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Autumn Adventures in the Pacific Northwest
With wild hillsides ablaze in golds and reds, autumn in the Pacific Northwest is a sight to behold. This closer-to-home destination offers geologically diverse landscapes and fascinating history. Sail in the wake of Lewis and Clark or explore remote channels teeming with sea life. Visit picturesque coastal towns. Hike meadows and lush forest trails. Along the way, our culinary program brings you the bounty of the region using some of the freshest local ingredients.
JUST ANNOUNCED! In 2024, Lindblad Expeditions and Food & Wine magazine will be combining their expertise to deliver the most stimulating and satiating experience of the Pacific Northwest possible. Find out more about the new 2024 Columbia & Snake Rivers Journey itinerary presented by Food & Wine.
New
Columbia and Snake Rivers: Food, Wine and History
Duration
8 days
From
$3,720
Top Highlights
Indulge in gourmet menus guided by the rhythms of the season, featuring sustainable ingredients sourced exclusively within 250 miles of our route
Witness the region’s geological wonders—from the Columbia River Gorge to Multnomah Falls and Beacon Rock—and explore up close and at water level while hiking, kayaking, or Zodiac cruising
Taste more than 40 of the region’s best wines, sampling bottles personally selected by Food & Wine magazine’s Executive Wine Editor Ray Isle
New
Columbia and Snake Rivers: Food, Wine and History 6-Day
Duration
6 days
Apr
From
$3,720
Top Highlights
Indulge in gourmet menus guided by the rhythms of the season, featuring sustainable ingredients sourced exclusively within 250 miles of our route
Witness the region’s geological wonders—from the Columbia River Gorge to Multnomah Falls and Beacon Rock—and explore up close and at water level while hiking, kayaking, or Zodiac cruising
Taste more than 40 of the region’s best wines, sampling bottles personally selected by Food & Wine magazine’s Executive Wine Editor Ray Isle
Columbia and Snake Rivers: Food, Wine and History 8-Day
Duration
8 days
Apr
Sep
Oct
From
$5,827
Top Highlights
Indulge in gourmet menus guided by the rhythms of the season, featuring sustainable ingredients sourced exclusively within 250 miles of our route
Witness the region’s geological wonders—from the Columbia River Gorge to Multnomah Falls and Beacon Rock—and explore up close and at water level while hiking, kayaking, or Zodiac cruising
Taste more than 40 of the region’s best wines, sampling bottles personally selected by Food & Wine magazine’s Executive Wine Editor Ray Isle
Hike island forest trails in search of wildlife, kayak verdant shorelines, and bike the waterfront of a scenic city—or cruise by Zodiac and visit a mixture of quaint and world-class museums. Options abound for indulging your interests in the Pacific Northwest. Hear the legends and learn the traditions of Native Americans and First Nations through their art or moving performances. Taste the bounty of the region. Dine on salmon straight from local waters, foraged wild mushrooms picked within 50 miles, and provisions delivered directly from farmers along our route.
Relax and settle in to life aboard as you cruise the waters of the Pacific Northwest. Your expedition ship offers the absolute best way to access all the sites, culture, and history along the river—without ever having to change hotels or wheel luggage around. We add to that the luxury of comfort with a quality of shipboard life and a philosophy of wellness designed to relax and rejuvenate body, mind, and spirit as you cruise the Pacific Northwest.
Expedition Dining—Then & Now
The Pacific Northwest is known for its incredible bounty and some of the freshest ingredients around. You can look forward to meals that celebrate the region’s world-famous flavors, like a vibrantly pink coho salmon filet, bright green coils of fiddlehead ferns, and a bottle of terroir-rich pinot noir.
See, do, and learn more by going with engaging experts who have been exploring this region for decades.
Expedition Leader
Veteran expedition leaders are the orchestrators of your experience. Many have advanced degrees and have conducted research or taught for years. They have achieved expedition leader status because they possess the skills, the experience, and the depth of knowledge necessary to continually craft the best expedition possible for our guests.
