Pacific Northwest Expeditions

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September 28, 2021

Multnomah Falls, Oregon

45.576° S -122.116° E

Dave Katz, Video Chronicler

We're a winner of Conde Nast Traveler's 2022 Readers Choice Awards

Autumn Adventures in the Pacific Northwest

With wild hillsides ablaze in golds and reds, autumn in the Pacific Northwest is a sight to behold. This closer-to-home destination offers geologically diverse landscapes and fascinating history. Sail in the wake of Lewis and Clark or explore remote channels teeming with sea life. Visit picturesque coastal towns. Hike meadows and lush forest trails. Along the way, our culinary program brings you the bounty of the region using some of the freshest local ingredients.

JUST ANNOUNCED! In 2024, Lindblad Expeditions and Food & Wine magazine will be combining their expertise to deliver the most stimulating and satiating experience of the Pacific Northwest possible. Find out more about the new 2024 Columbia & Snake Rivers Journey itinerary presented by Food & Wine.

Pacific Northwest

New Columbia and Snake Rivers: Food, Wine and History

Duration

8 days

From

$4,243

Prices are per person

Highlights

Pacific Northwest

New Columbia and Snake Rivers: Food, Wine and History

Duration

8 days

From

$4,243

Top Highlights

Indulge in gourmet menus guided by the rhythms of the season, featuring sustainable ingredients sourced exclusively within 250 miles of our route
Witness the region’s geological wonders—from the Columbia River Gorge to Multnomah Falls and Beacon Rock—and explore up close and at water level while hiking, kayaking, or Zodiac cruising
Taste more than 40 of the region’s best wines, sampling bottles personally selected by Food & Wine magazine’s Executive Wine Editor Ray Isle

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Special Offers

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Pacific Northwest

New Columbia and Snake Rivers: Food, Wine and History 6-Day

Duration

6 days

Apr

From

$4,243

Prices are per person

Highlights

Pacific Northwest

New Columbia and Snake Rivers: Food, Wine and History 6-Day

Duration

6 days

Apr

From

$4,243

Top Highlights

Indulge in gourmet menus guided by the rhythms of the season, featuring sustainable ingredients sourced exclusively within 250 miles of our route
Witness the region’s geological wonders—from the Columbia River Gorge to Multnomah Falls and Beacon Rock—and explore up close and at water level while hiking, kayaking, or Zodiac cruising
Taste more than 40 of the region’s best wines, sampling bottles personally selected by Food & Wine magazine’s Executive Wine Editor Ray Isle

View Itinerary Book Now

Special Offers

View Itinerary Book Now

Pacific Northwest

Columbia and Snake Rivers: Food, Wine and History 8-Day

Duration

8 days

Apr
Sep
Oct

From

$5,827

Prices are per person

Highlights

Pacific Northwest

Columbia and Snake Rivers: Food, Wine and History 8-Day

Duration

8 days

Apr
Sep
Oct

From

$5,827

Top Highlights

Indulge in gourmet menus guided by the rhythms of the season, featuring sustainable ingredients sourced exclusively within 250 miles of our route
Witness the region’s geological wonders—from the Columbia River Gorge to Multnomah Falls and Beacon Rock—and explore up close and at water level while hiking, kayaking, or Zodiac cruising
Taste more than 40 of the region’s best wines, sampling bottles personally selected by Food & Wine magazine’s Executive Wine Editor Ray Isle

View Itinerary Book Now

Special Offers

View Itinerary Book Now

Pacific Northwest

Canada

Exploring British Columbia and the San Juan Islands

Duration

8 days

Sep
Oct

From

$4,718

Prices are per person

Highlights

Pacific Northwest

Canada

Exploring British Columbia and the San Juan Islands

Duration

8 days

Sep
Oct

From

$4,718

Top Highlights

Explore remote islands by kayak or on foot, watching for sea lions, river otters, bald eagles, and white-sided dolphins
Glide into the sheltered waters of Desolation Sound, discovering its natural beauty by Zodiac, kayak, or paddleboard
Visit a cultural center in Alert Bay to see a collection of potlatch masks created by the Kwakwaka’wakw people

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Special Offers

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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.

