General Tour List

Art Museum, Courthouse, Walking tour

Tour Number: 
G671
Tour Status: 
CANCELLED
Cost: 
$25.00
Activity Changes: 
Date Time: 
Friday, August 28, 2015 - 8:40am to 12:30pm

While this tour has been cancelled as a convention activity, there will be instructions and maps available for anyone wanting to explore the area on their own.

Discover Portland the green and eco-friendly way. This award-winning walk clarifies why Portland is regularly recognized as one of the best places to live. By the end of our walk, you will want to move here too. You’ll hear about early and modern Portland as your guide shows you an enlightened city, rich with artwork, parks, bridges, downtown trains & streetcars, fountains and friendly people. Even locals are amazed and entertained by what they learn. This walk meanders through the most fascinating portions of the city, leading eventually to the waterfront. The courthouse, which is a National Historic Landmark, is the single most important 19th-century government building in the Pacific Northwest to survive into the 21st century. Opened in 1875, you are invited to visit the building to tour its ornate hallways and public areas, dignified courtroom on the second floor, the cupola above the fourth floor (with its astounding vista of a century of Portland architecture), and exhibits throughout that tell the story of the building, the courts, and the people who have worked here. Please have picture ID for this tour. The courthouse uses door security, so no pocket knives or other items that might be interpreted as a weapon. They will be confiscated and won’t be returned.

"Pioneer Courthouse Portland" by M.O. Stevens - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pioneer_Courthouse_Portland.JPG#/...

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Bob's Red Mill & Aurora Antiques

Tour Number: 
G261
Tour Status: 
Available
Cost: 
$30.00
Date Time: 
Monday, August 24, 2015 - 9:30am to 4:30pm

Come and learn about the wonderful world of stone grinding whole grains on a guided tour of the BRM manufacturing facility. Friendly 'Grain Guides' provide you with a brief history of how Bob and Charlee Moore championed the goodness of simple, natural whole grains and created a company now respected around the world. You will watch the action of a working mill as seen through our viewing windows. They even have a Gluten Free mill! Following the tour we will travel one mile to the Whole Grain Store and Café for lunch (self pay) and shopping. After lunch, we will travel up to Aurora where we will explore a two block area with Antique shops galore.

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Evergreen Air Museum, McMinnville Shopping

Tour Number: 
G672
Tour Status: 
Available
Cost: 
$25.00
Date Time: 
Friday, August 28, 2015 - 11:00am to 4:00pm

One Bus- Two Separate Tours! Choose this trip if you want to go to either location. With displays ranging from the elegant aeronautic designs of two unknown bike mechanics – Orville and Wilbur Wright – to an actual Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird that can fly at speeds of over 2,000 miles per hour – the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum located in McMinnville, Oregon, has a little something for everyone. The centerpiece of these aeronautical breakthroughs is the original Spruce Goose. Built entirely of wood, due to wartime restrictions on metals, this massive airplane stands as a symbol of American industry during World War II. Purchase Museum entry ($25.00 Adult), and lunch on your own at the café.
If that is not your cup of tea -or glass of wine- stay aboard and we will travel into downtown McMinnville, Oregon. Located in the Yamhill County wine region of Oregon’s lush Willamette Valley, McMinnville is a charming community. Sprinkled throughout downtown McMinnville are restored, turn-of-the century buildings reinvented as restaurants (where you can get lunch), wine bars, antiques stores and unique shops. Stroll along the tree-lined streets or relax in a city park to enjoy this cozy community in Willamette Valley wine country.

