Arrive To: Hotel check in begins at 3:00 PM. Program registration begins at 4:00 PM in the hotel lobby.

Afternoon: Orientation begins at 5:00 PM. This is an opportunity to meet your group leader and the participants who will share this week's journey with you. You'll receive an overview of the itinerary as well as detailed program information.

Dinner: Dine at the hotel.

Evening: Start your exploration with a trip back in time to discover the events that led to the formation of the Oregon Territory. A local expert in Oregon Trail history will bring to life this pivotal time in our nation's development.

Lodging: Courtyard by Marriott Portland- Downtown / Convention Center

Meals Included: Dinner

Downtown Walking Tour/ Lan Su Chinese Garden/ Local History Lecture/ Public Art Presentation

Note: Downtown walking tour is approximately one mile at a leisurely pace, with some periods of standing.

Breakfast: Full buffet breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: Learn from a local historian how Portland first competed with Seattle and San Franscisco to become a significant industrial port on the Pacific Coast and then developed a name for itself as one of the "greenest" cities in the world.

Morning: Stretch your legs with a walking excursion through Portland's historic downtown with a local expert. Discover the delightful public art, the intriguing architecture and experience the history of the City of Roses "on the street."

Lunch: Dine at one of the city's most popular restaurants while you soak in spectacular views from the 30th floor of one of Portland's tallest buildings.

Afternoon: Stroll through the authentically built, awe-inspiring Suzhou-style Lan Su Chinese Garden. A docent will guide you through this experience, which is based on a 2,000-year-old Chinese tradition that melds art, architecture, design and nature in perfect harmony.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.

Evening: Wrap up the day with a slide show presentation of the abundant public art that is flourishing around the city.

Lodging: Courtyard by Marriott Portland- Downtown / Convention Center

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

OPB Presentation/Portland Art Museum/Oregon History Museum/Rose Gardens/Japanese Gardens

Note: Day involves a lot of standing at the museums, and walking on unpaved paths at the Gardens. Use of public transportation during the day.

Breakfast: Full buffet breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: Start your day with an award winning producer of Oregon Public Broadcasting’s "Oregon Field Guide" who will share video and stories of the state’s scenic wonders.

Ride the MAX train to the cultural district and visit the Portland Art Museum, the oldest art museum on the West Coast. It features Native American, Northwest, modern, contemporary and Asian art as well as an outdoor public sculpture garden. A docent will be available to narrate a portion of the museum.

Lunch: Enjoy lunch in the cultural district at an award winning seafood restaurant.

Afternoon: After lunch you'll discover an expansive collection of artifacts and exhibits at the Oregon History Museum, whose mission is to preserve and interpret Oregon's past in thoughtful, illuminating, and provocative ways. A docent will elaborate on the exciting stories portrayed here.

Experience the tranquil beauty of the Japanese Garden. Stroll the lovely gardens in one of the most authentic Japanese Gardens outside of Japan and learn about the five distinctive garden types from an expert.

Spend the remaining afternoon learning about the significance of the longest continually operated International Rose Test Garden, as you meander through the garden and take in the multitude of colors and pleasant aromas of the roses.

Dinner: Dinner at a fantastic neighborhood restaurant.

Evening: Dinner will go into the evening, but you will have some free time after we return to the hotel.

Lodging: Courtyard by Marriott Portland- Downtown / Convention Center

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Native American Storyteller/Governor Barbara Roberts Lecture/Tour of Bridges

Note: Expect to walk up to a bit over a mile on the bridges tour. Expect to be on your feet for majority of the tour, there will be opportunities to sit on the public transit during the tour.

Breakfast: Full buffet breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: Native American culture is integral to the Oregon experience from the naming of mountains, rivers, cities and streets to the Maya Lin Confluence Project documenting the journey of Lewis and Clark. Listen to the stories of Native experience in old as well as modern times as told by a local storyteller of Kalapuya/Coos heritage. Then join former Governor Barbara Roberts, a descendant of Oregon Trail pioneers, as she shares her insights into the region's unique politcs as well as stories of her distinguished career in the state government.

Lunch: Lunch at the hotel.

Afternoon: Explore the bridges of Portland with one of the city's outstanding bridge experts, including a trip up into the tower and down into the bascule pit of the Morrison Bridge.

Get a bird's eye view of seven of the bridges that span the Willamette River from 500 feet above the city in the aerial tram. Learn how Portland became "Bridge Town" and how engineers have kept the spans functioning for a century.

Dinner: Dinner will be on your own to enjoy your choice of all the exciting dining options the City has to offer.

Evening: Tonight will be a free evening to further explore the city or to relax at the hotel.

Lodging: Courtyard by Marriott Portland- Downtown / Convention Center

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Pearl District Food Tour/ Pittock Mansion/ Dinner Cruise on the Willamette River

Breakfast: Full buffet breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: Explore the neighborhood food scene in the up and coming Pearl District. A local "foodie" will guide you through a variety of culinary experiences and there will be samples!

Lunch: Enjoy a delightful lunch at a neighborhood restaurant in the Pearl.

Afternoon: Later, explore the Pittock Mansion, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which was the magnificent home of Oregon pioneers and owners of Portland's newspaper, "The Oregonian." Located on a cliff overlooking the valley, you'll have another opportunity for fabulous views.

Dinner: Because Portland is situated at the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers, river culture plays a big role in the community from Rose Festival dragon boat races and Fourth of July festivities to biking and art along the Esplanade. Enjoy the sights of the city from your river view aboard the Portland Spirit as you cruise on the Willamette River. Savor your dinner as the beautiful waterfront slowly passes by and the sites are narrated by riverboat staff.

Evening: Your dinner cruise extends into the evening.

Lodging: Courtyard by Marriott Portland- Downtown / Convention Center

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Full buffet breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: Wrap up and independent departures. Hotel check out time is 12:00. Have a safe journey home!

Meals Included: Breakfast