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Life On Board

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.

Hells Canyon

There's no other way (not even a hike) to get up close with Hells Canyon besides a jet boat ride.

Wildlife & Natural Wonders in the Pacific Northwest

From killer whales to bighorn sheep, the wildlife and scenery of the Pacific Northwest are vastly varied.

Ready for the adventure of a lifetime?

1.800.397.3348

1.800.397.3348

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.

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

4/17/2025

Read

National Geographic Sea Bird

Palouse River

It was a beautiful, sunny day on the Palouse River! This morning, we got a chance to take Zodiac tours up the Palouse River, through the reeds, and past the stunning columnar basalt of this incredible ecosystem. Guests saw many raptors and waterbirds, heard the hypnotic singing of red-winged blackbirds, and some even saw an albino porcupine. How cool! Then folks took a bus overlooking the 200-foot-tall Palouse Falls Waterfall upriver. After some afternoon kayaking and photo collection for the guest slideshow, we pulled anchor and made way along the Snake River to tomorrow’s destination, Hells Canyon.

Daily Expedition Reports

4/16/2025

Read

National Geographic Sea Bird

Walla Walla, Washington

Today we went terrestrial to Walla Walla, Washington. Taking our Zodiacs to shore, we soon sped off to several different wine tasting rooms downtown. As we moseyed from the Seven Hills Winery, we experienced petal confetti falling from all the flowering trees lining the streets of downtown. It’s definitely spring in the valley. From the historical aspects of our visit to the Whitman Mission, to the flavorful aspects of wine, local ice cream, and a historic confectionary, it was a full day of exploration.

Daily Expedition Reports

4/15/2025

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National Geographic Sea Bird

Crow Butte and Umatilla Wildlife Refuge

It was another beautiful day, continuing the trend of glorious sunshine throughout the entire voyage. In the morning, we walked and hiked at Crow Butte where there were many scattered wildflowers and plentiful sagebrush. We also saw an abundance of bird life, including American kestrels and red-winged blackbirds. After a wonderful lunch, we headed out in Zodiacs to cruise the Umatilla Wildlife Refuge. Again, we saw an amazing amount of birdlife, including American white pelicans, bald eagles, and American coots. The river was sunny and still, allowing us to cruise in t-shirts! We finished the evening with a wine pairing during recap, followed by a great dinner and a beautiful sunset.

Daily Expedition Reports

4/14/2025

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National Geographic Sea Bird

Hood River, Oregon

It was a windy, stunning, sunny, and vibrant day along the Columbia River Gorge! This morning, we traversed our first dam at Bonneville and made our way past the Bridge of Gods. After disembarking the ship, guests went to Multnomah Falls and saw some beautiful sights before splitting towards Beacon Rock or the hatchery at Bonneville Dam. Some of us hiked the mile up the 848-foot-tall basalt monolith, others did a nature walk, and the rest got to hang out at the hatchery with Herman the Sturgeon. To top it all off, we ended the day at Syncline Winery for drinks and appetizers before returning to National Geographic Sea Bird to enjoy a gorgeous sunset. Onwards!

Daily Expedition Reports

4/13/2025

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National Geographic Sea Bird

Astoria, Oregon

One could not have hoped for better weather than what the guests of National Geographic Sea Bird experienced today in and around Astoria, Oregon. Dubbed “The Graveyard of the Pacific” and alternatively the San Francisco of the Pacific Northwest, Astoria doesn’t typically conjure up images of cheery, sunny, dry weather. With the mood decidedly bright, we boarded the coaches for our excursions. We voyaged across the Astoria-Megler Bridge into Washington state to examine historic sites largely associated with the Lewis and Clark expedition, including Middle Village, Waikiki Beach and Cape Disappointment. Deer and cormorants were sighted, as well as a flight of five bald eagles. The town of Astoria boasted plenty to discover as well! The 125-foot Astoria Column was certainly a highlight, with frescos that depict the unique history of the community with an artistic flourish. The Columbia River Maritime Museum is hosting a new exhibit on the Chinook Nation, titled the People of the Cedar, which allowed our guests to connect with the Native peoples of this region.

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

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