Compare An Oregon Adventure by Experience Park Tours vs Hawaii: Ocean and Islands Adventure by Discover Corps

Day 1: Multnomah Falls, Hood River Fruit Loop, and Mount Hood

Accommodation: Timberline Lodge: Government Camp, OR

Departing from the Rose City of Portland Oregon, we’ll begin our day by traveling through the historic Columbia River Gorge. Our first stop brings us to the 542 foot-tall, two-tiered Multnomah Falls. Here, you may take a stroll to the top of Oregon’s most popular trail or simply view the falls from the foot bridge at the lower cascade. Witness the thunderous waters and enjoy the refreshing mist either way you go. Our journey will continue east to Hood River for lunch before we drive the famed Hood River Fruit Loop, where cherries, pears and grapes are in abundance. Next, we’ll continue towards Mount Hood National Forest to check in to our accommodations at the historic Timberline Lodge. Situated at the base of the glacier on Mount Hood, this one-of-a-kind location is the perfect place to curl up by the fire, explore a walking trail, or simply enjoy general relaxation.

Day 2: Smith Rock State Park

Accommodation: Riverhouse on the Deschutes: Bend, OR

Our scenic drive begins at the top of Mount Hood and descends into the high desert of Bend, Oregon. Within minutes, you’ll see the landscape slowly transition from the lush Evergreen trees of the Mount Hood National Forest to the arid landscape of Central Oregon. The unique smell of the sage, Ponderosa Pine, and fresh water from the rivers and lakes makes this a truly unique visit. This afternoon, we’ll visit Smith Rock State Park – a land full of beautifully-sculpted basalt rock formations. You’ll have time to explore the trails or relax down by the water before our chef serves a hand-crafted in-field lunch. Next, we’ll make our way to our riverside accommodations at the Riverhouse on the Deschutes. Enjoy a quiet evening and dinner at the on-site restaurant, or board the Adventure Coach for a ride downtown to Bend, Oregon’s most notable brew house, Deschutes Brewery.

Day 3: Rafting the Deschutes, Golfing, and other Bend Activities

Accommodation: Riverhouse on the Deschutes: Bend, OR

With a late morning start, the day is yours to explore the shopping district in downtown Bend, Oregon. If you’re looking to get out on the water, an optional rafting excursion on the Deschutes River rapids awaits you! For those who are looking to play a few holes, there are a variety of challenging and unique courses in the area, each boasting beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. Overall, this is a day to recharge and reboot before heading into the busy days ahead. Take the time to relax by the pool with a refreshing cocktail, or take a walk on any of the surrounding trails, as the Adventure Coach will be available shuttle you to your activities throughout the day.

Day 4: Lewis & Clark Discovery Center, Stonehenge Memorial, and Maryhill Winery

Accommodation: Skamania Lodge: Stevenson, WA

Our drive this morning will follow along the Deschutes River and through beautiful winding canyons. After an in-transit lunch, we’ll reach the historic town of The Dalles, Oregon for our first stop at the Lewis & Clark Discovery Center. From here, we’ll cross on to the Washington side of the Columbia River for a moment at the WWII Stonehenge Memorial. Venturing west, next we’ll stop at Maryhill Winery for a tasting and sit-down dinner looking over the Columbia River Gorge. Our evening will conclude in the hidden cove of Skamania Lodge.

Day 5: Mt. St Helens & Cannon Beach Oregon

Accommodation: Hallmark Resort Hotel: Cannon Beach, OR

We’ll begin our journey with a visit to Mt. St. Helens, the volcano that devastated the region with its eruption in May of 1980. The Johnstons Ridge Observatory offers insight into how the mountain erupted and recovered over the past 28 years as well as the impact it had on the local community and landscape. Next, we’ll descend the mountain to the Columbia River Gorge, with our eyes overlooking the same view that Lewis and Clark saw when they first arrived to the Pacific at the end of the Oregon Trail. Reaching the town of Cannon Beach, we’ll check in to our Hallmark Resort Hotel accommodations, just steps away from the ocean. The evening is yours to enjoy.

Day 6: Astoria, Seaside, and Cape Disappointment

Accommodation: Hallmark Resort Hotel: Cannon Beach, OR

WToday is a free day to soak in the sun on the shores of Cannon Beach or explore the shops downtown. For those wanting to fish, there are two options: deep sea fishing for salmon, or fishing on the Columbia River at the world-class Buoy 10 for salmon and sturgeon. Fishing is not included in your package but we will help you arrange it. For those wanting to explore outside of Cannon Beach, we’ll board the Adventure Coach to drive to Long Beach, Washington for lunch and a visit to Cape Disappointment Lighthouse. Next, we’ll explore Astoria, the oldest settlement West of the Mississippi where we’ll visit the Flavel House Museum. A stop at the Columbia River Maritime Museum gives us a detailed look the importance of the Columbia River to the culture, economy, and history of this charming region. The evening is yours to explore the beach and shopping districts.

