Pacific Northwest Expeditions

View itineraries

Scroll to explore this destination

September 28, 2021

Multnomah Falls, Oregon

45.576° S -122.116° E

Dave Katz, Video Chronicler

We're proud to be awarded the #1 small ship cruise line by the 2021 Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards!

Experience Autumnal Bliss

Fall in the Pacific Northwest provides perfect weather for an expedition: the sun is gentle, the air is mild, and the fog hangs dramatically on the landscapes. Our British Columbia & the San Juan Islands voyage offers wildness, color, and enough warm charm to get you through the coming winter. Or experience the harvests, history and geological marvels of the Columbia and Snake Rivers.

Get there this fall with special offers on airfare, solo travel, and groups. Learn more about the itineraries below.

Pacific Northwest

Columbia & Snake Rivers Journey

Special Offers

Duration

8 days

Apr
Sep
Oct

From

$5,710

Prices are per person

Special Offers (4)

Highlights

Pacific Northwest

Columbia & Snake Rivers Journey

Duration

8 days

Apr
Sep
Oct

From

$5,710

Top Highlights

Sail in the wake of Lewis and Clark and their legendary Corps of Discovery expedition
Spend a day cruising through the spectacular Columbia River Gorge, taking in the views from the bow and perfecting your landscape photography skills
Taste the bounty of the region through their harvests and fresh, local, and delectable cuisine
Experience the region up close on water-level Zodiac and kayak forays on the Palouse River or by hiking monumental Beacon Rock
Transit a series of eight locks that lift the ship 700 feet—10 times the elevation of the Panama Canal

View Itinerary Book Now

Special Offers

SOLO TRAVELER SAVINGS
THE UNITED COASTS OF AMERICA
4TH GUEST TRAVELS FREE
4th person travels free on select 2022 departures. Book by October 31, 2022. Bookings of three full-paying guests may bring a fourth person for free. Offer applicable only on bookings of two double-occupancy cabins, and second cabin must be in same category or lower as first cabin. Valid on select departures, for new bookings only, subject to availability, not applicable on airfare or extensions, and is not combinable with other offers. Call for details.
$500 AIR CREDIT

View Itinerary Book Now

Pacific Northwest

Exploring British Columbia and the San Juan Islands

Special Offers

Duration

8 days

Sep
Oct

From

$5,400

Prices are per person

Special Offers (5)

Highlights

Pacific Northwest

Exploring British Columbia and the San Juan Islands

Duration

8 days

Sep
Oct

From

$5,400

Top Highlights

Sail among remote islands to kayak or hike where sea lions, river otters, bald eagles, and white-sided dolphins can be found
Go through Desolation Sound, on the north end of British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast, a mecca for kayakers with its calm, sheltered waters and outstanding natural beauty
In Alert Bay visit the U'Mista Cultural Center to see a stunning collection of potlatch masks created by the Kwakwaka'wakw peoples
Search for humpbacks and orcas, visit the Whale Museum, and learn about local populations from a researcher for the Center for Whale Research
In lovely Victoria tour private gardens, take a bike ride, and enjoy a private evening event at the Robert Bateman Centre

View Itinerary Book Now

Special Offers

SOLO TRAVELER SAVINGS
$400 AIR CREDIT ON SELECT DATES
THE UNITED COASTS OF AMERICA
4TH GUEST TRAVELS FREE
4th person travels free on select 2022 departures. Book by October 31, 2022. Bookings of three full-paying guests may bring a fourth person for free. Offer applicable only on bookings of two double-occupancy cabins, and second cabin must be in same category or lower as first cabin. Valid on select departures, for new bookings only, subject to availability, not applicable on airfare or extensions, and is not combinable with other offers. Call for details.
$500 AIR CREDIT

View Itinerary Book Now

Expedition Highlights

Hike island forest trails in search of wildlife, kayak verdant shorelines, and bike the waterfront of a scenic city—or cruise by Zodiac and visit a mixture of quaint and world-class museums. Options abound for indulging your interests in the Pacific Northwest. Hear the legends and learn the traditions of Native Americans and First Nations through their art or moving performances. Taste the bounty of the region. Dine on salmon straight from local waters, foraged wild mushrooms picked within 50 miles, and provisions delivered directly from farmers along our route.

See more Highlights

Life Aboard

Relax and settle in to life aboard as you cruise the waters of the Pacific Northwest. Your expedition ship offers the absolute best way to access all the sites, culture, and history along the river—without ever having to change hotels or wheel luggage around. We add to that the luxury of comfort with a quality of shipboard life and a philosophy of wellness designed to relax and rejuvenate body, mind, and spirit as you cruise the Pacific Northwest.

