This morning we are transported to Charlotte Douglas Airport for our flight to Portland. One of Portland’s nicknames is the City of Roses. Nearly a century ago, a local citizen convinced city officials to set up a rose test garden during World War I to preserve the species of European roses that might be destroyed by the bombings. The International Rose Test Garden is the oldest official, continuously operated public rose test garden in the United States. During our visit, we can walk among over 10,000 rose bushes of approximately 650 varieties. We check into our hotel for two nights. (D)

The Mt. Hood Scenic Byway is a great way to immerse in the Oregon wilderness. View spectacular waterfalls, streams, historic sites, and breathtaking mountain vistas. A striking cascade more than 600 ft tall, Multnomah Falls draws more than two million visitors each year to take photos and hike its trails. Fed by underground springs from Larch Mountain, Multnomah is the most visited natural recreation site in the Pacific Northwest! Timberline Lodge is at the center of the various bounties enjoyed in the state of Oregon. Constructed of mammoth timbers and stone, it’s described as legendary, awe-inspiring, and a tribute to the rugged spirit of the pacific Northwest. The Columbia River Gorge, a canyon of the Columbia River up to 4,000 feet deep, stretches for over 80 miles as the river winds westward through the Cascade Range and has the greatest concentration of waterfalls in North America. At Bonneville Lock and Dam, we can see the spring flowing through the fish locks and ladders, moving 455 thousand cubic feet per second through the spillway and powerhouses, enough water to fill five Olympic sized swimming pools every second. As we watch, we can get views of the river and see fish migrating up the ladders. (L)

This morning, we travel through Salem, the capital of Oregon. Our drive takes us past the Salem Capitol Building. Crater Lake National Park is in the Cascade Mountains of southern Oregon. Formed by the now-collapsed volcano, Mount Mazama, Rim Drive, a road surrounding the lake, offers views of the park’s volcanic formations. Photos do not do justice to the incredible blue color and crystal clear waters of Crater Lake. Home to Rainbow Trout and Sockeye Salmon, there are no rivers flowing into or out of the lake. The evaporation is compensated for by rain and snowfall at a rate such that the total amount of water is replaced every 250 years. With a depth of 1,949 feet, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the US. We overnight in Klamath Falls.

We travel through Medford, known for its orchards, creameries and vineyards, on our way to Crescent City and the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. Bright, open, and lush, Jed Smith’s redwood groves are the most scenic in existence. There’s an unusual amount of variety in the color and texture of the trees, in the size of the trees, and even in the understory vegetation, making the woods an interesting place to hike. We overnight in the area.

We take scenic coastal highway 101 to Gold Beach which is a small Oregon town where the Rogue River meets the Pacific Ocean. This morning our jet boat cruise up the spectacular Rogue River will take us into Oregon’s rugged wilderness to see bald eagles, cormorants, seals and blue herons. A boxed lunch will be included with our exciting jet boat excursion. Our next destination today is Coos Bay, the international port that ranks among the world’s largest wood products exporting centers. We drive through Shore Acres State Park, perched on a scenic bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. We overnight in Florence this evening. (L)

This morning we visit the Oregon Sand Dunes National Recreation Area where we get on a dune buggy for a thrilling ride over the miles of sand. The natural diversity of Oregon Dunes NRA makes it a natural home to a wide range of plant and animal species, including the Snowy Plover, an endangered shorebird, osprey, egret, river otters and bald eagles. Our next stop is Sea Lion Caves, a privately owned wildlife preserve and bird sanctuary and America’s largest sea cave and the year-round home of the Steller sea lion. (Passengers with mobility issues will not be able to make the walk). We continue on for a scenic drive through Newport then on to Portland for our last overnight. Dinner is included this evening. (D)

We travel this morning to the Portland Airport for our flight home. Our extraordinary adventure will be undoubtedly one of our favorites to remember!