The stark sea stacks of the Olympic Peninsula merge into the serene and pristine Oregon coast, followed by giant redwoods on the way to the barking seals and crashing waves of the California coast. Welcome to the absolutely gorgeous and ever changing Pacific Coast Highway as it flows from Vancouver in Washington State to San Francisco, California. To make your journey extra special, you’ll be traveling on the “outside” of the road to capture maximum views. Beginning in the world-class city of Vancouver, you’ll be visiting the very sophisticated cities of Seattle and Portland, judged by many to have the highest quality of life of any American urban area. In Olympic National Park enjoy the mountains, beaches, desert and the “cold jungle.”

Reaching California, you’ll be greeted by Redwood National Park boasting magnificent specimens; the tallest trees in the world. Take your time to savor the scenic drives including a journey to the Lost Coast and the Avenue of the Giants. Leave the coast behind for a bit and take the Skunk Train into the California interior deep in the forest. At Fort Bragg, you may think you are close to San Francisco, but wait, there is still time to explore California wine country and enjoy the complete serenity of Point Reyes National Seashore. And, you’ll have a couple of days to enjoy San Francisco before returning home. So grab a hat, sunglasses, and track down a convertible. This is the journey of a lifetime.

Day One

Wow, what difference gold makes! Serving as a quiet fur trading post for the previous 30 years, Vancouver exploded with 25,000 American prospectors hailing from California in 1858 when gold was discovered on the Fraser River. Panicked governor James Douglas declared Vancouver Island a British Colony and the neighboring mainland, today’s British Columbia, a British holding too. British engineers immediately began “showing the flag” and building roads across the region to discourage American expansion. Today’s Vancouver began more slowly. The first Anglican church was constructed of California imported Redwoods because no sawmills existed. The public golf course in Vancouver was the site of the first dairy farm, the first sawmill and Canadian confederation arrived in 1867. The rest, as they say, is history, as Vancouver began growing into a thriving city, connected to the outside world by the transcontinental Canadian Pacific Railroad, which dramatically cut the travel time for products from the Orient to London across Canada.

Start your visit to Vancouver at the most visited attraction, Stanley Park. The beautiful natural environment includes 32 million-year-old sea stack Siwash Rock which sits right off the seawall. Beaver Lake, the jewel in the center of the park, is filled with water fowl, lilies, and of course beavers. Stunning views of the Lions Gate Bridge and the entrance to Burrard Inlet can be enjoyed from Prospect Point. Art in Stanley Park abounds. Three carved gateways by Vancouver First Nations artists are complemented by a Totem Pole display which began in 1920. Explore authentic Aboriginal culture at Klahowya Village of Vancouver. Jump aboard the Spirit Catcher Train of Vancouver for a narrated 13 minute journey into the forest of Stanley Park and hear the story of “The Raven Saving the Sun.” Spend time exploring the other vastly varied art in the park, as well as the gardens and ornamental plantings.

Day Two 

You’ll have an all Vancouver day today, exploring attractions that are not only interesting, but reveal more of the story of the city and region.

The Vancouver Art Gallery features historic and contemporary international and Canadian art with emphasis on British Columbia’s artistic heritage. Beautiful works by Emily Carr illustrate the landscapes and villages of the First Nations in British Columbia. Vancouver Aquarium, which houses 70,000 species is also focused on the sea life of the region. Complement this with the Museum of Anthropology, with an enormous collection of artifacts, and you will have a great introduction to the local area.

If your preference is to get out and about from the city, take the Vancouver Sea to Sky highway, a scenic drive that takes you past rugged mountain peaks to the Pacific Ocean. The 1889 Capilano Suspension Bridge, about 20 miles outside Vancouver features both nature tours and a living forest exhibit. Historic neighborhoods include Gastown, one of Vancouver’s oldest historic districts, Yaletown, a gentrified warehouse district and Robson Street, a popular Vancouver shopping district.

Since you will be in the area for three days, you may want to consider purchase of a See Vancouver Visitors Pass that includes admission to 50 attractions that you can arrange into the itinerary of your choice.

Day Three 

No trip to the Vancouver area is complete without a visit to Victoria. Hop the ferry from Vancouver and start your visit at Butchart Gardens, which has been enticing visitors to the island since 1900. Now a designated National Historic Site, the breathtaking gardens, once a limestone quarry, change with the seasons.

