Columbia and Snake Rivers: Food, Wine and History
Experience the bounty of the Pacific Northwest with National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions and wines curated by Food & Wine Executive Wine Editor Ray Isle. Choose a 6- or 8-day journey to delve deep into the history, harvests, and landscapes of the Columbia and Snake rivers, while indulging your senses with the region’s culinary splendors and world-class wines. Actively explore the region on hikes, kayaking excursions, and visits to museums and wineries. Our nimble, intimately scaled ship offers an unmatched vantage for taking in the rolling valleys and soaring canyons, and a top team of naturalists—including experts on history, geology, and wine—illuminates all we see and savor.
Highlights
Indulge in gourmet, seasonal menus featuring sustainable ingredients sourced primarily from the surrounding Pacific Northwest region
Enjoy nightly tastings of the region’s best wines, personally selected by Food & Wine magazine’s Executive Wine Editor, Ray Isle
Witness the region’s geological wonders—from Beacon Rock to Multnomah and Palouse Falls—and explore up close and at water level aboard kayaks and Zodiacs
Explore art galleries, sweets shops and tasting rooms in delightful downtown Walla Walla
Gain exclusive access, including a private reception at the Columbia Gorge Museum as well as private tours and tastings with local winemakers
In Astoria, visit scenic Cape Disappointment where Lewis and Clark first saw the Pacific Ocean (8-day itinerary only)
Guest Speaker
Join sommelier and podcast host Amanda McCrossin on the Apr. 8, 2025 departure
From
$3,675
/ per person
Does not include any flights
View our brochure for more details
Wild Pacific Coast 2025-28
From
$3,675
/ per person
View our brochure for more details
Wild Pacific Coast 2025-28
From
$3,675
/ per person
View our brochure for more details
Wild Pacific Coast 2025-28
Itinerary
Multiple routes available
Some departures follow a modified itinerary. Please refer to departure dates for exact routing of your departure.
8-Day Eastbound
Download ItineraryStarts atPortland, OregonEnds atClarkston, Washington
Day 1
Portland, Oregon / Embark Ship
Arrive in the early afternoon in Portland, located in the shadow of snow-capped Mount Hood. Embark in early evening and enjoy wine and champagne as the ship sails along the Willamette River under eight of Portland’s 12 eclectic bridges.
Arrival Time: Arrive by 3:00 p.m. local time.
Arrival City: Portland, Oregon
Meals Included: Dinner
Day 1
Portland, Oregon / Embark ShipArrive in the early afternoon in Portland, located in the shadow of snow-capped Mount Hood. Embark in early evening and enjoy wine and champagne as the ship sails along the Willamette River under eight of Portland’s 12 eclectic bridges.
Arrival Time: Arrive by 3:00 p.m. local time.
Arrival City: Portland, Oregon
Meals Included: Dinner
Day 2
Astoria
Begin your journey by navigating the Columbia to the mouth of the river at Astoria. At Cape Disappointment, take in the dramatic scenery where Meriwether Lewis saw the Pacific for the first time in 1805. Walk or enjoy a scenic hike to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center to learn more. In the afternoon, there are several options to explore Astoria—visit the maritime museum to learn about this estuary’s navigational hazards and history of shipwrecks, take a shuttle to the Astoria Column or explore the shops and restaurants on your own.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 2
AstoriaBegin your journey by navigating the Columbia to the mouth of the river at Astoria. At Cape Disappointment, take in the dramatic scenery where Meriwether Lewis saw the Pacific for the first time in 1805. Walk or enjoy a scenic hike to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center to learn more. In the afternoon, there are several options to explore Astoria—visit the maritime museum to learn about this estuary’s navigational hazards and history of shipwrecks, take a shuttle to the Astoria Column or explore the shops and restaurants on your own.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3
Cruising / The Dalles / Hood River
Immerse yourself in natural and man-made marvels as you explore the scenic Columbia and pass through Bonneville Lock and Dam. Take a steaming cup of coffee to the bow where your naturalists offer honest perspectives on the controversial history of dams along the river. In the afternoon, 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 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.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3
Cruising / The Dalles / Hood RiverImmerse yourself in natural and man-made marvels as you explore the scenic Columbia and pass through Bonneville Lock and Dam. Take a steaming cup of coffee to the bow where your naturalists offer honest perspectives on the controversial history of dams along the river. In the afternoon, 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 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.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4
Cruising the Gorge
Spend the day cruising through some of the most scenic and geologically interesting stretches of the Columbia River and the Columbia Plateau. Your geologists provide fascinating insight on the glacial floods that sculpted the landscape 13,000 years ago, as your food and wine expert illustrates the expression of such unique terrain through its tastes and tannins. Relive the historic tales of the Corps of Discovery through the eyes of a historian as you sail by important landmarks. Or unwind with a massage in preparation for an exciting day ahead.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4
Cruising the GorgeSpend the day cruising through some of the most scenic and geologically interesting stretches of the Columbia River and the Columbia Plateau. Your geologists provide fascinating insight on the glacial floods that sculpted the landscape 13,000 years ago, as your food and wine expert illustrates the expression of such unique terrain through its tastes and tannins. Relive the historic tales of the Corps of Discovery through the eyes of a historian as you sail by important landmarks. Or unwind with a massage in preparation for an exciting day ahead.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5
