2025 Tour code: WC-PSVN-25
About the tour
This 8-day excursion begins in the bustling city of Portland, full of beauty, nature, and welcoming neighborhoods. During your 2-night stay, you'll have a guided tour of Portland to visit the city's top landmarks. You then have plenty of free time to explore more on your own or opt to add another activity.
Then it's off to Seattle via a beautiful trip on Amtrak's Cascades. Your two-day stay in this waterfront city includes a tour to experience the best Seattle has to offer. Then enjoy an excursion to the foothills of the Cascade Mountains for a trip to the stunning Snoqualmie Falls. The day's journey includes stops at two charming wineries.
Another scenic journey aboard the Cascades takes you into Canada. You'll have two days to explore Vancouver, with a mix of free time and Vancouver city tour Including Capilano Suspension Bridge.
Next is a day trip to Victoria, where you can view the scenic waterways on a ferry ride through the Gulf Islands. A guided tour of downtown, free time to explore on your own, and a trip to the lovely Butchart Gardens fills up this full-day excursion. Wrap up your journey to the Pacific Northwest with a final night in Vancouver.
Reminder: A valid passport is required to cross the U.S./Canada border.
*This tour can start or end in a variety of cities. Talk to your Rail Specialist about including the Empire Builder out of Chicago or the Coast Starlight out of San Francisco or Los Angeles to this tour.
Highlights
What’s included
Itinerary
Arrive in Portland and spend the day touring this quirky city on your own. Overnight Portland.
*There's so much to see and do in this Pacific Northwest city. Speak to your rail specialist about adding additional nights or activities in Portland.
Additional information
Train
Enhance your holiday
Upgrades
Reviews
3.7 / 5 · 6 reviews
JAMES ALLAN BARBES
Submitted 17 Aug 2024
This Vacations By Rail experience was our worst vacation in ten years. The coordination and response time of the travel agency was poor. There was one moment we actually got a timely response when Amtrak had failed and they made sure our tickets got corrected but otherwise a complete disappointment. i.e. call backs and confirmations in the planning stages and while traveling. The train from Portland to Seattle broke down so the plan was to send busses to complete the trip. None of the Viator tours were vetted before hand for duplication unless there a was time discrepancy. Most of the tour operators were not provided with our contact information and when we would call to confirm they were out operating tours so we never got calls back from them either, this resulted in us missing a tour because of a pick up point issue. Complete waste of money and working with Vacations By Rail added no value. Better off planning your trip yourself !
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RONALD LEE NEAL
Submitted 24 May 2023
This was the first time we’ve traveled by Amtrak. The first leg from Portland to Seattle it was 2 hours late. The second leg from Seattle to Vancouver it broke down and we had to take the bus there. Eric’s team did a good job of rebooking us on Grayhound although we were able to get a ride on another bus line that got us there earlier. As totally unreliable as Amtrak was we did enjoy scenic views and are considering booking another. We loved the Theodore Hotel. They gave us an upgraded room and the hotel was beautiful. We liked the Hilton the least. The prices were incredible $24 for a shot of tequila and $19 for a glass of the worst Chardonnay ever. Plus it was a short pour. The Seattle tour was the worst. On that trip the driver had no speaker so you couldn’t understand half what she said. Stops were very brief and it was all about the history and not much else. If we hadn’t got off at the Space Needle we would have missed that and the very beautiful Chihuly exhibit. Next to the Butchart garden were highlights of our trip.
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Barbara B
Submitted 09 Sep 2022
Overall we really enjoyed the tour. There was only one glitch as the Porland city tour was scheduled before we even got into town, so we paid for this and didn't receive it. We were disappointed in that flaw. We called our agent to report this and she has submitted a refund request.
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MELINDA GALLAGHER
Submitted 29 Jul 2022
We enjoyed our trip and the hotels and side tours we awesome. The actual transportation was awful. Our train from Portland to Seattle was dirty, loud, and old. When we booked, we were unaware that Amtrak does not have a train to Vancouver, so we had to ride a bus. We paid for business class, but there is no business class for the bus! Communication with Vacations by Rail was very difficult. Overall, it was a great trip, but we had questions that were never answered.
Collected by Trustpilot
Rebecca L, Kingston, TN
Submitted 08 Oct 2018
Great tour- had a great time! Loved the variety of places seen! Had opportunity for land visits, cities & national parks!
Collected by Vacations By Rail
Joan C, Pawtucket, RI
Submitted 20 Jan 2018
I was not disappointed in any of the sights we visited. The tour gave me the opportunity to see more of America- super!
Collected by Vacations By Rail
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