Nearby, visit the Craigdarroch Castle Historic House Museum, the opulent mansion of coal baron Robert Dunsmuir. Dating from the 1890s, exquisite stained glass, carved woodwork, and period antiques are expressions of the finest craftsmanship available in the Victorian era.

The Royal British Columbia Museum has been collecting artifacts related to the region since 1886. Discover the famous First Peoples, Natural History and Modern History Galleries — filled with the sights, smells and sounds of British Columbia. The museum is also home to the British Columbia Archives, Helmcken House, St. Ann’s Schoolhouse, the Netherlands Centennial Carillion, Thunderbird Park and the Mungo Martin House.

A Travel With Taste Culinary Walking Tour of Victoria will introduce you to downtown Victoria, while sampling from the best bakeries, cafes, restaurants and wine shops. This palate pleasing urban forage by foot includes a mix of hip, new merchants as well as iconic Victorian eateries.

Day Four 

Anchored by Microsoft, Starbucks and Boeing, Seattle has become the hub of the Pacific Northwest and a very culturally sophisticated city not far from Vancouver. With the original descendants of the rugged settlers now as entrenched in the Pacific Northwest as the red flannel shirt, Seattle has developed a rich and diverse multi-cultural mix, overcoming boom and bust, fires, earthquakes, and other calamities which have hit the city regularly during its 160 years. The Great Seattle Fire of 1889 burned most of the original downtown, yet within a year, it was rebuilt on top of the ruins. You can still see sections of the original downtown on the colorful Seattle Underground Tour. Seattle declared a celebration exposition in 1962 to honor the delivery of Boeing’s first commercial jet and declare its focus on the future with the Space Needle. You can arrange to have dinner at the top to get the ultimate Seattle perspective.

A tour of the city will take you past the highlights of Seattle. Of course, you must visit the original Starbucks and for fun, watch fish being pitched at Pike Place Market. Pioneer Square is the cultural heartbeat of the city with over 20 blocks of Victorian Romanesque architecture populated with 30 fine art galleries, over 200 unique and independently owned shops, theaters, restaurants and coffee houses. You can arrange for a “Seattle on Foot” tour to get up close and personal with the sights, sounds and tastes of the city.

Day Five 

Armed with a Seattle City Pass, today you can see the very best of this fascinating city. Your pass enables you to visit the Seattle Aquarium, Pacific Science Center, EMP Museum, Museum of Flight and take an Argosy Harbor Cruise. These attractions are not to be missed.

The Museum of Flight is an enormous facility filled with all things “flying.” At the Airpark, you can see both Air Force One, the plane of American Presidents, and the Concorde, the world’s fastest jetliner. In the Great Gallery, board a US Air Boeing 737 and relax in business class while watching Time Flies: A Century of Flight. Experience flying a plane yourself in one of the flight simulators. Watch the beginnings of flights to get the mail across America and the bush pilots who explored the further reaches of Alaska. Here, you can even have a rendezvous in space.

A visit to the EMP Museum takes you to a building that is itself a sculpture set in the middle of Seattle. EMP is dedicated to the exploration of creativity and innovation in popular music. By blending interpretive, interactive exhibits and technology, exhibits capture the essence of rock’n’ roll and its roots in other types of music. View artifacts and watch musicians tell their own story.

Enjoy great views of the Cascade and Olympic Mountain Ranges, Seattle’s colorful waterfront, the spectacular city skyline and more on an Argosy Harbor Cruise. Depart from Pier 55 for this adventure to cap a fascinating day in Seattle.

Day Six 

Port Angeles, Washington is the gateway to Olympic National Park, which is a diverse blend of climates and natural wonders encompassing nearly one million acres of the Olympic Peninsula. As you navigate the Peninsula loop drive, the landscape changes seamlessly from primeval rain forests, sub-alpine meadows, and glacier capped mountains to clear running streams, sandy beaches and shoreline coast. Cultural diversity is present in the heritage of the original Native Americans who lived in the area, coexisting peacefully with fishing villages and a Victorian seaport or two. You’ll soon discover this is one of the most varied regions in the United States.