Day 7: Portland and The Journey Home

The morning is yours to sleep in or explore the beach. We’ll depart after breakfast for the Portland International Airport. If you have a later departure or are unable to check in to your post-trip accommodations, we’ll head downtown for a look at the Portland Market and the Portland Japanese Garden. We hope you enjoy your time traveling with us. Thank you for choosing Experience Park Tours.

Day 1: Arrive in Honolulu and Meet the Group

Meals: Dinner

Upon arrival in Hawaii’s capital, Honolulu, you’ll be be met at the airport and taken to your hotel just steps from the world famous Waikiki beaches. After a relaxing welcome dinner together, we’ll get to know one another and discuss the schedule for the week ahead.

Day 2: Journey to Oahu’s North Shore & Experience the Aloha Spirit

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

After breakfast, we’ll set out for Hawaii’s iconic North Shore, famous for its big waves and stunning landscapes. Spend the morning in the historic Waimea Valley with a local organization helping to preserve the valley’s cultural heritage and rainforests. Assist with a reforestation initiative, swim in waterfalls, and see why the ancient Hawaiians deemed the valley sacred centuries ago. In the afternoon, we’ll continue to Na Mea Kupono, an eco-farm that is home to Hawaii’s staple crop, taro. We’ll be hosted by this local family for a Hawaiin-style paina, or gathering, for our dinner as we learn more about their role in farming on the island.

Day 3: Climb Diamond Head & Sail out to Sea on a Catamaran

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Hawaii’s South Shore is crowned by the now extinct Diamond Head volcano. We’ll take a hike this morning to the top of the rim to get a panoramic view of Waikiki from above. For those who opt not to hike, we’ll have the option to visit the Bishop Museum, home of the royal Kamehameha family and now housing an array of artifacts covering Hawaii’s vast Polynesian heritage. After lunch in Waikiki, we’ll hit the sea on a catamaran ride over the turquoise Pacific waters.

Day 4: Fly to Maui & Explore the Tropical‘Iao Valley State Park

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Enjoy a free morning to explore Waikiki. Head to the beach for a surf lesson with the Waikiki beach boys, check out the area’s cafes and shops or simply relax on white sand beaches only steps from your hotel. We’ll take a short mid-day flight across the Hawaiian archipelago to the Valley Isle of Maui. After landing, we’ll head over to the towering emerald peaks of the ‘Iao Valley on Central Maui for a guided hike of the state park. A location revered by the ancient Hawaiians, the valley also served as the site of one of Hawaii’s most important battles as King Kamehameha I tried to unite the islands in the 1700’s. Later in the evening, unwind at our Kaanapali beachfront hotel.

Day 5: Snorkel off Lana’i & Lend a Hand Protecting Sea Turtles

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

We’ll have an early breakfast before cruising to the scenic coastline of Lana'i island with the Pacific Whale Foundation. Spend the morning with breakfast on the boat (expect large boat with other travelers) and then 1.5 hours of snorkeling. Scout for wild dolphins, including acrobatic spinner dolphins, friendly bottlenose dolphins, and curious spotted dolphins. Conservationists from the Foundation will narrate your journey and take about everything from whale migration to plastics in the ocean to reef health.

We’ll return to Maui and, after lunch, spend our first afternoon volunteering alongside the Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute. Home to one of Hawaii’s largest sea turtle rescues and land based coral nurseries, we’ll join their staff on beach and marine debris cleanu , specifically collecting coral fragments. Take these pieces of coral back to the research center and aid in cutting them into smaller pieces to be grown at the center for a period of 8 months - something that would take the reef 20 years to regenerate! This coral is eventually placed back into the reef to bring back areas that are dead or dying.

Day 6: Maui Ocean Center Volunteering & Farewell Luau

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

After breakfast, we’ll spend another morning helping the conservation team at the Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute. On Maui and other Hawaiian islands, sea turtles are being threatened as their habitat is increasingly depleted. Green turtle populations are being impacted by events such as the 2018 hurricane that washed out the most important nesting beach for this species in the entire archipelago. We’ll continue to lend a hand on our projects while learning about some of the initiatives in place to preserve the fragile ecosystem both on land and underwater, including going out with the team to find turtles and tag them for research purposes.

Later in the afternoon, we’ll head back to the hotel where you’ll have some free time to enjoy the beach, swim in the ocean or venture into the coastal town of Lahaina. Tonight, we’ll enjoy a special farewell dinner together along with a traditional island luau.

Day 7: Depart Maui or Continue on for the Post-Trip Extension

Meals: Breakfast

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and check-out of your rooms. The rest of the day is free to relax at the beach or explore nearby Lahaina until your flight home, or continue on to our optional post-trip extension along the gorgeous road to Hana.