Itinerary

Day 1: Portland

Upon your arrival to Portland International Airport (PDX) or Union Station we will meet you and transfer you to the hotel. (Other arrival points may be possible, please ask).

The day is free until the early evening. We will have a tour briefing and introduce you to the other members of the group over dinner at the award-winning Blossoming Lotus fully vegan restaurant.

We will be staying at University Place Hotel or similar in downtown Portland.

Meals included: D

Day 2: Portland bike tour

Breakfast at hotel.

We have a morning bike tour to take us on a funky tour of inner Portland with beautiful houses, hipster cafes, street art and crossings of the Willamette River. The route will include Sweet Pea vegan bakery for morning tea as well as the farmers' market.

For lunch we recommend the vegan food carts at 3rd St & Washington where you can find everything from wholesome bowl meals to vegan bacon cheeseburgers.

You have the afternoon completely free to continue exploring Portland: attractions include the International Rose Garden with its stunning array of rose varieties, retro and indie shopping, Powell's World of Books, the Pearl District and much more.

Our dinner recommendation tonight is at the Portobello Vegan Trattoria who have both seasonal specials as well as Italian classics like arancini and tiramisu. For something more casual there's the all-vegan Veggie Grill with burgers, salads, sweet potato fries and desserts.

Meals included: B

Day 3: Galleries and cooking class

This morning free. You have bicycles at your disposal or could go on the Know Your City walking tour of downtown Portland. Other attractions include the Lake Oswego 'Gallery Without Walls' sculpture park, indoor ice skating at the Lloyd Center and inner city distilleries.

In the afternoon we have our first cooking class. Chef Deb Kay will prepare a multi-dish extravaganza in a 6-hour class is part hands-on and part demonstration.

Meals included: B, D

Day 4: Columbia Gorge, brewery tour

Breakfast at hotel.

Today we have a day trip to the Columbia Gorge region. We will travel the old Highway 101 and stop by the Vista House for majestic views, then on to the USA's second highest permanent waterfall, Multnomah Falls.

For lunch you will have various options in Hood River. We will spend a few hours in this pleasant town so you can take the Full Sail Brewery tour, visit the downtown wineries (Naked and Vines 1852) or just mosey around.

Weather permitting we will drive up Mt Hood to the Timberline Lodge before returning to Portland. On the way we will stop to pick some delicious seasonal fruit at Mt View Orchards. If Mt Hood is inaccessible we will return via the scenic Washington side of the Columbia River.

Our dinner recommendations tonight are Harvest At The Bindery, a farm-to-table restaurant featuring foods of the Pacific Northwest region, and The Sudra, an Indian-inspired vegan bar and restaurant.

Meals included: B

Day 5: Coastal town of Astoria, wildlife cruise

Breakfast at hotel.

After a tour of the pioneering supermarket Wholefoods, which has lots of vegan goodies of all types, we say farewell to Portland and head to the coastal town of Astoria.

After a picnic lunch at the Astoria Column with panoramic views of the town, we will take a wildlife and history cruise around the mouth of the Columbia River.

Our accommodation is at the wonderfully atmospheric Grandview B&B in Astoria.

Dinner options are waterfront dining at Bridgewater Bistro or one of the brew pubs like Buoy, Fort George and Wet Dog.

Meals included: B

Day 6: Highway 101, Lincoln City

Breakfast at hotel.

This morning you have some time to wander around historic Astoria, the oldest US settlement on the west coast. We then head south along highway 101 with impressive views of seastacks, bays and headlands on the Pacific Ocean coastline. For lunch we will have a picnic at Oswald West State Park. We continue on to Lincoln City via the 3 Capes scenic route.

Our accommodation is at Siletz Bay Lodge, very close to the beach, or similar.

Dinner options are very ethnic tonight with Jasmine Thai, Nepali Kitchen or Puerta Vallarta Mexican.

Meals included: B

Day 7: Newport, Depoe Bay Whale Watching

Breakfast at hotel.

Starting late morning we have a cooking class at the Lincoln Culinary Center. Along with chef Sharon Wiest we will prepare a three-course lunch, with matched wines.

In the afternoon we depart for Newport with a stop at Depoe Bay Whale Watching Centre and then the delightful Yaquina Bay lighthouse.

Our accommodation is at Inn At Nye Beach or similar.

Dinner options include the eclectic 'world beat cuisine' of Cafe Mundo and Kam Meng restaurant with homestyle Chinese claypot cooking.

Meals included: B, L

Day 8: Cape Perpetua

Breakfast at hotel.

We head further south along the coast with a mid-morning forest walk at Cape Perpetua.

For lunch we will have a picnic at Heceta Head with its picturesque lighthouse.

Afterwards we will have short stop to look at carnivorous pitcher plants, then we can enjoy an afternoon coffee break in the quiet town of Florence.

Accommodation at Broadway Inn, Eugene.

For dinner we will take you to the restaurant of your choice, Sizzle Pie (pizza) or Laughing Planet (various dishes in casual macrobiotic style). If you're feeling indulgent you can sugar up with some vegan crunk at Voodoo Doughnut.

Meals included: B

Day 9: Eugne city, Willamette River trail

Breakfast at hotel.

The morning is free for you to explore the pleasant Eugene city centre and the numerous produce and craft stalls at the Lane County farmers' market. There are plenty of vegan choices available at market food carts for your brunch or lunch.

In the afternoon you can take a bike ride along the Willamette River trail, visit the Oregon Space Museum, check out some art galleries or do a walking city tour of wine cellars and distilleries.

