Adventures in the Wild Northwest with Trafalgar

This Trafalgar itinerary is a wonderful introduction to the rugged coast of the Pacific Northwest. My aunt and I enjoyed this trip in the heart of the summer, at the beginning of July. Still, we were pleased we’d packed jackets and sweaters for the cool coastal breeze and chilly evenings. The weather was wonderfully pleasant, compared to my home in steamy Houston, Texas!

The temperate climate wasn’t the only highlight of this trip. On arrival in San Francisco, we spent some time at Fisherman’s Wharf, a great place to people watch and snap photos of the resident sea lions. If you want to sample some local seafood, consider some hot clam chowder or lobster rolls at the wharf.

As we departed San Francisco the next morning, we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge—in fact, most of our tour group opted to take the 45-minute walk across the bridge, which was quite thrilling. Making our way north, we rolled through California’s wine country, stopping to check out the awesome beauty of 200-foot redwood trees. We even walked right through one of them (an excellent photo op).

What’s fun about this vacation is that we enjoyed several different modes of transportation. For example, we went on an exciting high-speed jet boat ride on Oregon’s Rogue River, which is home to tons of wildlife, such as bears, otters, eagles and heron. At Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, we laughed our way through a sand-buggy ride. Then in Newport, Oregon, we opted for the Sea Life Cruise, where we spotted a huge humpback whale. Our boat was able to follow the beautiful creature for about 30 minutes.

My aunt and I enjoyed our free time in the incredible Oregon Coast Aquarium, where we walked through the Passages of the Deep acrylic tunnel that was surrounded by water filled with sea life. Other highlights: Portland’s pretty International Rose Test Garden with its thousands of varieties of roses; the Mount St. Helens Visitor Center, where a naturalist talked to us about the 1980 volcanic eruption; beautiful Olympic National Park, right on the Washington coast; and Pike Place Market and a ride up to the top of the Space Needle in Seattle.

In all, it was a fast-paced vacation with loads of adventure. If you’re keen to visit some interesting locales and see some beautiful sights along the coast of the Pacific Northwest, this Trafalgar itinerary is for you.

Book It Now

Trafalgar continues to offer the 10-day Adventures in the Wild Northwest itinerary in 2013, with departures May through September. This vacation begins in San Francisco and ends in Seattle.

About the Author

Bree Rodriguez is a Tour Specialist at AffordableTours.com
Contact Information:
Tel: 800.935.2620 Ext 128
Email: [email protected]

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