. The choice is yours. (B)

Day Six

Travel east to McMinneville and Oregon’s well-known Willamette Valley. Discover the North American Aerospace Museum, home of Howard Hughes’ infamous Spruce Goose. A wide selection of restaurants is available for lunch today in the city’s quaint downtown, along with time to explore its eclectic shops. En route to Newburg, enjoy a wine tasting in the Willamette Valley. Your final night hotel is in the town of Tigard. Tonight, a farewell dinner is held in your honor at the Chart House Restaurant, overlooking the gorgeous Willamette River. (B,D)

Day Seven

Say goodbye to the Pacific Northwest with a return to Portland International Airport for your flight home. (B)