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Fabric Depot & Pendleton's Shopping

Tour Number: 
G465
Tour Status: 
Available
Cost: 
$25.00
Date Time: 
Wednesday, August 26, 2015 - 8:30am to 12:30pm

Fabric Depot is one of the largest, most complete, locally and independently-owned fabric stores in the country. They stock a vast array of brand name, first quality fabrics, notions and crafts in an enormous, well-maintained store. You'll be inspired by 20,000 fabrics in various departments: Quilting, Bridal, Home Decor, and Fashion. Fabric Depot also carries a great selection of quilting supplies, sewing notions, books, patterns, yarns, gifts and even specialty foods! A major railhead serving the Columbia Plateau, the town of Pendleton was a wool shipping center for sheep growers of the region. The mill, originally built in 1893, began as a wool scouring plant, which washed the raw wool before shipping. Pendleton’s is an Oregon institution for woolen wear. Although we won’t travel to Pendleton, where the original Mill still stands, and is operating, we will stop at one of the stores that the products are sold!

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Last Thursday Street Fair

Tour Number: 
G570
Tour Status: 
Available, Box Dinner Included
Cost: 
$25.00
Date Time: 
Thursday, August 27, 2015 - 5:40pm to 9:30pm

In the Northeast area, Alberta Street is the heart of an arts, restaurant, and shopping district approximately 20 blocks long. On the last Thursday of every month there is an art walk that takes place in galleries and shops outdoors during warmer weather, with tables set up by local artisans and traveling merchants along the sidewalk. Street performers and food carts also participate in the street fair. We will be running a shuttle bus back and forth to the street fair from the hotel over the evening (times to be arranged).

Oregon Coast Railroad & Oregon Coast

Tour Number: 
G364
Tour Status: 
Available
Cost: 
$70.00
Date Time: 
Tuesday, August 25, 2015 - 7:30am to 6:00pm

Step back in time and experience a bit of yesteryear. We will travel by motor coach to Garabaldi and board the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad. Enjoy the beautiful Oregon Coast line by riding the rail behind a historic Steam Locomotive. This scenic trip chugs along Tillamook Bay and gives passengers views of the ocean. Great for all ages, this trip will give you a glimpse into history and a unique view of the Oregon Coast and the Nehalem River Canyon. A shop tour is available, where the unique Little River 2-4-4-2 is being restored. We also visit Cape Meares Lighthouse (Oregon’s shortest lighthouse) and the Tillamook Cheese Factory where you can see cheese being made. Save room for their wonderful ice-cream, after your included box lunch.

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Oregon Wine Tour & Tasting

Tour Number: 
G262
Tour Status: 
Available
Cost: 
$25.00
Date Time: 
Monday, August 24, 2015 - 12:30pm to 5:00pm

The North end of the Willamette Valley provides a superb microclimate and suitable soil for the cultivation of premium Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc grapes. What can we say about wine tasting? We will be visiting three wineries in Forest Grove, just west of Portland, in the heart of the Willamette Valley
Wine Growing area. One larger winery and two smaller ones offer amazing Oregon wines. One has the added surprise of a Christmas Décor Shop in back! All wineries offer tastings for a nominal fee if you wish to try their selections. If you just like to shop you are welcome to do so without paying the tasting fee.

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Pittock Mansion, Rose Test Garden, Japanese Garden

Tour Number: 
G567
Tour Status: 
SOLD OUT
Cost: 
$70.00
Date Time: 
Thursday, August 27, 2015 - 12:15pm to 5:00pm

A house of historical significance and visual magnificence, the Pittock Mansion today offers us a uniquely personal opportunity to peek into the past, and study our world as it was – from the viewpoint of one Portland family. With its eclectic architectural design and richly decorated interior, including family artifacts, the Pittock Mansion stands today as a living memorial of this family’s contributions to the blossoming of Portland and its people.
A short bus ride away is the Rose Test Garden. One of Portland's nicknames is the City of Roses, and this town has long been an incubator for the scented beauties. In 1917 the International Rose Test Garden was born, and lives on as the oldest official, continuously operated, public rose test garden in the United States.
Then we go to the 5.5 acre Japanese Garden. It is composed of five distinct garden styles. When we enter a Japanese garden, the desired effect is to realize a sense of peace, harmony, and tranquility and to experience the feeling of being a part of nature.

