Artisan Adventures in the Wild Northwest: San Francisco, Redwood National Park, Mount Rainier, Seattle & More
- Duration
- 11 Days
- Prices From:
- AU$ 3,950
FIRST-CLASS | SELF DRIVE: Enjoy an exhilarating journey that starts in the City by the Bay and travels north through breathtaking parts of Oregon until you reach Seattle in the state of Washington. It’s a trip packed with spellbinding landscapes such as the Avenue of the Giants, thirty-one miles of magnificent Redwood trees, the spectacular Oregon Dunes and Columbia River Gorge. In between you can discover stops for world-class wine and excellent cheese-making in Sonoma County, quaint towns and artists’ enclaves with amazing craft breweries and tasty seafood from Puget Sound, once you are in Seattle.
ARTISAN ADVENTURES IN THE WILD NORTHWEST
Overview
An 11-day exploration into the art, culture and raw nature of the Northwestern United States. Adventure awaits in the cosmopolitan city of San Francisco where your journey begins. Spend a full day sampling art in all forms: sculpture, architecture (16 styles!) and in the many galleries while indulging in foodie-fantastic cuisine. Cutting edge local and international art and fashion displayed and sold in the neighbourhoods of Dogpatch, Potrero Flats or SoMA will spark your appetite for a farm-to-table feast, maybe at Foreign Cinema, where seasonal California fare, a 2,000-bottle wine list and an outdoor patio with movies projected nightly are a sample of what the Golden City has to offer.
Scoop up some treats for the road at famous chocolatier, Ghirardelli’s, before cruising under a giant redwood tree at the Drive-Through Tree Park in Leggett. Lunch at one of the artisan cheese stores along the Sonoma Marin Cheese Trail, known as the Normandy of California, will give you the verve to venture into the coastal city of Ft. Bragg where you can collect sea glass along Glass Beach or hike the dramatic bluffs.
The Avenue of the Giants will have you craning your neck and a picnic or a pause beneath the tallest trees in the world is simply magical. Traverse the craft breweries and vegetarian restaurants in the hippie town of Arcata before heading to Oregon’s Wild River Coast and Coos Bay where the Coos Art Museum and the farmers market are must-do’s. The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is the largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in North America with endless opportunities for adventure or solitude before settling down in President Abraham Lincoln’s namesake city, whimsical Lincoln, where handblown glass balls by local artists are left on 7-miles of sandy beach for you to find and collect.
In Tillamook, small creameries and evergreens romantically draped in bright green moss lead you to the most walkable city in American; Portland. Artisans of all kinds can be discovered along the River Walk or drive to Columbia River Gorge and feel the spray of Multnomah Falls. The rumblings within Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier National Parks, “ring of fire” are real with many active volcanos. In Seattle try to stay sleepless and enjoy all this vibrant city has to offer from dining 520 feet above the city in the Space Needle or digging into a juicy crab along the Seattle Waterfront where at Pike Place Market vendors lay out farm-fresh goods and artisan products. Chow down on a chewy Seattle dog, take your time meandering surreal Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum, and walk the waterfront, slurp back meaty oysters like a local and head to Belltown for live music and a craft cocktails at a tiki bar or velvety vino at swank wine bar; Seattle aims to please and send you home wanting more.
- Duration
- 11 Days
- Prices From:
- AU$ 3,950
Itinerary View Trip Map
San Francisco
Arrive at San Francisco International Airport and transfer independently your hotel. Depending on your time of arrival, you might be able to explore a little bit of the City by the Bay. San Francisco is a walking city, and you are going to have a wonderful time if you plan your day in advance. The city has great neighborhoods such as North Beach, Chinatown and Fisherman’s Wharf, but you might also consider visiting Alcatraz by boat or have lunch just a little bit out of town, in delightful Sausalito.
