OVERVIEW

Acquire an enlightening overview of Vancouver by viewing its most alluring attractions and then exploring on your own. Although large and metropolitan, Vancouver has still retained much of its natural beauty in urban oases such as Stanley Park. After pausing there to admire a display of First Nation totem poles and take in the serenity, you will enjoy an entirely different ambiance in bustling Chinatown. Exotic open-air markets, heritage buildings and pagoda-topped telephone booths are staples in this ethnic neighborhood, which dates back to 1890 when Chinese immigrants settled in what was then known as Shanghai Alley. Another historical perspective awaits you in Gastown, an area that developed in the early 1870s. The neighborhood is named for settler “Gassy” Jack Deighton, a saloon owner who was considered full of hot air because he spun tall tales. The cobbled streets of Gastown are now lined with upscale boutiques, galleries and restaurants.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Gain an overall understanding of Vancouver by driving around its downtown.
• Enjoy the tranquility of Stanley Park, North America’s third-largest urban park
• Visit vibrant Chinatown, Vancouver’s most established ethnic community.
• Walk through Gastown, Vancouver’s oldest neighborhood and one of the trendiest

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Board the Alcatraz ferry and sail to the notorious prison that once housed the likes of Al Capone and the Birdman of Alcatraz. During your ferry ride, enjoy a panoramic view of the famous San Francisco skyline. Upon arrival, you'll tour the small jail cells as the audio narration brings you back to days gone by.

You'll return to San Francisco by ferry and board your motorcoach for a journey across the Golden Gate Bridge. After a stop at Vista Point for a fabulous view of the city, it’s a short ride into charming Sausalito. Here, take a stroll and browse some of the specialty shops or galleries.

OVERVIEW

Discover two of Oregon’s most charming coastal villages and beautiful beaches. Your local guide will travel with you crossing Young’s Bay Bridge. Enjoy impressive views of Saddle Mountain, one of Oregon's highest peaks and the Astoria-Megler Bridge, the longest bridge in the state. You'll travel through the Oregon Coast Range before stopping at Cannon Beach, considered an artist's colony and home to photographers, artists and writers. The beach is also well known for Haystack Rock, a 235 foot tall rock formation that is the home of puffins, sea gulls cormorants. You’ll have some free time here to explore the colorful courtyards, streets and little shops. Continue on to Seaside, a charming coastal village with arcades, art galleries and miles of beach. Enjoy some free time here to stroll along the boardwalk, buy some salt water taffy or take a ride on the carousel.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy impressive views of Saddle Mountain.
• Travel through the Oregon Coast Range before stopping at Cannon Beach.
• Explore the colorful courtyards, streets and little shops during your free time.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW
Discover the panoramic beauty and must-see highlights of Seattle in just a few hours, leaving time to explore the destinations you find most intriguing later on your own. Your introduction to the city will begin with a photo stop at the Space Needle, an icon since being built for the 1962 World’s Fair. You will also see CenturyLink Field, the sports stadium for Seattle’s professional football and soccer teams, and Pioneer Square, the city’s oldest neighborhood. The term “skid row” was coined in this now-elegant district, a reference to the logged trees that were once slid down greased skids to the sawmill. There will be plenty more to explore in Pike Place Market, the city’s oldest and largest farmers market. Don’t miss the “flying fish,” a spectacle in which the fishmongers toss even large fish to each other to save steps and entertain the onlookers. The original Starbucks is also in the market.

HIGHLIGHTS
• See Seattle’s highlights in just a few hours, leaving you with a great overview of the city.
• Pause for photos at the Space Needle and pass by Seattle’s modern sports stadium.
• Gain a historical perspective at Pioneer Square and the city’s oldest farmers market.