As you make your way through Olympic National Park, be sure to explore the various Visitors Centers and Museums. The Olympic National Park Visitor Center, located in Port Angeles, features exhibits about the park’s natural and cultural history and a 25 minute orientation film. The Wilderness Information Center is a resource for all hiking and camping information. Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center is located about 17 miles south of Port Angeles and is open whenever Hurricane Ridge Road is open. A 20 minute orientation film introduces you to Olympic mountain habitats. Forks Park and Forest Information Centers feature information about visiting the Park’s coastal and rainforest areas. Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center is actually located in the rainforest area of the Park.

While here you can also enjoy Port Angeles where you can take in a museum or a winery tour or simply enjoy the majesty of the Olympic Mountains which overlook this port city.

Day Seven 

The scenic drive around the Olympic Peninsula is a virtual panorama of unfolding ecosystems, each a part of the greatest true remaining wilderness forest in America preserved as Olympic National Park. The spectacular Olympic Mountains, the centerpiece of the Peninsula, form a circular range in the central area of the park. The ice and snow covered slopes are a great contrast to the deep green forested areas of the lower elevations.

On the way to Quinault, take a side trip to the Hoh Rain Forest Visitors Center, deeper in the interior of the Park, to learn more about the western valleys that are drenched in more than 12 feet of rain each year.

The Quinault Rain Forest, and the ever present mountains, are an even greater contrast to the 57 miles of Pacific coastline that are also part of the Park. Ruby Beach, covered with driftwood and rocks, features prominent views of the “sea stacks,” remains of the headlands that used to be attached to the mainland but now protrude from the sea.

As you near Quinault, the rainforest changes to include more evergreens and the landscape opens up into the Quinault Valley. This area serves as a wilderness gateway to alpine meadows, jeweled lakes and ice clad peaks.

Day Eight 

Welcome to Portland, the City of Roses, voted North America’s Best Big City by Money Magazine. The culturally rich downtown is surrounded by small, intriguing neighborhoods, each with a unique flavor and heritage. Accolades have been heaped on Portland with the city dubbed the country’s best eating destination, America’s most sustainable city, one of the “greenest” cities in the world and more. Some in the US consider Portland to have the best quality of life of any city.

Beginning your visit at the International Rose Test Garden will immediately immerse you in the visual beauty of Portland. Mrs. Pittock’s (wife of Portland magnate Henry Pittock) love of gardening introduced the tradition of displaying roses in 1888, leading to 20 miles of rose lined streets for the 1905 Lewis and Clark celebration. During World War I, the test garden received new hybrids rescued from post war Europe.

The Pittock Mansion, the product of Oregon craftsmen and artisans and Northwest materials, stands as a living memorial to these dedicated pioneers who spent nearly 60 years building Portland from a forest clearing to a bustling business center with more than a quarter of a million people. A tour delivers a unique perspective into early Portland.

The Portland Art Museum, founded in 1892, is also a product of early Portland. An outstanding collection of American works is complemented with modern European masters. Visiting here puts you in the Pearl District, the old warehouse area— named to bring to mind an elegant gem nestled in a drab, rough shell. Be sure to explore the shops for high end jewelry. Venture out to Seasons and Regions or the Portland City Grill for dinner.

Day Nine 

Armed with a Portland Big Pass, you’ll be able to choose the additional attractions you want to visit in Portland. More of the story of lumbering in the Pacific Northwest is told at the World Forestry Center. The Oregon History Museum relates the story of the founding of the state, the Oregon Territory and the original Native American residents. The pass also includes the Oregon Zoo, and the Portland Children’s Museum. More truly delightful gardens await at the Lan Su Chinese Garden, Portland Japanese Garden, and the Hoyt Arboretum, all also included in the Pass.

Enjoy panoramic views of the Columbia River Valley and the Cascade Mountains from the manicured gardens designed to deliver peace, quiet and spiritual inspiration at The Grotto, one of the most visited locations in Portland. More than 60 acres of fir trees, rhododendrons, and flowers, punctuated with religious artwork await.

You’ll find bustling Powell’s Bookstore a complete contrast from the gardens. In miles of aisles, discover every paperback, hardback, new and used book that the Powell’s could get their hands on. A true American success story, the original one room location has grown to six stores and the web.

As you dash between places to visit in Portland, be sure to stop at one of Portland’s Food Carts, delivering unique foods, including the Colbert Super Mac with a half pound of beef, quarter pound of bacon, five slices of cheese, pickles, onions and lettuce, smothered in Freeberty sauce, all jammed between six slices of Texas Toast! Consider also taking a Portland Sightseeing Cruise for lunch or dinner to view the city from another perspective.