Overnight San Francisco
| Duration | 2 nights |
|---|
San Francisco
Today, the entire day is yours to enjoy the sights and sounds that make San Francisco such a wonderful place. Ride the famous San Francisco cable car to Fisherman's Wharf Gate Bridge and experience the outdoor stands selling fresh Dungeness crab or various gourmet restaurants selling the freshest of fish from the days catch. Chocolate lovers must visit the local chocolatiers, Ghirardelli's, whose founding location is now a public landmark and part of the National Register of Historic Places. Treat yourself to a fabulous walk from here to Union Square. On the way, check out North Beach, steeped in Italian heritage with retro-flavoured bars, coffee shops and trattorias. Next is Lombard Street with its famous one-block section of eight, steep hairpin turns before you pass Telegraph Hill and Nob Hill to arrive at Union Square. In the evening you may wish to stroll the Embarcadero, sample Dim Sum in Chinatown or see the twinkling city lights atop Twin Peaks (bring your jacket!).
Overnight San Francisco
San Francisco - Cloverdale - Ft. Bragg
Leaving San Francisco head north from the city towards Fort Bragg. If you are interested in all things cheese, consider planning a visit to one of the many farmsteads for local cheesemakers along the Sonoma County part of the California Cheese Trail. Depending on the property, you can reserve full tours, cheese tastings, and cheese-making classes, then visit with the farm's goats, cows, sheep, or even water buffalo. Further along your route is Cloverdale Wine Country where you may wish to stop and picnic at one of the many local vineyards or orchards. Perhaps you'd like to pick up a crisp local Cabernet Sauvignon or freshly bottled olive oil to compliment your sourdough bread from San Francisco for later this evening. Your overnight destination is the coastal city of Ft. Bragg, where the well-known Glass Beach of MacKerricher State Park is a popular tourist attraction. Glass Beach gets its name from the smooth colorful glass pieces that you can find mixed into the pebbly beach.
Overnight Ft. Bragg
| Duration | 1 night |
|---|
Ft. Bragg - Avenue of The Giants - Arcata
Before you leave Fort Bragg consider a brisk morning walk along Glass Beach or make a stop at Pomo Bluffs Park, an excellent spot for whale watching during the gray whale migration to cooler northern waters from February through April. A paved path follows the bluff’s edge for walking and biking and benches are provided at several locations along the path for resting and enjoying the view. Continue your drive north on the Shoreline Highway One to California's Redwood Empire. At Redway, the world-famous Avenue of the Giants section of the drive begins. This 31-mile drive comprises of 51,000 acres of magnificent Redwood Trees, the tallest tree species in the world. There are many convenient services along the way to picnic, hike, swim, fish, raft, bike ride or simply experience peace in the cool hush of this ancient forest. The drive moves back to the coastline towards Eureka. Culturally protected by the ‘Redwood Curtain,’ the city is most famous for its unique Victorian architecture, creative artistic culture, one-of-a-kind shops, restaurants, and artisanal businesses. From Eureka we suggest you travel the Samoa Bridge which takes you across Humboldt Bay, Indian Island and Woodley Islands to your overnight destination, Arcata, home of the Redwoods Zip lining Canopy tour. Arcata is also the home of Six Rivers Artesian Brewery, one of the first female owned breweries in California.
Overnight Arcata
| Duration | 1 night |
|---|
Arcata - Redwood National Park - Coos Bay
Before you start your drive today consider a morning walk along the shores of Humboldt Bay at the Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary known for pleasant walking trails and outstanding birding. Your journey north takes you through Redwood National Park where miles of the road wind gracefully through the majestic giants. Nestled in the SW corner of Oregon and the NW corner of California is America’s Wild Rivers Coast. Here in this Pacific coastal area, there are more federally designated Wild Rivers than anywhere else in America. And in the heart of the Wild Rivers Coast is the mighty Rogue, one of the 8 original rivers. Continue north to Bandon and perhaps drop by the Bandon Cheese Factory for a bite of tasty cheese or ice cream before reaching picturesque Cape Arago Lighthouse. Your destination today is Coos Bay, the largest city on the Oregon coast.
Overnight Coos Bay
| Duration | 1 night |
|---|
Coos Bay - Oregon Sand Dunes - Lincoln City
Your coastal adventure continues today through the spectacular Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area where wind-sculpted dunes tower to 500 feet above the sea. Formed by the ancient forces or wind, water and time, these dunes are like no others in the world and hold many special spots to spend the day exploring. Perhaps consider a picnic today, weather permitting. Your seaside drive continues alongside lighthouses, marinas, and parks to the town of Lincoln City, named after the 16th USA President, Abraham Lincoln.