Expedition Dining—Then & Now

The Pacific Northwest is known for its incredible bounty and some of the freshest ingredients around. You can look forward to meals that celebrate the region’s world-famous flavors, like a vibrantly pink coho salmon filet, bright green coils of fiddlehead ferns, and a bottle of terroir-rich pinot noir.

Ready for the adventure of a lifetime?

1.800.397.3348

1.800.397.3348

Discover

Discover the Pacific Northwest

Expedition Leader

Veteran expedition leaders are the orchestrators of your experience. Many have advanced degrees and have conducted research or taught for years. They have achieved expedition leader status because they possess the skills, the experience, and the depth of knowledge necessary to continually craft the best expedition possible for our guests.

Naturalist

Our naturalists, passionate about the geographies they explore (and return to regularly), illuminate each facet through their enthusiasm and knowledge. Our guests consistently cite the expertise and engaging company of our staff as key reasons to repeatedly travel with us.

Certified Photo Instructor

Every expedition aboard a ship in our National Geographic-flagged fleet offers an exclusive service—a Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic certified photo instructor. This naturalist is specially trained to offer assistance with camera settings and the basics of composition and to help you become a better, more confident photographer.

Historian

On the Columbia River, enjoy the company and perspective of a historian who can quote extensively from the journals of Lewis and Clark. And on expeditions that sail along the coast, go with a cultural interpreter or an anthropologist who has lived among the Coast Salish peoples of the San Juan Islands.

Video Chronicler

Video chroniclers accompany every expedition and shoot vivid HD footage—with no recycled footage ever—to provide you with a professionally edited and completely authentic memento of your expedition. Working during the day and editing into the night, they have your video ready for preview prior to—and available to purchase at—disembarkation.

Wellness

Our wellness program embodies the belief that nature is vitalizing and that wildness, as Thoreau famously said, supplies a tonic. Wellness Specialists are fully accredited and experienced licensed massage therapists and are aboard every ship in the National Geographic-flagged fleet. They lead morning stretch class on the deck, aerobic walks ashore, kayak outings, and more.

Doesn't get better, a brilliant staff.

Stephanie O.

Making a Difference

Lindblad Expeditions supports stewardship efforts in the places we explore, and one way we do that is through the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic (LEX-NG) Fund. Traveler contributions to the LEX-NG Fund in the Pacific Northwest currently support the National Geographic Society’s Early Career Grants, which promote future leaders with novel and exploratory projects that span the fields of conservation, education, research, storytelling, and technology.

1.800.397.3348

Daily Expedition Reports

Daily Expedition Reports

5/6/2022

Read

National Geographic Quest

Johnstone Strait & Alert Bay

"Waking Up with Dolphins" Coffee brewed; eggs digested Feeling strong and well rested Out on deck, binoculars keen Ocean surface a gleaming sheen Sudden shock, twisting neck Someone yells, what the heck?! Graceful swimming, gentle spouts Lots of smiles and gleeful shouts Tall black fins, soft white back To share what they know is what I lack A family of orca is sharing our morning The sun is shining, and my spirits are soaring Cameras shutter, some stand with a look of stun This ocean family has a young one! What a way to start the day Bon voyage little family, be on your merry way!

Daily Expedition Reports

4/30/2022

Read

National Geographic Sea Bird

Columbia River Gorge – Oregon and Washington

We began our day on National Geographic Sea Bird with an early morning stretch and a delightful breakfast buffet. Guests prepared for a typical wet day exploring the Oregon and Washington sides of the Columbia River Gorge. Groups set off after breakfast. One group headed to Multnomah Falls and the Bonneville Fish Hatchery, while the other traveled to Beacon Rock State Park and Multnomah Falls. Multnomah Falls, Oregon’s second most visited attraction, did not disappoint. Water crashed down the falls at over 700 cubic feet per second. Guests hiked up to the Benson Bridge. They took photos with guidance from Lindblad’s photographic instructor, Kelly Coursey Gray. After visiting the falls, guests toured the Bonneville Fish Hatchery. Patrick MacQuarrie, naturalist and river historian, explained how fish hatcheries operate and function within the Columbia River Basin. Herman, an 82-year-old white sturgeon that lives at the hatchery and warmly greets onlookers, captivated our guests. Meanwhile, the other National Geographic Sea Bird group climbed Beacon Rock on the Washington side of the Columbia River, a site first noted by Lewis and Clark as “Beaten Rock.” This was where Clark first noted tidal influence on the Columbia River. On April 06, 1805, he noted, “it is only in the fall of the year when the river is low that the tides are perceptible as high as beacon rock [sic] .” Guests hiked over 400-feet up the trail of 57 switchbacks, taking in breathtaking views from an elevation of 840-feet. After returning, National Geographic Sea Bird pulled anchor and set sail downriver. We passed through the last lock, Bonneville Dam and Lock, as guests enjoyed the Guest Photo Slideshow after dinner. We are off to Portland, ending National Geographic Sea Bird’s epic voyage on the Snake and Columbia Rivers. Photographers: Patrick MacQuarrie, Naturalist and River Historian ; Robert Edwards, Naturalist ; and Grace Winer, Naturalist

