Columbia & Snake Rivers: Food, Wine & History

Portland, Oregon / Embark Ship

Arrive in the early afternoon in Portland, located in the shadow of snow-capped Mount Hood. Embark in the early evening and enjoy wine and champagne as the ship sails along the Willamette River under eight of Portland’s 12 eclectic bridges.

Arrival Time: Arrive by 3:00 p.m. local time.

Cruising the Columbia Gorge

Witness natural and man-made marvels as you navigate the scenic Columbia River Gorge and pass through the Bonneville Lock and Dam. Enjoy a fresh-brewed coffee on the bow, where your naturalists offer insightful perspectives on the controversial history of dams along the river. Later, enjoy an onboard tasting with your wine specialist while learning about the local terroirs.

WALLA WALLA, WASHINGTON

Drive through some of the most fertile agricultural areas in the nation, with bright, rolling green and purple fields of wheat, asparagus and Walla Walla sweet onions. In the morning, choose to join a vineyard tour or visit the Whitman Mission National Historic Site, where friction between Native Americans and white missionaries erupted into an event that reverberates today. After lunch at Seven Hills Winery, explore charming downtown Walla Walla at your leisure, perusing local galleries on a guided art walk, sampling sweets at the country’s top-rated candy store or popping into cozy tasting rooms.

CRUISING THE GORGE

Spend the day cruising through some of the most picturesque and geologically significant stretches of the Columbia River and the Columbia Plateau. Your geologists will provide insight on the glacial floods that sculpted the landscape 13,000 years ago, as your food and wine expert highlights the tastes and tannins of this unique terrain. Relive the historic tales of Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery through the eyes of a historian as you sail by key landmarks.

The Dalles or Hood River, Oregon

Make a stop at the towering Multnomah Falls before an optional hike to the iconic Beacon Rock, a basalt column towering 848 feet above the Columbia River. Later, enjoy a private event with Syncline Winery at the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center. Savor canapes and Syncline’s distinctive wines as you take in 15,000 years of cultural history, including Indigenous art and a massive working steam engine.

Astoria

In the morning, navigate the Columbia River to its mouth in Astoria. Later, choose to explore Cape Disappointment and take in the dramatic scenery where Meriwether Lewis first glimpsed the Pacific Ocean in 1805. Alternatively, enjoy a scenic hike to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center or embark on a culinary heritage walk.

Astoria

This morning, choose to visit the Columbia River Maritime Museum and learn about the estuary’s navigational hazards and history of shipwrecks. Alternatively, take a shuttle to the Astoria Column—a monument to the natural riches of the Pacific Northwest—or explore Astoria’s shops and restaurants at your own pace. In the afternoon, enjoy a scenic cruise accompanied by local wine tastings on board.

Portland / Disembark Ship

Disembark in Portland after breakfast and transfer to the airport for flights home.