Scenic Seattle, Portland and Oregon Coast

Welcome to Seattle, the Emerald City due to its lush evergreen forests. Relax after your arrival or explore on your terms before joining your Travel Director and fellow travelers this evening for a Welcome Reception.

This morning enjoy an orientation of Seattle and get your 'fix' on a guided tour of the Starbucks Reserve Roastery including a Coffee seminar, Dive into Culture with a brewing demonstration along with a step by step coffee tasting. Head on towards Pike Place Market, where the fish fly low from one fishmonger's hands to the next. Explore on your own to become a market insider experiencing the sights, sounds and flavors of this historic 100+ year old landmark. This afternoon, enjoy your choice of sightseeing. Choose between a self-guided visit to the famous Seattle Space Needle or the beautiful Chihuly Garden and Glass Exhibit.

Today you say goodbye to Seattle, crossing the Puget Sound by ferry to the western arm of the state: the Olympic Peninsula. In this diverse terrain bordered by the Olympic Mountains, ocean, strait, and canals you’ll explore the lush and green Olympic National Park. A natural UNESCO World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve designation, the park boasts three distinct ecosystems viewing over its nearly one million acres. The park contains waterfalls under a canopy of old-growth trees, a gorgeous fresh-water Lake Crescent, and the Hoh Rain Forest where you can walk to the eerie "Hall of Mosses" and the wild and windswept beaches of the Western Olympic Peninsula. Later, we head deep into the Olympic National Forest to the Lake Quinault Lodge, tonight's Stays With Stories experience.

This morning you'll drive south to have your Dive Into Culture moment and take a step back in time in historic Astoria, the oldest American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. You'll visit Astoria Column where you can climb the stairs for a view built in 1926 to celebrate the discovery, exploration, and settlement of the West. In Astoria, you'll board a restored street car for a ride on the Astoria Riverfront Trolley. The historic journey continues during a docent-led tour of the Columbia River Maritime Museum, which shares the stories of the legendary Columbia River Bar, one of the most dangerous passages in the world.

We start the day with a drive down the coast to Newport. Today you will join a Local Specialist on-board an included nature cruise to spot local sea life and marine birds. After you will explore the unique and engaging Oregon Coast Aquarium that allows for an immersive experience that promotes ocean education and conservation in the Pacific Northwest.

Next we head to Portland where we have an orientation tour of the city before joining a Local Specialist for a food walking tour that expertly showcases the unique and quirky city through delicious creative bites as you delve into the history and importance of the Central Eastside Industrial District. Once the city's epicenter of milling, packing and manufacturing, is now home to some of the best producers of artisan food and drink in the PNW!.

This morning, take a day trip outside of the city to soak up views of these magnificent and powerful Multnomah Falls before reaching Hood River. Spend the day on a sightseeing trip to the Columbia River Gorge. Nothing will prepare you for the incredible scenic beauty that will unfold along this journey as you follow the historic Columbia River Highway. Waterfalls cascade from basalt cliffs lining the road. You'll have some free time in Hood River for lunch and a stop along the famed "Fruit Loop" which sells farm produce. We continue to Timberline Lodge, located on the slopes of Mt. Hood (weather permitting). Later enjoy a Farewell Dinner back in Portland with your travel colleagues.

Say goodbye to Portland as you take your transfer to the airport. Or perhaps extend your stay to enjoy more of the the city.