Wendinger Band & Travel, Inc.
Wednesday, August 3 Renton, WA
Our flight today arrives at the Seattle/Tacoma airport to begin our Exploration of the Pacific Northwest. We will have lunch at the infamous Pikes Market where a crew of fish mongers throw fish to entertain customers. This afternoon we will have a step-on-guide. Seattle is cupped between the jagged peaks of the Cascade Range on the narrow strip between Puget Sound. The guide will elaborate on the Great Seattle Fire and the lively- hood of the residents and the Underground City. We will have a great view of of the Space Needle, the major landmark of the Pacific Northwest! Our overnight stay will be in Renton, Washington.
Thursday, August 4 Port Angeles, WA Friday, August 5 Port Angeles, WA Saturday, August 6 Ocean Shores, WA
This morning we will travel to Everett, WA for a one-of-a-kind Boeing Plant Tour, allowing you to see just how precisely and intricately one million parts can be assembled into the world's most popular flying machine. This afternoon we will board the Ferry and cross Puget Sound. Our drive will travel past the foothills of the Olympic Mountains and the breath-taking Olympic National Park for our overnight stay in Port Angeles.
This morning we will board the ferry and spend a day in the beautiful city of Victoria, British Columbia. Passports are required to enter into Canada. From historic British-style buildings to world-class attractions, the "Garden City" has it all. We will have a guided tour of Victoria. This narrated tour shows you the famous landmarks of the city and explains the fascinating history behind it. Discover Victoria's lovely homes, gardens and points of interest. This afternoon you will visit Victoria'a most famous attraction, Butchart Gardens. Stroll along winding paths through 50 fragrant acres of blossoms, enchanting theme gardens, streams and lily ponds. At the end of the day we will return by ferry to our hotel in Port Angeles.
Stunning views of the Olympic Mountains come into view as we drive up Hurricane Ridge, over 5,000 feet above sea level; where nature trails wind through the meadows and wild flowers bloom. Our lunch stop will be in Forks, WA. This town has recently gained notoriety with the filming of the block-buster movie "Twilight". This afternoon we'll take a unique drive through the Hoh Rainforest, one of few rainforests in the U.S., where the annual precipitation ranges from 141 to 165 inches. Our afternoon stop will be at Lake Quinault, the majestic glacier-carved lake. This afternoon we will learn about the forest industry as we see fields of trees at different stages of growth being harvested. Tonight we are going to stay on the Pacific Coastline. Our evening stay will be at the Quinault Casino. Tonight you can take a stroll along the Pacific Ocean or do a little gaming.
Sunday, August 7 Kelso, WA
This morning we will visit Mount St. Helens Visitor Center, which is still an active volcano. It is most famous for its catastrophic eruption in 1980, which was the deadliest and most destructive volcanic event in the history of the United States. We will get a close look at the Johnston Ridge Observatory Center. This afternoon we will drive to Kelso for our overnight stay at the Guesthaus Inn.
Monday, August 8 Clarkston, WA
Today there's an adventure waiting for you along the White Pass Scenic Byway. It's more than a road - it's 124 miles of fun, scenery and discovery on the wild side of Mt. Rainier, hopefully getting a glimpse of Mt. Rainier. Our afternoon stop will be at the delectable Fruit Market in Kennewick. Our two night stay will be in Clarkston, Washington.
Tuesday, August 9 Clarkston, WA
One of the highlights of your Pacific Northwest Tour, will be the Hells Canyon Tour. Today your all-day jet boat tour encompasses three mountain ranges, three states and three rivers. Intermittent stops at historical points of interest along the way allow you to discover numerous geological facts, wildlife and plant life from the safety and comfort of our US Coast Guard Certified tour boat. We will return back to the hotel in Clarkston.
Thursday, August 11 Cody, WY Return to the Pacific Northwest Exploration
Today we will enter the first National Park - Yellowstone. Yellowstone is unique for its geysers, hot springs, and fountain paint pots. We will make a stop at "Old Faithful", a 120-ft geyser erupting every 80-90 minutes. The vistor center features films that describe the park's geyser activity and eruptions throughout the park. We will continue on Canyon Drive - through the center of Yellowstone National Park, where the Buffalo roam freely. As we leave the park, we will cross the famous fishing bridge on the scenic drive to Cody, WY. Late this afternoon we will stop at the Buffalo Bill Museum. The museum displays belongings of the Showman, Scout and Pony Express rider, along with possessions of Annie Oakley and artifacts of the early West; providing insight into the history of the American cowboy, conservation and dude ranching. Tonight our accomodations will be at the Comfort Inn in Cody.
Friday, August 12 Wall, SD
Our travels today will twist and turn over the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming as we make our way into the Black Hills. We will pass and view the ever changing progress of the Crazy Horse Memorial as we spend some time at Mount Rushmore National Monument - one of America's favorite sites. The granite faces of the four presidents sculpted by Gutzon Borglum is always a magnificant view. We drive on to Wall, SD where billboards advertising Wall Drug can be seen for hundreds of miles throughout South Dakota and the neighboring states. In addition, many visitors of Wall Drug have erected signs throughout the world announcing the miles famous to this location.
Saturday, August 13 Home
This morning our scenery drastically changes as we enter the Badlands National Park. Our views will include irregualr ravines, jutting ridges, low hills and cliffs displaying varigated colors alternating with grayish-white sediment. As we join the interstate en route home memories of our unforgettable journey will be etched in our minds; just like the granite faces we saw in the side of the mountain at Mt. Rushmore.