Walla Walla, Washington
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. In the morning, discover the thriving art scene on a guided tour, or choose to visit the Whitman Mission, a standout National Historic Site where friction between Native Americans and white missionaries erupted into an event that continues to reverberate in American culture. 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.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5
Walla Walla, WashingtonDrive 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. In the morning, discover the thriving art scene on a guided tour, or choose to visit the Whitman Mission, a standout National Historic Site where friction between Native Americans and white missionaries erupted into an event that continues to reverberate in American culture. 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.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6
Palouse River
The still water of the Palouse River is the perfect mirror for the surrounding basalt cliffs as you set off on your Zodiac and kayak adventures. 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. Afterwards, sail up the Snake River, enjoying a taste of local specialties.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6
Palouse RiverThe still water of the Palouse River is the perfect mirror for the surrounding basalt cliffs as you set off on your Zodiac and kayak adventures. 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. Afterwards, sail up the Snake River, enjoying a taste of local specialties.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7
Clarkston
Today, explore the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers, more than 450 miles from the sea. Travel by comfortable jet boat into spectacular, 125-mile Hells Canyon, North America’s deepest river gorge, mostly inaccessible by road. Observe remnants of the Nez Perce tribe, including ancestral horsetrails along the hillsides and petroglyphs on rock formations, while keeping an eye out for the stately and nimble Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. In the evening, you'll be joined by a Nez Perce storyteller, and a local winemaker hosts your final tasting as you toast an unforgettable journey before a special final dinner.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7
ClarkstonToday, explore the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers, more than 450 miles from the sea. Travel by comfortable jet boat into spectacular, 125-mile Hells Canyon, North America’s deepest river gorge, mostly inaccessible by road. Observe remnants of the Nez Perce tribe, including ancestral horsetrails along the hillsides and petroglyphs on rock formations, while keeping an eye out for the stately and nimble Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. In the evening, you'll be joined by a Nez Perce storyteller, and a local winemaker hosts your final tasting as you toast an unforgettable journey before a special final dinner.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8
Clarkston / Disembark Ship
Disembark in Clarkston and transfer to the airport for flights home. Choose to fly from nearby Lewiston, Idaho or from Spokane, Washington, two hours away.
Departure Time: After 12:00 p.m., local time (Lewiston); after 12:00 p.m., local time (Spokane)
Departure City: Lewiston, Idaho, or Spokane, Washington
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 8
Clarkston / Disembark ShipDisembark in Clarkston and transfer to the airport for flights home. Choose to fly from nearby Lewiston, Idaho or from Spokane, Washington, two hours away.
Departure Time: After 12:00 p.m., local time (Lewiston); after 12:00 p.m., local time (Spokane)
Departure City: Lewiston, Idaho, or Spokane, Washington
Meals Included: Breakfast
National Geographic Expert
Join Brian Kastl on the October 25, 2025 departure
BRIAN KASTL
Ecologist
Video
In Good Company - Food, Wine & History with Ray Isle
- Nov 2023
In 2024, Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic and Food & Wine are collaborating to deliver an immersive small-ship journey along the Columbia and Snake Rivers, a fertile region known for its exceptional culinary scene. Ray Isle, Food & Wine's Executive Wine Editor, has handpicked more than 40 local wines for guests to taste throughout the voyage. He will also join the inaugural departure on March 31, 2024. In this episode of In Good Company, Isle shares more about his wine selections and how great wine is a “way to travel the world in a glass.
Dates & Rates
Filters
Ships
National Geographic Sea Bird
GUESTS 62
CABINS 31
DECKS 3
National Geographic Sea Bird accommodates just 62 guests in 31 outside cabins. With a shallow draft and small size, she can easily reach places inaccessible to larger ships.
National Geographic Sea Lion
GUESTS 62
CABINS 31
DECKS 3
National Geographic Sea Lion accommodates just 62 guests in 31 outside cabins. With a shallow draft and small size, she can easily reach places inaccessible to larger ships.
Expedition Team
Over 50+ years of exploring, Lindblad Expeditions’ veteran staff and the quality companionship they provide has established the company’s reputation. From expedition leaders to naturalists, most hold advanced degrees and are established authorities in their fields. Some join a few expeditions each year to explore the same sites, some of them spending some time in the field away from rigorous academic work. And others lead expeditions all around the world—with many guests saying, “Where you’re going, we’re going,” and returning time after time to travel with them. Browse our team directory to discover the full cast of expedition staff.
Special Offers
SAVE 5% TRAVELING AS A GROUP
CELEBRATE LIFE'S MILESTONES
PAY BY DEBIT: EARN A $100 ONBOARD CREDIT
COMBINING OFFERS
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Wild Pacific Coast 2025-28