Overnight Lincoln City
| Duration | 1 night |
|---|
Lincoln City - Tillamook - Portland
Dip your toes this morning into the Pacific before starting your drive which takes you inland to Tillamook and then on to Portland, the largest city of Oregon. In Tillamook, small creameries joined forces to produce a world-renowned cheese. Here you may visit the fascinating Tillamook Cheese Factory for an up-close look at the cheese making process and to try some tasty cheddar. Continue through the fairytale-like Tillamook State Forest with its evergreen trees covered in bright green moss to the city of Portland. Portland is known as being the most-walkable city in America. In this city, you will easily find some of the best local chocolatiers, bakeries, microbreweries, coffeemakers, and independent food artisans, all within walking or a short public transit distance.
Overnight Portland
| Duration | 2 nights |
|---|
Portland (Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area)
This morning you may wish to wake up with a cup of fresh local coffee take a city walking tour to visit the famous Portland Landmarks, museums or stroll the along River Walk. Alternatively, you may wish to drive east to see the spectacular Columbia River Gorge (first explored by the American settlers: Lewis & Clark) and visit Multnomah Falls and historic Lodge. This breathtaking cascade is the 2nd highest waterfalls in the United States.
Overnight Portland
Portland - Mt. St. Helens - Mt. Rainier - Seattle
Depart today for Seattle, also known as the Emerald City. Enroute are both Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier National Parks, both active volcanoes and part of the Northwest's ‘Ring of Fire’. Tonight, you may wish to dine atop the famous Space Needle's 520-ft high tower (reservations highly recommended) or on the Famous Seattle Waterfront, renown for local crab and tasty seafood from Puget Sound.
Overnight Seattle
| Duration | 2 nights |
|---|
Seattle
Enjoy a full day to explore the famous sights and sounds of Seattle. Perhaps start your day early at Pike Place Market as the vendors lay out farm-fresh goods and artisan products. Be sure to see the famous ‘fish-throwers’ there. Then perhaps experience Seattle's history in the underground city tour, or the Seattle Center originally built for a World's Fair and today is a large park, arts and entertainment center home to the Space Needle or the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum and other art and entertainment venues. Tonight, you may wish to dine at a local seafood restaurant or try one of the city's international District Restaurants to enjoy tasty Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Mediterranean, or Vegetarian cuisine prepared with Seattle hospitality.
Overnight Seattle
Seattle
Enjoy any free time remaining for a final farewell exploration of the city before you make your way to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for your flight home unless you plan to extend your stay in the area.
Other Information
DEPARTURES:
Daily departures: April 01 - October 31, 2024
PRICE INCLUDES:
- 11 days Intermediate Car Rental with unlimited mileage (Mazda 3 or similar)
- Detailed day by day itinerary
- 2 nights first-class accommodations in San Francisco
- 1 night first-class accommodations in Fort Bragg
- 1 night first-class accommodations in Arcata
- 1 night first-class accommodations in Coos Bay
- 1 night first-class accommodations in Lincoln City
- 2 nights first-class accommodations in Portland
- 2 nights first-class accommodations in Seattle
PRICE EXCLUDES:
- Car rental insurance
- Travel insurance
- International and domestic airfare & airfare taxes
- Entrances fees to sites not explicitly listed as included
- Meals and beverages not mentioned
- Road tolls
- Gratuities
- Items of a personal nature
- Visa fees if applicable
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS:
- Explore the City by the Bay
- Ride a Cable Car
- See Giant Redwood trees
- Walk on the sands of the Oregon Shore
- Enjoy an optional ATV ride in the sand dunes
- Enjoy farm to table cuisine in Portland
- Explore Mount Rainier National Park
- Shop at Pikes Place Market
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
Prices are "from" per person based on twin/double share accommodation and for travel in low season. Seasonal surcharges and blackout dates may apply. Limited seat/spaces and all pricing is subject to change and availability. Rates for single or triple travellers are available on request. Additional terms and conditions apply for car rental - please inquire.
1 Oct 2024
