6 Night Roundtrip Portland Cruise from Portland

Enjoy your complimentary stay at the pre-cruise hotel. The evening is yours to become acquainted with the city. For your convenience, American Queen Voyages Hospitality Desk will be located in the hotel, and the friendly staff can assist with everything from general questions about your upcoming voyage to reserving premium experiences. Representatives from AQV and a local port/city partner will be available to provide you with dining, entertainment, and sightseeing options to maximize your time here.

This port, nestled between the Pacific Ocean, the Columbia River Gorge, and Mount St. Helens, is a suburb of Portland, Oregon. Vancouver's history begins with the Lewis & Clark expedition in 1806, when Meriwether Lewis had the wisdom to characterize the area as "the only desired situation for settlement west of the Rocky Mountains". In 1825, voyageurs from the Hudson's Bay Company broke a bottle of rum on a flagstaff and hoisted the Union Jack in the breeze. Fortunately for history buffs, attractions, and museums will enlighten you, and in some cases, let you relive some exciting times from the fur trade to the settlement of Fort Vancouver. Vancouver is as naturally beautiful as it is diverse. American Queen Voyages guests will find abundant recreational activities, quirky shops, excellent restaurants, a burgeoning craft brew scene, and charming locals proud to show off this Pacific Northwest gem. The 90-foot Grant Street Pier is the focal point of the new Vancouver Waterfront. The cable-stayed pier is a gathering place for visitors and locals alike. Enjoy a fresh seafood dish on the WildFin Patio while watching sailboats pass by or grab something to go at the What-A-Catch Fish Bar walk-up window. If you seek an adult beverage pour a local brew from the area's only self-serve beer wall on the second floor of Barlows Public House or sip a Washington wine at Maryhill Winery's satellite tasting room. You can even do a whole wine walk to five tasting rooms within a few blocks.

Nestled between the Columbia River to the south, and the mountains and basalt cliffs of the Columbia River Gorge to the north, Stevenson offers a respite from the hustle and bustle of larger ports. The area has been home to Native American settlements for thousands of years. Their villages were focal points for commerce and social gatherings as they came to trade and fish along the riverbanks. Later, in 1843, the Oregon Trail brought the first of a great wave of settlers; pioneers portaged around the Cascade Rapids on their way to the Willamette Valley. Some of these pioneers chose to stay. The Stevenson family from Missouri, who settled in the Gorge in the 1800s, founded the town. Under the auspices of the Stevenson Land Company, George Stevenson established the town along the lower flat near the river and expanded the original dock to serve the daily arrivals of sternwheelers. Stevenson still embraces the adventurist - with hiking trails, hot springs, and local wineries, there is plenty to see and do. Take a stroll along Stevenson's riverfront where giant fish wheels once plied the Columbia River's waters for salmon. Witness colorful kiteboarders' sails, as they jump and twist on the Columbia's swells. Watch the ducks, geese, and other waterfowl nesting at Rock Creek Cove. Browse through the small, locally owned gift shops, antique stores, and art galleries in which reside treasures of the Pacific Northwest. And visit the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center to explore Native American legends, petroglyphs, and artifacts telling the story of the Gorge.

Known as the end of the Oregon Trail, The Dalles holds a unique place in history as the gateway to the Inland Empire. The Dalles was the jumping-off spot for pioneers, soldiers, gold miners, adventurers, gunslingers, floozies, and scallywags, who loaded their wagons onto rafts or barges and floated down the Columbia to the mouth of the Willamette River, then upriver to Oregon City. The Barlow Trail was constructed later to permit an overland crossing. The Dalles was also the site of Fort Dalles. Established in 1850 to protect immigrants after the Whitman Massacre, it was the only military post between the Pacific Coast and Wyoming. The only building left of Fort Dalles is the Surgeon's Quarters, which has been incorporated into the Fort Dalles Museum. Fort Dalles Museum features a collection of military artifacts, household goods, and old medical equipment. Recreation in The Dalles includes windsurfing, camping, and fishing. Anglers can try for walleye and sturgeon in the Columbia River. Although part of the Oregon High Desert, the area features a long growing season and a relatively warm climate that supports the growing of grapes. The Dalles is Oregon wine country's new frontier and home to a wine scene with ballooning production. Visitors will be pleased to see the surrounding landscape is like a watercolor painting, the many greens of ripe orchards and vines blending into verdant, tree-lined hillsides. Mount Hood overlooks the Cascades and the shield they provide against the persistent rain the Willamette Valley has grown so accustomed to.

Our ship docks right in the downtown area of Oregon's largest city. Historically, Portland was the major port of the Pacific Northwest for much of the 19th century until Seattle took over. As you explore the city, keep on the lookout for the famed neon Portland Oregon White Stag sign. First lit in 1940, the historical landmark is best seen from Burnside Bridge, spanning the Willamette River. Foodies may wish to experience the 5th Avenue Food Cart Pod, an eclectic collection of food trucks said to be a noteworthy addition to Portland's food scene. Here, international foods abound; choose between Korean, Thai, Mexican, and Egyptian dishes. Nearby is Pioneer Courthouse Square, the city's most visited attraction. The vibrant urban park is the perfect place to enjoy your food truck purchases. Portland is also known as the City of Roses, famous for its many gardens and city parks. Highlights include the Lan Su Chinese Garden, a serene escape from busy city streets and a great spot to marvel at Chinese water plants, trees, bamboo, and orchids. The plants are set to a striking background of covered walkways, bridges, and pavilions. The leafy 400-acre Washington Park is one of the finest green spaces in the city. The 5.5-acre Portland Japanese Garden is one of the most highly touted Japanese gardens outside of Japan. And the International Rose Test Garden is another of Portland's favorite city parks. The 4.5-acre garden, founded in 1917, is home to over 10,000 plants, spanning 550 varieties of roses.

Surrounded by forests, boasting three rivers, and situated a stone's throw away from the Pacific, Astoria is a picturesque port city with Victorian-era homes etched into hills overlooking the Columbia River. Astoria is known to be the oldest American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains, inhabited for thousands of years by the Clatsop Tribe. Astoria has a rich history that reflects the many influences the town has had from people and cultures around the world. Many of its current residents are descendants from early settlers, many of whom were Chinese and played a significant role in Astoria's history especially in the canneries, railroads, and the jetties at the Columbia River. The Garden of Surging Waves is a beautiful park that celebrates and honors Astoria's relationship with China over the years. The Astoria Riverwalk is the lifeblood of the city and the best way to get a feel for the city spirit. Perhaps start your exploration at the Port of Astoria with hundreds of ships from all over the world. Walk under the 4.1-mile-long Astoria-Megler Bridge, enjoy the spectacular views of the river, check out the Maritime Memorial, visit one of the many nearby shipwrecks, learn about life on the Columbia at the Columbia River Maritime Museum, and enjoy the lounging sea lions on the docks at 36th Street. Alternatively, you can climb to the top of the Astoria Column - wrapped in depictions of history - look out over the landscape toward the Pacific Ocean and watch your model wooden airplane glide through the air to its rest below.

As your American Queen Voyages journey concludes, there are other opportunities for you to take in the town - whether it's an optional premier post-cruise experience or a quick transfer to the airport for your final trip home - your AQV team can pre-arrange everything for you.