Outdoor Adventure Tour - Travel Oregon, Washington and California

Day 1:  San Francisco
Meet and greet in San Francisco at 4pm in the hotel lobby. We drive over Golden Gate Bridge and will get to know each other at dinner in Sausalito (refreshments provided by Travel Dream West). The tour guide and driver will share with you some important information and hand out a tour documentation. Night in downtown San Francisco.

Day 2:  Golden Gate Bridge - Pacific Highway 1 - Fort Bragg - Leggett
We leave San Francisco in the early morning over Golden Gate Bridge, then travel on Highway 101 through California wine country. Bodega Bay where Alfred Hitchcock filmed "The Birds" in 1963 and will see some familiar sights. will be our first stop.  We' then enjoy a picnic lunch along scenic Highway 1. Next highlight is Mendocino with its art community and galleries.  After a short drive will arrive in Fort Bragg where we stroll through the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens with its 47 acres of ocean front gardens and a trail along thunderous waves.  We spend the night at the gateway to the Redwood State and National Parks.

Day 3:  Redwood National and State Parks - Jacksonville, Oregon
An impressive drive is the Avenue of the Giants in Humboldt Redwood State Park with its tallest trees in the world,  reaching up to 380 ft tall and more than 2,000 years old. On to Prairie Creek Redwood State Park we watch out for elk.  Paul Bunyan’s Gift Shop offers an interesting collection of Native American art objects.  A narrow gravel road then leads us to Stout Grove in Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park which contains a spectacular selection of old growth Redwoods.  Back on the Redwood Highway we take a short stop at a botanical preserve of rare carnivorous Darlingtonia plants before crossing the border into Oregon and the town of Jacksonville where we stay for two nights.

Day 4:  Jacksonville - Ashland
We spend the morning exploring the historic town of Jacksonville, proud of its gold rush and designated as a National Historic Landmark. Then we visit nearby Ashland, a Victorian university town famous for its Shakespeare festival. In the afternoon  we take a drive through scenic valleys in the heart of Oregon's wine country with opportunity for wine tasting. Alternatively, there is a half day optional white water rafting excursion on the Rogue River (arranged with pre-reservation). In the evening attend an optional theatre play at the famous Shakespeare festival with pre-ordered tickets.

Day 5: Klamath Falls - Crater Lake National Park - La Pine
A scenic drive through old growth Douglas fir forests brings us to Klamath Falls where we visit the Favell Museum. It is dedicated to the preservation of Native American culture and houses over 100,000 artifacts.  We will briefly stop at Fort Klamath, a military outpost near the western end of the Oregon Trail, a historic site of the last Indian Wars. Driving on the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway we reach Crater Lake National Park and explore the park on hikes along the rim with views of Phantom Ship. We spend the night in the small logging community La Pine, Central Oregon. Relax at the hotel swimming pool.

Day 6:  Newberry Volcanic National Monument - High Desert Museum - Bend
In the morning we explore some fascinating lava landscapes at Newberry National Monument with volcanic obsidian flows and a walk and picnic along the Paulina lake.  Our afternoon destination is the famous High Desert Museum with indoor and outdoor displays highlighting Oregon's unique high desert topography, wildlife and culture. The evening is free to enjoy pedestrian friendly, downtown Bend. One night in Bend

Day 7: Smith Rock State Park - Cascade Mountains - Pacific Ocean, Yachats
First in the morning we stop for a walk at scenic Smith Rock State Park with its deep river canyons and spectacular views.  Then onto Santiam Pass Scenic Byway which provides dramatic views of the snowcapped Cascade Mountains. We will stop at emerald colored Clear Lake for a walk and picnic and take a hike  along nearby beautiful water falls, the Sahalie Falls. Driving West we reach the Pacific coastline and drive along the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway to Yachats, stopping at the Heceta Head Lighthouse. We check into an ocean front resort in Yachats for two nights.

Day 8:  Yachats - Yaquina Head Lighthouse - Oregon Coast Aquarium - Newport
Today’s highlights include Yaquina Head Outstanding National Area and its working lighthouse. Later, we’ll have a picnic lunch at a beachside State Park and take a walk along the sandy beaches. Then we visit the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, former home of Keiko, the killer whale. In the later afternoon you an take a stroll through Newport’s old town and harbor with its many galleries and good restaurants.  An optional whale watching boat tour can be arranged with advanced reservation.

Day 9:  Oregon Pacific Coast - Portland
Today we travel north along the Pacific coast with beautiful views. We stop for a hike amongst tranquil coastal forests and have lunch at a State Park.  After lunch spend some time shopping in the Pacific Northwest’s tax-free factory outlet mall. Then on to Cape Lookout State Park with its fantastic beach views and trails.  We visit the tasting room filled with the Northwest's most popular cheddar cheese at the Tillamook Cheese Factory. Drive on to Portland, one of the most livable cities in the West and has Oregon's largest population. We stay here for two nights.

Day 10:  Portland - Columbia River Gorge - Mt. Hood

The city of Portland features numerous inner-city parks, and a beautiful setting on the shores of the Willamette River. A walk in Portland’s Rose Test Gardens shows off why Portland is also referred to as the "City of Roses".  Take this day off for a city tour on your own or join us for a day trip to Mt. Hood (11,249 ft), a huge snowcapped, dormant volcano with very impressive natural surroundings.  The journey begins along another one of America's most scenic routes, the Historic Columbia River Highway, with its fascinating history and splendid views of the mighty Columbia River.  We pass the Bonneville Dam and proceed to drive up the Mt. Hood Scenic Byway. We take a hike and picnic near a mountain lake near Mt. Hood. Then, we drive up  to an elevation of  5,960 ft and visit the historic Timberline Lodge, showplace of many famous movies.  Back to Portland for our second night.

Day 11:  Portland - Mt. St. Helens - Aberdeen
Crossing into the state of Washington, today’s highlight is Mt. St. Helens, a Cascade volcano that erupted on 18th May 1980 and is still active.  Approximately 230 square miles of forest were buried beneath volcanic deposits and the surrounding landscape was changed dramatically. It is now a protected area, allowing scientists to study how the environment responds naturally to such a disaster.  At the visitor center we will watch an interesting documentary about the eruption, before driving up to the Johnston Ridge Observatory at 4,314 ft. We will enjoy views of the lava dome, pumice plain and the landslide deposit.  We explore the area on foot following one of the many beautiful hiking trails and have picnic. Overnight is in Aberdeen, gateway to the Olympic Peninsula.

Day 12: Olympic National Park -  Port Angeles
Today, we explore parts of Olympic National Park on an easy self-guided walk within the Hoh Rain Forest. Trails lead through enchanted, moss covered temperate rain forest.  Later we’ll stop at scenic Rialto Beach for picnic lunch, then drive on to Sol Duc Hot Springs for a relaxing swim in mineral hot springs and freshwater pools. Tonight we stay in Port Angeles.

Day 13: Hurricane Ridge - Seattle
Weather permitting, we drive up to Hurricane Ridge offering a fantastic view of the Olympic National Park mountains including Mount Olympus, and the Strait of San Juan de Fuca and Vancouver Island. We experience the beauty of this National Park when we walk some of the trails and have picnic.  In the late afternoon we board a ferry to Seattle where we will spend our final night. (Please note, if the weather does not allow us to venture to Hurricane Ridge then we will provide a city tour of Seattle as an alternative).