Columbia and Snake Rivers: Food, Wine, and History 6-Day

Choose to fly into nearby Lewiston, Idaho, or into Spokane, Washington, two hours away. Transfers will be provided from either airport to Clarkston to embark the ship in the afternoon. This evening our wine expert will host our first tasting before our chef introduces our first locally-sourced dinner.<b>Arrival Time:</b> Arrive by 3:30 p.m. local time (Lewiston); arrive by 1:30 p.m. local time (Spokane).<br /><b>Arrival City:</b> Lewiston, Idaho, or Spokane, Washington

The still water of the Palouse River is the perfect mirror for the surrounding basalt cliffs as we set off on our Zodiac and kayak adventures. Later visit Palouse Falls, where waters plunge 200 feet into a churning pool. These falls and the surrounding canyon with its towering cliffs, cavernous holes in the earth, and winding water routes are part of geologically unique channeled scablands created by ancient floods. In the evening enjoy wines and cocktails on the bow as we pass through two impressive locks.  

Drive through some of the most fertile agricultural areas in the nation, with bright, rolling green and purple fields of sprouting wheat, asparagus, and famous Walla Walla sweet onions. Choose to visit Dunham Cellars for a private tasting in a WWII airplane hangar, or the Whitman Mission, a standout National Historic Site, where friction between Native Americans and white missionaries erupted into an event that reverberates in our culture today. After lunch at a local winery, explore charming downtown Walla Walla at your leisure, perusing local galleries, sampling sweets at the country’s #1 candy store, or popping into cozy tasting rooms.

Today we spend the day cruising through some of the most scenic and geologically interesting stretches of the Columbia River and the Columbia Plateau. Our geologists provide fascinating insight on the glacial floods that sculpted the landscape 13,000 years ago, as our food and wine expert illustrates the expression of such unique terrain through its tastes and tannins.  

Today we immerse ourselves in the region's natural and man-made marvels. Make a stop at neck-craning Multnomah Falls before an optional hike of iconic Beacon Rock, a basalt column towering 848 feet above the Columbia River Later, enjoy a special private event with Syncline Winery at the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center. Savor canapes and Syncline’s distinctive wines as you take in 15,000 years of cultural history, including indigenous art and a massive working steam engine. In the afternoon we explore the scenic Columbia and pass through Bonneville Lock and Dam. Take a local beer or steaming cup of coffee to the bow where our naturalists offer honest perspectives on the controversial history of dams along the river.  

Arrive in Portland, located on the Columbia and Willamette rivers, in the shadow of snow-capped Mt. Hood. The city is known for its ecofriendliness, microbreweries, and coffeehouses. After breakfast, disembark the ship and transfer to the airport for return flights home.  <b>Departure Time:</b> Depart after 11:30 a.m. local time.<br /><b>Departure City:</b> Portland, Oregon