OVERVIEW
Enjoy two unique perspectives of Seattle: from high above the city on the Space Needle and from sea level while cruising Elliott Bay. After riding an elevator up the exterior of the Space Needle, you will arrive at the observation deck, 520 feet above the ground. The views will be spectacular, as you look out over Seattle, Mount Rainer, Puget Sound and the Cascades and Olympic mountain ranges. For the ultimate view straight down, walk along the Loupe, the tower’s rotating glass floor, the only one in the world. The Space Needle is so iconic that Seattle designated it an official landmark. The sights of the city from Elliott Bay will be just as remarkable, but from an entirely different perspective. As you cruise along, you will see lush coastal parks, the edge of historical Pioneer Square and the Seattle Great Wheel, once the tallest Ferris wheel on the west coast. Your cruise ship will also be in sight.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Enjoy the ultimate view of Seattle and beyond from atop the soaring Space Needle.
• Look straight down 500 feet through the Space Needle’s rotating glass floor.
• Cruise through Elliott Bay, admiring the sights along the western shore of Seattle.

OVERVIEW

See the highlights of San Francisco at your own pace by riding a double-decker bus around the city, hopping on and off whenever you please at the attractions you find most intriguing. Simply hop on one of the buses using your complimentary pass and then hop off when it reaches a destination of interest from more than a dozen designated stops on the Red Route. You might hop off at Chinatown for lunch, the Embarcadero Center for shopping and North Vista Point for a sweeping view of San Francisco and the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. Other stops along the way include the laid-back Haight Ashbury neighborhood, the 19th-century Ferry Building and the extravagant neoclassical Palace of Fine Arts, a faux palace built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition. Stay as long as you like at each destination and then hop on another bus whenever you are ready. A new bus arrives every 20 minutes or so.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ride a double-decker bus around San Francisco, taking in the sights along the way.
• Hop off the bus at attractions that you find most intriguing and stay as long as you like.
• Hop on another bus whenever you wish and ride it to the next interesting attraction.
• Hear commentary that describes each attraction, so you can easily pick your favorites.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Discover Oregon’s beautiful and dramatic coast, visit the air museum and cheese factory in Tillamook and enjoy a tasty lunch during the drive. Enjoy impressive views of Saddle Mountain, one of Oregon's highest peaks and the Astoria-Megler Bridge, noted as the longest bridge in Oregon. As your coach winds its way along the 110-mile section of the Pacific Coast Highway on Highway 101 and travel along the Oregon Coast Range. You'll pass Seaside, a charming village with boutiques, art galleries and miles of beach. As you continue south, you’ll also pass by Cannon Beach, famous for the natural phenomenon known as Haystack Rock. You’ll visit the Tillamook Air Museum, which houses a rare World War II blimp hangar that is over 15 stories high and stretches over seven acres. You’ll see a variety of U.S. warplanes and aircraft here and explore the exhibit hall to see historical wartime and aviation artifacts. Lunch will be served at the museum. You’ll also visit the Tillamook Cheese Factory - the farmer-owners have been producing quality dairy products here since 1909. Watch the cheese makers at work, enjoy a sample or two and indulge in some ice cream and fudge at your own expense. Time permitting, photo opportunity stops will be made at Tolovana Park, Neahkahnie Mountain overlook and, perhaps, a drive through Cannon Beach. Tour includes a picnic-style lunch.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Browse a museum full of vintage aircraft.
• See how Tillamook cheese and other dairy products are made.
• Watch for birds such as puffins on Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Gain an enlightening overview of Seattle by driving around town, browsing a sprawling farmers market and enjoying a bird’s-eye view of the city from atop the Space Needle. The iconic observation tower soars above the Seattle Center, a campus of cultural attractions with roots dating back more than 100 years. For the ultimate views, the Space Needle’s windows are floor-to-ceiling and the glass floor rotates. Founded in 1907, Pike Place Market is Seattle’s oldest and largest farmers market, and as you will discover it is chock full of garden-fresh local produce and other goods. Be sure to stop by the fish market, where the employees famously toss fish to each other with great fanfare, a spectacle that began to simply save time and steps. For an even broader look at Seattle, you will drive through characteristic neighborhoods and past landmarks such as the Seattle Seahawks’ home stadium and Pioneer Square, the historical heart of old town.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Enjoy the ultimate view of Seattle and beyond from atop the soaring Space Needle.
• Spend free time browsing the seemingly endless stalls in Pike Place Market.
• Drive through historical neighborhoods, as the guide describes landmark after landmark.

Experience the thrill of an Iron Chef-style cooking challenge, where you can put your skills to the test with fellow passengers. With breathtaking rooftop views of San Francisco as a backdrop, classes are taught by local hosts who bring their expertise and passion to each session.

