Crater Lake, Yosemite & Beyond

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Day 1 – Home to Hood River, OR

This morning you will be chauffeured to MSP airport for your flight to Portland and the beginnings of our “Crater Lake/Yosemite” Tour. Ahead of you awaits some of the most beautiful scenery in the country! Your tour director has everything planned and your motorcoach awaits in Portland so off we go! We will find lunch before we begin a beautiful drive with great photo stops of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic area. Our first stop, Vista House at Crown Point some 700 feet above the river, will give you spectacular views of the river both upstream and down! This National Historic Landmark was built to offer visitors on the old Columbia River Gorge Highway a place of comfort, rest and a chance to enjoy the sights! We’ll continue our drive this afternoon with a stop at Multnomah Falls. This 611 foot waterfall is as spectacular and beautiful as any in the country and a chance to enjoy the beauty here is priceless. Our stop for the night is in the town of Hood River and our hotel is on the banks of the Columbia River as it travels west towards the Pacific Ocean. Enjoy an included dinner this evening and take time to walk along the pathways on the banks of the river as you enjoy the summer night!

Hotel: Hood River Inn (2 Nights) 

Included Meals: Dinner 

Day 2 – Hood River Area

Enjoy breakfast this morning and maybe another walk along the river before we begin our day’s adventures. This morning we will travel east along the river to the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum, where we will learn about the Columbia River Gorge, the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the history of this area. This museum is recognized internationally as the destination for exploring the natural and cultural richness of the Pacific Northwest. We’ll then travel into the Dalles for a stop at the Sunshine Mill Winery for a tasting and a travel back in time as we learn about the Sunshine Flower Mill, whose building has been present for over 130 years and is the only designated skyscraper in the Columbia River Gorge! Lunch today will be along the banks of the Columbia River at the Historic Columbia Gorge Hotel. Built around 1920, this historic hotel has hosted the likes of Presidents Roosevelt and Coolidge, actresses Myrna Loy and Jane Powell and many more! Now you will be added to the list of notables! This afternoon we will enjoy a drive around what is called “the Fruit Loop.” The Hood River Valley is known for the variety of fruit that is grown in this region. We’ll enjoy a drive among the orchards with a couple of stops along the way for pictures and maybe even a tasting of fresh apple or pear. Oh, did we mention that if the cloud cover isn’t too low, you will get some spectacular views and photos of Mt Hood! We’ll arrive back at the hotel late afternoon and your evening is free to enjoy the Columbia River area.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Day 3 – Hood River to Bend, OR

Today we leave the Columbia River Gorge and travel south with the Cascade Mountain Range to our west. We’ll travel through farm and ranch country and make a stop at the charming town of Sisters! You’ll have time to check out the local shops and find some lunch before we continue on to Bend where we will spend the next two nights. Dinner tonight will be at a local restaurant and you’ll enjoy having time to walk along the banks of the Deschuttes River just outside our hotel.

Hotel: Hampton Inn (2 Nights) 

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner 

Day 4 – Bend Area

After breakfast we travel south of Bend to the High Desert Museum. The museum is set on 135 acres and tells the story of life on the high desert (Bend is at 3623’ above sea level). We will have ample time to explore high desert history and culture here. Birds of prey, bobcats, lizards and more will fascinate you on this journey and once you see the “original tourbus,” or should I say the stagecoach, you’ll be glad you’re traveling in our luxury motorcoach! This afternoon we enjoy a visit to Lava Lands Visitor Center, which is part of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. This area has a history of volcanic eruptions and we will have the chance to travel to the top of Lava Butte to not only take in the great view of the Oregon area, but to also see the molten land that lies below! Back in Bend tonight dinner is on your own, providing the chance to experience the hospitality of Bend, the town that calls itself the “outdoor playground of the west!”

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Day 5 – Bend to Crater Lake, OR

This morning we’ll have breakfast before we continue our travels south along the Cascade Mountain Range. Our destination today is Crater Lake National Park. Your first view of the lake will surely be one of those “Wow” moments! However, your second and third views will be the same! We will have ample time to enjoy the views of the lake from all sides today as we spend the day enjoying this deep, pure, blue-in-color lake with cliffs surrounding it that are almost 2000 feet high! You’ll take plenty of pictures but we will encourage you to just pause and look because pictures just can’t recreate the beauty before you! This afternoon we check into our rustic accomodations before we enjoy dinner at the fabulous Crater Lake Lodge, which was built in 1915 close to the rim that overlooks the lake, it is simple but lovely.

