Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive in Portland. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure. This evening, gather for a welcome reception at the hotel. (R)
Day
2: Visit Portland’s wine-growing region and local wineries. Afterwards, embark the Queen of the West. Set sail upstream on the Willamette River, rated as one of the top ten in the world for natural beauty. Cruise past Portland’s historic Sellwood district, with its century-old homes and stores, and Oaks Bottom Wildlife Sanctuary, a habitat park for wetland species. (B,L,D)
Day 3: Cruise through the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area. Admire dramatic geologic features such as 848-foot-high Beacon Rick, sheer-walled Cape Horn and Crown Point. Visit the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center. The afternoon excursion highlights some of the gorge’s beautiful cascades, such as Horsetail Falls and the stunning 620-foot Multnomah Falls, the second highest waterfall in the U.S. Tour Bonneville Dam, well known for its fish ladders and the production of electricity. Hear a lecture on the fragile intricacies of salmon migration. (B,L,D)
Day 4: Arrive at historic Umatilla Landing and travel to Pendleton along an Oregon Trails pioneer route. This authentic western town is the site of one of the oldest and largest rodeos, the annual Pendleton Round-Up. See working cowboys exhibit riding and roping skills. Once the homeland of the Cayuse, Umatilla, Walla Walla and Nez Perce Indians, tour the Tamastslikt Cultural Institute and watch a colorful native dance program. (B,L,D)
Day 5: Cruise the Snake River through the storied land of the Nez Perce. At the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers. We reach the end of navigable waters for cruise ships. Transfer to specially built, totally enclosed, high-speed jet boats for a safe, but exhilarating, trip into Hells Canyon National Recreation Area. This is the deepest canyon in North America. (B,L,D)
Day 6: Cruise westward on the Columbia River through Wallula Gap. Listed as a National Natural Landmark. This afternoon taste premium wines from the vineyards of Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Sail past ancient petroglyphs etched into the rock at the site of Old Celilo Falls, a submerged fishing site formerly used by natives of the Pacific Northwest for thousands of years. (B,L,D)
Day 7: Cruise through Volcano Alley on the Columbia River. Attend a special presentation on the amazing voyage of Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and the Corps of Discovery. Drive to Mount St. Helens Volcanic Monument in the Cascade Mountains. From the nearby observatory, gaze directly into the volcanic crater! (B,L,D)
Day 8: In Astoria, visit the highly acclaimed Columbia River Maritime Museum and see the Columbia, the last floating lighthouse to safeguard the waterways of the West Coast. Tour Astoria’s historic district and photograph the famous Astoria Column modeled after Trajan’s Column in Rome. Experience Fort Clatsop the restored encampment where Lewis and Clark spent the winter of 1805-06, preparing for their return journey to St. Louise. Enjoy your last evening aboard ship at a captain’s gala farewell dinner. (B,L,D)
Day 9: Depart for your gateway city. (B)
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