Day 1: Arrive in San Francisco. You will be driven to a historic hotel right in the heart of Napa Valley. Each morning, enjoy a delicious gourmet breakfast and mingle during the wine reception every evening. Don’t miss out on complimentary winery passes, tandem bicycles, and croquet.
Day 2: The Napa Wine Train preserves a piece of Napa Valley history and proudly continues railroading traditions that are disappearing from the American landscape. The railroad that once transported visitors to a spa resort in Calistoga now brings guests from around the world on a 36-mile round-trip discovery to St. Helena and back, stopping at celebrated Napa Valley wineries along the way. Choose from an excellent seasonal menu, different in each of the three dining experiences. You’ll love the decadent quality of the cuisine and the fact that it’s created onboard a moving antique train.
Day 3: Start your morning in wine country with a spectacular sunrise adventure in a hot air balloon. You will be taken to one of the launch sites to witness the balloon inflation. Experienced pilots will share some of the more colorful history of ballooning.
This afternoon, a driver will take you to the airport for a two hour flight to Seattle. Upon arrival, head to your hotel located in the heart of Seattle.
Day 4 & 5: Over the next few days, spend time visiting the Museum of Pop Culture, the aquarium, Pikes Place Market, The Space Needle and ride the Ferris wheel!
Start the day with a visit to roaring Snoqualmie Falls, a 268 foot waterfall thundering between the Cascade Mountains and Puget Sound. You will be picked up from the hotel at 9am and escorted by a driver with a small group for the day. After driving through green-wooded lowlands dotted with historic farms, arrive in Woodinville, the center of Seattle’s winery scene. This area, home to 100+ vibrant and entrepreneurial winemakers, is the ideal place for an approachable and unpretentious sampling of local wines. Wine enthusiasts often remark that Washington combines New World fruit with Old World style, achieving the best of French polish and California ripeness.
Enjoy a gourmet lunch at one of Woodinville’s finest restaurants before visiting three high-quality boutique producers. Relax with a glass of local Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon as your winery hosts takes you through complementary tastings.
Day 6-8: Fly by seaplane to Orcas Island from Downtown Seattle (about an hour).
Carved by receding glaciers over 10,000 years ago, the San Juan Islands sit majestically in the Salish Sea. These incredibly unique islands have rocky shores and hills blanketed in forest green and their waters are home to rich sea life. The San Juan Islands are in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, so they experience more sunshine than much of the Northwest. The archipelago encompasses 419 islands at high tide. The largest four islands, Lopez, Shaw, Orcas and San Juan, each have their own character. Kayaking, hiking, wildlife, cuisine, and art are all superb.
For the next three evenings, stay at a historic hotel on Orcas Island. Enjoy waterfront accommodations, local cuisine, pool, spa services, marina with whale watching, fishing, kayak tours, and the historic museum. There’s also a winery on Orcas Island.
Day 9: Depart Orcas Island by sea plane and head to Seattle airport for your return flights home.
Cairn Travels 