Hotel: The Cabins at Mazama Village 

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner 

Day 6 – Crater Lake to Shasta City, CA

This morning you can sleep in a bit or rise early and join the group as we drive up to Crater Lake once more to take in the sunrise over Crater Lake. Later, we’ll have breakfast, then give you plenty of time before we travel out of the park towards our next destination. The trees, rivers and beauty around you will make this an awesome morning ride! A stop for lunch in Klamath Falls, OR before we travel into California and look for our first glimpse of Mt Shasta! Later we’ll visit the Mt. Shasta Museum and the Mount Shasta Fish Hatchery. Afterwards we’ll check into our hotel for a 2 night stay and enjoy a great meal together!

Hotel: Best Western Plus Tree House Inn (2 Nights) 

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner 

Day 7 – Shasta Lake and Redding Areas

This morning we’ll drive a bit south through a beautiful forested area, then soon before us rises the Shasta Dam. This dam, the second largest in the country, backs up the waters of the Sacramento River, forming Shasta Lake. We’ll immediately see the effects of the drought as the waters are low, but still a beautiful lake meanders behind the dam. A tour of the dam will leave us awed by this magnificent engineering feat! Then we travel into Redding where we will visit the Turtle Bay’s McConnell Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. Walk across the famous Sundial Bridge…yes a working sundial that is one of the largest in the world! Then take a walk through the gardens on this relaxing and beautiful afternoon!

Included Meals: Breakfast 

Day 8 – Mt. Shasta City to S. Lake Tahoe, CA

Good morning – what an adventure lies ahead today! We’ll travel some beautiful pathways as we head towards Lake Tahoe, CA. First we will make a stop at McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park. Situated between Mount Shasta and Lassen Peak, this park’s centerpiece is the thundering whitewater falls on Burney Creek, augmented by the voluminous springs emanating from the basalt cliff face. During a visit here, President Theodore Roosevelt pronounced them one of the wonders of the world! Enjoy the views of the falls and a walk along the creek. On your walk you may even take time to take a few steps on the Pacific Crest Trail which travels from Mexico to Canada! Then we continue our scenic drive through the volcanic regions of Northern California. Rising before us is Mt. Lassen, which last erupted just over 100 years ago. A scenic stop along the way will give us great views of Mt. Lassen, Mt. Shasta, and the Hat Creek Valley. After lunch we continue our travels south, crossing into Nevada for a bit, before we climb from Carson City up through the forests to beautiful Lake Tahoe. We’ll check into our hotel before boarding a dinner cruise, together enjoying the beauty of the lake and its surroundings!

Hotel: Harvey’s Lake Tahoe 

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner 

Day 9 – S. Lake Tahoe to Yosemite Nat’l Park

Our day begins with breakfast and then a ride up the Heavenly Mountain Gondola for some spectacular panoramic views of the Lake Tahoe area! It will be difficult to come down with views like this but what awaits this afternoon will make it worthwhile…we are off to Yosemite National Park! We will enter Yosemite from the East and travel along the Tioga Pass Drive through the park, enjoying spectacular views of Granite Cliffs, deep valleys, grand meadows and spectacular rock formations in this 125 year old park! Our lodging tonight will be inside the park at Yosemite Lodge. Explore the park on one of the many paths, taking in the spectacular views around you.

Hotel: Yosemite Lodge 

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner 

Day 10 – Yosemite Nat’l Park to Fresno, CA

Begin your day with a walk in the beautiful valley and take a moment to be still and listen to the day come to life! After breakfast we will enjoy a narrated Valley tour, providing views of El Capitan, Half Dome and others. Maybe we’ll watch climbers making their way up the face of the granite walls or be awed by the stillness of pools and wildflowers. We will treasure our time in this special place before we travel out the southern part of the park and make our way to Fresno for the evening. Dinner with your traveling companions will be included and then retire for a great nights rest at our R&J chosen hotel.

Hotel: Hampton Inn 

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner 

Day 11 – Fresno to Barstow, CA

As we begin our travels down another pathway, notice the agriculture that surrounds us. This area is known for many things and one of them is the growing of grapes for raisins. We’ll make a stop at the Sun-Maid Visitor Center this morning to learn about the raisin industry…and maybe enjoy some of “nature’s candy!” This afternoon as we travel across the Mojave Desert, we will make a stop at the Borax Mine Visitors Center where we will learn about the history of the “20 Mule Team” and the mining of Borax. On to Barstow this evening for our nights rest, but first a farewell dinner is included at a local favorite restaurant.

Hotel: Holiday Inn Express 

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner 

Day 12 – Barstow to Home

We have traveled some spectacular “Panoramic Pathways” the last 12 days and now we make our way to Las Vegas, where we will catch an afternoon flight home. As you take off from Las Vegas, keep an eye out the window…your spectacular views may continue as you fly over the Grand Canyon or another of our beautiful National Parks! Arriving home tonight you will have great memories of beautiful “Panoramic Pathways” in Oregon and California!

Included Meals: Breakfast