Day Ten 

Heading down the Pacific Coast Highway today, the unspoiled and sparsely settled Oregon coast alternately brings relaxing stretches of peaceful beaches, untouched tide pools and spectacular sunsets, punctuated with old growth forests and other pristine natural areas. A side trip 10 miles west of Tillamook takes you through the beautiful 20-mile Three Capes Scenic Loop starting at Cape Meares State Park.

Yaquina Bay was visited by the sailing vessel Calumet as early as 1856, laden with supplies for US Army Lieutenant Phil Sheridan and the nearby military garrison which he had established as an outpost on the coast of the Oregon Territory. The discovery of oysters in 1862 set up a thriving export economy sending the delicacies to San Francisco and elsewhere. Maritime heritage rich Newport, founded in 1866, soon became a popular travel destination. Resorts quickly followed. During the early 1900s, Nye Beach was the number one visitor attraction on the coast with hot sea baths, taffy and agate shops. Pretty amazing, considering there was no road along the Oregon Coast until 1927.

Make sure to visit the Oregon Coast Aquarium to view the fish and sea mammals that inhabit the coastal areas up close and personal. The unique collection of shops at Aquarium Village includes a resident glass blower. Bayfront is a working waterfront with more shops, art galleries, chowder houses, restaurants, fish processing plants and attractions located in turn-of-the-century store fronts.

Day Eleven 

Heading down the Pacific Coast Highway today, the unspoiled and sparsely settled Oregon coast alternately brings relaxing stretches of peaceful beaches, untouched tide pools and spectacular sunsets, punctuated with old growth forests and other pristine natural areas. A side trip 10 miles west of Tillamook takes you through the beautiful 20-mile Three Capes Scenic Loop starting at Cape Meares State Park.

Yaquina Bay was visited by the sailing vessel Calumet as early as 1856, laden with supplies for US Army Lieutenant Phil Sheridan and the nearby military garrison which he had established as an outpost on the coast of the Oregon Territory. The discovery of oysters in 1862 set up a thriving export economy sending the delicacies to San Francisco and elsewhere. Maritime heritage rich Newport, founded in 1866, soon became a popular travel destination. Resorts quickly followed. During the early 1900s, Nye Beach was the number one visitor attraction on the coast with hot sea baths, taffy and agate shops. Pretty amazing, considering there was no road along the Oregon Coast until 1927.

Make sure to visit the Oregon Coast Aquarium to view the fish and sea mammals that inhabit the coastal areas up close and personal. The unique collection of shops at Aquarium Village includes a resident glass blower. Bayfront is a working waterfront with more shops, art galleries, chowder houses, restaurants, fish processing plants and attractions located in turn-of-the-century store fronts.

Day Twelve 

If you didn’t have time to explore Bandon last evening, explore Old Town which boasts galleries, boutiques, jewelry and other shops. Stroll on the beach or explore the Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge. Colossal rocks jut straight up out of the Pacific Ocean in the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge which spans 230 miles of Oregon coast and includes 1,853 rocks, reefs and islands.

Arrive in Gold Beach just before 2:30 PM to board the Historic Mail Route boat with Jerry’s Rouge River Tours for a “Wild and Scenic” journey upriver that includes dinner and will have you back to Gold Beach by 8PM. This remote little sea town has more hours of sun daily than any other town on the Oregon coast.

Head to Crescent City, California to be well positioned for your journey through Redwood National Park tomorrow.

Day Thirteen 

The National Park Service describes the trees of Redwood National Park as “immense, ancient, stately, mysterious, powerful.” We know you’ll add your own words when you stand below one of these timeless giants. Why they grow so tall is a mystery. Take your time, meander the coast and savor the time to be totally awed by these incredible trees.

The Redwoods are rich in Visitors Centers, exhibits and scenic drives. Five Visitor Centers feature different aspects of the story and a variety of ranger-led programs are available to learn more. Redwood Highway 101 traverses the heart of Del Norte State Park. Howland Hill Road, nestled deep in the forest, puts you in the heart of Jedidiah Smith Redwoods State Park. Enderts Beach Road offers elk-viewing, whale watching and stunning coastal views. Further south, Requa Road features breathtaking views from the Klamath River Overlook, towering 650 feet about the sea. The Coastal Drive Loop delivers stunning views of crashing waves and rugged coastline.