Our naturalists, passionate about the geographies they explore (and return to regularly), illuminate each facet through their enthusiasm and knowledge. Our guests consistently cite the expertise and engaging company of our staff as key reasons to repeatedly travel with us.
Every expedition aboard a ship in our National Geographic-flagged fleet offers an exclusive service—a Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic certified photo instructor. This naturalist is specially trained to offer assistance with camera settings and the basics of composition and to help you become a better, more confident photographer.
On the Columbia River, enjoy the company and perspective of a historian who can quote extensively from the journals of Lewis and Clark. And on expeditions that sail along the coast, go with a cultural interpreter or an anthropologist who has lived among the Coast Salish peoples of the San Juan Islands.
Our wellness program embodies the belief that nature is vitalizing and that wildness, as Thoreau famously said, supplies a tonic. Wellness Specialists are fully accredited and experienced licensed massage therapists and are aboard every ship in the National Geographic-flagged fleet. They lead morning stretch class on the deck, aerobic walks ashore, kayak outings, and more.
Doesn't get better, a brilliant staff.
Stephanie O.
Making a Difference
Lindblad Expeditions supports stewardship efforts in the places we explore, and one way we do that is through the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic (LEX-NG) Fund. Traveler contributions to the LEX-NG Fund in the Pacific Northwest currently support the National Geographic Society’s Early Career Grants, which promote future leaders with novel and exploratory projects that span the fields of conservation, education, research, storytelling, and technology.
Our visit to Walla Walla, Washington at the confluence of the Columbia and Snake Rivers did not disappoint. The region offers a bevy of activities. Everything from historical sites and museums to ice cream shops and wineries. Guests of National Geographic Sea Bird chose to learn about the region’s history of the Cayuse people at Whitman Mission, sampled wines from local vineyards and tasting rooms, and explored the lively downtown of Walla Walla with its many coffee shops, bookstores, and ice cream parlors.
We began our day about 6:30 AM by anchoring at Crow Butte Park where we transferred by Zodiac, our first of the week. We then commenced with three options for hiking and walking, all of which included great views of National Geographic Sea Bird swinging on its anchor. Shipboard presentations by staff were on wine, geology, and geography. Shortly after departing Crow Butte, we again anchored and boated in the Umatilla National Wildlife Refuge for more bird sightings. We then transited McNary Lock and Dam and proceeded to our next anchorage at Pasco, Washington.
This morning, we cruised through spectacular scenery of mountains and trees shrouded in clouds as we made our way up the Columbia River. Before lunch we went through the first lock of our trip at Bonneville Dam. After a delicious midday meal, we left the ship behind for adventures ashore. We visited the 620-foot-tall Multnomah Falls, the tallest waterfall in Oregon. After that we split into groups, with some choosing to visit Bonneville Fish Hatchery and others opting for a hike at Beacon Rock. We finished our time ashore at the Columbia Gorge Museum where we were treated to a wine tasting from Syncline Winery and delicious appetizers from Field and Vine. We returned to National Geographic Sea Bird for a well-deserved dinner after another wonderful day in the Pacific Northwest.
The first full day of our voyage was spent in Astoria, the oldest city in Oregon and the oldest American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. In town, we visited the Columbia River Maritime Museum and learned about the fascinating seafaring history of this area. From there we visited Coxcomb Hill and the Astoria Column for panoramic views of the town and river below. The other half of our day was spent in neighboring Washington state at Cape Disappointment. We visited Waikiki Beach and saw an installment from Maya Lin’s Confluence Project. From there we continued to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center for the full story on the famous explorers. During dinner we left the dock and continued up the Columbia toward Hood River for more adventures tomorrow!
National Geographic Sea Bird docked in Hood River, Oregon this morning so we could visit the famous Multnomah Falls. A light rain allowed us to have the waterfall all to ourselves! Beacon Rock State Park and the Columbia River Museum were additional highlights today where guests had the opportunity to explore trails though the temperate rainforest, discover the history of the region, and enjoy a local wine tasting.
Exploring the Pacific Northwest reveals great natural beauty, and yet it features modern incredible feats of human engineering—an imposing system of locks and large-span bridges. To explore it by ship offers a chance to marvel at both.