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Portland Bridge & Union Station Tour #1

Tour Number: 
G368
Tour Status: 
Available
Cost: 
$37.00
Date Time: 
Tuesday, August 25, 2015 - 8:00am to 12:00pm

This tour will include a visit to the operator's tower of the Morrison Bridge (to meet the operator) and, bridge willing, include an opening while people are standing either in the operator's tower or down below in the Morrison's west end bascule pit (gears 36 feet tall and 940 ton counterweight moving). You will also walk across the bottom deck of the Steel Bridge, look through Union Station with the station agent, visit ODOT Region 1's bridge museum, and travel to Vancouver to see an opening of BNSF Bridge 9.6 on the Columbia. We may not be able to walk on the under construction Tilikum Bridge, but we will get close. Depending on where we can and cannot go and the mobility of the group, we may be able to swing a drive by the St. Johns Bridge for a look at the only major suspension bridge in western Oregon, and a drive by BNSF Bridge 5.1, also on the Willamette.

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Portland Bridge & Union Station Tour #2

Tour Number: 
G568
Tour Status: 
SOLD OUT
Cost: 
$37.00
Date Time: 
Thursday, August 27, 2015 - 1:00pm to 5:00pm

This tour will include a visit to the operator's tower of the Morrison Bridge (to meet the operator) and, bridge willing, include an opening while people are standing either in the operator's tower or down below in the Morrison's west end bascule pit (gears 36 feet tall and 940 ton counterweight moving). You will also walk across the bottom deck of the Steel Bridge, look through Union Station with the station agent, visit ODOT Region 1's bridge museum, and travel to Vancouver to see an opening of BNSF Bridge 9.6 on the Columbia. We may not be able to walk on the under construction Tilikum Bridge, but we will get close. Depending on where we can and cannot go and the mobility of the group, we may be able to swing a drive by the St. Johns Bridge for a look at the only major suspension bridge in western Oregon, and a drive by BNSF Bridge 5.1, also on the Willamette.

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Portland Saturday Market/Swan Island Dahlias

Tour Number: 
G774
Tour Status: 
Available
Cost: 
$35.00
Date Time: 
Saturday, August 29, 2015 - 9:45am to 5:00pm

Portland Saturday Market is celebrating its 41st year in the historic Old Town/Chinatown neighborhood. This weekly market features 252 booths showcasing a variety of arts & crafts by local Pacific Northwest artisans. Established in 1976, this market has a thriving membership of over 300 artisans. After you’ve had lunch (at the market, self-pay) we travel to Canby to a Dahlia Farm. Swan Island Dahlias, in business for over 88 years, is the largest and leading dahlia grower in the United States. A must see for the dahlia lover, or if you just love flowers. View over 400 floral arrangements of dahlias, over 15,000 cut dahlia blooms on display, in our three indoor display rooms. This is the largest display put on by one grower anywhere in the United States! You can take a stroll through 40 acres of dahlias in full bloom. Take some cut flowers home with you to extend your visit and remember the beauty.

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Portland Spirit Dinner Cruise

Tour Number: 
G475
Tour Status: 
Available
Cost: 
$105.00
Date Time: 
Wednesday, August 26, 2015 - 6:00pm to 10:00pm

The Portland Spirit is a 150' yacht with three public decks, two of which are enclosed and climate controlled. We will be enjoying this 2 1/2 hour cruise with views along the Willamette River and a fantastic dinner on the Columbia Deck, a vibrant setting enhanced by dazzling city sights and city lights. An evening filled to the brim with festive cuisine, locally sourced and prepared fresh on board.

Note: This event is not wheelchair accessible on our deck but wheelchair bound passengers can accommodate a separate table on the lower floor that is accessible. We must know in advance so they can set this up.

