DAY 3 - Northwest Coast Tour

 It was a crisp, sunny day as we left Portland headed down the coast to Newport, OR.   We made several stops along the way, with the first at Cannon Beach.  It was so exhilarating as I had time to walk the beach and I loved wading in the Pacific Ocean, but it was bone-chilling cold!   http://www.cannon-beach.net/cbhaystack.html

From there we went to the Tillamook Cheese Factory for a brief tour and cheese tasting.  This is one of the top 10 tourist attractions in Oregon, so during the summer months it gets between three to five thousands visitors a day!   That was shocking to me as it's not that large.  I tried some of their world famous ice-cream which was great.   http://www.tillamook.com/

Later in the day we stopped at the Depoe Bay and Whale Watching Museum and Center.   I was disappointed that we didn't see any whales even though there had been 8 sightings that morning.  But then a little further down the coast we took the old highway 101, on the Otter Crest Loop and saw several whales. http://visittheoregoncoast.com/cities/depoe-bay/

Our last stop before arriving at the Elizabeth Inn was the Yaquina Light House.  I found the exhibits in the Interpretive Museum there quite informative and enjoyed learning about the struggle to build it in that remote area. http://www.yaquinalights.org/

The picturesque Elizabeth Inn is located right on the Ocean with breathtaking views from most rooms.   We have a spacious, ocean view room with a fireplace.  With free salmon chowder at 5 pm every afternoon and fresh baked cookies every evening at 8 pm, I can overlook the fact that they have only one elevator.   That's the only negative  - you could wait several minutes for the elevator!  http://www.elizabethstreetinn.com/

Day 2 - Northwest Coast Tour

I love flowers as they remind me of my grandma Rosa because every year she planted several varieties of roses in our back yard.  So it was interesting that our first stop today in Portland was the oldest, continuously operated public rose test garden in the U.S., the International Rose Test Gardens.  Those were my favorite 2 roses in the gardens.   For more info: http://www.rosegardenstore.org/

From there we had a 1.5 hour bus ride up to the historic Timberline Lodge nestled at the foot of majestic Mt. Hood. The Lodge was built between 1936 and 1938 as a Works Progress Administration project during the Great Depression.   In 1977, it was declared a National Historic Landmark.  We had a scrumptious lunch of salmon, roasted potatoes and broccolini there.   I found it interesting that several famous movies, including "All the Young Men" and "Hear No Evil" were partly shot on location at the Timberline Lodge. For additional info: http://www.timberlinelodge.com/     
Here's our group outside the Lodge!



The sweeping view of the Columbia River Gorge was just one of the many spectacular sights  we saw today as we drove back to Portland.  The massive area covering almost 300,000 acres spans southern Washington and northern Oregon.  It is called the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, is federally protected and is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. 

But the most impressive sight of the day was saved for last --the Multnomah Falls which is a magnificent double waterfall.    http://www.oregon.com/attractions/multnomah_falls

TOUR TIP: Don't pay all those extra baggage fees! Lighten your load by picking one color and building your travel wardrobe around that.  I prefer black because it goes with everything. Two pair of black slacks, one pair of jeans, 5 tops, a jacket and good walking shoes are all you need for a 10 day trip.

Check out Sunrise Tours at www.travelsunrise.com for the Northwest Coast 2013 Tour dates.

Sunrise Tours

I'm so excited as today I started the Northwest Coast Tour with Sunrise Tours. We arrived this evening in Portland Oregon; state #41 for me on my quest to visit all 50.

We went directly to dinner at the German Restaurant der Rheinlander. And having lived in Germany I can vouch that it was truly authentic German food. We started the meal with a cheese fondue as our appetizer. The main course was served family style with generous portions of perfectly cooked chicken schnitzel, grilled bier sausage and pork loin accompanied by spatzle, sauerkraut and red cabbage. Apple strudel was the perfect ending to a delicious meal.  http://rheinlander.com/

It was a fun evening with lively entertainment provided by an accordian player and singing waitresses.

In Portland, we're staying at the contemporary Hyatt Place, well appointed with spacious rooms and a real plus is free WiFi.

Sunrise Tours specializes in trips for senior citizens and I like that the price of this trip includes 2 meals a day and all event fees. http://www.travelsunrise.com/