Reaching Eureka, you’ll quickly understand that the town literally grew out of the forests; the wood was used for hundreds of intricately detailed high Victorian houses standing proudly over Humboldt Bay. The city was completely focused on the Bay until an overland route was completed between Eureka and San Francisco in 1914. Eureka has been declared one of “The 100 Best Small Art Towns in America” and Eureka’s Old Town was pronounced as one of the nation’s best preserved original Victorian historic districts, where ornate Colonial Revival, Eastlake, Greek Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne and stick-style painted ladies can be seen in every direction. Treat yourselves to a walking tour.

Day Fourteen 

This is a holiday and today we recommend you take the long way around. All the while, it’ll be a journey that few people have the opportunity to do. Leaving Eureka, you’ll be headed for the unique Victorian village of Ferndale, which the Los Angeles Times called “the best preserved Victorian village in California.” The entire village is California Historic Landmark No. 883. Explore the old-fashioned mercantile establishments, as stores were called back then. Browse the antique shops, art galleries and specialty shops; hear the ringing of the blacksmith’s hammer and watch fresh candy being dipped by hand.

Ferndale is the gateway to the Lost Coast Loop, a drive that takes you through the longest stretch of wilderness beaches in the continental United States. From Ferndale, you’ll be traveling a route through Wildcat Ridge. Prepare for impressive vistas, deserted beaches, tide pools, and ultimately Humboldt Redwoods State Park back to Highway 101.

From there, head back north a bit on Highway 101 to Highway 36, where you will catch the Avenue of the Giants, a 31 mile avenue that winds through a series of impressive old growth trees.

At some point, you’ll want to head south to Fort Bragg, located right on the California coast. If there’s time, visit the Mendocino Botanical Gardens stretching from the highway to the sea. Enjoy your accommodations, whether you choose to stay on the coast in Fort Bragg or in a quaint inn, in Mendocino.

Day Fifteen 

The “only in California” experiences just keep coming today as you take the Skunk Train deep into the redwood forest near Fort Bragg. Built as a logging railroad, the Skunk line was created to bring massive redwood logs out to Mendocino sawmills. Residents along the tracks dubbed the trains, the skunk, saying they could smell the gasoline engines before they could see them. Along your route, the train crosses 30 bridges and trestles and passes through two mountain tunnels.

After the journey, spend some time exploring the Village of Mendocino, so quaint it has earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. A huge collection of Victorians has been lovingly restored into charming inns, restaurants, unique shops and galleries. Perched proudly on a small, hilly peninsula, the town’s striking “front yard” is the Mendocino Headlands State Park coastal bluffs. Locals will encourage you to explore the scenic trails with unobstructed views of the sparkling Pacific Ocean.

Fans of “Murder She Wrote” will recognize this seaside village as “Cabot Cove.” The long running television show, featuring a writer from Maine, was filmed in town over several years.

For those who want to venture farther afield, the tallest and oldest living things in in the world can be found nearby in the ancient Redwood Forest. Contrast these magnificent specimens to the pygmy forests at Van Damme and Jughandle State Parks. Explore both parts of Russian Gulch State Park, where the ocean side features the “Devil’s Punch Bowl” and the east side, a scenic hike to a graceful waterfall.

Day Sixteen 

Nineteenth century Scottish poet Robert Louis Stevenson describes California wine country as unfolding as “a great variety of oaks, stood now severally, now in a becoming grove, among the fields and vineyards. The towns were compact, in about equal proportions, of bright, new wooden houses and great and growing forest trees; and the chapel bell on the engine sounded most festally that sunny Sunday, as we drew up at one green town after another, with the townsfolk trooping in their Sunday’s best to see the strangers, with the sun sparkling on the clean houses, and great domes of foliage humming overhead in the breeze.” As you meander through wine country, it may strike you that this centuries old passage still describes this wonderful environment.

Use the city of Santa Rosa, an old Spanish settlement dating from the 1830s, as your wine country headquarters. Begin your visit at Railroad Square, the historic heart of Old Town, still replete with beautiful historic stone buildings constructed by Italian immigrants who favored Sonoma County for its resemblance to the “old country.” The Peanuts statue commemorates celebrated cartoonist Charles Schulz, also honored with a museum. A scenic drive south of Santa Rosa will take you through the Sonoma Valley where you can follow the white landmark signs to the various vineyards. North of Santa Rosa, Healdsburg’s delightful 19th century qualities are surrounded by three lush valleys. Exhibits in the Healdsburg Museum illustrate the town’s heritage.