The Menu (you choose on board) for the evening will be:

Herb Roasted Snake River Farms Beef with Carmelized Shallot-Gorgonzola Butter, Served with Roasted Red Potatoes and Seasonal Fresh Vegetables
or
Pan Seared Breast of Chicken Wrapped in Prosciutto with Fresh Tomato Relish topped with Smoked Provolone, Served with Rice Pilaf and Seasonal Fresh Vegetables
or
Vegetarian Entrée Vegetarian Lasagna served with Fresh Seasonal Vegetables

And for dessert:
Snickers Bar Pie or Caramel Apple Torte

Dinner entrées served with House Salad, Fresh Baked Bread, Coffee and Hot Tea. Assorted soft drinks and Ice Tea are self-serve and a Cash Bar will be available.

Please have your convention ID tag, driver’s license (or other ID) and your ticket with you for boarding.

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Powell's Books & Yarn Shops

Tour Number: 
G363
Tour Status: 
CANCELLED
Cost: 
$25.00
Activity Changes: 
Date Time: 
Tuesday, August 25, 2015 - 1:00pm to 5:00pm

While this tour has been cancelled as a convention activity, there will be instructions and maps available for anyone wanting to explore the area on their own.

Powell's City of Books is an independent bookstore in Portland that claims to be the largest independent new and used bookstore in the world. Powell's City of Books is located in the Pearl District on the edge of downtown and occupies a full city block. It contains over 68,000 square feet (6,300 m2), about 1.6 acres of retail floor space. CNN rates it one of the ten "coolest" bookstores in the world. Shop those shelves —literally millions of books, DVDs, and gifts. After we are finished there, we will visit two yarn/craft stores TBA.

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Spruce Division Cut Up Mill, Pearson Air Museum, Ft. Vancouver

Tour Number: 
G569
Tour Status: 
CANCELLED
Cost: 
$25.00
Activity Changes: 
Date Time: 
Thursday, August 27, 2015 - 1:00pm to 5:00pm

Vancouver Washington has seen a lot of pioneer and military history in its 190 years since Europeans arrived to settle. Starting with the Hudson’s Bay Company fur trapping fort established in 1825, continuing through the arrival of the US Army in 1849 to establish Vancouver Barracks the primary military post in the Pacific Northwest in the second half of the 19th Century and Indian wars. Then during WWI, the demand for Sitka Spruce for aircraft caused the Army to build the world’s largest cut up mill in 1918 that was served by the SP&S Ry. See a detailed 36’ x 8’ HO model of the cutup mill and then walk over to the Park Service’s reconstruction of the Hudson’s Bay fort and see evidence of the few physical remnants of the mill remaining as well as some buildings remaining from the time the Barracks and mill were served by the SP&S. You’ll also tour the fur trapping fort itself and see how beaver and other pelts were stored, bailed and shipped to Asia and Europe to serve the fashion demands of the 19th Century.

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Sternwheeler Columbia Gorge Cruise

Tour Number: 
G566
Tour Status: 
SOLD OUT
Cost: 
$65.00
Date Time: 
Thursday, August 27, 2015 - 8:40am to 1:00pm

Experience the history of the Columbia River Gorge and learn about the Lewis and Clark Expedition on a  cruise
aboard the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler. We board from Marine Park at Cascade Locks, in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Enjoy the 2 hour riverboat cruise on an authentic triple-deck paddle wheeler, providing 360 degrees of breathtaking vistas. Watch Native American tribes fish from their legendary platforms as they have for centuries. Snack bar available on board.

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Symphony in the Park

Tour Number: 
G673
Tour Status: 
CANCELLED - Refunds will be given
Cost: 
$35.00
Activity Changes: 
Date Time: 
Friday, August 28, 2015 - 5:00pm to 10:00pm

How about a picnic dinner and symphony at a park? Each year, the concert draws thousands of people to the grassy bowl next to the Hawthorne Bridge to hear the orchestra preview works from its upcoming season. Closing festivities include the traditional grand finale - Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture with an elaborate fireworks show, complete with military cannons from the Oregon Army National Guard 218th Field Artillery. This event begins earlier in the day but if you would like to join us for a box dinner, transportation to the park, and ADA seating, this is the event for you. Bring something to sit on.

There is an alternative free event downtown that you may be interested in, Festa Italiana. More details here.

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