Daily Expedition Reports

4/29/2022

Read

National Geographic Sea Bird

Hood River

National Geographic Sea Bird docked at the charming city of Hood River, which is overlooked by the impressive stratovolcano, Mount Hood. After breakfast, guests boarded coaches to visit the Rowena Crest Viewpoint, which overlooks the Columbia River Gorge. Mark Mayer donated the overlook to the Hood River Valley in 1924. At the viewpoint, guests learned how the Missoula Floods raged through the area, rising to over 1000-feet deep. Leaving Rowena Crest, we journeyed to the Mosier Tunnels along the Historic Columbia River Highway. Built in 1922, the 75-mile-long scenic highway was promoted by Sam Hill and engineer Samuel C. Lancaster. Guests hiked 4.5 miles along the highway, seeing a variety of wildflowers, sumptuous views, and several birds such as turkey vultures, ospreys, American robins, and northern flickers. After returning for lunch aboard National Geographic Sea Bird , guests ventured to the popular Draper Girls Farm where they met owner Theresa Draper. This farm is a treat for all who visit. The farm offers cider-tastings, fresh fruits and jams, a beautiful garden with spectacular views of Mount Hood, and an Instagram sensation, a pygmy goat affectionately known as “Flash.” Leaving Draper Girls, guests visited the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum, or WAAAM. The museum contains one of the largest collections of functioning antique airplanes and automobiles in the region, providing fascinating displays tailored for all. The day finished with exciting recaps from the expedition team followed by dinner and a fascinating talk on Forest Ecology by naturalist Rob Edwards. A wonderful day concluded in the wonderful and windy area of Hood River, Oregon.

Daily Expedition Reports

4/28/2022

Read

National Geographic Sea Bird

Crow Butte

When we awoke on National Geographic Sea Bird , we were anchored next to Crow Butte in the Columbia River. It was overcast and chilly, but each group came to shore at Crow Butte for a hike of their preference. Some guests decided to crest the butte on an adventurous and fast-paced hike, others chose to wander with the naturalists, and a few took photography walks. Our hotel manager surprised everyone with a treat onshore at the beginning/end of the hikes. While one group was onshore, historian Patrick gave a talk to the other group onboard. The afternoon offered opportunities for everyone to kayak or rest. Those who chose to kayak were treated to a paddle in the Columbia River. Many guests were happy to sit outside in the sun, others took a nap, and several people worked diligently on their photographs. The second part of the Lewis and Clark Adventure was revealed during another exciting talk. Recap rolled into dinner, and we enjoyed a spirited game of trivia after another great meal.

Daily Expedition Reports

4/27/2022

Read

National Geographic Sea Bird

Walla Walla, Washington

Overnight, the doughty National Geographic Sea Bird made her way through the lock at Ice Harbor Dam and down the Snake River to its confluence with the Columbia, the Mighty River of the West. Here we anchored and took Zodiacs ashore to begin our overland journey to Walla Walla (Place of Many Waters), Washington. Our goal in the Walla Walla area was to visit the Whitman Mission National Historic Site, where Dr. Marcus Whitman and his wife Narcissa established a mission. They met their tragic fate when the local Cayuse people became convinced that the couple’s presence would lead to the end of their own people. We also visited Fort Walla Walla, a US Army fort established in 1856, where we found much more than military history. The museum included a history of life on the frontier as well as farming history, including the large machines used in harvesting grain. We enjoyed a wine tasting and a delicious lunch at the Three Rivers Winery.

Exploring the Pacific Northwest reveals great natural beauty, and yet it features modern incredible feats of human engineering—an imposing system of locks and large-span bridges. To explore it by ship offers a chance to marvel at both.

Sven-Olof Lindblad

1.800.397.3348

1.800.397.3348

View our brochure for more details

Pacific Northwest 2021-22

Pacific Northwest

Pacific Northwest 2021-22

In the Wake of Lewis & Clark Spring Or Fall | Explore British Columbia & the San Juan Islands | New! History & Wine in Lewiston | Plus Air Credit & Solo Offers

View online Request Brochure