Spend hours with a chef as they demonstrate culinary techniques and provides cooking tips, all in the interest of improving your skills in the kitchen. Whether you are somewhat of a novice or a highly experienced cook, this course has plenty to offer. During the session, you will learn how to prepare dishes using seasonal ingredients that are nutrient-rich and responsibly sourced. You will also discover the principles of flavor composition so you can create memorable dishes without following a recipe when you return home. Much of the course will be hands on, allowing you to better understand the principles by practicing the techniques under the chef’s watchful eye. Afterwards, you will enjoy a lunch made with garden-fresh ingredients that reflect California international cuisine. The exact dishes will be determined by what’s in season, but past offerings have included Thai, summer vegetable galette, balsamic Swiss chard tart and buckwheat crepes with tarragon zucchini.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Spend time in a hands-on cooking class with an accomplished chef in her home kitchen.
• Learn techniques to better prepare nutrient-rich, responsibly sourced dishes.
• Gain an understanding of flavor composition so you can prepare meals without a recipe.
• Dine on dishes that reflect California cuisine.

OVERVIEW
Enjoy a 360° view of Seattle from the top of the Space Needle and see the city’s artistic side at Chihuly Garden and Glass. Built for the 1962 World’s Fair to symbolize humanity’s Space Age aspirations, the saucer-shaped Space Needle soars above the city. Its observation tower offers sweeping views of Seattle’s urban sprawl, Mount Rainer, Puget Sound and the Cascades and Olympic mountain ranges. You can also look straight down to the ground 500 feet below by standing on the tower’s rotating glass floor, the only one in the world. Chihuly Garden and Glass lies at the foot of the Space Needle. As you stroll through its indoor and outdoor galleries, you will behold a collection of artist Dale Chihuly’s visually stunning blown-glass artwork. Highlights include a massive suspended glass sculpture, thousands of colorful glass flowers and plants, and all sorts of whimsical pieces that showcase the artist’s prodigious talents.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Enjoy the ultimate view of Seattle and beyond from atop the soaring Space Needle.
• Look straight down 500 feet through the Space Needle’s rotating glass floor.
• Be awed by the whimsical, visually stunning glass art in Chihuly Garden and Glass.

Take in the jewels of the City by the Bay on this half day discovery of the “the City.”

From the pier, travel west passing fisherman’s wharf en route to view the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. Here you pause at the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center which offers excellent views of the bridge and informative information and representations of the bridge’s history and engineering. The ample shop offers souvenirs and books memorializing the city and bridge structure. From the Golden Gate to Land’s End, where the city meets the sea.

At Lands’ End, enjoy views over the Pacific Ocean while the nearby modern visitors center offers Indoor exhibits and videos on the natural and cultural history of the Land's End area, Sutro Baths and Sutro Heights. From the coast, drive along the Great Highway to Golden Gate Park on the way to one of the city’s numerous hills, Twin Peaks. At 922 and 904 feet, respectively, South Peak and North Peak are the second- and third-highest hills in San Francisco. Enjoy postcard views over the entire bay from the viewpoint here before beginning the route back to the water’s edge passing a number of historic neighborhoods and buildings before arriving to the pier.

OVERVIEW

Travel around Astoria, taking in the most outstanding sights and stopping on occasion at landmarks that best reveal the city’s history. Astoria was named for millionaire businessman John Jacob Astor, whose fur trading company established the first permanent settlement west of the Rockies here in 1811. As you continue around the city on this narrated driving tour, you will discover all sorts of fascinating facts about Astoria and see key attractions such as the Liberty Theater, where Clark Gable made his first stage appearance. Other highlights include the Doughboy Monument that commemorates those that fought in World War I, a Victorian mansion built for Astoria’s first millionaire and the mural-adorned Astoria Column that the Astor family funded in 1926. You will also learn about the devastating fire of 1922 that almost destroyed Astoria and how the city was rebuilt to become greater than ever.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Become familiar with Astoria’s history through key landmarks.
• Understand the influence of John Jacob Astor on his namesake city.
• Hear commentary about momentous events such as the fire of 1922.
• Take in the panoramic view from atop Astoria Column, if you wish.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.