If you want to leave the driving to others, tour California wine country on the Wine Train which runs up and down the nearby Napa Valley. Explore primarily Cabernets as opposed to the Pinots of the Mendocino area, larger vineyards as opposed to the more family oriented operations of Mendocino, and winemaking practices at the vineyards complemented with a gourmet lunch.

Day Seventeen 

You’ll have one more day to savor the California Coast at Point Reyes National Seashore. Start you visit at the Bear Valley Visitor Center at the entrance to the park. Leisurely drives meander over the Inverness Ridge and through pastoral lands to the beaches, the historic lighthouse, the wildlife viewing area, the elk range and Elephant Seal overlook.

The headlands of the Point Reyes Peninsula offer one of the finest spots to view the gray whale, on their 10,000 mile migration between Alaska and Baja, California. The Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary provides a 20 mile wide “highway” along with the whales cruise. There are times when they travel nearer the shore. Be sure to visit Chimney Rock and the Lighthouse for the best possible views.

Your accommodations for the evening will be with one of the members of the Point Reyes Lodging Association who pride themselves on their unique properties that deliver the best in comfortable hospitality to visitors from around the world.

Day Eighteen 

San Francisco opens her Golden Gates beckoning you to “lose your heart.” Prepare to experience a wealth of vibrant sights and sounds found nowhere else. The city’s reputation as a fun-loving place is well deserved, dating back to the Gold Rush era when jumping saloons were filled with prospectors with stories to tell. The city has held out a welcoming hand to all and today magically blends a myriad of cultures, ethnic groups, and lifestyles. Mountains and coastlines add a beautiful natural backdrop to this very colorful place. To enjoy the natural beauty, plan to experience San Francisco during free time; walk on the beach and ride a cable car to the top of Nob Hill where incredible views await.

Familiarize yourself with San Francisco on the Barbary Coast Trail, a 3.8 mile route following bronze medallions set in the sidewalks that connect 20 of the city’s most important locations. Marvel at a collection of historic ships, the first Asian temple in America, the birthplace of the Gold Rush and more. Follow that with a visit to Fisherman’s Wharf, where you can have incredible views of San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge and the cityscape along with your seafood. Nearby Ghirardelli Square transformed a 19th century chocolate factory into a fabulous marketplace of restaurants featuring new one-of-a-kind shops and culinary experts from around the world. The tour will also take you past San Francisco’s famous “Painted Ladies;” blocks and blocks of Victorian homes that survived the earthquake and fire of 1906.

And of course, no visit to San Francisco is complete without a stop in Chinatown. Enjoy authentic Chinese food and revel in the excitement of this energizing, vibrant part of the city.

Day Nineteen 

A second day in San Francisco will allow you to explore the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in depth. Encompassing the entire area north and south of the Golden Gate Bridge, it includes the Presidio of San Francisco, a fort perched at the opening of San Francisco Bay for 218 years, Alcatraz, the island prison made famous in the movies, and Muir Woods National Monument, commemorating the father of the environmental movement in the US. Together these famous parks and others in the collection reveal the true natural beauty of the city as well as history from the Native American, Spanish and Mexican eras in the region to the Gold Rush and beyond. Right under the bridge, Golden Gate Park delivers awesome views. For a real thrill, take an exhilarating, wind- whipped walk or bicycle ride (rentals are available nearby) across the bridge if you wish.

The San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park component of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area is located at Hyde Street Pier, where historic ships that include an 1886 Square Rigger, a steam ferryboat, a steam tug, a paddlewheel tug and a 1915 steam schooner are available for touring.

The ferry to Alcatraz leaves from Pier 33. Be sure to arrange for pre-reserved tickets, since the ferry can be sold out for weeks in advance. The audio tour of Alcatraz reveals that it is more than just a famous prison. A Civil War fortress, a bird sanctuary, the first lighthouse on the West Coast and the birthplace of the American Indian Red Power movement are a few of the stories of the rock.

Day Twenty 

As you leave California today, we are confident that you will have had the journey of a lifetime from Vancouver. We wish you a safe and pleasant journey home.