For dinner there are a few options including Cafe Yumm and Pizza Research Institute.

Meals included: B

Day 10: Diamon Creek Wilderness

Breakfast at hotel.

This morning we drive through Diamond Creek Wilderness up to the rim of Crater Lake, one of the most spectacular natural formations in the USA. We will have time for a short walk along the rim trail encompassing numerous panoramic points.

After our picnic lunch we continue deep into southern Oregon the pretty town of Ashland, home of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

For our early dinner we will take you to the restaurant of your choice: Agave (Mexican) or Pangea (exotic/world cuisine). There are many vegan-friendly restaurants in Main St.

At 8pm we have two choices of live theatre from the Festival: Much Ado About Nothing (William Shakespeare) and The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas).

Our accommodation is in the nearby Talent district at the very relaxing Shady Grove Farm. Yes, you are welcome to help feed the rescue animals!

Meals included: B

Day 11: Applegate, Sanctuary One animal rescue

Breakfast at farm.

You have the morning free to explore the quiet town of Ashland.

For lunch we can recommend the brilliant Ashland Food Co-op and a picnic in Lithia Park right in the centre of town.

After lunch we head through Applegate to visit Sanctuary One animal rescue center and permaculture garden, and then Whistling Duck organic farm.

For dinner we can recommend Sesame (Asian style), Wiley's World (pasta & noodles) or you can choose from the many restaurants in Ashland with vegan options.

Accommodation at Shady Grove Farm.

Meals included: B

Day 12: Jacksonville, Medford

Breakfast at farm.

This morning we will have a tour by Segway of the tiny but charming town of Jacksonville, most of which is a National Historical Monument. The tour includes an induction/training, helmet and of course all the fascinating sights in this former goldrush and frontier town.

We take a very short detour to Medford where you can stock up on exotic snacks and more at Trader Joe's and then have lunch at Chipotle, Shinsei Sushi or elsewhere in the main shopping district.

After lunch we will have a brief visit to the family-run Crow And Bear Winery. Heading east we will also stop for a short walk at the Rough and Ready Botanical Wayside, located in an area which is recognized as one of 200 biologically outstanding ecoregions in the world.

We cross the border into California and in the late afternoon we will arrive at Redwoods National Park where we are accommodated at Elk Meadow Cabins.

As there are no nearby restaurants, chef Alan will prepare you a wholesome two-course meal and deliver it to your cabin.

Meals included: B, D

Day 13: Redwoods National Park

A breakfast pack is provided for you to enjoy at leisure in your cabin.

Today we will spend all day among the sheer majesty of Redwoods NP with a morning walk, a picnic lunch and an afternoon walk. Highlights include the Lady Bird Johnson trail, Fern Canyon and the spectacular Big Tree.

Accommodation at Elk Meadow Cabins.

For dinner we are heading to the restaurant at the Redwood Hotel Casino at Klamath.

Meals included: B, L

Day 14: Eureka, Avenue of the Giants

A breakfast pack is provided for you to enjoy at leisure in your cabin.

Today we head south and have a morning coffee stop in the sleepy town of Eureka. We then continue through the beautiful tall forests of California along the spectacular Avenue of the Giants. We'll have a short walk to the Mahan Plaque, among other things the location of a sasquatch sighting.

For lunch you can have your own picnic or buy something from The Peg House.

Our drive continues and we will have an afternoon break at the delightful Muir's Tea Room.with it's luxurious vegan assortment of petit fours, fairy cakes, pastries and more.

Finally we arrive in San Francisco with a crossing of the Bay into Richmond and on to our accommodation at the relaxed Coral Reef Inn on the island of Alameda.

For dinner tonight our choices include the stylish restaurant and wine bar Encuentro (Mediterranean-inspired, modern cuisine), Souley Vegan soul food and Burma Superstar vegetable-strong Burmese cuisine.

Meals included: B

Day 15: Cooking class, Alcatraz

Breakfast at hotel.

In the morning we have a cooking class with vegan Iron Chef Lisa Books-Williams. Together we will make a two-course lunch with local ingredients.

After lunch we have a tour to Alcatraz, the legendary island that has been a Civil War fort, a military prison and one of the most notorious federal penitentiaries in US history.

For dinner we have the option of Herbivore modern vegan cuisine, Cafe Gratitude (latter day hippie) or Cha-Ya (Japanese).

Meals included: B, L

Day 16: San Francisco

Breakfast at hotel.

Today is a completely free day. We will provide you with your choice of a ticket for the Hop-on/Hop-off bus tour or a bicycle for you to explore San Francisco at your own pace. From Chinatown to the famous cable cars, the sights of one of the USA's iconic cities are all within reach. You could also have a quiet stroll downtown, visit the Saturday farmers' market at the Ferry Terminal, or take the LGBT political history tour of the Castro district.

For dinner you can enjoy the vegan dinner at the World Veg* Festival or we will take you to nearby restaurants that have vegan options.

Meals included: B

Day 17: World Veg Festival

Breakfast at hotel.

Welcome to the World Veg* Festival! You have a whole day of displays, talks, demonstrations and great food at the festival.

Our dinner recommendations include Pena Pachamama with vibrant South American cuisine and live music, and Enjoy classical Chinese cuisine vegan-style in Chinatown. Towards the Mission district there are more great offerings at Herbivore, Gracias Madre, Indochine Vegan and Hella Vegan food truck.

Meals included: B

Day 18: Departure.

Breakfast at hotel

Transfer to San Francisco airport, Oakland airport or Embarcadero train & bus terminal throughout the day as required

Meals included: B